After departing the boat in the morning, we had the day to look around Raiatea before catching a flight back to Tahiti and spending the next day there and the evening flight back home.
Raiatea is a sleepy little island (in spite of being one of the most populated in Tahiti). We just drove around the island without much of a plan, but did find the central market (which was so great, we picked up a few nice souvenirs to bring home).
Back on Tahiti the next day, we visited the main market again for lunch (and had a local favorite, chow mein baguettes), picked up a t-shirt at the local fire department, and had dinner at some food cart stands before heading to the airport.
When I travel, I often stop at local fire departments and buy a t-shirt as a souvenir (some sell them as a fundraiser). So I stopped at the big fire station in Tahiti to see if they had any, but unfortunately, they didn’t. Then the firefighter I was talking with asked me to hold on, ran inside, and came out a minute later with a shirt in his hand. I figured I’d misunderstood and asked him how much I owed him, and he said nothing. Turns out they didn’t sell them, but he had grabbed one of his own shirts from his locker and was giving it to me. I had this same thing happen in Amsterdam, where one of the guys just gave me their duty shirt. So nice of them, and it makes for a much more meaningful souvenir.
This trip to Tahiti was the trip of a lifetime. Great friends, amazing sailing, incredible snorkeling, and a place that I’ve never been to but will definitely return to. We sailed 167 miles, saw 5 islands, and experienced scenery like I’ve never seen in my life. Bora Bora, in particular, is literally the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen in my life. Every view was like a picture that had been photoshopped, but it was real. I can’t wait for the chance to come back again!
