A global nomad's pursuit to see all 195 countries, 39 territories, & 9 de-facto nations
June 29, 2019
Another amazing adventure has come to a close! Mom and I flew from San Francisco (SFO) to Orlando (MCO) and took Village Airport Van back to her house. Travel time from our guesthouse on Tahiti Island to Mom’s place = 24 hours 22 minutes.
We began the daylong journey by flying from Tahiti to San Francisco on a United Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. After clearing immigration and customs, we settled into the United Club in SFO Concourse E to wait out our six-hour layover.
Mom and I flew here from Tahiti Island in Economy Class on a United Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, the first leg on the long journey back to Florida after our three-week stay in French Polynesia.
Boarding began 10 minutes early at 9:40. We were #4&5 on the standby list, and received Economy Class seats 38F and 39F. On board, I noticed on the United app that Economy Plus Seat 21F became available. I told Mom, but she didn’t want to move, so I grabbed the seat with extra legroom.
Mom and I spent a third post-cruise day relaxing at Relais Fenua guesthouse in Paea, 18 km (11 miles) southwest of Papeete, prior to our evening taxi to PPT airport to fly back to Florida.
Got up at 12:30 p.m. Mom had visited reception to extend our check-out time to 7 p.m. for $60. This way we could stay at the guesthouse until our late-night flight to San Francisco.
June 28, 2019
Mom and I walked on the beach, watched locals playing volleyball and petanque in the beachside park, and read by the pool during our final full day here on Tahiti.
I slept past noon at Relais Fenua guesthouse in Paea, 18 km (11 miles) southwest of Papeete. Ahhh, no one throwing me overboard at an absurdly early hour today! Online, then lunch at Snack PK18. I ate Cantonese rice again (we ate lunch there yesterday too). Next we had a nice stroll on Mahana Beach.
Mom and I spent a sixth day here on Tahiti after departing Oceania Marina, relaxing at a guesthouse and enjoying the local beach once the sun emerged this afternoon.
Mom forced me awake at 8:57 a.m. aboard Oceania Marina in the Port of Papeete, where the sky was dark gray. We had arrived late last night from Huahine Island, concluding our 12-night “Pure Polynesia” cruise that visited seven other islands and atolls in French Polynesia. The total distance sailed on our voyage was 2,106 nautical miles (2,422 miles).
Mom and I explored Huahine Island with a lousy tour guide during our seventh and final port of call on our 12-night “Pure Polynesia” voyage. We capped our cruise with a second delicious dinner at the Polo Grill steakhouse while sailing back to Tahiti.
Huahine has the oldest recorded date of human occupancy among the Society Islands. Europeans first arrived on Huahine in 1769, when James Cook and company landed. Today there are just eight villages scattered around the island. Huahine is known as “The Garden Island” due to its abundance of lush green tropical foliage and wild jungle-like scenery.
June 26, 2019
Stretched my legs on land this afternoon, then snorkeled for almost two hours here at French Polynesia’s biggest atoll (and #2 in the world). Rangiroa’s lagoon is so enormous the entire island of Tahiti could fit inside of it!
Rangiroa (rung-ee-roh-ah) lies in the western Tuamotus, one of five archipelagos that make up the territory of French Polynesia. With 2,567 residents, it’s the most populated atoll of the 77 in the chain. Rangiroa’s lagoon measures 47 miles (75 km) long and 16 miles (25 km) wide. That’s about 750 square miles!
June 23, 2019
After exploring five volcanic islands with rugged terrain and high mountains, Mom and I got a change of scene today as we visited a flat-as-a-pancake coral atoll. I had a lovely 20-mile bike ride and went snorkeling at two locations. This evening we enjoyed a delicious dinner at Oceania Marina’s Asian specialty restaurant.
This is the first port of call on any of my 20 cruises where the cruiseline did not offer any shore excursions! I rented a bicycle for PF2,000 (US$19.09). Set off about 1:35 p.m. and cycled south. Rotoava soon faded away and I continued along the flat paved road amidst palm trees and a few spread-out homesteads, searching for a beach to snorkel at.
June 22, 2019
Got lots of work done and enjoyed an amazing French Polynesian buffet dinner as we spent this Monday at sea sailing from Nuku Hiva Island, where we spent the last two days, to Fakarava Atoll, where we’ll arrive tomorrow.