Rarotonga - Wigmore Falls and Earthquake News

Monday, February 21

Waterfront in Avarua
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

Kia orana!

This morning, we went to Avarua to get more internet time and to shop. We got groceries, and we got our exit tax taken care of. I wonder how many people decide to bag the exit tax and just stay on the island? That's what I wanted to do...

By the way, when you go to the bank to pay your exit tax, be sure you already have enough cash on you to do so, or else use the ATM right outside. You can use a credit card at the bank, but it's charged as a cash advance. So, if your ATM fees are less (which mine would have been), you're better off to get cash first, then go inside. As you no doubt know, interest starts being charged tout de suite on a cash advance.

She made that basket in five minutes!
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

We took the “back road” to see the agricultural areas. The back road parallels the main road on parts of the island. We found a couple of ladies selling fruit alongside the road, so, naturally, we stopped to purchase some. While we made our selection of bananas, young coconut, starfruit, and papaya, one of the ladies made a coconut frond basket for us to carry our purchases in. This is something that you'll find pretty often as you drive about. They don't charge you for the basket, either. And there's no plastic bag to deal with. I determined that I would find materials back home to make baskets or bags with so as to reduce my impact on the environment.

We also drove up to the hospital to see what it looks like. Hmm. Not exactly “third world” looking; on the other hand...

Wigmore Falls
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

On the way back to the house, we decided to go to Wigmore Falls, which is a lovely little spot a tiny bit inland. The mosquitoes started attacking as soon as I opened the car door. It surprised me, because we hadn't had a problem with bugs at all. And, naturally, I hadn't applied bug repellant beforehand. So, there I was, using my Deet towelette, smashing skeeters as I rubbed the stuff all over. Next time, use the bug repellant first, silly girl!

Back at the house, we made lunch and went for a snorkel. Then we heard the news on the radio that there had been a big earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, with major damage. We still hadn't been able to get our television to work.

I went next door to alert the folks in the other house who were from New Zealand and had just come out of the water from their snorkel. Naturally, they were frantic to talk to their loved ones back home. Happily, we all found out that everyone was fine; however, the home of one of their sons was lost to liquefaction, and the mother-in-law's house was uninhabitable because it had split in half. Knowing how spotty and downright wrong information can be during such emergencies, we took the doomsday reports of the dead and wounded and missing to be overestimates (as they normally are). But there were 65 confirmed deaths at that point, with more probably to come. Not good.

I watched the reports on the television next door for a little while, then went back to our place to find that my husband had managed to get a picture on one channel. Good job! So, this evening, we are glued to the television set. We're grateful that our friends next door are in contact with their intact families, but we're sad for many others for whom life has just become a wasteland of devastation.

Would there be a tsunami? We had been told that because of the local geography, with the steep drop-off right on the other side of the reef, any tsunami would be held at bay. But you can be sure that we were watching the tide very carefully, and we were prepared to head to the hills on a moment's notice! And, if you've been reading along, you already know that we had familiarized ourselves with the nearest tsunami escape route. Thankfully, that wasn't necessary.

Photo by Harry. All rights reserved.

Dinner tonight was prepared by Bob and Jo, and it was lovely: cucumber salad, rice, and curried tuna. Very nicely prepared, and absolutely delicious. As was our custom, we ate out on the deck, where there's a very nice teakwood table and chairs. And we watched the lagoon for any sign of emptying...

Rarotonga - C.I.C.C. Titikaveka

Sunday, February 20

C.I.C.C. - Titikaveka
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

Kia orana! This morning, we all went to church at the Cook Islands Christian Church (C.I.C.C.) just down the street here in Titikaveka (again, that's “Tee tee kah' veh kah”). There's a C.I.C.C. in every district (five districts on the island), so pretty much every village has one. About 70% of Cook Islanders belong to this denomination, and the church is central to village life. So, it seemed like the best place for us to visit, since it would be most typical (at least, in our minds). And since it was just a short walk from the house, it was convenient, as well.

It would be rare to be made to feel more welcome anywhere. We were greeted on the walk, we were greeted at the stairs, we were greeted at the door, we were greeted inside. And with each greeting came an invitation to share some refreshment after the service. Probably 30% or more of those in attendance were guests. So, we assumed the refreshments would be cookies and coffee or something like that, which is pretty much what we offer our guests at home. More on that later.

The service was lovely and easy to follow, though lots of what went on was in the native language (the homily, for instance). There were presentations by visiting youth groups, choirs, and so on. We had heard that just the native singing, with beautiful island harmonies, would make church attendance worthwhile, even for those who don't normally attend. I must say, the singing was absolutely glorious. Really, if you go to church here, and the singing doesn't bring tears to your eyes, well, there's something wrong with you!

