Just wait longer.
The internet was down; today's post is late. We're back up now.
For our first day on the island, we'd like to get the lay of the land. Since the island's circular road is only 32 km long, it seems like a great way to do reconnaissance. The road is mostly flat, except for two hills. Sure, it's 30 degrees, and humid, but there's lots of shade, right? We can hop in the water any time to cool off, right?
We got up early and had breakfast, and were hoping to sneak the bikes out without...Oh hi, Andre. Our host is a wonderful guy, but is very concerned that we have the best time possible. This means we now have a tutorial about which bikes are best of his four available, then we sit down for about 1/2 hour hearing about all the things we'll see and should watch for. It's actually very sweet of Andre, and we would have missed a few things if he hadn't marked up the map for us.
We start out on the road at about 8:30. My bike has suspension, but the gears are shot. Rob's bike has gears, but no suspension. It means I'll be walking my bike up the hill, and Rob will have a sore bottom. No worries, we're really grateful to have them, and the bike ride is amazing.
Some highlights we saw along the way:
There are five over-water huts that are part of a hotel complex owned by Jack Nicholson and Marlon Brando. There's also a flower-filled hedge lining the property. I hijack a hibiscus from the Hollywood hotel hedge for my hair.
We stopped frequently for photos of the lagoon and the mountain and boats. I like photos of boats and water. At this one spot, we happened upon a hand-made outrigger.
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| Made with love |
When I stopped to take a photo, I sat down on the ground to get a different angle. That's when I got attacked by four dogs.
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| Rob: "We're not taking these home!" (...because I have to be told) |
After about an hour, we start taking breaks by jumping into the lagoon to cool off. It doesn't work really well, because the water is very warm. Thankfully, if we get really wet, the breeze makes the wet clothes feel a bit cooler.
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| Nope. Still hot. (Why, yes you are!) |
And then we hit the hill. Rob's hard work and training all year pay off, and he manages to bike all the way up. The hill is steep and very, very long. So proud! As promised, I have to push my bike up.
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| Just like Lance Armstrong! Except not doped up. |
At the top of the hill, we've got a good view of the cave in Mount Otemanu.
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| The Clinging Cave of Otemanu |
I ask, but apparently this cave is also not something we'll be able to do. It is possible, but involves ropes and tenting and heights and loose rock and other nopes.
Other highlights:
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| This flower was as big as my face |
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| Rob taunting me by flirting with the gutter |
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| Grandma Graves in the Gardens are here, too. |
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| Dolphin statues. There was nothing else nearby. Not sure why these were here. |
About 2/3 of the way around the island, we stop for burgers and beer on Matira Beach, the main public beach. The snorkeling is supposed to be good here, so we strap on our gear and head out.
It's a series of coral gardens, and it's the first time where the coral itself was prettier than the fish. We swim back and forth for almost two hours. It's very deep and also shallow, depending on where you are.
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| The gardens went on forever |
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| Sea Flowers |
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| Shades of Seuss |
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| Okay, one fish picture |
After we are done, we decide to have a beer at Bloody Mary's. 'Cause you're supposed to, and everybody does.
The floors are just sand, and the woodwork inside is beautiful. But my favorite part is how you wash your hands in the restroom. You have to pull the cord, and then water falls down the rocks.
Outside the restaurant, they have boards with the names of all the famous people who've been there. It's fun to read.
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| Probably not Photo-Shopped |
Another 10 km or so, and we make it home.
Rob brought his phone on the trip and switched on his GPS bike tracker app. Here's a pic of the entire trip. The red line is us.
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| Screenshot of "My Tracks" app. Great way to track a trip. |
Final bike stats:
- 32.4 km total
- Average moving speed = 11 km/hr
- Moving time = 3 hours
When we get home, we're spent. Andre and Annette come over to chat about some other activities we could do. Apparently, Annette goes swimming every day after work (she teaches cooking for the hotel chefs at a nearby school). She'd like to show us some of the features outside our bungalow. We beg off for another day.
Andre says the swimming is good for their two dogs, and it is neat to watch them both swim away with Annette.
The end of another day.
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