Chillin' at the Motu

Last full day in Polynesia. We need to be up at 5:30 in the AM to begin the next leg, Mo'orea to Tahiti to Auckland, NZ. We took it fairly easy today, slept in a bit, had a huge breakfast, then explored the environs by walking down the road a few miles. Among the points of interest is a huge abandoned Club Med site nearby. I guess they have fallen on hard times, closing down here a few years ago and in Bora Bora last year. Too 70's and 80's I guess.In the afternoon, we took a small water taxi out to a nearby motu (the Polynesian name for the small keys surrounding the main island). Our hotel provided this because they are in the middle of major renovations here and we actually have no pool. It has worked out OK for us though. We are not big pool people, the work has not been noisy, fewer people are here, and we got a better deal. They say they will be done July 2010. I say 2011 if they are lucky. There was a lot of weather today, rain and wind on and off, which made the lagoon more cloudy. Still fun to snorkel and relax with feet in the water.
The motu had evidence of a lesson on coconut cracking and peeling. It seems very important to the locals that visitors learn this before leaving because we were instructed in this several times the past week. It involves a sharp stick planted in the ground and other more subtle techniques. Unless tomorrow's travel takes an unexpected detour to Gilligan's Island, I don't think I will be using my new knowledge, and they never really explained where you are supposed to get the sharp stick.