Last Blog For A While

We left Tahiti around breakfast time.  The flight to Los Angles was eight hours long and we enjoyed it much more than a night flight.  We had lunch and breakfast on the plane and both were surprisingly good.  In Los Angles we rented a car and immediately drove two hours north to Santa Barbra.  We were staying four extra days there for my dad's friend's wedding.  Everyday we did schoolwork and hung out around the house that we rented.  The second day Dad drove Kylie and I to a fast food restaurant which we have not had in three months.  On Thursday Mom, Dad and Kylie went to a barbecue while I stayed home.  On Friday around 3:00 we drove to a local hotel where a party bus picked us (and about fifty other people) up and drove us to the wedding.

The bus was an old school bus with its seats moved around.  There were also colored lights and a dj seat where you can plug your iphone in and play your favorite songs.  Shortly after we arrived at the wedding they did the ceremony.  Then everyone had dinner and made toasts. Then almost everyone got on the dance floor and danced for the rest of the night.  At one point they brought out sparklers.  It was a very bad idea because two people got burnt.  Kylie's friend and Dad's business partner.  They turned out all right though.  We left at ten thirty but the dancing was still going strong.  The next morning we packed up early and drove back to LA.  Then we took the one o'clock flight to Dallas.  My Aunt Judy picked us up and took us home.

This was our last out of the country traveling trip (while I am home schooled) but was also our best!  My favorite place we traveled to was Moorea.  My favorite activity that we did was snorkeling with sting rays.  This summer we are taking a small RV trip up to our house in Jackson.

We Had One On! March 28

Yesterday Dad and I woke up early again to go fishing! This time we were going fishing with our last fishing friend's uncle. He had been fishing for fifty years! He usually goes fishing by himself. We were with him for six hours and only had one marlin on for about thirty seconds. I was covered in salt by the time we got home and a warm shower fixed me up. After dusk I went down into the water and caught several fish for the cat. The fish were about six to twelve inches and were hard to catch. They jump high up out of the water to get away from predators.

This morning we did a lot of schoolwork. For dinner we went to a new restaurant, and for dessert we went to another restaurant where we could see down into the water. Tomorrow is our last day in Moorea. We are going to fly to Raiatea where we are going to spend one night in a overwater bungalow. Then we are going to rent a catamaran sailboat for four nights. Luckily dad is not going to be in charge of the boat and we will have a private captain. Then we will fly back to America and stay for several days in California for my parents' friend's wedding.

We Failed At Sailing

Exactly one week ago we rented a sailboat with a captain. The sailboat was a catamaran and was the same length as our RV, 41 ft. Like I said we had a captain who is French and could speak English fluently. We left port at lunch time and motored over to one of the mottos. Mom got seasick so Dad decided to rent a hotel room for her to sleep in. We had to sail to the other side of the island where the hotel was. We still had the boat for four nights, but we decided to all sleep in the hotel and use the boat only during the day. We spent two days in Raitea and two days in Bora-Bora. Over all, we stayed mainly on land and did not use the sailboat. I bet the captain liked us though!

On our last two days in Moorea we meet up with a family of six kids, their parents, and their grandparents. I became good friends with the two boys in the family, Jasik and Colton. Jasik is eight and Colton is twelve. We happened to meet up with the Budges, which is their last name, in Bora-Bora at the Hotel dad had rented. We stayed there two nights and we mostly just stayed around the hotel the whole time. We did go to the Tiki show with the Budges but it was not as good as the first one we saw. We went swimming at the pool lot! When we left the hotel we coincidentally meet them again at our next hotel in Papatee.

We stayed in Papatee three nights at the Intercontinental.  The Intercontinental is so big that whenever you order room service they drive it to you in a truck.  They have a huge pool with a waterfall and a beach pool.  There is also an enclosed saltwater pond right next to the ocean that has saltwater flowing through it.  There are a bunch of different kinds of fish that are kept in it for snorkelers.  The Budges only stayed there for one night but at least we got to say goodbye.  While we were there we went swimming four times, once even at night.

We left Tahiti with hopes of being able to return someday.  The plane ride was only eight hours this time and they served breakfast and lunch.  It was probably the best airplane food we have ever eaten and my parents both agreed.  We stayed one night in LA then drove the next day to Santa Barbara.  We are going to my Dad's business partner's son's wedding on Saturday.  On Sunday we get home at six p.m.!

