Volcanic peaks dominate this small, unspoiled island surrounded by miles of aqua lagoons. While many tourists wander the shops, sun on snow-white beaches, rent a jeep, moped or bicycle and travel the single road that circles the island, we decide to play around in the Bora Bora Lagoon. We have arranged a lagoon tour with Raanui Tours. We need to meet at 8:30am and this port is a tender port so we need to get started early. Additionally, we're told that the ...

So it's Halloween and a sea day too. Up early and a light breakfast as usual, I head for the library to load pictures for the blog while Mom runs errands. Karen goes to the main desk for change and then her favorite pastime, laundry. I skip lectures today and begin organizing the blogs. I now have six that need completion in some way or another, mostly pictures, and then they need to be synced with the website and sent. That last part requires Internet, hope...

Today is a day Mom is going to enjoy. Her favorite thing is boats and we are going out in the lagoon on a glass bottom boat. A note left on our door last night by our Cruise Critic organizer indicates that there will be no snorkeling on this outing. That's odd. I have the website info and it specifically references swimming and snorkeling. We're wearing our swim suits anyway. Rarotonga, located just inside the Tropic of Capricorn, is the vibrant capita...

Now to try to catch up on the blog. First off, I manage to send off two days before the Internet dies so that's that. I'll continue writing and processing pictures. I see Kainoa is talking about island activities so, after breakfast, I go down to the 10am lecture a little late and follow up with Melvyn Foster's continuing story of the history of cruise ships, this time concentrating on the early 20th century vessels. Mom is down having fun again doing...

Vava'u is situated in the northern group of islands in the Kingdom of Tonga. Offering pristine beaches, untouched islands and all year round activities like diving, sailing, fishing and whale swimming, it’s the travel destination for those looking to ‘get off the beaten trail’. Well, today we're getting off the beaten trail with 1300 other passengers. Today we snorkel at several sites around the islands making up Vava'u. It's a...