Retired Nomads - Part 2 : Papeete, Tahiti

Papeete, Tahiti – Jan 31

We have been here a few times and try to do different things. In 2013 we took the ferry to Moorea so we could do a Motu. In 2017 we did a tour of the interior island tour that was beautiful. Last time we did a morning wander and an afternoon 3 stop snorkel with sunset. I’ve included the links to those photos if interested.

Photos from 2019

Snorkeling: https://photos.app.goo.gl/EwYh7pQXP2jLjYKx8

Island: https://photos.app.goo.gl/CE3KBE5UR1exRLyQA

Captain Benoit’s photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/fJ52grdHk58uVXSo9

Photos from 2017 https://photos.app.goo.gl/HNRRw4sLK8bftQZ4A

Photos from 2013 Tahiti to Moorea: https://photos.app.goo.gl/BfxQvQJiK9TJWDyD8

Morea snorkel: https://photos.app.goo.gl/c94YY3p6Kycd8DHT9

This time I set up a tour with Max via ToursByLocals. We have done the interior of the island and have snorkeled here, so this time we wanted to circle the outer island, so I booked “Tahiti Circle Classical Full Day Private Tour with Max”

Today we are joined by Bob & Phyllis, Heather & Matt, Roberta & John, and June. We met Bob & Phyllis on the 2017 world cruise and then cruised again with them on the 2019 world cruise. Heather & Matt, we met on the 60-day South America cruise. It was our first-time meeting June who is Bob’s cousin and a new couple Roberta & John who are on their first world cruise. What a great group today!

Max and I have been emailing since 2021 when that WC was canceled and 2022 when that WC was canceled. So, finally we meet in 2023. He was born in Russia (Leningrad which is now St. Petersburg) He has lived in Panama (as we did) and now lives on Tahiti. He is highly educated and also a musician, but also works as a tour guide. Wow, what a great 2 days we had with him. He was gracious enough to take the ferry from Tahiti to Moorea to do our tour there the next day. He is a wealth of information and made many stops and was eager to take lots of group, couples or individuals' photos.

Our day was a mix of clouds, sun and some rain. We were great at dodging the rain until the waterfall where we all got drenched on the way back. (I said "aren't you glad that you all brought your rain gear, which was unfortunately on the bus) So, after the waterfalls we were all drowned rats. No one seemed to care.

from the balcony

one of the many churches we passed in the vehicle

Our first stop was Marae Arahurahu Temple which was a sacred open-air stone temple.

the big city bus was the transportation for my small group

Max

June, Heather & Matt, Roberta & John, Phyllis & Bob, Annette & Greg

Common Mynas

little rat tried to hide - he was so scared

as we walked away he made his get-away

Our next stop as at the beautiful Maraa Grottoes.

Her face didn't always look this way, but 2 Princess passengers on a "ship tour" had been left behind and she was asking Max what to do. He asked us if it was OK if they joined us and we'd try to catch them up at the next stop. Princess did come back to get them.

me shopping

Maraa Grottoes - larger of the two

a local jumped into the water

John & Roberta, June, Heather & Matt, Phyllis & Bob, Annette & Greg

Silvereye (a new bird for us)

the smaller of the two grottos

path to the black sand beach

lots of surfers

men fishing

John & Roberta, Matt & Heather, Phyllis & Bob, June, Greg & Annette

Annette & Greg, June, Matt in the back, Bob & Phyllis, John & Roberta, Heather in the back

Stop for local juices - Heather & Phyllis bought some - Heather got the mix of 5 things and shared it with us. It actually was pretty good.

Heather, lady selling juice & Phyllis

Max in the back

sacred eels - we fed bread to the eels and the ducks

Earlier in the day Max stopped to get us cold Tahitian water and many loaves of French Bread. We thought how nice that he got us bread. We later were given the bread to feed to the eels and the ducks. Some of us tried the bread and it was yummy.

view from the restaurant

the restaurant

Greg, Annette, Roberta, John, Heather, Matt, Bob, Phyllis, June

Poisson Cru

spring rolls

steak

mahi mahi

coconut pie

trio of desserts - Coconut Brule, Chocolate brule, Creme brule

Common Waxbills

in the bus to the next stop

arrival at Te 'a' ai - collectively the Fa'arumai Waterfalls - 295-foot Vaimahutu cascade

June, Heather & Matt, Phyllis at the back, Annette & Greg, Bob, Roberta & John

John & Roberta, Matt & Heather, Phyllis, June, Bob, Annette & Greg

Point Venus Lighthouse

Heather & Matt in the back, John & Roberta, June, Phyllis & Bob, Annette & Greg

Monument to Captain Bligh -- homage to the disgraced captain of HMS Bounty. Descendants of the mutineers live in the Society Islands, so this monument is meaningful to many locals.

This point on Matavai Bay has major significance. It is the place where Captain Samuel Wallis landed in 1767 and where James Cook watched the transit of Venus in April 1769. The crew of the infamous Bounty also stepped ashore here in 1788 (and did not want to leave), as did the first members of the London Missionary Society, who arrived in 1797. An impressive white lighthouse—Tahiti's only lighthouse—was built in 1867 to commemorate the anniversary of Wallis's arrival; it stands just feet away from the black-sand Pointe Vénus Beach.

more surfers

Red-vented Bulbul

View from One Tree Hill

John & Roberta, Greg & Annette, Heather & Matt, Bob, June, Phyllis

We had a lovely day with Max, and he regaled us with his knowledge and shared stories along the way. We passed many churches, and he pointed out each one and said what they were. (due to rain, no photos through the windows of the bus) We passed lagoons, deep valleys, rain forests and of course waterfalls. We passed through sleepy little towns and visited black sand beaches and watched surfers. We also stopped at many viewpoints and did small walks to see waterfalls and more!

After Max dropped us off we all went our separate ways. It was a late-night port and silly me brought 4 months of the wrong shampoo and conditioner, so I was on the hunt for something at least similar. We went to 3 drug stores and a grocery store, and I went back to the first place we stopped and bought something that hopefully works with my hair.

sites along the way

We went back to the ship and unloaded our stuff and freshened up before going back out to eat at the food trucks that set up near the ship. Normally, there are many trucks here, but I imagine due to Covid there were only three. We chose an Asian truck and it was very good!