Back to LA, the Midwest...& Reality!

We arrived back to crazy, busy LA at 9:15a. Back to reality and LA is not where you want to return after Bora Bora! Andrew repeatedly said, “this is the total opposite of where we came from!” Most couples didn’t stay over in LA on the way back, we all pretty much did the same…that is spend a few days in LA before the honeymoon. One couple from Australia actually traveled the world for their honeymoon and Bora Bora was their last stop! However, I wasn’t sure how tired we’d be or how long it’d take for us to go through customs on our way back. I booked us for Southwest (cheaper and free bags!), but one thing we did experience…is not seating together or almost not getting on our flight! Things you learn as you travel! You fly Southwest, better pay the extra for early bird check-in to reserve your seat (FYI, doesn’t mean you are assigned seats!).

Once we arrived, we found out the hotel I booked doesn’t include airport shuttle! Seriously, the internet  showed it did! But, we didn’t care anyhow…it was a pretty crappy Days Inn and pretty far away (false ad!). So we went out on a limb, cancelled the reservation, and tried to book a flight home that very same day. After walking what felt like a mile to Southwest’s gate…we find out it will cost an extra $550 just to be put on standby!!! Andrew says, “what’s the nicest hotel in town?” Meaning...we might as well stay at a 5-star hotel! Southwest gave us a “distressed passenger” voucher to book a hotel close-by and we were SO GLAD we cancelled Days Inn. For $10 more we ended up staying at a nice Holiday Inn and snuggled up comfortably into a long nap! Plus, they had 24hr free airport shuttle!! In addition, we were much closer to the airport and barely made the shuttle! We thought at 5a…there wouldn’t be many travelers out…NOT in LA!! 

Andrew acting as a distressed passenger so we can get a room...quick...or we may just crash in the lobby ;-)

We made it back to the Midwest and ready to face reality ;-)

And....we're home after hiking a couple blocks from the train station!

Day 6: Spa "play land" at Deep Ocean Spa!

Our last day was NOT going to be daunting! We wouldn’t let the thought of flying out at 5:50p ruin the enjoyment of our final hours at Bora Bora! So…we RELAXED!!! And, I mean TOTAL RELAXATION! We spent an hour by the pool after we checked out and spent nearly all day at the Thalasso Spa! And let me just say it was worth every penny in Francs!!!!

We bought a custom massage package (couldn’t splurge on the romance or honeymoon duo – nearly $1k USD!!). Instead we got 50 minutes of a massage…sounds like not much for $300 BUT…you have access to what we called the spa playland!! Plus, it was worth seeing Andrew put on his first pair of thongs (should have seen his expression – priceless!!). We plunged into everything they had…the chiller pool (walk through massage for the legs), the deep ocean water plunge (50 degrees F – brrrrr!!!!), the steam shower (before dipping in the deep ocean water plunge), the Jacuzzis, Tea Room, Ocean Room (laying down in plush lounges viewing what we discovered, the other side of our hotel), and much more! The deep ocean water is supposed to be the most mineral and fresh water (even though it’s salty). They use the deep ocean water for everything even drinking – yuck! This day was EXACTLY what we needed before we left on our 8-hr overnight flight! I’m so glad we saved the best for last! Typically, they say to get your massage or spa treatment once you arrive…we did the total opposite and highly recommend doing it at the end!

Our hotel had day rooms you can rent out for 45 min. Where they put your luggage and you shower, change, relax before leaving. Andrew and I left fulfilled with a renewed spirit. We arrived in awe and left in awe. While we were sad to leave, we left smiling and appreciating the opportunity God gave us to experience His magnificent creation! The beauty of Bora Bora is indescribable, emotional and while thinking of our next big trip…there’s no way we can top this…EVER! Therefore, we decided we have to save up for another trip back to Bora Bora…like our 5 or 10 year anniversary ;-) Now that we have pictures and are back to reality, Andrew says whenever we get stressed or caught up in a funk…just look at our pictures and reflect on our experience! Bora Bora is truly an extension to one’s quality of life! 

NOTE: For more day 6 pictures...click here.

Checking out...

Where we spend the last day...in Spa "playland"! 

1st Stop...the Tea Room...click here to view video

As we ventured around the spa complex...we found several treatments to test out ;-)

- To view the Chiller Walk...click here.

- To view the Swim Jacuzzi...click here.

Ready for our massage and the 1st time Andrew puts on thongs!! And our view...is the sea below with the fish swimming!

After the massage...we tested out the Deep Ocean Water Plunge...brrrrr!! Click here to see video! FYI...they recommended to sit in the Steam Shower beforehand!

The view from our private Jacuzzi!

To see our view live...click here!

The Ocean Room...talk about peaceful!!

A video of the Ocean room can be viewed here.

