Back on board the Sea Princess we showered and then with sat on our balcony enjoying an extra late 'afternoon tea of scones-jam-n'- tea as the Sea Princess sailed away from headed away from the island of Raiatea. The island looked magical in the late afternoon setting sunlight. What a splendid experience it was! A perfect ending, to a most relaxing, and enjoyable day. As we glided ever so slowly passed along the length of the island the sunset reflected a reddish golden glow on tiny village settlements and lit up the branches of the dense tropical-forested mountains.
We passed several small settlements with clusters of houses, parklands, sandy shorelines and fishing boats. We saw smoke rising from outdoor cooking areas and imagined mother's preparing meals, calling children from their play as night was about to fall. We were so close to the land that on several occasions, children and parents waved vigorously and called out a happy, "good bye".
As darkness fell we headed for the dining room to share our special experiences with our fellow passengers. I think we really appreciated the friendly, uninstructive manner of the Raiatea locals. They were not pushy or bent on 'making a dime' by plying their goods in an "in your face" way and this was a pleasant change for we tourists.
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