far from home

French Polynesia is the only place I've ever been where I accidentally paid $47 for a t-shirt. The exchange rate was fluctuating rather wildly while we were there and we could not do the math in our heads fast enough. On the island of Bora Bora, we rushed over to see Bloody Mary's, a restaurant and bar that is entirely too far from the dock where we were to board a catamaran for a sunset cruise around the island. So when we finally DID get to Bloody Mary's, we had to rush through the gift shop for souvenirs, then leap back into the waiting taxi to get back for our cruise. The ride back was long enough to pull out a calculator and figure out that we had just purchased some outrageously priced tchotchkes. Oy.

But that champagne sunset catamaran cruise around the island is in my top five life memories. It was amazing. I will never forget the feeling of being stretched out on my belly on the sail and trailing my hand in the water. The sun slowly sank. I enjoyed my champagne and assorted nibbles of fruit. But looking into that water, I felt farther from home than I have ever felt. Of course I was in the southern hemisphere, so technically I WAS farther from home than I had ever been. It was truly amazing.