Last year we did lots of hiking in Moorea and usually found our way (even though sometimes in circles) to our destination (or at least A destination) despite the fact that most paths have no signs (we suspected that tour guides with entrepreneurial spirit removed them to support their business…). The two hikes last week to the waterfalls on the eastern side were also simple to find, so we were optimistic when we set out towards Vaiare from Cook’s Bay to find a track over the mountain ridge. We were confident enough to take a young American couple from the neighbouring boat with us, but we couldn’t find the beginning of the track on the outskirts of the village, got confusing info whenever we asked for directions, then someone mentioned that there was hunting going on in that area and we heard more and more shots. We didn’t want to accidentally end up on a local BBQ (imagine what ridiculous inscription that would make on a tombstone: “mistaken for a pig in Polynesia”), so we changed plans and hiked into the other direction towards Opunohu Bay and up to the Three Pines Lookout that we’d been to before (even though the path from this side was quite hidden and a local walked a bit with us keep from going astray).
Yesterday we moved from the reef anchorage just at the outside of Cook’s Bay to the interior of the bay where we’re now anchored amidst a fleet of Puddle Jumpers (boats that sail from America to New Zealand/Australia in one season). It’s funny to hear American voices instead of the French we’ve got used to. For most of them their 3 months allowance in Fr. Polynesia is coming to an end while we lucky Europeans can stay for 3 years (afterwards import tax on the boat would be due) 
