Last Stop- French Polynesia: Moorea

As those of you who have been checking up on this blog over the past 7 months well know, Christy and Dion have had it rough. We’ve endured long car rides across the vast US. We've searched for welcoming homes in towns we didn’t even know. We had to the adjust to the cultural peculiarities of a multi-faceted China, to find nourishment in wide assortment of $2 plates of Thai food, and to spend entire days where it seemed we were either walking up a New Zealand hillside or paddling a kayak only to end up where we started.

Yes, I’m sure you all sympathize with our plight and agree we well deserve a “paradise” stop on our way home. Conveniently we flew Air Tahiti home, which offers flexible lay-overs in French Polynesia on all Trans-Pacific flights. It made for an exceptional final acclimization for our return to the states.

Tahiti and Bora Bora, the two most recognized islands in French Polynesia are a just a sliver of the chain that is composed 5 major groups and a total of 118 islands spread across an ocean area the size of Europe. They are quite diverse, some with green mountains (the tallest over 6000 feet) and jagged interiors while other island are others are delicate rings of land a stone throw across that surround glass blue lagoons full of tropical fish. Many of the islands are surrounding by reefs where the surf breaks on the horizon, creating calm snorkle enclaves and the occasional over-the-water, swim from to your backdoor, bungalow near the shore.

We had 4 full days on the island of Moorea, a short boat ride from Tahiti. Diving was a top priority and made easy by the small dive shack located on the beach a 30 second walk from our bungalow. The diving is, not surprisingly, brilliant to world-class here. With the mid-Pacific location there is plenty of large marine life around, Humpbacks migrate July-October and a variety of sharks are common. We spotted black tip sharks swimming 50 feet below before we even left the surface on our dives. Throughout our first dive we watch several 8-10 foot sturdy Lemon Sharks circle the anchor line. Christy quickly went from apprehension to fascination with their presence.

We relaxed on the beach, scootered around the 60km island, ate a few kilos of raw fish- the deliciously seasoned Poisson Cru, reflected on the return home & our absolute privileged time for the past 7 months, then relaxed some more on the beach.

Sometimes you just have to accept there are days, weeks, and even months, when there just isn’t much more you can ask from life.

Christy stopping to appreciate the view during a walk along the beach & shallows

The windsurfers entertained throughout the day, this one taken from our bungalows resturant. Note one of many finish plates of Poisson Cru sits on the lunch table.

Christy reading, relaxing, watching..... and getting her stomach burnt.

Returning from a morning dive.

A bike ride into the mountainous interior of the island.

Views across Cook's Bay

A few underwater pics, we saw multiple turtles browsing in the coral.

Christy, don't look behind you now...

....Oh wait, based on the look in your eyes you already did.

With sharks all around you quickly realize they intend no harm, and are more interested in keeping their distance then you are.

Dion just loving it.

Some warm water snorkling a few hours before a flight to a cold winter in the Northeast US.