Bora Bora

Today we are at Bora Bora. I wonder if these people are hard of hearing. Many of their names for things are the same word said twice or more. Just one Bora would have been enough for a tiny dot of land like this. We didn’t find it worth 2 Boras.

We tendered in here and got on the only available means of transportation on a Sunday. That is, short of stealing something to ride on, which would have been a better idea. What we did get in was a large 6 wheel truck with a body on the back that had flimsy plastic seats screwed down. There was a roof and square holes for windows. There was little leg room and wood moldings sticking out on the sides to injure your legs on every bump.

They keep telling us this is the island James Michener calls the most beautiful island in the world. I think he must have drunk a lot or was on something. On top of which the real name was Pora Pora as there in no B in the local language.

The island has two outstanding mountain peaks. Other islands have dozens. The U.S. used it for a fuel depot from 1942 until 1946. The military put in the only paved road back then. It goes all the way around the island. It is the only road existing today. They also put in the island’s electrical plant and the only wells for water. Those are still used. They also left steel bunkers all over. They are piles of rust now but still serve as their cyclone shelters.

There are very few beaches on the island. The fancy resorts are on Motus just off shore. A motu is a tiny island. There are dozens of these and all have beautiful white sand beaches. Some of these may be as much as a mile or two off shore. While you would be shuttled up and back by hotel boats, most can be walked to in the shallow waters caused by the coral reefs ringing the Island. The single bay that is the harbor had its entrance made by the U.S. military blasting the coral for the islands only entrance. These Motus are beautiful little deserted islands and the waters are almost as clear as the Caribbean. Maybe that was what Michener was talking about.

The island itself isn’t much. It is all very green and mostly just wild. The homes that are there are not the best kept in the world. Most have bare dirt surrounding them. Even a medical center we passed had a growth of weeds around it that had to have been uncut for 6 months. There is no hospital. If you need one they ship you to France if you can afford it.

Naturally it did rain on us. Inside the square holes for windows were pieces of clear plastic that you could lift and hook. That would keep out most of the rain.

First we stopped at a mostly open air factory that made Pareus. These are bed sheet sized cotton things to wrap around yourself. Why one would do this thing? God knows. They are tie-dyed with [many] colors and decorations. No, Bobbi did not get any. But only because I swore to leave her there if she bought one of these faded, old, dirty, ant infested pieces of garbage wrap.

After a ride about half way around the island we ended up at Bloody Mary’s. It is a real cool bar. The floors are sand and all the bars and furniture [are] highly polished woods covered by [an] inch thick clear plastic that is poured over it when liquid. Out in front [are] a couple of sign boards with names of a few dozen stars and other notables that had visited.

They were selling some stuff inside but not like Margarita Ville. Bobbi wanted a baseball type hat. They said Bora Bora and Bloody Mary’s on them. What a bargain. Only $28,000 in some money or other. She thought that was such a bargain she got 5 of them. I have no idea what the cost was but I have a strong feeling I will have to report that my Visa card had been stolen when I do find out. Before we left we had to wait for a down pour to let up so we would not drown going the 30 feet to the bus.

From there it was just a short drive back to the dock where we boarded the last tender.

There are many islands that are far prettier in the Caribbean. I have seen resorts all over the world where the landscaping was hundreds of times better then the resorts in these islands. The little bungalows built on stilts over the water are cute but people that stay there said there was nothing to do except go in the water. All of the Hawaiian islands are far far prettier and have as good or better looking mountains. While this was nice to see once, we had all expected much better.

No Pareus Sherm Out.

(Posted on behalf of Sherman Rootberg)