Moorea, French Polynesia

I made plans to see Australia and New Zealand in the beginning of 2012. The cheapest flight I could find went through Tahiti and instead of just passing through I decided to use that to my advantage and took a 5 day stopover on the French Polynesian island of Moorea. I jumped on the ferry from Tahiti to Moorea and then caught a ride to my hotel. I checked in, then wandered around, walked to the nearby town of Marahepa, snorkeled off the hotel dock (a little too much because my whole backside got fried!), lounged in the beach chairs, and took in the view. I also made plans for the next several days.

Since my stay was short, I wanted to get as much out of it as I could. On my second day, I took a half day 4x4 island safari tour to see the highlights; pineapple fields, tropical gardens, a fruit juice factory... But the best part was the views from Belvedere Lookout and Magic Mountain.

On day three, I rented a scooter and took my own circle tour of the island. I'm not going to lie... I started off pretty shaky on the scooter, but quickly realized that the faster I went the easier it was. So, off I sped, full throttle, at a whopping 35 mph! Starting from the north side of the island and traveling clockwise from the hotel, I stopped at Temae Beach.

Next, I took a bumpy, dirt road (not easy on a scooter by the way) to a path that led to this cascade and freshwater pool.

I continued around the island, stopping to take photos along the way. The flowers and over-water bungalows were especially interesting subjects for me.

I stopped at the Intercontinental Hotel to see exactly what $300+ a night could have gotten me on the island. Don't get me wrong, the grounds, pools, amenities, and overall ambiance was spectacular, but not something I needed to waste my money on.

I cooled off and snorkeled for a while on the northwest side of the island waiting for the sunset. I wanted to catch it before I headed back to my hotel for the night. I found a nice patio at the Hibiscus hotel and had a club sandwich from the restaurant (Note: adding a fried egg to a club sandwich vastly improves it. Why don't we do that here?). It started to rain, then it poured, and then it cleared just in time to get a sunset view.

I returned to my hotel on the scooter... in the dark with a crappy headlight... keeping my mouth closed as to not swallow all the bugs splattering all over my face... fun times!

I woke up the next day eager for my lagoon tour. I was ready to get out on the water. We cruised through Cook's Bay and then on to Opunahu Bay. We came across a large pod of dolphins who playfully put on a show for us.

The boat stopped offshore of the Intercontinental Hotel and dropped some food in the water to attract the stingrays and sharks in the area. When they arrived, the crew gave us the option to jump in and swim with them. Of course, I was one of the first people in the water. And I tried to take some photos with a cheap, underwater camera I had brought with me. So cool!

The boat moved us closer to the reef and I continued to snorkel. There were lots of beautiful fish as well as a couple moray eels.

The tour ended with a delicious, but rainy, barbeque on a motu (small island) where we were treated to rice, chicken, grilled tuna, and fresh pineapple.

My last day on Moorea was a very lazy one. I walked in to Marahepa again and bought some postcards. I explored the Moorea Pearl Resort. I read my book on the beach and did yet more snorkeling at the hotel. Did I mention I love the water?!

When my time in Moorea was over, I got on the ferry back to Tahiti and then boarded a plane to Australia.

Click here to see more photos of Moorea, French Polynesia.

Machu Picchu and Rapa Nui

Once again I am diving into the archives...
Several years ago my mom, dad, and I went to South America on a two-week trip; the goal being to see the ancient Incan city of Machu Picchu in Peru and the Moai on Rapa Nui (aka Easter Island). Both are designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites for their "outstanding cultural or natural importance to the common heritage of humanity." Also, both are places that my dad had long-wanted to see and experience. So, we boarded a plane to Peru.

Our home base in Peru was Cusco - a town that sits at an elevation of over 11,000 feet and a perfect place to taste alpaca and drink coca tea (regardless of whether you are feeling altitude sickness or not).

We first learned about Incan architecture at Saqsayhuaman

and then explored the Andes of Peru,

the Sacred Valley,

the Urubamba River,

and Ollantaytambo.

We took the train to Aguas Calientes (on which I danced with this guy).

We ended with the magnificent Machu Picchu.

From Peru, we took a flight to Santiago, Chile and then on to Rapa Nui. We were guided around the entirety of the island by Matu'a who taught us about the island itself, the culture, and the famous Moai.

Click here to see more photos of Machu Picchu and Peru.
Click here to see more photos of Rapa Nui.