Monday, March 27, 2006
Raiatea, Sacred Island
Friday we flew from Bora Bora to Raiatea, the sacred island that was home base for all of Polynesian culture.
Quite to our surprise, we found ourself lodged in the middle of the jungle, miles from any restaurant or shop. Maybe we should have read our travel guide more carefully? Anyway, we had no choice but to cook our own meals and to pluck both familiar and strange, unknown fruit from the trees to survive. It all tasted quite good, actually. It did help that we had taken with us a stock of Hinanu beer.
At our pension we found some bikes to our disposal and we explored a bit of the island. The traditional temples, the maraes, are impressive, even if they're just very simple structures. Astrid did a couple of long time exposures of them (as she did of some other spots on the island).
We did some kayaking and snorkeling and saw more rays, squid and a baby shark. Francis hopes that we will see some mean, grown up sharks really soon! Astrid does not seem to be so keen... Will she have a choice?
While we're writing this, it's pitch black dark around us and the air is filled with the sound of a zillion insects, reptiles, birds and even some higher level organisms. Astrid? Oh yeah, let's not forget the sound of falling coconuts and the roar of the distant ocean.
Tuesday we'll leave for Maupiti, a small island. We hope we'll find some Internet access over there. If not, we'll update you in about two weeks from now. Ciao!
Quite to our surprise, we found ourself lodged in the middle of the jungle, miles from any restaurant or shop. Maybe we should have read our travel guide more carefully? Anyway, we had no choice but to cook our own meals and to pluck both familiar and strange, unknown fruit from the trees to survive. It all tasted quite good, actually. It did help that we had taken with us a stock of Hinanu beer.
At our pension we found some bikes to our disposal and we explored a bit of the island. The traditional temples, the maraes, are impressive, even if they're just very simple structures. Astrid did a couple of long time exposures of them (as she did of some other spots on the island).
We did some kayaking and snorkeling and saw more rays, squid and a baby shark. Francis hopes that we will see some mean, grown up sharks really soon! Astrid does not seem to be so keen... Will she have a choice?
While we're writing this, it's pitch black dark around us and the air is filled with the sound of a zillion insects, reptiles, birds and even some higher level organisms. Astrid? Oh yeah, let's not forget the sound of falling coconuts and the roar of the distant ocean.
Tuesday we'll leave for Maupiti, a small island. We hope we'll find some Internet access over there. If not, we'll update you in about two weeks from now. Ciao!
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Bora Bora
Tuesday we flew from Tahiti to Bora Bora. We're getting closer to paradise!
The aerial views of the islands are incredible. We all know them from postcards and travel brochures, but seeing them for real is just... unreal.
The place we're staying at, Chez Robert & Tina, is pretty cool. It is located on the most southern point of the island and sometimes we have the impression to be on a boat. Especially at night, when it's storming.
We've had some great food here. The typically Tahitian dish, raw fish with coco and lemon, is delicious. The Hinano beer is just what the doctor ordered. We did more hiking and Astrid has taken some more long time exposures.
We've done a lot of snorkeling here. The water is crystal clear and there's exotic, multi-colored fish everywhere. Today we saw two moray eels. Yesterday we encountered a couple of Manta rays and we saw some sharks in the distance. It's too bad we can't take our digital camera with us under water!
Internet access is even harder to get here than in Tahiti. Tomorrow we're heading to Raiatea for a couple of days and then we'll fly to Maupiti, a really small island, for two weeks. (It's so small that the bank opens only once a month, when the manager comes by). Hopefully we'll be able to get some Internet access here or there...
The aerial views of the islands are incredible. We all know them from postcards and travel brochures, but seeing them for real is just... unreal.
The place we're staying at, Chez Robert & Tina, is pretty cool. It is located on the most southern point of the island and sometimes we have the impression to be on a boat. Especially at night, when it's storming.
We've had some great food here. The typically Tahitian dish, raw fish with coco and lemon, is delicious. The Hinano beer is just what the doctor ordered. We did more hiking and Astrid has taken some more long time exposures.
We've done a lot of snorkeling here. The water is crystal clear and there's exotic, multi-colored fish everywhere. Today we saw two moray eels. Yesterday we encountered a couple of Manta rays and we saw some sharks in the distance. It's too bad we can't take our digital camera with us under water!
Internet access is even harder to get here than in Tahiti. Tomorrow we're heading to Raiatea for a couple of days and then we'll fly to Maupiti, a really small island, for two weeks. (It's so small that the bank opens only once a month, when the manager comes by). Hopefully we'll be able to get some Internet access here or there...
Monday, March 20, 2006
Tahiti
Friday we left LA for Tahiti. We almost missed our flight as we were convinced that it was on Saturday. Luckily we felt like doing some planning for the next days, so we noticed that the flight was just a couple of hours later.
Tahiti is hot, very hot. But, hey, that’s what we wanted, no? The girls are pretty and the beer is cold. You won’t hear me (Francis) complaining!
The ocean is warm, full of beautiful fish, the people are laidback and friendly, nature luxuriant and the fruit … hmmm un delice !
Yesterday we went for a walk in the hills. Astrid almost died of exhaustion. It was a lot of fun!
(Astrid) I have to add that it was 2pm, the hottest time of the day, when normal people have their siesta…
Today we went to visit Papeete. We needed to buy some scuba gear too. Once we get to the smaller islands stuff like that might be harder to find…
Tonight we will upload this blog entry. Accessing the Internet is much harder (and slower and more expensive) than it was in LA where we had free WiFi in our room. It probably won’t get any better when we get to the more remote islands…
Tahiti is hot, very hot. But, hey, that’s what we wanted, no? The girls are pretty and the beer is cold. You won’t hear me (Francis) complaining!