I took a photo of the church when it was empty,
so as not to disturb the service.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

You can't accuse these folks of “going Gospel light,” either. The Gospel is presented clearly, with a call at the end of each presentation. If you've been to that church, you have no excuse unless you weren't listening at all, ever. You can't say you didn't get the message.

Some of the songs were familiar to me (“Holy, Holy, Holy” and “Days of Elijah” and “I Believe in Jesus” and even a country song), other not so much. The songs I knew, I sang with all my heart, just like I would do at home. The songs I didn't know, I listened to and absorbed deep in my spirit. There were tears in my eyes through most of the song service, as I thought about the unity of the Body of Christ. Here I was, halfway around the world, but I was of one heart and one mind with brothers and sisters I'd never met. Connected. So, yes, I was emotional. And I'm not about to apologize for it.

The five of us enjoyed the service very much. The invitation to the gathering afterward was repeated several times during church. But there were one or two in our group who were unsure about staying, so, not wanting any of us to be uncomfortable, we all decided to just walk home for lunch. Ha! One of the deacons cut us off at the pass and was rather insistent that we should eat with them. I guess we almost committed a terrible faux pas, unknowingly. We didn't want to insult our hosts, so we followed him to the fellowship hall.

Boiled taro, sweet potatoes, and a bunch of other goodies.
Photo by Jo Gade. All rights reserved.

It wasn't just light refreshments. It was a whole meal of island specialties, served buffet style. I thought the tables would collapse from the weight of the food, which was piled high. There was delicious ika mata (fish marinated in coconut cream...my favorite), poke (banana cooked in arrowroot, also very yummy), roasted pork, chicken, lamb, etc. There were fruits and vegetables. I ate sea cucumber roe cooked with egg, and I loved it. I know! All of us agreed that this meal was even better than the one we'd had at the dinner show. By the way, you are expected to pile your plate high and eat until you are absolutely stuffed and cannot eat another bite, as though it is your last meal.

Waiting in the guest section.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

One thing I found strange, though, is that the church members sat together at tables with tablecloths, while the guests were seated on plastic chairs and wooden benches in a corner of the room and outside. The members ate first, and then the guests were invited to eat. Membership has its privileges? This is completely opposite how we do things at home, where the guests are seated in places of honor and are served first. That doesn't mean I thought it was all wrong or was offended or anything; I just noted that it was different and thought it would be interesting to find out why the custom is the way it is [Perhaps to demonstrate to guests that there is more than enough food to eat here? Or perhaps fattening up the captives during cannibal days of yore?...No offense! Just making a joke and wondering is all). There was certainly plenty of food, as the platters were replenished over and over again, and we were encouraged to eat more and more until I thought I would burst. As I said, we couldn't have felt more welcomed. Good job, C.I.C.C. Titikaveka!

Our property manager, Rongo, was a little surprised to see us at church, I think. I hope it was a pleasant surprise for her. It was certainly a pleasant surprise for us to see her there, a familiar and friendly face.

What to wear: Ladies, you are expected to keep your shoulders and upper arms covered modestly and also to wear a skirt or dress (rather than shorts). So, please don't wear your bathing suit cover-up to church on Sunday morning. I don't think they would refuse to let you in, but it just wouldn't be honoring and respectful to show up dressed in poolside clothing. You can wear sandals, and you don't have to wear stockings. Thank goodness! Also, please wear a hat. Your sun hat will do. The local ladies wear the beautiful and quite expensive woven pandanus hats to church. The hats are decorated with woven flowers, silk flowers, black pearls, and so on. They wear dresses with short sleeves (as opposed to no sleeves), generally, or else a shirt and blouse. The ladies also wear huge black pearl earrings and pendants, and there's certainly no lack of places where you can purchase these in Rarotonga. Gentlemen, you might want to pack a pair of khakis (You can wear them on the plane) and a Hawaiian shirt. The local gentlemen will be wearing shirts and ties, but you can get by a bit more casually. Again, thank goodness!

It was a very hot and sticky day when the breeze died down. It was a steam bath in church, and, suddenly, the wind kicked up and the rain poured down in cool buckets, providing some much-needed relief. So, you might want to bring something with which to fan yourself (other than the church bulletin, that is).

Just so you'll know and can plan accordingly, things are closed in Raro on Sundays. It's truly a day of rest. Get your groceries and your gasoline on Saturday. We should go back to doing that back home, because there's really nothing like knowing that you might as well rest, as there's nothing else to do. I had forgotten how relaxing that is!

