Since we have been here before and did not find any ship shore excursions that were new to us, we did not make any plans for the day. The temperature was expected to be 40 degrees C with a predicted heat index of 47. Expecting the rain to keep up off and on all day, we choose to stay on the ship. Access to the island is by tender boat only. I can't imagine how uncomfortable they get in the sweltering heat. I don’t think that the temperature actually rose th...

As the ship pulled into the dock at Papeete, the sky was overcast making the mountains outside look a bit eerie. The clouds moved up and down and in front of and behind the mountains. The cityscape was dreary and gray looking, too. When we opened the balcony door, we were hit with the warm, humid air we were expecting here, and the wooden railing of the balcony and the hardwood deck furniture were damp and glistening. Our glasses and the camera lens all fogged up...