Week 7 May 18th - 26th
May 18th
The next day it was Daddy’s birthday, because it was Daddy’s birthday Mummy made scrambled eggs smoked salmon and Bucks Fizz for breakfast. After breakfast we went to Bora Bora, we had a very nice two and a half hour sail.
When we arrived at Bora Bora we saw the waves crashing over the reef making lot’s of spray. Bora Bora has one big flat topped rock which is covered in trees and plants, which looks very lush.
Bora Bora is much more touristy than the other islands we have been to, apart from Tahiti. There are a lot of hotels built over the water on stilts. After we anchored we went and had lunch on the island and picked Campbell up from the ferry. While we were having lunch Mummy and Daddy went in the tender to look at a hotel (. we will need to stay in a hotel for a few days because Mike and Campbell are taking the boat back to Tahiti to fit a new generator .) After we had picked Campbell up we moved to the other side of the bay. Mummy and Daddy found us a nice hotel called Hotel Bora Bora. Later we went to a restaurant for Daddy’s birthday called ‘Bloody Mary’s, which is a famous restaurant on Bora Bora. We had a nice drink and a lovely meal. We came back very late and then went to sleep.
The following day we went for a snorkel on the reef, opposite to where the boat was anchored. On the way to the reef we saw a green Turtle, it kept surfacing and putting it’s head out of the water then when it saw us it dived down extremely quickly. After we had got out from snorkelling we went round the island in the tender and then came back to the boat. Later on we moved anchorages to a place next to the airport. It was a small bay that we were anchored in but it was surrounded thick vegetation and interesting animals.
Week 7
20th May
The next day we travelled back to where we were anchored before. On the way we saw a pod of Long Nose Spinner Dolphins. They had very long noses and kept jumping out of the water and spinning back into the water. There were lots of them and they were playing in the wake of the boat. There were some mothers teaching the little baby’s the jump out of the water and make a big spin. When we arrived at the anchorage we went to Hotel Bora Bora. When we arrived the people who worked there gave us a drink while we fed the fish. After we had fed the fish they showed us to our room. It was quite big and it had a small deep pool. When we arrived we had a swim in the pool because it was very hot.
After lunch we went for a snorkel of on of the three beaches surrounding the hotel. We saw lots of colourful parrot fish swimming in amongst the bright coral. While we were snorkelling we saw a huge Moray Eel. It was a Giant Moray. It was covered in lots of black circles, it had a big head and very sharp teeth. It had hidden itself in a big crack in the corral and you could see its huge bulky head.
When it got dark we went to the dock to see if there were any Manta Rays . People said there were Manta Rays because the plankton were attracted to the the flood lights and the Manta rays are attracted to the plankton. We did not see any so we went back to the room and ordered some room service.
21st May
The next day we got a hire car from the hotel and drove around the island. The first time we stooped was at a look out point were you got a fantastic view of the bay and the big hill. From the lookout point you could see a cave a the top of the hill which was set into the cliff face. Next we stopped at a shop and got an ice cream. We next went to a shop which sold handicrafts from all over Polynesia. There were carvings in lots of different materials. Some carvings were in wood some were in stone and some were in bone. There were exquisite patterns in all three materials. They sold some Tikis. People believed that Tikis would ward of evil spirits and were good luck charms for everything. The Tikis were carvings of little men. The different places had different types of Tikis you could tell them a part by the shape of there bodys. They also sold swords and daggers which had wooden handles and bone blade both materials had amazing patterns on them.
We then went to an artist’s house where he was painting a huge picture on his kitchen wall. He then showed us some sculptures that he had made. He then took us into a big room where he showed us all his paintings. All his paintings were very colourful and were of fish ,people and the landscape around him. He then said someone he new could carve me a big Tiki to send back to England. The Artist’s house had an outstanding view of the bay and the hill. The house was surrounded by lots of colourful plant and trees. After we had got in the car we went and had a nice lunch right on the beach were the hotel was. After lunch we walked along the beach back to the hotel. When we had got back to the hotel I went to the activities room and played pool.
After school the next day mummy and daddy went for a snorkel. While they went snorkelling me and Daisy went to the activities room. Before Mummy and Daddy went for a snorkel someone who worked at the hotel called Didier gave me and Daisy a bracelet each, which had threaded beads on. While Mummy was snorkelling she saw a green turtle. After Mummy and Daddy had been for a snorkel we went for lunch on the beach at a restaurant. I had a pizza.
Later on we went to the painter’s house, on the way we stopped to look at some huge carvings. They were big pieces of tree trunk that had been carved into by someone. The carver was just starting on a new tree trunk. He had just finished one which was lying on its side. It had been intricately carved and then it had been covered in colourful paint.
After we had stopped to look at the carvings we moved on to the painter’s house. When we arrived at the painter’s house the painter met us and then showed us around his gallery again. We chose a painting and bought it. He said that the carver would make a Tikki for me and that I should be able to go round and pick it up on Saturday. After that he showed us his restaurant which was just down the hill from his house. It was very nice and it felt like Provence. We made a reservation for Saturday when they hoped that it would reopen. After that we drove back to the hotel and had supper in the restaurant.
The next day we went with a local in his boat to go look at some sharks and rays . We first went into some shallow water in a different part of the lagoon. In the shallows we saw a group of about ten rays. We all got in the water with our masks and snorkels on. As I got in the water one of them hit me with it’s wing. The local started to feed the rays with fish, he let us touch one of the rays, it felt smooth and slimy on the middle of the body and very rough on the rest of the body.
Afterwards we went round outside of the reef to look at some black tip reef sharks. We all got in with our masks and snorkels, there were about twenty sharks. The local then started feeding the sharks with some meat. They started splashing around in the water, and another ten appeared. The sharks were starting to catch the meat in their mouths as it started to sink. After we had looked at the sharks we came back inside the reef and went snorkelling at some coral. We saw lot’s of colourful fish and some long spine sea urchins. After that we came back to the hotel.
In the evening there was a barbecue on the beach. We went down and all had a very nice meal. After the meal there were some fire eaters. The fire eaters were all spinning the flaming sticks really quickly. They also started to lick the fire and hold their hands on the fire. It was really exciting and good fun to watch. We then went back to the hotel room and went to sleep.
The next day after school we went for a snorkel off the beach. We saw the giant moray again and lots of little fish. The next day it was an inset day, so we had no school. We went for another snorkel off the beach, and went and played pool in the Activities room.
The following day we went to the painter’s house where we collected my Tikki. It was beautifully carved and made of Bois d’ rose (Rose wood). That evening I started to get an ear ache.