In neighborhood news, people have moved into Hibiscus, the house behind ours. They arrived late last night from New Zealand for a wedding. Auckland is just a couple of hours flight from here. Come on! There's no justice in the world.

Rarotonga is a very popular wedding destination, which is no surprise to me. I still don't really understand the whole “destination wedding” thing. Why not be married in your home church? Why invite all your guests to your honeymoon destination? And it's such a huge expense for your guests. But, on the other hand, fewer guests are able to attend. Hmmm.....

Ahhh. This is living. Look at that water!
Photo by Bob Hampton. All rights reserved.

So, we rested this afternoon. You know, sitting on a lounge chair overlooking the lagoon from our awesome deck and listening to the far-off waves crashing on the reef while reading a good book (in my case, The Girls), every once in a while taking a cooling dip in the refreshing water...well, how do you describe that? It's paradise, truly. And you can't do this at home.

Tonight, we had a light meal of seared ahi tuna that Bob bought at the market yesterday, and coconut rice that I made, and guava and pawpaw and cucumber. It was very tasty.

I washed the dishes, and Karen dried. I find that I'm not minding cooking and cleaning up while camping in this lovely house on the beach, after all. I suppose I was tired the other day when I complained about it.

It's 9 p.m. It's been hot today, but it seems a bit cooler now. Jo and Karen have gone to bed, my husband's doing crosswords, and Bob is editing pictures, as is his nightly habit. The guys have used up the 150 meg of internet time we purchased, so we'll have to get more tomorrow. Or the next day. Or whatever.

Rarotonga - Market Day and Te Vara Nui Village

Saturday, February 19

Saturday Market in Avarua
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

Kia orana! Everybody got up early this morning, and we went to the market in Avarua. Some vendors are here daily, but most are only here on Saturday. There were so many vendors! We stayed for hours, browsing here, browsing there, and making mental notes about what we'll purchase. Next Saturday at the market. Because market day is a big deal, and you don't want to ruin it by already having all your purchases made!

There's a covered stage set up conveniently in the middle of the market, and, on this day, there were young people who were doing traditional dancing as a fundraiser for a trip they were taking to another island. The little girls were too cute! I was trying to take photos but ended up accidentally turning on the movie function on my camera. It was a happy mistake, and I hope the video works for you.

A picture, in case the video doesn't
work for you. Aren't they cute?
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

There were lots of food vendors, and everything sounded really good. We finally decided on some meat on a stick ($2NZ per stick) and a fresh fruit smoothie. The meat was tender and flavorful and delicious, and the smoothy was wonderfully cooling. Just the ticket to refresh us and keep us going.

We came home from market, had a swim, then got ready for the dance show extravaganza. We had made reservations at Te Vara Nui Village (Muri) and went to pick up our tickets at the designated hour. Note to self: Bring a discount coupon for each person next time, as it turns out that the coupon is only good for one admission (unlike at home, where one coupon will get everybody in your party a discount). So, we only got one $10NZ discount. Ah, well. Live and learn. We mentioned to the nice lady at the desk that it might be a good idea and create less confusion if the coupon clearly stated “Good for one admission” or “One coupon per person” or something like that. She was unimpressed with our helpfulness.

The ticket we purchased included a cultural tour of the recreated Polynesian village as well as the dinner show.

Pretty fierce looking!
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

The cultural tour was very interesting and covered costuming and traditional medicines and traditional construction and fishing traditions and weaving with coconut fronds. There was a demonstration of how to climb a coconut tree, which you apparently have to do if you're going to harvest the green (“young”) coconuts that are so much a part of the diet here (and from which we get the coconut water that is all the rage to drink right now). They showed how to remove the husk from the coconut with a sharp stick, and how to open the coconut with a single blow from the back of a large knife, and how to make coconut cream from the coconut meat. They talked about the importance of coconut in their culture and about the value of coconut for nutrition and hydration. I was mesmerized, as I absolutely love coconut. The tour was well worth the expense, I thought. And when it was time for the dance lesson, My husband “volunteered” and was chosen. He was a good sport and actually seemed to enjoy it. And, of course, I enjoyed it tremendously!

My husband (center) getting his groove on.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

Then came the dinner, which included lots of variety – fish in coconut milk, curried beef, chicken baked in the ground, lamb wrapped in taro leaf, and so on. Everything was delicious, well-presented, and plentiful. The bench tables were a little too close together, though, and that made it difficult to get up and sit down. But we managed. Where there's a will, there's a way.

