Papeete, Tahiti - capital of French Polynesia

I arrived in Papeete, Tahiti as an employee of Carnival Australia working on board the Pacific Sun cruise ship.
I was playing with one of the bands on the cruise ship and because I worked nights on the ship, my days were usually free to go ashore and do plenty of sightseeing.  When I walked out to the top outside deck and gazed upon the scene all around me, I was utterly and completely shocked by how beautiful it was.  Everywhere I looked I saw incredible views of  palm tree-covered mountains, large expanses of turquoise-blue ocean and lush vegetation.  

Papeete, Tahiti's "Boulevard Pomare", along the city's harbor front.

As a first-time visitor, I was very impressed by the juxtaposition of the city surrounded by some very tall mountains.  I was surprised to learn that some of the mountains on this island were over 7,000 ft in elevation.  Mont Orohena is the tallest mountain of French Polynesia with an elevation of 2,241 m (7,352 ft) and is located in central Tahiti.

The esplanade in Papeete, Tahiti.

It was fairly hot on the day I was there.  I easily broke a sweat just from standing out in the sun.  The climate on the Island of Tahiti and Papeete is considered tropical and can be divided into two basic seasons: the wet season and the dry season.

The wet season (Polynesian Summer), is between the months of November to April, receiving approximately 3/4ths of the annual rainfall of French Polynesia between these months. The humidity during this time can be quite heavy and muggy and cloud cover is common. Storms are frequent, brief, and unpredictable. (Average rainfall for Papeete is over 70 inches).  Temperatures will range from 27 - 30 degrees C (81-86 degrees F), with the hottest months being February and March. This "wet season" is considered the "off season" for tourism.

By contrast, the "dry season" - May through October, is the "on season" for tourism. This is the Polynesian winter. Temperatures generally range from between 24-28 degrees C (75-82 degrees F) , and rain is rare. Day to night temperature fluctuations are minimal.

View of Moorea from Papeete, Tahiti.

I was there in mid May and the town was busy with tourists as it was the beginning of the "on season".  Our cruise ship was docked adjacent to the Place Vaiete where there is a large open market and stage.  This proved convenient as later that night, I was able to listen to a live reggae music concert coming from the stage there.  Locals were listening, dancing and eating to the rhythmic tunes being played.  It was a beautiful warm night with a pleasant temperature around 80F with a calm breeze.  The locals look right at home outdoors and when you visit here you will know why.  The warm, moist air carries the sweet smell of all the plants and flowers on it and makes you feel so relaxed you just feel like laying down on the grass and taking in all the beauty that is all around you.    

Wood sculpture near Place Vaiete in Papeete.

Camping at William Kent Campground, North Lake Tahoe, CA

Lake Tahoe from the east shore.

It was a beautiful July morning when I pulled up to the campground registration office at William Kent campground.  I had made online reservations a couple of weeks earlier, so I knew I had a space reserved for the next five days.  I am always very excited when I first arrive at a campground because there are so many things to do and see.  I can't wait to set up my tent, stove, lantern and make my temporary home in the woods comfortable and organized for the duration of my stay. 

Campsite #63 at William Kent Camp

I have been coming here since the mid-1990's.  It is one of my favorite campgrounds at Lake Tahoe because of the many varied activities that are available here.  Such as swimming in the lake, going for a long bike ride along the amazing bike path that runs in some cases, mere feet from the lake.  There's also loads of hiking opportunities on nearby trails.  You can access the Pacific Crest Trail near here as well.  Don't forget to try floating down the Truckee river on a raft or some other personal flotation device.  There's also a grocery store, hardware store and lots of restaurants in nearby Tahoe City.  This is very convenient for picking up bags of ice, cold beer or a nice bottle of wine.  It's also nice in case you forget to bring all your camping supplies or just feel like eating out.

