Welcome To My Happy Place

My "Eat, Pray, Love" In Two Weeks Series

Part Five of Twelve

Bora Bora, French Polynesia

I've got two words…JET SKIING! I got to be a kid again in the perfect waters of Bora Bora and at the pool on the ship with my new pals. I dined at the famed Bloody Mary's Restaurant and ended an enjoyable day at the nightclub. Now, this is what a vacation is all about!

Wow, what a difference a great night's sleep makes! I woke up, and when I opened my blinds, the sun was shining, the weather perfect, and the view from my balcony of Bora Bora's tall and unique mountain right outside my stateroom made me gasp. Am I really here, or is this all a beautiful dream? The view makes me question my own reality.

Trying to contain my excitement, I gathered my things for today's excursion, had breakfast, and met my group in the Grande Salon. Today, I went on a Jet Ski excursion around the island. To my pleasant surprise, I was with Dr. Carl and Lindsay. We took the tender to a dock where we were picked up by the local vendor and driven to Matira Beach for our departure.

I have learned in these first few day that traveling solo has its advantages. Today proved that lesson to be true yet again, as I had my own Jet Ski, and I can tell you I will never share it again! I've ridden a jet ski with one of my young children, but I've never had one for only little old me!

After donning our life vests, our guide gave us our safety instructions, we got on our Jet Skis and departed the cove. This experience was different from anything I've ever done. The only actual rules were to stay in a line behind the guide and keep a certain distance behind the rider in front of you. But we could stand, we could play, we could spin, we could jump each other's wakes. And we did! It was an incredible way to see this gorgeous island. We hit a pocket of rain, which was the only time I realized how big I was smiling because my teeth were getting hit by little pellets of water. It was pure, unadulterated joy.

We took a brief break to get the feeling back in our hands after getting halfway around the island, then headed for our own little private beach. We watched as our guide gathered coconut, fresh grapefruit, and bananas from the vegetation around the hut for our snack. He used native tools, including a sharp stone tool, to shred the coconut to prepare the food. He shaved the coconut, cut up the bananas and grapefruit, and then presented it on a table of Nui Nui leaves. He told us to put the coconut between the banana halves, and you have what they call a Polynesian hot dog! Yummy!

We hung out around the beach for a bit before hitting the water again and finishing our tour around the island. I wish my kids could have done this with me. Undoubtedly, they would have found this to be the highlight of any trip. I could have done this all day long, every day. It was one of the most wonderful days of my life.

After returning to the ship, I met Mel for lunch, and we relaxed by the pool for the afternoon. We met some entertaining ladies, sisters from Southern California. They were here with their mother and half-sister and didn't hold back the family drama brewing on the ship, complete with details. Mel and I enjoyed the soap opera and laughed with these fun women. We were also glad we managed to leave our dramas back home in the States. Paradise is not the place for everyday worries and family squabbles.

We all had reservations to go to the local hot spot on the Island, Bloody Mary's, for dinner and drinks after pool time. A nearly full moon lit up the dark ocean for our ride to the pier leading to the restaurant. It was a beautiful night, and it felt like the stars were so close you could touch them. The tender ride to the restaurant dock was enchanting.

Once we got to the restaurant, I was slightly disappointed as Bloody Mary's. It turns out, it is no longer locally owned. It is owned by a man who lives in Arizona. It was pretty Americanized, rather than the local Polynesian experience we all expected. The decor was overdone Polynesian down to the soft sand on the floor. We sat on hard little stools, so not the height of comfort. This was the first "touristy" kind of experience I've had on this trip, piercing the perfect reality of my trip so far.

That said, it was a delightful evening. Bloody Mary's does not use printed menus but takes you to a presentation of the day's catch and preparations. You order an entrée (in French Polynesia, that's an appetizer) and a main course. I had shrimp skewers and a fabulous Ono for dinner—more than enough food. I dined with Dr. Carl, Lindsay, and a newlywed couple, Megan and Matt.

Okay, here's the scoop: Dr. Carl and I are about the same age, and the rest of the table is not even close. And I think poor Megan and Matt would have appreciated someone at their table who was not so recently uncoupled as they just tied the knot on June 11. Geez, I hope that's not bad luck or something! So, despite the company of lovely, friendly people, I was a bit of the oddball out.

We finished dinner and got on the tender back to the ship, where I met Mel for drinks at La Palette (the nightclub) and finally climbed into bed, exhausted but very happy as I closed my eyes and remembered the feelings of freedom and liberation I felt on my jet ski today.

Maybe that's why the Universe paved the way for this trip. To show me how it feels to fly solo. To feel the wind in my hair and turn up the speed in my life as I embark on this new era. And to do it with confidence and faith.

And to be fearless. Absolutely fearless.