Closest thing to heaven

Now, wouldn’t it be great to have four working days, and a three-day weekend, week in and week out. Two Saturdays and no Fridays, every week.

Peeking over the edge of my bed, I looked through the glass floor panel to see an abundant amount of marine life as though in a massive aquarium- Paul Zammit Cutajar

Bizarre, but possible. This is exactly what happens when you hop backwards and forwards over the International Date Line.

It is possible to party late into Saturday night in Tokyo, take a flight to French Polynesia, and arrive on the same Saturday in ample of time to enjoy a peaceful Saturday evening in the serenity of Rangiroa.

The perfect antidote to a late night out and an 11-hour flight.

Quite amazingly, you would have arrived at your destination eight hours before you left Tokyo.

Returning on Thursday, you’d arrive in Tokyo on Saturday, ready for another weekend. Friday just disappeared.

It was my first time crossing the International Date Line. Half-expecting some kind of flash or Stargate time warp, I kept a close eye on the aircraft’s screen to encounter the exact time of the decisive line.

Disappointingly and logically, nothing happened, and our flight proceeded without further ado.

‘Interesting’, I thought. ‘If we crossed the date line often enough and sped across the earth at the speed of light, would we go back in time?’ A thought for a sci-fi future, or maybe the third glass of red wine was messing with my mind.

Rangiroa is one of those magical places you hardly hear about, but once you have you are glad.

Tropical islands are tropical islands, all with the same panoramic views of palm trees, long white sandy beaches, and turquoise seas. The ones you yearn for while looking out of your office window on a drab and wintry day.

See one and you’ve seen them all. Or have you?

I had half an eye on one of the exquisite beach bungalows I had spotted earlier. We walked straight past them, and I must admit I struggled to hide my disappointment.

The setting sun sent a warm hue of golden yellow and magenta that not only lit up the sky, but also what was just around the corner. We were heading for a string of dazzling overwater bungalows.

Soothing, splashing sounds were my wake-up call. Peeking over the edge of my bed, I looked through the glass floor panel to see an abundant amount of marine life as though in a massive aquarium.

Ah, time to join them. In a flash, I was in the cool and refreshing turquoise waters. What an invigorating way to wake up.

After a good half-hour snorkelling over one of nature’s greatest underwater shows, and a brisk 50-metre dash, I was ravenous and ready for breakfast.

Greeted with a cheerful “kia orana” (‘welcome’), the head waiter said, “I noticed blacktip sharks in the lagoon, this morning”. Oops!

Sensing concern, he added, “don’t worry, they are skittishly timid and seldom pose a danger to humans”.

However, wading through shallow waters could pose a risk of having one’s leg nipped.

“All aboard,” cried the skipper, as we were finishing off a lavish breakfast, fit for kings. “We’re off to the Blue Lagoon”. “Where is it?” I asked, but he was already pointing to the horizon.

“Somewhere over there, and a good 45 minutes by fast boat”. Soon enough we were skimming across the calm waters.

The Blue Lagoon is one of those locations fit for a Hollywood set with its idyllic turquoise water, sandy beaches and isolated palm tree islets. It is in pristine condition and is kept in an almost-deserted state. To ensure the peace and serenity of this spectacular location, only a small number of people are allowed there at any one time.

From the couple of shacks to the fuel for the barbecue and down to the ‘plates’, all are made from the palms and vegetation of the islands.

I was invited to join a group of French and Italian visitors at the barbecue. I have never tasted such succulent chicken and pork ribs.

“Where do the bones go?” I wondered. This was quickly answered, as the chef tossed them into the shallow waters only for a shoal of blacktip baby sharks to devour them. Recycling at its best.

Known for having the greatest number of sharks, it is reassuring that only the harmless little ones make it to the Blue Lagoon.

Rangiroa is unique as it has its own horizon and it is the only atoll to boast of a lagoon within a lagoon. A sunken volcano, a paradise for sun and nature lovers, scuba divers and snorkellers, its ‘crater’ encircles a vast lagoon that spans some 30 km across.

It has a circumference of approximately 200 km and, I believe, a rather daring French cycling group successfully completed the task. In places they waded through the shallow waters and in others they had to use small boats to cross a number of fast current passes, where playful dolphins are often sighted.

French Polynesia is one of the homes of the precious black pearl. Legend has is that the unique oyster was offered to man by Ono, the god of peace and fertility.

To this day, a gift of black pearls is a gift of romance and a sign of eternal love.

Bora Bora may have the name, but Kia Ora has the serenity, peace and charm that is second to none.

After a sumptuous dinner, I retired to my super-luxury bungalow, turned off the lights, and sat out on the deck overlooking the lagoon.

A cool evening breeze whipped up and the splashing of marine life, going about its business, was heard but not seen.

A sunken volcano, a paradise for sun and nature lovers, scuba divers and snorkellers- Paul Zammit Cutajar

Sipping on a largish glass of pleasing red wine, I listened to my flavour of the week, Pink Floyd’s Delicate Sound of Thunder.

Comfortably snug on the sun lounger, I gazed at zillions of stars that lit up the heavens... How many could there be? The human brain struggles to fathom the secrets of the immense universe. Is it infinite, with no beginning and no end? How humbly small and insignificant I felt.

A shooting star skimmed across the sparkled skies. The longer I watched, the nearer they felt. I could almost reach out and touch them.

As I retire for the night, Floyd’s Comfortably Numb comes to a close.

A perfect end to a perfect day. It is no wonder that Kia Ora is the closest thing to heaven.

Getting there

Emirates operates three daily flights to Auckland from Dubai via Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. The Malta/Dubai flight via Cyprus connects conveniently with these flights. Ongoing flights to French Polynesia are serviced by Tahiti Nui or Air New Zealand.