Tuesday-Wednesday, July 13-14 - Leaving Tahiti, Arriving Home

We had put our suitcases outside our cabins last night and this morning they were gone.  We're docked back at Papeete and can see all sorts of activity down below us:  forklifts carrying crates of drinks and food to the hold, a large fuel supply line being assembled to pump diesel into the ship and an enormous pile of luggage under a large tent.

We met Ann and Hilary for breakfast, then returned to our cabin for a last check as we can't use our cabins after 9:30 this morning.  We girls left the ship and walked into downtown Papeete for last minute shopping and bought some scarves and beads and visited the very clean and interesting market selling everything from fish to clothes.  We got back on board and joined the others for lunch at La Veranda.  Curry, Eric and Lydia had already left the ship as they are going back to Le Meridien Hotel for the day, but the rest of us were treated to sumptuous lunch:   a whole roast suckling pig, soups, salads, fish and more!

We are all color-coded.  Alice, Kent, Arnie and Anita are "pink" meaning they are going on a tour before being deposited at the Radisson for the afternoon, whereas Hilary, Ann, Bob and I are "brown" as we are going straight to the hotel to relax.  We gathered in the Grand Salon and the "browns" were the last to leave the ship.  We submitted our key cards at the gangplank and found our luggage on the dock and boarded the bus.  Very sad to leave our life of luxury!

The bus took us to the Radisson and we checked in...once again Bob and I got a suite; two floors, two balconies!  I put on my bathing suit and had a swim and sun with Hilary and Ann, returned for repacking and a shower - very nice!

At 5 all eight of us had a light supper overlooking the ocean and then took the bus back to the airport.  The line was very long but we got through check-in and security (shoes on!) without much trouble and then those of us who had bought Tahitian black pearls had to stand for 40 minutes until an official finally appeared to stamp our VAT forms so we don't have to pay the 14% tax on jewelry.  By that time it was almost 9:30 and we boarded our Air Tahiti Nui jet.

After a drink and yet another dinner we fell asleep in our rather cramped seats.   Nevertheless, I awoke at 7 AM, had breakfast and landed in clear LA weather!  We were the only plane landing at Bradley International Terminal and whisked through Immigration, waited a while for bags, kissed everyone goodbye.  Bob and I got into our rented car and arrived home in Santa Barbara at 1 PM.  We were greeted by my sister, Jenny, and niece, Caitlin, drove down to Cottage Hospital, checked my mother out, took her home, picked up Madeline at the Cat House Hotel and returned home for dinner and bed!