The third island in a row was bound to present some challenges. What's the distinguishing feature of Mo'orea? What might we see here that we haven't seen elsewhere? There was only one way to find out!

Take the tender over to the island and go and see!

Well, first of all, Mo'orea seemed more developed. Six of us drove for some time with guide and driver Teriira along well built roads with houses and commercial properties on both sides, always with a backdrop of mountains.

The landscape was quite exceptional.

Suddenly, Teriira made a right turn onto a track, steeply uphill and causing us to hold tight!

those of us in the back had a fine view of the ocean and of Mariner, there at anchor in the bay.

At the top of the hill was a fruit farm - and the other half dozen or so pick up trucks too. Hmmm. When we'd done a similar tour in Huahine, Moana had organised this kind of thing better, taking the stops in a different order to avoid the crowd. Here, we would find the crowd at every stop. I tried hard not to compare, but this vanilla farm wasn't a patch on the vanilla farm we'd visited the day before yesterday, when the plants appeared healthier and more productive by far. Of course, my view of the fruit farm may well have been coloured by the fact that small ants were everywhere, especially around my feet!

So we left the group and looked around the flowers, making our way back to Teriira and his pickup truck where I had some insect repellent!

These gardens were lovely, filled with plants we'd regard as houseplants, all growing so well in this warm, humid air - 90% humidity most mornings, we learned.

We waited by the papaya tree as our group made their way down to the car park.

The next stop in amongst some dense woodland bore some resemblance to an earlier experience too, though this one was an improvement. When we arrived someone was already there in the water and two or three large black eels were at her feet.

But though I got close and took several photos, I still did not see those blue eyes!

Onward and upward then, to a pineapple plantation, the first of which was thought to be too crowded, so we continued to another.

Here, we learned that the government controls most of the agricultural land in the crater of the extinct volcano and that local people may plant a share of it for their own purposes. Pineapples grown here are not exported as fruit, but most are processed into juice or alcoholic drinks for export.

One of the guides demonstrated the traditional way to peel and open a coconut before inviting us to taste a selection of the fruit grown nearby - pineapple, banana, rambutan, grapefruit and shredded coconut. Delicious!

Picking up pace, we headed next to a viewpoint, from where both bays could be seen. Again, there were really too many people here at the same time, but the chickens wandering about the car park didn't seem to mind!

When we heard the words “archaeological site” we guessed what our next stop would present. However, this marae was rather different from those we'd seen previously, because this one was amidst woodland and was rather overgrown. The guides gave a warning about the plants surrounding the marae, which were covered in “fire ants”, so when one of them came around with more insect repellent, I didn't say no!

Meanwhile, Teriira gathered one or two fruits and nuts, including one of the candlewood nuts which were growing around here. Now, I'd come across these in the Polynesian craft class I'd done, where June had referred to them as “kukui nuts”, but the name candlewood was a hint to their purpose here. Teriira took out a lighterfrom his pocket and demonstrated how their name arose. A dry nut would burn for two hours, he said.

From here it was a steep ride downhill. Hold tight!! Gradually one or two homes appeared on the side of the track and as the water came into sight, we turned right again, heading for our final stop.

The Pearl Shop.

We could have guessed there'd be a “shopping opportunity” when one of the guides gave advice about buying pearls and explained the need for two certificates with each purchase. Those harvested too quickly would not have the required thickness of nacre and risked cracking when drilled or set. Certified pearls had been x-rayed to guarantee that thickness, he said.

A quick look inside the shop filled with tourist souvenirs confirmed the more attractive option just across the road. I left my Birkis on the beach and stepped into the cool, clear water. Bliss!

On the drive back to the jetty, Teriira pointed out the peak that had been ever present throughout our time on the island. Mo’orea is thought to be the source of inspiration for Bali Hai, the island in James Mitchener’s book and the location for the movie South Pacific. This distinctive mountain also appeared on the local coinage until relatively recently.

We returned to the ship feeling peckish, but nothing that a tasty ham and cheese toastie from room service couldn't sort out! As we sat enjoying the view from our verandah, we kept an eye on the clock, for today presented the last Trivia session with our current team as this part of the World Cruise comes to an end in Pape’ete. Later in the afternoon, We set sail for Tahiti, little more than an hour away and already on the horizon.

We are some of the fortunate folks on board who are able to leave our suitcases there under the bed, for we'll sail on to Sydney from here.

Lucky Ducks!!