Embarking on a three week passage from New Zealand to French Polynesia can be a bit daunting to think about if you don't know what might be in store on the other end. Having never been to Tahiti myself, it seemed like a good idea to celebrate the New Year there, so we hopped a plane when the opportunity presented itself. Ostensibly. it was to give me the chance to see what the tropics were like, but secretly, I know Walt was itching to get reacquainted with one of his favorite parts of the world.
It was beyond my imagination. The sun was bright and warm, the water crystal clear in shades of teal and vivid blues. The air was fragrant from the flowers, trees and shrubs that were blooming everywhere. Hillsides and roadways were lush and green with palms.
We dined on fresh poisson cru au lait de coco (raw tuna marinated in coconut milk with lemon and spices), taro, assorted tropical fruit and other local specialties. We enjoyed a New Year's Eve buffet and toasted the arrival of 2025 amidst a warm island monsoon (downpour).
We were entertained by Tahitian dancers and Marquesan fire dancers. We chatted with locals who were both friendly and gracious in their interactions with us. I heard a lot of French and Tahitian spoken among both visitors and residents, but most were able communicators in English as well. Lucky for me.
We visited Teahupo'o, the site of the 2024 Olympic surfing events in Tahitiu - it was quiet and unassuming (and off season for waves), so a bit hard to imagine throngs of competitors and spectators. We walked on black sand beaches and saw where Captain Cook likely anchored as he came upon these islands. We captured dramatic vistas in the highlands.
Moorea was the quieter, less commercial of the two islands and, as such, so relaxing. The highlight there was an all-day boat trip around the bays and out to the reef to snorkel. The group was small, and the boat an island-themed pontoon. The French captain was also the chef. Our guide and host a Moorean who shared island history, mythology, and geography AND prepared local dishes for lunch.
We were honored when he personally shared with the two of us, his own Pacific adventure. He was part of an anniversary reenactment of sailing on a dugout waca from Hawaii to Tahiti, using only traditional means of navigation and survival. It was a powerful and poignant story with great meaning for him.
And, I had my first snorkeling experience - those colorful aquarium fish really do exist among the coral! It was a blast, especially when our last stop was an afternoon gathering place for rays and sharks. The rule? Leave the sharks alone but you can touch the rays as they swim by. As fantastic as this was, I gathered it was a mere taste of what's possible in the lagoons and reefs of other Polynesian islands.
So, what did I think? With fins and snorkel in hand, I can't wait to return. What else caught my eye? ...free range chickens roaming nearly everywhere we went. I once was an avid collector of decorative roosters - couldn't help but notice [smile].