The ocean is warm, full of beautiful fish, the people are laidback and friendly, nature luxuriant and the fruit … hmmm un delice !
Yesterday we went for a walk in the hills. Astrid almost died of exhaustion. It was a lot of fun!
(Astrid) I have to add that it was 2pm, the hottest time of the day, when normal people have their siesta…
Today we went to visit Papeete. We needed to buy some scuba gear too. Once we get to the smaller islands stuff like that might be harder to find…
Tonight we will upload this blog entry. Accessing the Internet is much harder (and slower and more expensive) than it was in LA where we had free WiFi in our room. It probably won’t get any better when we get to the more remote islands…
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Ashes and Snow
Today we saw the Ashes and Snow exhibition in Gregory Colbert nomadic museum. Pictures and movies are amazing. A real hymn to nature!
Unfortunatly it was freezing in the museum.
Check out the ashesandsnow.org
Unfortunatly it was freezing in the museum.
Check out the ashesandsnow.org
Snow and desert
Yesterday we drove to Palm Springs. There we took the aerial tramway and 10 minutes later we ware walking through the snow, something we hadn't really anticipated.
Afterwards we drove on to Joshua Tree Park and its stunning moonlike landscapes. Snow and desert, only a couple of hours apart. Crazy!
Afterwards we drove on to Joshua Tree Park and its stunning moonlike landscapes. Snow and desert, only a couple of hours apart. Crazy!
Dolphins and the Getty
Tuesday morning, while Astrid was doing a long-time exposure on the beach, we saw a couple of dolphins swim by. Cool.
Later that day we went to visit the Getty Center. Awesome architecture.
Later that day we went to visit the Getty Center. Awesome architecture.
Monday, March 13, 2006
Plane crash
While we were having breakfast a small plane crashed in front of the beach. When we went back to our hotel a large group of rescue vehicles, boats and helicopters had gathered near the crash site. Apparently two bodies have been recovered and a third one is still being searched for (we still hear the helicopters)...
UPDATE
There were only 2 people on the plane. One of them was a gameshow host in the Eighties...
Later today we drove around LA, visiting Downtown, Little Tokyo (great food!), Chinatown and the Santa Monica Mountains.
By the way, we can no longer upload images using the Blogger interface (no idea why), so we're uploading them directly... They show up a bit bigger now.
UPDATE
There were only 2 people on the plane. One of them was a gameshow host in the Eighties...
Later today we drove around LA, visiting Downtown, Little Tokyo (great food!), Chinatown and the Santa Monica Mountains.
By the way, we can no longer upload images using the Blogger interface (no idea why), so we're uploading them directly... They show up a bit bigger now.
Sunday, March 12, 2006
Sunburned
The weather might not be very hot, but the sun surely is working. We both got sunburned today. We went biking and had lunch outside when the sun was at its highest. Some protection might have been a good idea! Maybe we'll buy a hat tomorrow...
While biking we found out that Gregory Colbert is exhibiting here! Astrid is sooo excited. We'll go and check it out one of these days.
While biking we found out that Gregory Colbert is exhibiting here! Astrid is sooo excited. We'll go and check it out one of these days.
Breakfast on the beach
As expected, Rich did spoil us in London. Pooja and Rich made us an excellent Indian dinner. Miam miam!
Later they took us to a bar and there just happened to be a great drum and bass party. London at its best.
Saturday afternoon we took our flight to LA. It was one of the smoothest flights we ever had. Champagne, lots of space, a great in-flight entertainment system and awesome views.
In LA a chevvy was waiting for us. Hertz's computer-generated directions to Santa Monica turned out to be pretty worthless, but some friendly Californians helped us out and we did get to our motel without too much trouble. At least we did not end up lost in South Central!
It was chilly in LA when we got there, but this morning the sun is shining and life is good! We just had breakfast on Santa Monica beach. The pancakes are excellent, the fruit is amazing and the live music (latino of course) is lots of fun. Our camera is still recharching, so no pictures for now.
Later they took us to a bar and there just happened to be a great drum and bass party. London at its best.
Saturday afternoon we took our flight to LA. It was one of the smoothest flights we ever had. Champagne, lots of space, a great in-flight entertainment system and awesome views.
In LA a chevvy was waiting for us. Hertz's computer-generated directions to Santa Monica turned out to be pretty worthless, but some friendly Californians helped us out and we did get to our motel without too much trouble. At least we did not end up lost in South Central!
It was chilly in LA when we got there, but this morning the sun is shining and life is good! We just had breakfast on Santa Monica beach. The pancakes are excellent, the fruit is amazing and the live music (latino of course) is lots of fun. Our camera is still recharching, so no pictures for now.
Friday, March 10, 2006
Leaving for London
In a couple of hours we'll begin our trip by taking the Eurostar to London. There our dear friend Rich will take care of us. Won't you, Rich? ;-)
The last couple of days, we've been staying at Francis's parents' place. Though quite hectic at times, it was a lot of fun. Dank je wel!
We've almost finished packing. We won't be taking a lot of clothes since French Polenesia will be hot. Los Angeles, our fist stop, is quite cold at the moment though. Let's hope that the temperature there will rise over the following days...
The last couple of days, we've been staying at Francis's parents' place. Though quite hectic at times, it was a lot of fun. Dank je wel!
We've almost finished packing. We won't be taking a lot of clothes since French Polenesia will be hot. Los Angeles, our fist stop, is quite cold at the moment though. Let's hope that the temperature there will rise over the following days...
