Our journey begins on Saturday, March 22, 2014, at 10:00 am. Armed with ten airline tickets, two voyage documents, five suitcases, two winter coats, three movies, two seasons of House of Cards, one underwater camera and a travel journal – we are off.

We drive to the Philadelphia airport, catch a flight to Los Angeles, find the international terminal, wait three hours for Air Tahiti ticketing counter to open, luck out with the only first-class upgrades, enjoy our first Umami burger, fly eight hours to Pape’ete to finally arrive in Tahiti. Exactly one day after leaving home.

It is a 5:00 am local time and as our taxi drives us to the hotel it is still dark. We can hear the roosters crowing as the sun begins to rise. We check into the Radisson Hotel to shower, repack and rejuvenate. Then it dawns on us that the boat is not scheduled to arrive into port until the next day.

The hotel is decent. The room is clean, there is a pool and black sand beach. But it does not quite feel like paradise. Although we are exhausted, we do not want to waste any time experiencing the South Pacific. So we pull out our list of recommendations and decide to take an impromptu trip to another island, called Rangiroa.

So, we get on yet another plane to go to this remote island called Rangiroa. Population 2,567. Rangiroa is one of the biggest atolls in the world, with a lagoon so vast that it could fit the entire islands of Tahiti inside of it. Little did we know at the time, how significant a one-night stay in this far-flung place would become to us.

Here I receive my first lei. Tiare apetahi, a rare version of the tiare flower only grows in one place on the entire planet: Mount Temehani on the island of Ra’iatea. No one has ever successfully replanted this lusciously scented gloom anywhere else in the world. Although widely imitated in perfumes, you can only have the experience of being surrounded by fresh tiare here in Tahiti.

Welcome to Hotel Kia Ora. Everything about this place seems magical. The lobby pulls you in. The staff (of one, so far) is warm and welcoming. The grounds are scenic. And the view from our bungalow (below) is breathtaking. We even have a coral garden in our shower.

The sunset was spectacular. We enjoyed an evening dinner at the hotel followed by a traditional Polynesian dance show. A memorable evening for sure.

Unbelievable Snorkeling Spot Straight Ahead.

But nothing could have prepared us for our experience the next day. Willie (the hotel driver, clerk, cashier, bellhop and now concierge) advised us to go to the Aquarium. We said, “We want to go snorkeling.” He said, “You go to the Aquarium.”

A small boat pulls up and takes us on a ten-minute boat ride. Once anchored, the captain (who was not Willie) took a loaf of bread, banged it on the side of the boat and jestered for us to jump in. And boy, did those fish swarm. There were thousands of the most beautiful, captivating, colorful fish and schools in crystal clear water – we could have stayed forever. Or at least until we spotted this shark.

The Aquarium. We jumped in and were immediately surrounded by a fish cyclone. Words could not do it justice. Photos can not do it justice. An unforgettable experience that left a profound and lasting impact in our memories and emotions.