Kylie - April 7

Kylie March 27

Lagoon Aquarium

Two days ago we did schoolwork until lunch time. Then we took our boat for the last time to Coco Beach. We brought our snorkel gear and some bread. When we got in the water the fish surrounded us and went crazy for the bread. Some of them even ate out of our hands. The trigger fish were one of the types of fish that were brave enough to eat out of our hands. Trigger fish usually eat coral so they have to have sharp teeth. They hurt us each time they took a bite!

Yesterday we did a full day of schoolwork and Mom and Dad took Kylie shopping. This morning we did a little bit of schoolwork before we went back to the Lagoonarium. At Lagoonarium we had lunch. We had brought squid and bread to feed the fish and sting rays. The fish swarmed the bread close enough for us to touch them. The sting rays climbed on top of each other just to reach the squid and if we were not careful they would accidentally bite us. Kylie got bit several times and got a little scared of them. We arranged another fishing trip for tomorrow with another local. Hopefully this time we will actually catch something.

Kylie - March 24

Crabbing To Lobstering

Yesterday, after breakfast, Dad and I immediately got the boat started and drove down to the end of the cove where the river meets the ocean. Kids were swimming there and were able to stand up because of a sand bar. Our boat got stuck on the bar and the kids came to our rescue and pushed us along over it. We drove to shore and walked across the street to where the trap was. We pulled it up and found that the two crabs were still in it. We brought it home and baited it and moved it to the outside reef where our fisherman friend told us there were some lobster. When we finished I drove back to the house. I am the one steering most times we go out on the boat. When we got back I did schoolwork all day. Mom and Dad went snorkeling outside our back yard. Dad tried the crab and did not like it.

This morning Dad and I went out to check the lobster pot. When we pulled it up we found four deep sea hermit crabs and the opening where the lobsters climb in was broken! Inside the bait bag was ripped and the chicken was gone! Dad thinks a dolphin stuck it's head in and some how ripped it open. I think a shark got in it and got the bait (it is more logical). I did schoolwork all day again and Mom, Kylie, and Dad went snorkeling. Tomorrow we are going snorkeling in the morning and skipping schoolwork.

Kylie - March 22

Busy, VERY Busy

Three days ago Dad and I woke up early.  The previous day, while we were driving to the grocery store, we stopped at the local dock to see if there were any sharks around.  Instead we managed to find a fisherman that was willing to let us tag along the next time he would go out fishing.  We met him at the dock at 7:30 am and it took us another hour to get to the open water.  We were trying to find birds that were feeding because the big Mahi Mahi and tuna would probably be there feeding too.  We found birds but they were not feeding.  At one point we did find a Mahi Mahi but he missed it when he tried to spear it.  The only reason you have a chance at spearing the fish is because the Mahi Mahi never dive.  The boat that they use is specialy designed to chase a Mahi Mahi.  The steering wheel is just a stick that you move left or right and is in the very front of the boat.  There is no shade and the only other thing besides the steering stick is the ice chest.  We did not catch anything, but we had a lot of fun!

Yesterday we went snorkling at a special place.  A boat took us to a small island that has small huts and a restaurant (shack) on it.  We had your own hut to hang out in.  We could get in the water to snorkel whenever we wanted.  There are ropes through the reef that you pull yourself along on.  You are not allowed to fish there and the owner feeds them so they are very tame.  The stingrays were even more tame and they would swim around your legs and let you touch them.  There were also moray eels and sharks!  It was like swimming in the world's biggest aquarium!

For dinner we went to a tiki show.  It was a buffet and they had even just roasted a pig.  The show was VERY interesting!

Today we did schoolwork (we also did schoolwork the last two days, I just didn't mention it).  Dad rented us a small boat.  We took it to a restaurant on a smaller island (I steered the whole way).  We purposely brought squid along to feed the stingrays.  When we finished our lunch we drove to the spot and got into the water.  The stingrays came to you so densely that three at a time were stacking on each other to get to the food.  If you are not careful they could push you away from the boat!  They were not dangerous at all unless you stabbed them with something sharp.  It was amazing!

Kylie - March 19