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Monday August 6, 2007

We ferried our luggage and ourselves to the airport ferry dock in town. Leaving Bora Bora is not too hard; it is about the right time. However, leaving Bella Donna is hard. She is raising the dinghy and slowly sailing into a beautiful sunset as we board the ferry and start the 20 minute ride to the airport. John, Deborah and Ant are going to passage all night back to Papeete. John saw a good weather window so while the trades are not blowing on the nose he will sail back on the gentile northerly winds that are now blowing. As soon as they leave the cut in the reef on the west side they will head east south east to Papeete.

 

Entering the airport ferry landing on Motu Mute we see the statue in pink marble created by the artist we visited. The airport is hot, humid and crowded. I haven’t sweat this much since I have been in French Polynesia. It was a good feeling to just relax on the 40 minute flight back to Papeete. Bella Donna will be there in 18 hours or less.

 

In Papeete we learn our Hawaiian Airlines flight is 2 hours late. We spend the next 6 hours in the airport. By the time we touch down in Kona we have been traveling for 17 hours. As we leave the airplane we are greeted with blue skies, sunshine and a pleasant sea breeze. The humidity is low and the temperature is great for an August summer day at 18° North of the equator; it is about 78°. What happened to the Google weather forecast that said clouds, rain and 86°? It is the rainy season and that is the day we expected. It feels so good to be back in the USA and American Polynesia is a bonus. French Polynesia was a wonderful place to enjoy Bella Donna, but I defiantly prefer the Aloha Spirit and the thought of continuing on to Sacramento today is just not paradise.

 

We get to the house and the air-conditioning is on for us. The first thing we do is turn it off and open up the house. Who needs air conditioning when the weather is so great? I just throw the bags on the floor and open the top; there is no need to unpack as we are only going to be here a few days. I can’t wait to get home and see the family. I look out on the balcony outside the master bedroom; there is a couch out there calling my name. I slip into some shorts and crawl up on the couch; even in the sun the cool salt air breeze sends me to a deep sleep with the sound of sea swells crashing on the lava rock shore.

 

Between 1 and 2 hours is all I need. I awaken to Donna and Nancy in the pool below. Don is out grocery shopping; the refrigerator is empty. Dinner is steaks off the grill, tiki torches and Hawaiian music.

 

The next day we exercise with a long walk to the park trail maintained by the Friends of Fitness. Many improvements are underway in the park and more people are volunteering their time to clearing, planting and maintaining the flowers and trees along the trail. A lawyer is building a nice big new house with a big pool at the end of Kona Bay Estates where the wall used to end into the park. The wall is being rebuilt as they are raising the site 4 feet for the new house.

 

After exercise and a shower, it is noon, we are hungry and there is precious little in the fridge. We go to Kona Bay Brewery for their special a slice of a Greek Pizza, Fire Rock Pint and salad. There have been many changes here too. The parking lot is paved, the new gift shop is complete and they have a new shop that sells beer by the keg, pony keg or the new large jug. There is new landscaping and the walk path to Huahine Highway below is closed off; no more sneaking in the back way bypassing the front desk. The place just looked great; the food and service was even better. It’s good to be in the USA.

God Bless Bella Donna.