The dance show was absolutely fantastic. I don't know how they can move like that in the first place, much less for an hour. The stamina required is amazing. The girls were stunningly beautiful, and the guys had those great thighs that Karen wanted to see. The fire dancers were unbelievable. This particular show is centered around local mythology and legend, so it tells a story rather than simply being a skillful demonstration of native dance. The musicians, drummers, and singers were also excellent, and the entire experience was one well worth repeating. I highly recommend it.

Dancing with the dancers. Notice the glistening skin.
Photo by Jo Gade. All rights reserved.

After the show, the dancers joined the spectators for a little social, and Bob and I were each invited to dance by one of the dancers. It was tons of fun, right up until it started being painful. The dancers moved gracefully, their exposed skin a glistening bronze sheen, while we laughed nervously, gasped for air, and awkwardly attempted to cool off by pulling the sweaty fabric away from our sticky, sweaty selves (not too successfully). However, it was a fabulously entertaining thing, and I'd definitely do it again. But maybe I'd wear fewer clothes. Don't tell my mom.

As I mentioned, the dancers were amazing. The professional dancers, that is. By the way, the gorgeous young lady dancing with Bob happened to be Miss South Pacific. How about that? Her name is Christine.

And speaking of Christians (“Christine” meaning “follower of Christ”), the Master of Ceremonies tonight made a point of making sure everyone knew that Rarotonga is a Christian island. There was grace said over the food, “as is traditional here in Rarotonga.” During the cultural tour, which was all about the ancient culture of the island, they started out by saying that the English brought the Gospel to the Cook Islands, for which they are grateful. And so on. How very refreshing. No wonder I feel so at home, at peace, here.

Tomorrow, Sunday, we're going to the church in our neighborhood. We're all looking forward to it, me especially!  

Rarotonga - Getting Around, Eating Well, and Finding Bob

February 18

Maire Nui Tropical Gardens
Photo by Chris.
All rights reserved.

Kia orana!

There are some lovely gardens (Maire Nui Tropical Gardens) a few minutes down the road, and we walked there for breakfast at their little cafe. But it was closed. So, we walked on to Fruits of Rarotonga, where Bob said we'd find delicious and exotic tropical jams and things. But they were closed, too. And so we continued walking on to Muri Beach Resort. So, you can see that it isn't very far from Titikaveka to Muri. But it is a hot, sticky walk. At least, it was today! Don't forget your water bottle, no matter where you're going.

Anyhow, success! The Muri Beach Resort's cafe, Aqua, was open. We sat outside in the shaded patio, to catch a breeze. Harry had the most delicious coconut french toast. I had a bacon, cheese, and banana sandwich (grilled). It's amazing the things that sound good on a menu in the tropics, don't you agree? On paper, I'm with you. It sounds... “interesting.” Surprisingly, though, it was actually quite good. I ate every bite. The crunchiness of the bread, the saltiness of the bacon, the creaminess of the cheese, and the sweetness of the banana made for an “all in one” party for the taste buds. And, naturally, I tried a “flat white” coffee. It's basically a wet (or “white”) cappuccino, for those of you who are unfamiliar with the term, as I was. And it was simply outstanding. It smelled incredible. The flavor was amazing. (We thought it might be coffee from the Cook Island of Atiu, but it was from New Zealand. Good job, Kiwis!) So, now I'm going to be addicted to “flat whites,” I suppose.

Randomly throwing in a photo of the tsunami
escape route. Just so you know it's there.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

The bus runs all the way around the island clockwise, and also counter-clockwise (or, locally, “anti-clockwise”). It comes around every half hour or so, and it's very reasonable. One-way fare is $4NZ, round-trip is $7NZ. Carry some cash. Rather than walking back to Titikaveka, we took the bus back to the house. We actually could have walked back in the amount of time it took to wait for the bus and ride back; however, we might have passed out from the heat and humidity in the process. We thought it wise to avoid that.

When we got home, we went for a snorkel. The water was so refreshing and wonderful. It's just amazing. I heard the strains of the “Adventures in Paradise” theme song again as I floated effortlessly in the calm water, enjoying the world “under the sea.” Uh, oh. By the way, I've been unable to find Nemo. That would be because, apparently, there aren't clown fish here. And if you followed all of that, pop the DVD out and back away from the television. Seriously.

Modeling our wide-brimmed hats.
Photo by Chris.
All rights reserved.

And then I learned how to tie a pareu dress so it looks good...yay! Note to self: When coming here next time, pack two pareus (pareux?), two bathing suits, one skirt, and two tops. And gallons of sunblock. And flip flops, reef shoes, and Keens. And a mask, snorkel, and fins. And a swim shirt (to protect the back and arms from the sun when snorkeling) and swim shorts (to protect the back of the legs). Even underwear is seeing minimal use, since I'm wearing a bathing suit most of the time. So, one to wear, one to dry, and a spare. I packed very “light,” but I haven't worn half of it at all yet. And I wouldn't need to (or so it seems). Don't forget the wide-brimmed hat. I have pins on mine from all the places it has been. Just a little quirk.

