South Pacific

[Dorothy Conlon]

I'm just back from 5 weeks in the South Pacific. Wow!

First half of the time I was volunteer teaching in a small elementary school in the picture-perfect island of Aitutaki in the Cook Islands. Beautiful people, stunning blue lagoon, unspoiled small-town feel to the island of only 2,000+ people.

Next I was in Papeete, Tahiti from which we sailed on the Aranui III for two weeks among the Marquesas Islands. Each island was different, amazingly enough, and each of the 180 passengers was different, too--from all over the world. Although the ship is a freighter, it has a swimming pool, exercise room and more than enough activities at each island we visited. The islanders are French-speaking Polynesians, whereas in the Cooks they are Maoris with ties to New Zealand.

I'll post some pix one of these days.

[Ed Wetschler]

And let us know when you do. Sure sounds like you did all the right things.