Rangiroa, French Polynesia

Bad luck on the ship or a lot of people are old. Anyways, another gentleman died two days ago. Wow, two passed away in less than 2 weeks. Not good.

Our head Matri’de in the dining room is a friendly fellow called Leo, approached us and said you both must be the youngest world cruisers. We said we didn’t know. He likes to joke so we are talking and he said would you like to see my valet parking. We said sure, and followed him through the dining room doors to around the corner and he points it out. It is full of walkers and wheel chairs and canes. The diners who use them, park them there before they go to their tables. We laughed and laughed. It’s not funny for the average age on board of passengers must be around 75 yrs of age. There is one lady who Mary Anne met who is 97 years old and shuffles her feet but is strong and walks ok and is on the world cruise. She has lost all of her children and husband and only has one grandchild left. Sad.

This morning, the ship was moving very very slowly through a very narrow passage way inorder to enter the coral atoll of the Tuamotu Archipelago of French Polynesia. The land mass surrounding this atoll is only 15 sq. miles and the lagoon it surrounds is the second largest in the world. Our ship entered this very narrow passage and we are now sitting in this beautiful lagoon. We left the ship by tender and came to a village with colorful houses, no windows, dogs and roosters and hens with chicks running around. Came upon some kids playing in a yard and took a photo of one naked playing with a ball. The shops are so tiny and most of the locals get by with motor scooters or bikes. We walked over to the tiny pass we entered and watched around 4 dolphins playing and jumping in the air in front of us. The water is crystal clear with tiny colorful fish swimming around our feet. The water is so warm and the sand very fine. Thatched houses are found along the beaches where Doug and I walked, with junk everywhere and people enjoying life doing nothing. Stereos blaring French songs from some homes, kids in the yards playing and chubby Polynesian ladies watching us stroll by. We walked around for one and a half hours along some quiet roads, girls with babies in strollers going by, nobody cares. Palm trees and lush vegetation everywhere. It is very hot and humid today. Temperature is in the upper 80’s and most of us coming back to the ship have perspiration soaked clothes. Should be the same temperature tomorrow. We had some air conditioning problems on the port side where our stateroom is so yesterday was a bit hot for a couple of hours until it was fixed.

Tonight is a full night with mass, dinner, and two shows to go to. Our cruise director is performing as a ventriloquist and so is Shirley, the harp virtuoso from Brazil that Doug and I met; and a world renowned pianist is also playing. Then an Acappella Quartet is also performing.

Doug is sitting out on the balcony, in the lounge chair, reading his book and looking out at the huts on stilts on the lagoon( A fancy hotel). I, in turn am going to read my diet book for Doug and I both weighed ourselves this morning at the Fitness Centre and we each gained 5 lbs. Wow. I am depressed and Doug laughs and says enjoy the cruise. Fine for him to say. Oh well such is life.