About 10 days ago, the couple from Saskatoon and I were in the Crowsnest, and there was a meeting going on. A woman stood up and said that her and her husband had booked a helicopter ride in Bora Bora and it was going to cost $750 each - she asked for three other people to help cover the costs. The three of us signed on, and this was my first helicopter ride ever.
Then the three of us went back to the ship for lunch. In the afternoon, I came back ashore and stayed there for 4 hours.
I bought an hour on the computer from the Visitors Centre for $7. They said it could be used on any island, so I used it for 20 minutes, then saved some. I asked where were the post office and grocery store - they told me both were closed because today was Sunday.
I sat on a nice wooden chair outside a closed store for about half an hour, then walked downtown. The church was there - you would think they would have some greetings and a few volunteers there, but it was empty. All the tourist shops sold exactly the same - t shirts and pearls.
breadfruit
There was a cafe - had a coconut ice cream $4. Bought a post card - $1 and a stamp $2 - and mailed it at the Visitor's Centre because the post office was closed.
There was not too much to do - I thought I would rent a car and drive around the island, but when I went to the car rental, 2 hours rent - $140.
The streets were shabby, the houses downtown were unkept, no volunteers, and the clerks disinterested. I found that much anticipated Bora Bora was boring, boring. We were here for two days - I didn't go ashore the next day, but I did love the helicopter ride.
Photos belong to Norm Burgoyne, Judy Mysak and Dorothy Lloyd.