Bob was out there somewhere.
Can you spot him? Neither could we.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

Bob went for a late afternoon snorkel for a couple of hours. We couldn't see him anywhere and started to wonder if he had drifted off somewhere, and Karen and I went looking for him up and down the beach, then drove to Fruits of Rarotonga, then doubled back over to the (park) beach on the far side of the vacation bungalows on the other side of us. No Bob. But we did meet some very nice folks from New Zealand, one of whom said he could be Bob if need be! He was wearing gear the same color as Bob's, so we called out to him before realizing we had the wrong guy. Oops.

Bob (our Bob, not the “I could be Bob” Bob) did come back, by the way. We needn't have been concerned, as he was wearing his flotation vest (since he was snorkeling alone) and had simply gone all the way to the reef, where he said he saw an amazing array of sea life. He couldn't bear to come back, I guess, until he was too tired to continue! The thing is that there are several places around the island where there's a break in the reef. You don't want to go out with the tide, you know?

Anyhow, one of the young men (He got married here and has been married for two years) actually came by the house a bit later to make sure we'd found Bob. How nice is that? He says he's stayed at “our” house several times (There is just no justice in the world!) and thinks it's the best house on the best snorkel beach on the island. I couldn't agree more.

I haven't mentioned our neighbors much, but we've had an opportunity to chat with them on a number of occasions, and they are friendly and fun. They're leaving to go back to Olympia, Washington (USA), tomorrow. So, some new folks will be moving in for the week. And also into the house behind us, I think, which is too bad but was bound to happen. That house has been empty all week, so the privacy and quiet have been outstanding.

For dinner, we made spaghetti and a salad. Now that we're all better rested and more relaxed, it's really fine. So, note to self: Day 1, breakfast on the way to the house, stop at the grocery store for breakfast/lunch foods for two days, and eat dinner out for two days. Then settle into the cooking routine if you want to. Oh, and get plenty of ice. And do bring your hard liquor (if any) from home. Maybe the prices look different when the dollar is stronger, though.

Photo by Bob Hampton. All rights reserved.

How we're spending our evening: Bob is editing the hundreds of photos that he took today. I think the fact that he's taking so many pictures is making the rest of us a bit lazy about taking our own, but that's okay. He said he will share.

Harry's doing a crossword puzzle, Karen is reading a travel magazine about Rarotonga, Jo is reading her book, I'm writing in my diary, and we're all listening to some tunes. Sounds familiar, eh? Life is so good right now. Breathe slowly. Listen to the sound of the geckos on the ceiling. Watch them hunt for the few bugs that are around. Sigh. I love Rarotonga, and it kills me that our vacation is nearly half over.

I see light from a flashlight in the water. The folks next door must be going on one last night snorkel. It sounds a bit scary to me, but I'm sure it must be very enjoyable, or they wouldn't be doing it again!

I wrote postcards to the folks back home today, as is my habit to do. I'll hope for a place to send them off tomorrow, and then I'll hope they get hoe before I do. That would be a first.

Rarotonga
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

One of my photo-taking frustrations, besides my camera seemingly not adjusting properly to whatever light is out there...bright, dim, overcast...it doesn't matter what. I think I might need a new camera, which is a bummer. Especially considering that I ordered a spare battery for this one (that arrived the day after we left home...naturally). Wait. Where was I? Oh, right. The frustration: Thus far, I have been unable to get a good picture of the peaks. They look so fabulous from the water, where you can see them rising majestically above the palm trees and vegetation. But once you're on land, the vegetation and closeness of everything just makes it very hard to capture the beauty and do justice to it. Perhaps I'll get a postcard for myself, too. [Note: Perhaps it was simply the moisture “fog” on the photo display, or the salty film on the viewer. The pictures, once I was able to really look at them, turned out fine. So, the camera was not in need of replacement, thankfully!]

Full moon in the clouds.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

Tomorrow night, we are going to a Polynesian village tour, dinner, and show. It's supposed to be the best island show in Raro. I hope so! I understand each island group has its own style of dance, which makes sense, and I'm looking forward to seeing how it's done here in the Cooks. Karen says she wants to see the guys with the muscular thighs. I'm sure she is making a joke. Or not?

Rarotonga - The Rarotongan

February 17 (Thursday already!)

