November 12, 2008
A full day of sailing on the open Pacific - endless ocean, endless sky. We are a dot in the middle of the Pacific, slowly moving to another archipelago... the Tuamotos. Rangiroa is the largest atoll in the world. A magnificent, jewel like lagoon, circled by a ring of land with the still clear waters of the atoll on the inside, the very active Pacific on the outside. We entered though a narrow channel, anchored in the middle, and we boarded the barge to go ashore. It was a small, but adequate beach, and all the lucky ones quickly donned their diving or snorkelling gear and headed into the water. Since I could not swim, I was looking forward to the promised trip in a 'glass bottomed boat'. However a large nasty zillion person cruise ship had 'stolen' our previously booked excursion!
A visit to a pearl farm had been arranged, and the drive took us along a road that often had the lagoon on one side and the ocean on the other. The pearl farm was interesting, and of course there was a shop where we could purchase indvidual pearls or finished jewellery. I finally got the single pearl stud that I was looking for, and we returned to the beach where we had a picnic lunch.
We were on the last leg of the journey, back to Papeete. That night at dinner there was a special dance performance by members of the crew in the dining room as we sadly said goodby to many newfound friends.
We arrived back in Papeete around breakfast time. Goodbyes were said, luggage scooped up, taxis hailed, and Sophie, Pierette and I headed back to the Ahitea Lodge. Our original plan was to stay there overnight, and head to Moorea the next day. Pierette was leaving at 11 that night, and she came to leave her luggage with us, and to accompany me to the hospital to have my leg checked by a surgeon.
We didn't have to wait long at the hospital. The surgeon came, looked, and told me I had to head home for surgery and a skin graft. We left the hospital, went straight to the Air Tahiti office, booked the flight, and returned to the Ahitea where we tried to use the phone to call my insurance company.
And the rest can be read, back at the beginning this blog.
A full day of sailing on the open Pacific - endless ocean, endless sky. We are a dot in the middle of the Pacific, slowly moving to another archipelago... the Tuamotos. Rangiroa is the largest atoll in the world. A magnificent, jewel like lagoon, circled by a ring of land with the still clear waters of the atoll on the inside, the very active Pacific on the outside. We entered though a narrow channel, anchored in the middle, and we boarded the barge to go ashore. It was a small, but adequate beach, and all the lucky ones quickly donned their diving or snorkelling gear and headed into the water. Since I could not swim, I was looking forward to the promised trip in a 'glass bottomed boat'. However a large nasty zillion person cruise ship had 'stolen' our previously booked excursion!
A visit to a pearl farm had been arranged, and the drive took us along a road that often had the lagoon on one side and the ocean on the other. The pearl farm was interesting, and of course there was a shop where we could purchase indvidual pearls or finished jewellery. I finally got the single pearl stud that I was looking for, and we returned to the beach where we had a picnic lunch.
We were on the last leg of the journey, back to Papeete. That night at dinner there was a special dance performance by members of the crew in the dining room as we sadly said goodby to many newfound friends.
We arrived back in Papeete around breakfast time. Goodbyes were said, luggage scooped up, taxis hailed, and Sophie, Pierette and I headed back to the Ahitea Lodge. Our original plan was to stay there overnight, and head to Moorea the next day. Pierette was leaving at 11 that night, and she came to leave her luggage with us, and to accompany me to the hospital to have my leg checked by a surgeon.
We didn't have to wait long at the hospital. The surgeon came, looked, and told me I had to head home for surgery and a skin graft. We left the hospital, went straight to the Air Tahiti office, booked the flight, and returned to the Ahitea where we tried to use the phone to call my insurance company.
And the rest can be read, back at the beginning this blog.
No comments:
Post a Comment