South Pacific and Peru -- April, 2015 -- Days 1 and 2

Day 1, April 3, 2015 … How many times have we said to ourselves that we need more hours in a day? Well, today was a 30-hour day for us; and while all we did was sit around while crossing five time zones, it was thoroughly exhausting!  We started out with an hour delay in our flight from Minneapolis to Los Angeles, but that four-hour flight was quite comfortable.  Then the connecting flight was two hours late, and that 8-hour fight to Papeete was a bit more crowded.  However, as we boarded The Air Tahiti Nui plane, we were each given a very fragrant little flower, the airline staff also had flowers in their hair, the service was very good, and the food was actually edible. We landed in Papeete, Tahiti, about 11 p.m. and were greeted by many young ladies dressed in long colorful dresses with flowers in their hair, plus a 3-piece group singing island music!

Getting through immigration and collecting luggage was relatively easy, though it is quite warm and muggy, after which we were greeted by the friendly staff from the Oceania cruise line with the most sweet-smelling flower leis.  They transported us to the Intercontinental Tahiti Resort. Oh my … beautiful!  The bus boys were wearing ONLY brightly colored floral patterned sarongs (many with black tattoos over various parts of their bodies), cool papaya juice awaited each guest, the television in our room was on greeting us personally, and as our body now thinks it is really 6 a.m., we definitely need some sleep!!  It’s rather surreal to be here, a place I had only dreamt about but never thinking I’d actually be here!

Day 2, April 4, 2015 … Awoke to the most drop-dead gorgeous view outside our resort room.  The large glass doors to the balcony opened to the palm trees and tropical greens in front, the cool-blue ocean behind that with some boating activity, a picture-perfect blue sky with puffy white clouds and their call of so many strange and exciting birds. And then there was the view from the front lobby … the pools, the thatched-roofed cabanas, the ocean and the mountains of Moorea beyond.  Exactly like the pictures I’ve seen.  

The view outside our room
Intercontinental Resort
Tahiti

 After a quick breakfast, we checked out of our room and jumped into the back of a pickup truck (a tourist vehicle with two long benches along each side of the back and a canvas top over steel rods) for a tour of the island.  Teiva from Tahiti Discovery was our guide, a very unique and interesting gentleman about 40, dressed in native attire … long hair tied in a ribbon with a beautiful necklace, wearing a sarong, and tattoos on the front shoulder and arm of his very tan body representing his family and life.

Teiva, our guide from Tahiti Discovery Tours

 TThe tour led us along the shore through the City of Papeete … a beautiful bay, many people surfing along the beach, the road lying between the ocean and the mountains. As we climbed up the mountains to the middle of the island, we followed a river that has several dams which provides a majority of the island’s electricity. Cascading down the mountains were numerous waterfalls, and the mountains themselves were ragged and steep but lush with tropical vegetation.  One interesting, beautiful and abundant tree is the wild hibiscus.  This tree has beautiful yellow flowers by day, which drop off and turn a lovely burnt-orange color. Teiva’s passion for retaining the culture of his people came from his grandfather. One fascinating tidbit he learned from his grandfather was about mushrooms. He would top their meals with a pretty blue flower that grows all over the mountains.  When eaten, it tastes exactly like mushrooms. We tasted it … he was right … yum!  It was a beautiful and informative tour which gave us a glimpse of this heavenly island and its most friendly people.

Teiva dropped us off at our ship; and after checking in and having a little lunch, I walked back to market to get my collector Tahiti magnet.  We spent the rest of the day relaxing, exploring the ship a little, having a most delicious dinner, then drinks afterwards with Skip and Cheryl and Steve and Barb planning tomorrow’s adventure.  Now it’s time to drink the complimentary champagne and eat the chocolates provided in our stateroom … then catch up on the sleep we missed yesterday!! 

Papeetee, Tahiti