Rainbow
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

Kia orana! There was another big rainstorm overnight. It rains very hard and wakes you up. Then it clears up. Then it clouds over. But it doesn't matter. The temperature is fabulous and very comfortable today.

This morning, we went snorkeling at The Rarotongan, the really nice resort (low-rise) where Bob and Karen stayed last time they were here. It seems funny to say that. Someday, I'll be back in Raro, and I'll be able to say, “Oh! And here's the place where we stayed last time we were here!” [Okay, stop tearing up, eyeballs. It could happen. Really.]

The Rarotongan Resort from the water.
Photo by Bob Hampton. All rights reserved.

Just as in Aruba, the beaches here are all open to the public. It isn't a problem, because there's hardly anybody on the beach, even at the resorts! So, it's totally okay to drive to The Rarotongan, park your car across the street, walk through the resort to the beach, and go snorkeling. Besides, you'll probably spend some money on a meal or a drink or a souvenir. So, it's good for business.

Apparently, there's at least one wedding every day at The Rarotongan. There's a nice deck area for the reception, and everything's included – the food, the band, the flowers. By “included,” of course, I don't mean “free.” On this particular day, they were setting up the tables, and the band was warming up. It looked like it was going to be a good time as well as a good day for somebody!

Photo by Bob Hampton.
All rights reserved.

As previously mentioned, there's a lagoon that goes pretty much all the way around the island. Our place is on the south side of the island, towards the east. The Rarotongan is also on the south side of the island, but it's on the western “corner.” But it's the same lagoon. The fish at the resort are used to being fed, so they come over to you when you hit the water. Especially if you happen to have some frozen peas with you.

The water was much clearer today, with a fabulously wonderful array of fish (sea life?). And the fish are bigger, too, some of them, than I was expecting to see. Big enough to eat. But not big enough to eat you, which, in my book, is an important distinction.

Photo by Bob Hampton. All rights reserved.

We had lunch at a little place down the road from the resort, at the half-way mark (½ way around the 32 km island from the main town, Avarua). I had a B.E.L.T. Sandwich (bacon, egg, lettuce, tomato). I'd seen it on a few menus and thought I'd give it a try. It was very unexpectedly delicious. Really. Give it a try, and you'll see. Harry had Cajun chicken salad, which was also very good.

Tonight, we ate at the Paw Paw Patch Restaurant, about a five-minute walk from our place. It was a great experience on a number of levels (see the previous post...). I had Thai fish (marlin), and Harry had fish curry. The food was excellent.

Fun factoid: There are stray (or not) dogs everywhere (also chickens), but they are friendly and don't seem mangy like stray (or not) dogs I've seen elsewhere (Mexico, for instance). There's a dog on our property. Jack, the three-legged dog. He's the only one we're “allowed” to feed, and he always knows when we're eating something. He suddenly appears out of nowhere. This morning, he had some scrambled eggs and toast, because we'd cooked too much. At home, my husband was always very opposed to giving dogs treats from the table. He must be going through a phase or having a change of heart, because the “no treat” rule does not apply to Jack.

A walk on the beach.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

I went for a walk on the beach this afternoon – beautiful! The tide was very low, and you didn't need snorkel gear to see bunches of parrot fish and a snowflake eel and spotted groupers and etc., right next to the water line in the closest corals. So peaceful. Highly recommended and refreshing for body, soul, and spirit. I hear the theme song from “Adventures in Paradise” (television series) in my head as I look at the water and the palm trees.

There are lots of cute vacation places in our village, Titikaveka – bungalows, small hotels, and so on. There are no high rises on the island. The vegetation is lush, with flowering hedges mostly lining the road on both sides. Just when you're about to snap a photo from the moving vehicle, here comes another hedge. But it's hard to mind terribly. It's gorgeous. Jaw-dropping, even.

Most residences seem very liveable, though not all. There are a couple of “shells” that we drive by, and one of us will say, “Hey! We can totally remodel that place!” It's kind of a running joke. There are homes that are over the top, too, but it seems, as a rule, that “regular people” live a simpler life here. But that is not the same as a substandard life, which I've seen in other places.

Oh! Forgot to mention our dessert tonight at the Paw Paw Patch. It was outstanding: coconut-cashew pie with a lovely, not-too-sweet caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream. Mmmmmm! And we also tried a Matutu pale ale. No, not with dessert! With dinner. It's locally brewed, and I had expected it to be a little...flat tasting. But it was surprisingly flavorful.

