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(Last of seven parts)

As I said in my last column, this month I'm going into the last half of my trip to the Marquesan Islands in French Polynesia, reached aboard the working freighter ARANUI.

The days are filled with adventure now, with our ship sometimes dropping anchor at several ports a day-and visits ashore to both historic and present-day attractions - plus a growing sense of soon returning to the everyday world. I continue my chronicle of our voyage:

DAY 9 - Today, it's back to the island of HIVA OA, where we get a chance to visit some of the most important archaeological sites for the stone religious sculptures which are known as TIKIS. Other somewhat-larger ones are found on Easter Island.

After a trip by jeep through some pretty tough paths that serve as roads, we arrive at the jungle ruins of Puamau, where our guides from the ship tell us as much as is known about these haunting symbols of the past. A good chance here for photos.

DAY 10 - We travel by ship to the island of UA HUKA, and while sailors work with the cargo there is a chance to go ashore and visit a museum of Marquesan art.

Some passengers choose to explore the island by 4-wheel-drive vehicles while others decide to ride the famous horses found here. The animals were brought from Chile back in 1856 and today they outnumber the 478 residents of the island.

There is a Marquesan-style lunch served at a local restaurant, and you can visit the studios of local wood-carvers as well.

Aboard the ship that evening, there is a Polynesian party with music, dancing and a buffet dinner on deck. For some real exercise, try a few of those native dances. . . guaranteed to set you free!

DAYS 11, 12 - We have two days at NUKU HIVA, seeing other attractions we didn't get to the first time around.

Among these is the village of HATIHAU, where a local dance troupe performs traditional dances. The guides from the ship will also take those who wish to an ancient temple in the jungle, where you can still see the old petroglyphs.

During your time ashore, there is a lunch served at YVONNE'S RESTAURANT, where the specialty of the house is pig which is baked in an underground oven. Yvonne, the owner, has this town well in hand: she is not only the chef at her place, she is the town mayor as well. As you can probably guess, she is a dynamic and very energetic lady.

A word of caution here about mosquitoes - take plenty of bug lotion ashore with you (either your own or the local brand, which is powerful stuff); some seem big enough to carry you home BEFORE they bite!

DAY 13 - The Aranui returns to our first stop in the Marquesas, the island of UA POU. This is our last chance to buy genuine island craftwork and to mail those last-minute postcards and letters from the islands themselves before heading south again.

HIDDEN TRAVEL BARGAINS (cont.)

I found it a good chance to stroll the small town, visit the local shops and post office and take in some things I had missed before.

DAY 14 - This is a full day at sea, as the ship heads for home and its last stop, the largest atoll in the world: RANGIROA.

DAY 15 - Here, in a beautiful paradise, there is a chance to rest from the rigors of a day at sea and leisurely prepare for a return to the outside world.

I found this place in the TUA-MOTU ARCHIPELAGO one of the prettiest I have ever seen anywhere - so lovely and like one's dreams of an island paradise that it is difficult to describe adequately.

On Rangiroa there is an opportunity to swim, parasail, snorkel or scuba dive, to view thousands of lovely fish (and sharks) from a glass-bottom boat, or just hang out on the great beach and enjoy a picnic.

That night there is a farewell dinner aboard, some music from the crew, and saying goodbyes to newfound friends. I say FRIENDS, for that is what the majority of them have become during this fun-filled adventure to a part of the world that few of us ever see.

DAY 16 - A Right on schedule, the Aranui docks at the harbor in Papeete, Tahiti, where friends and relatives of the hardworking crew wait to greet them.

Slowly, farewells are endured and the closely knit group of passengers begins to break up, all going their separate ways, but not without a look or two back at the ship which has been their home for more than two weeks.

SOME FINAL NOTES - I must say that this was one of the highlights of my entire career as a travel journalist. Not only were there unusual and different things to see, do and write about, but this was also a lesson for us all in getting over our petty differences and uniting in a common adventure to be remembered for a lifetime.

You become a better person taking this trip, and I highly recommend it!!

Once again, for those interested, the place to write is Compagnie Polynesienne de Transport Maritime, 2028 El Camino South, Ste. B, San Mateo, CA 94403; phone 415/574-2575, or fax 415/5746881.