Our last 2 days in paradise

Yikes, as I write this we have just packed as tonight we fly to Rapa Nui (Easter Island) which has been on my Bucket list since I can remember. 

For our last day in Mo’orea we decided to be sneaky and chance our arm at getting across from the public beach into the Sofitel’s private beach which is dramatically nicer. Again, we held hands, walked confidently and with the aroma of honeymoon all over us…WE GOT IN. Located in the North East of the Island, it’s home to jaw-dropping overwater bungalows, beautiful reefs abundant with wildlife and tall palms scattered over the beach to find the perfect shady spot to park ourselves for the afternoon.

The snorkel here is second to none, just a few meters from the shore you will surrounded with all different kinds of tropical fish. It was our best snorkeling experience so far on the island, we even brought a loaf of bread to feed them and don’t be alarmed if rays and black tipped sharks join you – they are just hungry.
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I don’t think I even need to explain more as the photos below will show exactly what I mean when I confidently say Mo’orea is paradise as it’s finest. If you are planning on coming here, we asked many locals and it is the best island by far. Bora Bora is most famous but even more expensive and the reefs/lagoons are both very similar in comparison.

At 6.45am we hopped on the ferry to return to mainland Tahiti where I had booked an Air B N B and our host Sandra was there to collect us from the dock. I mentioned how amazing the people here are numerous times, but Sandra really does go the extra mile. As I am writing this she has already taken us on a Tiki tour of the nearby beaches, to various beautiful view points on the island as well invite us for dinner this evening and to take us to watch the sunset for our last night. She is an incredibly beautiful soul. I have added her listing below in case anyone is looking for accommodation in Mahina, Tahiti ( it also has 2 swimming pools and cost us about $55NZD per night with a huge breakfast) :
https://www.airbnb.co.nz/rooms/25842714
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She has opened her home to us like no other, we ate like a family, drank wine and laughed over homemade cakes and yoghurt. We learnt so many things from Sandra in the short time that we stayed here. She believes that even a smile can help to change someone’s day and her outlook on life is so positive that she radiates energy and amazing vibes. This is why we came traveling to learn about different cultures, people and to see life through the views of others to learn and grow as people.
After breakfast this morning we wanted to explore what we could of the island without a car so mapped out the Arahoho Blowhole and the Faarumai Waterfall as a great couple of locations for the day. It is a good 20km’s from where we are staying so we knew the smiles would have to be on point to hitch a ride there. The second car we smiled at stopped and it was a tour company, full of paying passengers , yet they gave us a ride about half way there! We couldn’t believe it – this would never happen in NZ!

Next car that stopped took us directly to the blowhole. Now, I don’t want to seem negative at all as we have loved everything we have done here, but this was a let down. It was nothing like previous blowholes we have seen in the past and to be honest a little anti-climatic but if you are heading to the falls then its only 2km before them so good to stop for 5 minutes.

In between hitching, I got stung pretty badly by some sort of wasp & Leo had to pull the stinger out my neck. It was bloody agony, he then squeezed it to make sure all the poison was out but that hurt even more - Note to self, DO NOT SQUEEZE A STING!! Just another story to tell though, right? We are still un-sure of what it was exactly, but the swelling has gone down and the bright purple color that formed upon being stung is now a mellow red, so I can only assume I am getting better! 
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After a few km’s walk through rough path and road surrounded by dense jungle and various fruit trees we reach the Faarumai Waterfall. This is a must do is you have time as it was pretty awesome. It is part of a three waterfall hike you can do bur currently other 2 are closed to maintain the path so we settled for the 1. It’s prohibited to swim, even though it looks so tempting but I managed to wade out to a rock a few meters in, in order to take the perfect Insta-worthy shot. Upon doing so I realized why you can’t swim as the eels in the waterfall basin were about the same size as me.

Walking back down we were hit with a tropical down pour which was refreshing as it’s still very hot and humid here, but we manged to grab a few guava’s from a overhanging tree for a wee snack along the way which was brilliant.
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Tonight we will watch the sunset with our host and then share a traditional Tahitian meal before heading to the Airport at 1am for our 4am flight – got to love the cheaper flight options!