Bob editing photos. Harry looking on.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

Here's what we're all doing to pass the time this evening: Bob is editing pictures. Harry is doing a crossword puzzle. We are having trouble with the DVD player, as the movies we brought from home will not play on it. And, there's one television station, but we can't seem to get it. It's kind of nice, actually, to just...be. I find that I can bear the deprivation quite well indeed. The sound of the waves crashing on the reef offshore is soothing.

Rarotonga - Hanging Out in Titikaveka

February 16

Just because.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

Kia orana!

There was a big rainstorm during the night, and it wiped out Bob's carefully crafted “Rarotonga 2011” beach art. No worries, though. He did another one this evening. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

The pawpaw (papaya) here is really good. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say it's the best I've ever tasted. Which isn't too much of a limb, really. All the papaya I've ever tasted before made me want to retch. But this! This is smooth and buttery and just flavorful enough to not be overpowering. Yum! I've got a new fruit to love. We haven't found any fresh pineapple anywhere, though, which seems so odd to me. Perhaps it isn't the season? But it's summer here. I don't know. It's a mystery. Maybe they don't grow it, and it's stupid expensive to import? Other fruit is plentiful, though: crunchy starfruit of gargantuan proportions, passion fruit (which I've never had fresh before...and another new love is found!), very tasty bananas, big and meaty and rich and delicious avocados. It's just amazing. But no mangoes, either. Perhaps not the season for those, either.

Breadfruit bears all the time.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

I imagine you could live off the land here without too much problem, and there's plenty of fish to catch, apparently. Everyone seems to have a bunch of coconut palms in the yard, and also breadfruit and bananas and probably a bunch of other things. One of those other things seems to be their ancestors, with the tombs well-tended and cared for. 

Okay. Let's rewind. For breakfast, I had yogurt (very good and creamy and yummy) and cereal. It was interesting to pick out something that looked like it might be granola or not too sweet. But it worked out fine. Go figure!

The milk, by the way, if you prefer your cereal that way, is outrageously expensive if you buy it “fresh,” so the economical thing to do is to get a box of milk on the shelf. No, not powdered milk. Actual milk, but in a carton on the shelf. It tastes just the same as fresh. Honest.

They're everywhere.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

For lunch, lots of fruit, cheese, peanut butter and jelly. Yes. A peanut butter and jelly sandwich. A particular favorite of Bob's. We've been decorating our food plates with hibiscus blossoms from around the property. It makes us feel like we're on vacation or something!

For dinner, wahoo (a kind of fish) with fruit salsa, salad, boiled taro (sliced), and mashed breadfruit (which tasted a lot like mashed ripe plantain, surprisingly, but was sort of sticky and pasty). I liked the breadfruit enough to have seconds. There will be no losing weight on this trip, apparently.

Backtrack. Snorkeling in the morning was outstanding! My personal highlight: A lovely coral head housing thousands of damsels of different colors, with the sunlight filtering through. Beautiful, beautiful. And cute at the same time.

Karen making some purchases at the fruit stand.
Isn't the owner beautiful? And so sweet, too.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

After snorkeling, we went to the grocery store and the fish market for dinner stuff, and then we walked to the little fruit stand that's about a block from the house, on the other side of the street. We watched a guy spearing octopus on the reef, came back to the house, and went snorkeling again. The water was a little more stirred up than this morning, but still clearer than yesterday. Yay!

So, then we cooked dinner and ate and did dishes. Poor Karen! She's been BBQing every night and melting in the heat, while Jo and I have been making side dishes. Karen loves to BBQ...but not every night. Today, I thought to myself, “We're camping in a really nice house in the South Pacific!” I had to laugh at that thought. Still...there are nice restaurants here...just sayin'.

Doing our own cooking is helping to make the trip more affordable. Dinners out will be expensive, but I'm looking forward to one. The guys are at least saying, “This is great!” when we serve up the food. But I think they mean, “Island life is awesome,” as opposed to, “The food is fabulous.” Perhaps they'll do some slicing and dicing and dishes and sweeping. I can hope. Not complaining! Well, maybe a little. I'll get over it.

Pink skies at sunset. A perfect time for a walk on the beach.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

There were amazingly pink skies at sunset. There's no breeze yet tonight (ergo, the above...), but the fans move the air around in the house wonderfully well. No worries.

How the water is here when it's "not that clear."
Makes you laugh, no?
Photo by Bob Hampton. All rights reserved.

Karen is an awesome “snorkel master,” staying with Jo and me and encouraging us, pointing out blue starfish and spotted groupers and convict fish (They wear striped suits, yellow and black) and parrot fish and blue damsels and so on and so on. There are so many different kinds to see!

Harry seems to be relaxing and enjoying himself. The first couple of days were interesting, what with travel fatigue, anxiety, and so on. He operates best in routine, and we're starting to get there. It has been a good day. It has been a very good day.

