And so restful. Actually, it didn't begin until after we (most of us) had returned from the morning excursion. We are anchored at Nuka Hiva, the last island in the string of islands that comprise French Polynesia. This one is actually the second in size after Tahiti but it is relatively unoccupied and very rustic or rural. The harbour is beautiful and surrounded by "mountains" (coming from Canada I have trouble calling big hills mountains.) Our excursion filled up all the cars/vans/pickup trucks on the island, I think, with the exception of two SUVs I noticed had been engaged by independent fellow travellers who had managed to find a tour business to look after them.

It was a simple and most enjoyable drive: up one mountain and down again; up the other mountain (on the other side of the bay) and down the others, with photo stops along the way. (I tried; I think I got a video of some feet walking.) We had a pit stop where the inhabitants were selling beads and carvings and things and giving us slices of mango and papaya, fried bananas, and breadfruit chips.

This is the island that Herman Melville ended up on afar he jumped ship. He was taken prisoner but allowed to live (and not to be eaten, apparently) and stayed about three weeks (CHECK THIS). The place he stayed was call Taipetai (CHECK THIS); he called his novel TYPEE, something else I must read.

I have been sitting in HORIZONS lounge on the top deck (Ten) and forward. It's 4 p.m., teatime, with a string quartet and lots of goodies, which I do not eat - just one or two minuscule (delicious) sandwiches, with my Earl Grey, before I go down to the Insignia Lounge, (Deck Five, aft) to play Trivial Pursuit. It's very cold there but I have a blanket.

I'm fine.

I'll check in but that's about all. For the first time in almost a week I didn't have an excursion and I was looking forward to getting a lot done - including, first of all, my financial situation, checking the invoice and my receipts (bar bills!!). I didn't swim because the water was so rough they half emptied the pool so It wouldn't splash the decks and sun cots. A cooking demonstration with a new guest chef preceded lunch, followed by another marvellous talk about D-Day (June 6) and then another one about the art stolen during WWII, followed by an early run of Trivial Pursuit because there's another Captain's Party because it's a new cruise. And that's where I'm going now.

A bientôt