Bora Bora and Beyond

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Hello to everyone and sorry that our 2nd blog took so long to produce! We just got a secure wireless internet account here in New Zealand so that is what the delay has been! Anyway, we were quite sad to leave Moorea as we really fell in love with the island. It's a spectacularly stunning island, with gorgeous sunsets (new pics included) towering mountain peaks, and sparkling clear blue waters! We were able to snorkel right below our bungalow and the amount and variety of fish we saw was amazing. We also did a really fun ATV ride into the mountains, through various citrus orchards..pineapple, papaya, grapefruit, lemon, etc, and on our last weekend there, took in a really interesting native Tiki Village bbq and show, including a traditional fire dance.
On to Bora Bora, which is known for it's lagoon....so many different shades of blue and green water! However, the highlight our of our time in BB was our adventure underwater. We got scuba certified. It was a fun, yet exhausting 5 day adventure, which included a written exam, book to read, daily instruction and of course, the open water dives. There is a pool you can begin to learn some of the basics, but you can also grasp hold of the techniques in some of the shallower dive spots in the ocean.
We didn't realize just how varied the reefs and fish life were in French Polynesia. The variety of shark, tropical fish, eels, turtles, etc, is mindblowing. Needless to say, we are planning dive trips to other islands in the future, since they are short plane rides from Auckland.
Moving to New Zealand has been quite a trip! Everyone drives on the LEFT!! It took a few days to get used to, but now we are adjusting. The windshield wipers are opposite the turn signal, while the mirrors are obviously located differently. Our first week here has been about getting our house a little warmer...stocking up on groceries, etc. We took our first roadtrip, albeit a mini one, on Sunday, to Taupo, an hour south, where we rode the Hukafalls jet boat, which is a small ten passenger boat that zooms at very high speeds down a river, doing death defying turns, and 360 degree spins! It was a little cold and a little wet (we're still at the very end of winter here--50's during the day) but a ton of fun!
As for work...My hospital orientation begins tomorrow, lasts two weeks, and then I begin here in the ER in Rotorua. My orientation, though, is at the trauma center in Hamilton, an hour's drive west of us.

Until next time, Sweetas! (that's a New Zealand term for cool) Aaron and Candice.

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Photos

scuba
Aaron giving the OK sign underwater!

Fire dance
Tiki Village show

bora bora
tropical fish

shark infested waters!
black tipped shark

scorpion fish
very hard to find and poisonous

practicing
out of air exercises

Comments

[Robin]

Brings back memories
Hi Aaron and Candace-Brings back memories of our stopover in Moorea on our way to NZ-anyway, welcome, now the real adventure begins!!Come visit us in Whangarei when you are ready to dive the Poor Knights Islands!

[Sue Antosh]

This is great!
Thanks Aaron and Candice for sharing your photos and journal. It's so nice to have a glimpse of your experience at the opposite corner of the world. I am happy that you both can enjoy life in this manner. Thinking of you often. Happy travels!