On this trip I did all of the activities listed above and then some.  Although, since it was very hot while I was there I went swimming at the lake at least twice a day.  The water feels really good when you first jump in. At the surface the water can warm up to 68F, but this vast body of water generally averages around 50F on the surface for most of the year. Further down, the water temperature remains pretty constant at 39F.  Too cold for some but I love it.  It's so refreshing.

I also enjoy biking along the bike path, after swimming this is probably my favorite thing to do when I go to Lake Tahoe.  I biked from the campground at Sunnyside for about 10 miles south to Tahoma.  The views are spectacular everywhere you look.  The water at Lake Tahoe is noted very being incredibly blue and clear.  The contrast between the blue water and the dark green of the pine, cedar and Douglas fir trees is stunning.
The bike path meanders and is very easy to negotiate for young and old bikers.  Breathing the clean, fresh mountain air feels good.   The surface elevation of the lake is about 6,225 ft.

Boats moored at Sunnyside, North Lake Tahoe

I enjoy walking from the campground out into the adjacent neighborhoods.  There is an astounding variety of architectural styles on display in the houses and cabins in this area.  Ranging from small, relatively inexpensive cabins to large, opulent and multi-million dollar homes.  As you can see from the picture on the right. 

Private home on Lake Tahoe.

I could walk around these tall tree neighborhoods for hours.  There's so many cool things to see.  How people set up there homes, stack their firewood for the cold winters, create outdoor spaces to enjoy the beautiful outdoors.  Chainsaw carvings of bears, eagles, raccoons and scenes of wildlife.  I usually catch a garage sale or two while I'm out walking.  This results in my finding an interesting piece of camping equipment that I can use on my trip.

North Lake Tahoe home.

North Lake Tahoe at dusk.

I could write for hours about all the things to see and do while you are here.  Obviously, I would live there for the whole summer and into fall if I could.  There are so many things that pull me to come here, like the quality of the sunlight, the beautiful landscapes, the recreation, the water, the forests, the wildlife, to name just a few things.

If you have never been to Lake Tahoe, California, please put it down on your list of places to come visit.  I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

My First Trip to Auckland, New Zealand

The moment I walked off the P & O Pacific Sun cruise ship at Princes Wharf I was impressed by the impressive city scape that rose above me.  Of course, the first thing that you notice is the Sky Tower located on Queen Street, just a few blocks up Queen street from the waterfront.  The Sky Tower is an observation and telecommunications tower located on the corner of Victoria and Federal Streets in Auckland.  It is 328 metres (1,076 ft) tall, as measured from ground level to the top of the mast, making it the tallest free-standing structure in the Southern Hemisphere.  Due to its shape and height, especially when compared to the next tallest buildings, it has become an iconic structure in Auckland's skyline.

Auckland skyline with Sky Tower in the middle.

The city streets in Auckland are filled with pedestrians, cars and other vehicles like any other large city, but the traffic seems more civilized and orderly to me, despite the fact that they drive on left side of the road (opposite to that of the United States).  Pedestrians also cross intersections on the diagonal in addition to straight across (picture a square with an "x" inside of it).  It looks and feels like utter chaos at first, but is kind of cool once you get accustomed to it.

Sky Tower from downtown Auckland

Sky Tower in Auckland, NZ

I was there in what was the southern hemisphere's late summer/early fall.  As you can see from the picture below, it can be absolutely beautiful with brilliant sunshine and visibility extending for miles.  This day had perfect weather and I took advantage of it by going on a very long walk along the waterfront and marina.

Auckland from the inner harbour.

Large tree in Albert Park - Auckland

Finally, I have to say a word about the coffee situation in Auckland.  It's really hard to find regular brewed coffee, what they do is brew a shot of espresso and then add hot water to it like an Americano.  They also charge more for regular coffee than a latte or cappucino, which is kind of strange in my opinion.  Other than this, I highly recommend a trip to Auckland if you are in that part of the world.  It is a very progressive, cosmopolitan and interesting city with a great diversity of people.  Enjoyed myself immensely there.