We discovered a whole new side to the island while hanging in the Ocean Room!

As we leave...we get shell necklaces

A Prince flew in this plane...about 15 people got off all dressed up!

Next to ours...makes it look super tiny ;-)

Day 5: A day of leaps into the lagoon...

This morning, Andrew excitedly tells me at breakfast that we need to book the private sunset cruise. He says it was something he wanted us to do (after I mentioned it the night before and we spent an hour or so with concierge to find someone that wasn’t booked…she found 1 person available). Therefore, we contemplated and I wasn’t sure if Andrew was up for it anyhow, so I said we don’t have to do it…it’s just something I wanted us to do together…alone (I’m usually not the romantic one). After breakfast, I told him maybe we shouldn’t go there. I was afraid I’d be disappointed if the last guy was booked (which I sure he would be)! Sure enough, we find out…it’s too late. He needed to know last night so he could get the boat ready for the cruise, so he already booked a private day tour around the island. Needless to say, my morning was a little emotional…Andrew all excited about it, our last night in Bora Bora, and not having the romantic sunset cruise. So I walked away disappointed but, did pray in the midst of our decision…it felt like God was allowing the situation in a weird way. Everyone was booked so that’s when I prayed to say, “God, please take control. I’m not sure what is going on, but this is in your hands.” I wasn’t only disappointed, but in a way, relieved that God took care of the situation.

As I was recovering from a tiny emotional morning, I laid out on the deck while Andrew took forever to rent out snorkel gear. Had my quiet conversation with the Father and felt VERY thankful to even have the opportunity to be where I am…on a deck off the villa in the middle of Bora Bora! Andrew returned and I mentioned that there’s a reason we couldn’t get the cruise…at the time it was overcast skies and I thought, there may not even be a sunset tonight. Nevertheless, the two of us (as usual) make the most of every minute! We had almost an entire 2 days left and just wanted to do absolutely nothing but enjoy the beauty, each other, and our time at our villa. We giggled like kids, took many pictures leaping off our deck, Andrew doing a MAJOR belly flopper while the camera was on timer to shoot us together under our villa (via the glass floor in our living room, kayaking, hanging at the pool, and seeing Andrew read (a book without pictures)!!

Later in the evening, we had a nice dinner one last time at the Sands Restaurant (somewhat on the beach) and decided what the heck, we’re ordering drinks tonight! Cokes are at least $4-5 and cocktails at least $20…who cares, right?! Plus, we stayed under our budget and were celebrating the good times we had without splurging! By the way, I got my answers…we saved about $300 of disappointment…there was not a clear sunset that night!

Earlier in the day, Andrew mentioned something about jumping into the ocean bare-booty and all (aka skinny dipping)! I thought he was joking…well he was in a way. Needless to say, I said after dinner, “oh by the way, we have to skinny dip in Bora Bora!” And, so we did! We didn’t care if anyone saw. Plus, it was dark (but not so much by our villas with all the lights under them). Again, like kids…we walked out with our robes and stood on the deck anticipating the exhilarating jump! Andrew laughed and said, “we’re seriously doing this?!” Of course…we’re on our honeymoon and it’s our last night!!! We counted 1..2..3..threw off our robes, and leaped out on adrenaline rush (without testing the waters)! The lagoon arena was filled with our laughter and we yelled out, “this is so much fun!” Oh how fun it is to be a rebel sometimes ;-)

As we got out…we had to wait to see if people were walking on the docks because the ladder is pretty much lit up, plus you can clearly see our balcony from the other side. We quickly grabbed our robes and giggled back inside and jumped into our warm bubble bath with a glass of wine to end the night…viewing the waters and the mountain! We never had such a peaceful sleep! 


Here is a preview of our many (many leaps)! For more pictures of day 5...click here.

Our 1st leap...not bad on the timer!

Probably my best toe-touch since HS cheerleading ;-)

This is where I waited for Andrew to join me...but he did a major belly-flopper and didn't make it under 10sec!

The continuous shutter capture leaps in action!!! So cool!

Our last date night...and recognize the clothes? From our wedding night!!

Day 4: A day of relaxing!

In the morning we went to town (aka downtown Vaitaipe). Along the way, we had a humorous bus driver. And, we learn something new about Bora Bora each day…population of 8,000 with 5 cops. In other words…VERY low crime rates. In fact, the tour guide said he doesn’t need a gun…just use coconuts! I felt more threatened by the wild dogs (after I heard about the attack on one of the tourists)! In town, we checked out more Tahitian pearls…beautiful but expensive!! I just wanted a simple pearl on a short chain and that was just $600!! Yikes!! I’d rather take a sunset cruise (something we discovered and wanted to do but it was booked!). We only had 1.5 hours between transfers or otherwise, we could stay a few hours. Although, the town was quite small, I felt kind of rushed.

Andrew said he is learning more about me in after our nearly 2 years of marriage! I’m more into spending the $$ on experience, adventures…things that create memories and he’s more into spending quality time learning about top of the line jewelry for me. Kind of what happens when we shop…I look at shoes and he looks at jewelry…for his wife. So I do get a little impatient or short attention span when it comes to standing around talking about jewelry.

The rest of the day was spent relaxing and playing with the sting rays right on the beach of our resort. We tried out the kayak, the infinity pool, had some lunch, and I get my knee suckered by one of the sting rays! That was a little scary, so I left the rest of the sting ray feeding to Andrew ;-)

As our honeymoon shortens, I get a little more nervous or anxious wondering if we got everything in. We have learned a lot on this trip to tell others. The reviews will come later, but I keep telling Andrew that this has been the best trip by far in life no matter if we get everything in or not. I don’t want to spend any more money, so we decided to spend our last couple days doing nothing! Maybe renting kayaks and snorkels again.  We have planned to spend time at the spa with a massage on our last day so we can be relaxed and sleep well on the plane ride home (another overnight flight – yuck!). The plus side though, is that Andrew hasn’t once been on the computer/internet until today (we purchased a 1 hour to research prices on Tahitian pearls) and he says he’s getting some good sleep! I say it’s from not being on the computer at night ;-) He also claims he just added a few months to his life and I believe him. It’s so relaxing here, we don’t know what day of the week it is nor do we know what time it is most of the day. In addition, we go to bed early and get up early…so we’re getting some quality rest! Just what our bodies needed after a hair-pulling, stressful 2 months prior to this honeymoon! 

NOTE: More day 4 pictures...click here.

At one of the high-end pearl shops, Tahia Collins, trying on the $40k necklace!!! And, no...I didn't even ask for it!!

We kind of got addicted to Sparkling water.

Andrew just wanted to try the raw oysters...he said it tasted like he ran his tongue on the bottom of the ocean floor!!

As I was about to take a bite into dessert...one of the dancers grabbed me to join them on stage - yikes!!

Andrew took a bathroom break during dinner and was amazed...there are no walls behind the mirrors!

The view we see nightly on the way back to our villa.

Andrew feeds the sting rays and one sucks my knee!!

Day 3: The best of both worlds!!

0n this day we began with relaxation on our back patio (which is in the middle of the lagoon!). In the afternoon was our Scuba Dive excursion with Bathy’s Dive Center! When Andrew mentioned scuba diving back in LA, I was thinking this is the only thing I may not be adventurous about. I’m claustrophobic. There was NO way I was going for this one! However, we made a deal…Andrew said he’d sky-dive in Santa Barbara with me if I scuba dive with him. I’ve been wanting to sky-dive for quite some time :-) Once we researched the rates on sky-diving in Cali…it was a bit out of our price range especially while we were getting ready to splurge on our honeymoon. So we saved the dollars for our Bora Bora excursions.

This day, I couldn’t have been more excited! We wanted to do things in Bora Bora that are highly rated or even top things to do in the area. Scuba diving was the one thing that people talked highly of!! The helicopter ride was another one but it wasn’t open again until August due to maintenance problems.

There wasn’t a practice jump or pool training…just literally leap into the water at 6 meters (18ft deep)! We were totally ready although we were a bit anxious! Bathy’s Dive Center got great reviews on trip advisor along with Bora Diving Center. Bathy's could not have done a better job with beginner divers! We received specific instructions and it seemed so simple. Plus, our guide…was with each of us (there were 2 couples) every step of the way. It only took a couple minutes to get adjusted and we gradually edged to the bottom by rope and popped our ears a couple times (advised in the instructions).

Once we got to the bottom and our guide began leading the way…it was a BEAUTIFUL world down under!! The fish were literally swimming all around and she even showed us the marine life (including the dangerous rock fish!!). The fish were so close, Andrew kept trying to catch them! I was the last one down and the first thing Andrew did was grabbed and hugged me even though it was barely a hug with the tanks and vest strapped around us!  We spent 30 minutes down under with no problems. However, at one point, I thought my oxygen was leaking via the emergency mouthpiece. The guide assured me I was okay and I was off wondering around again :) I did inhale a mouth-full of salt water at one point and Andrew lost his mouthpiece by accident but gained control again.  Later we learned that was part of certification…so he’s a step ahead!

Scuba diving was an incredible experience. In fact, the best one by far in my life! It was a whole new world and we felt so privileged to have experienced the best of both worlds in Bora Bora!! In fact, Andrew thinks God takes His vacations here…he was serious!

NOTE: For more pictures of Bora Bora Day 3...click here!

Yup...that's me..waaay out there :-)

Please don't remind me how dorky I look in goggles!!