Our place.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

The water inside the reef is refreshing but not cold. You can snorkel for a long while without shivering. Every time a cloud goes by or the angle of the sun changes or the wind blows or stops blowing, the blues and aquas in the lagoon intensify or soften. You could take a million pictures, and each one would look different. On the afternoon snorkel, we went out quite a way towards the reef, and I turned around to check our position relative to the house. The sun was casting long shadows, and the skies had lifted their mist to reveal the mountain peaks. It seemed that you could see the entire island from the water. It looked just like an amazing postcard. I hope Bob took a picture! [Note:  No. Sigh. But there will hopefully be other opportunities.]

This is the life. I'm ruined forever.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

Rarotongans have a New Zealand-like accent and are very laid back and friendly (at least, they seem so, so far). Rarotongan young people are well educated, and many attend university in New Zealand. 

You have to be a Cook Islander to own property here, but, if you can find someone who's willing, you can lease a piece of property for years and build a place on it. Of course, when the lease is over, so is your place. But, who cares? You'll be dead by then, probably. It's good that the island hasn't been overrun and the islanders disenfranchised. This is their place, and they welcome you as a guest.

“The Rock” is a Kiwi vacation spot, and there are lots of Kiwis here. I've heard that New Zealand provides lots of the funds for the Cook Islands infrastructure and so on, and that they aren't too keen to continue that. Politics. Who wants to think about politics here? Not I!

Rarotonga - Avarua

February 15

Kia orana! What a gorgeous day, cooler and less humid. There were a couple of rain showers, but it was mostly sunny with clouds covering sometimes. A very pleasant day.

If you feel a couple of rain drops, look out! Get the chair pads in the house and yourself under shelter quick, because, within seconds, it begins to pour buckets. And I mean a torrential downpour. Those first few drops that spit from the clouds are a warning. Heed it. But if you happen to be in the water already, who cares?

This morning, the water was calm and clear by the house. The folks in the next villa said the snorkeling was awesome, but Karen and Jo needed to go to town (Avarua) to get their driver's licenses. They cost $10NZ and are kind of a souvenir item. But they're real driver's licenses, and you do have to have one of them to drive here. If you're planning to ride a scooter or motorcycle, they will road test your skills in a little area next to the building. Otherwise, they just accept your driver's license from home.

Just stick your camera out the window and click. You can't go wrong!
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

Anyway, we all went to Avarua, which is the main village on the island. The airport is there, and the large grocery store (CITC Supermarket), Pananga Nui Market (most vendors only there on Saturdays), Avatiu Harbor, and some shops and restaurants. But it's just a few blocks by a few blocks. It's at the opposite side of the island from where our house is (Titikaveka), and it takes maybe 20 minutes to get there. Seriously. What traffic there is runs smoothly, but it's weird to be on the wrong side of the road (that is to say, the left side). And the steering wheel is on the wrong side of the car (that is to say, the right side). Be careful when leaving your driveway, as it's easy to end up facing the grill of someone else's car or, worse, someone on a scooter.

Black Rocks
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved. 

We ate fish (marlin) panini for lunch. We saw Muri Beach. The color of the water there is surreal, and there are little islands called “motus” (pronounced mo'tooz) inside the reef, in the lagoon. We went beachcombing for seashells at Black Rocks (which is by the airport runway). So, yes, we went all the way around the island. It was a perfect day. Not too hot, sun not too bright. Don't forget your wide-brimmed hat, good sunglasses, and plenty of SPF50. Just sayin'. You don't want to spend your wonderful tropical vacation in the hospital. At least, not this one. Again, just sayin'. Cook Islanders go to New Zealand for anything serious at all, and I was told by more than one person that there's no way they'd go to the hospital here for ANY reason. And we did notice that the tombstones don't scream out “We live long!” But I digress.

Motu at Muri Beach
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

This afternoon, the snorkeling was markedly better than yesterday's, though the water wasn't as clear as Bob says it can be. The visibility was 10 – 15 feet. Since I'm a novice-type snorkeler at this point, and not the world's strongest swimmer, it was a little disconcerting to have a coral head loom at me suddenly, what with the slight current and all. There were scads of beautiful and colorful fish, blue starfish, sea cucumbers galore, nice coral. The colors are surprising and enthralling. Such variety, and such...weird-looking creatures! I'm looking forward to truly clear water, because it's going to be spectacular.

I'm a person who needs some “down” time in order to decompress, and a walk on the beach is just the thing. Especially here! We're all still a little tired and stressed and haven't completely relaxed yet, and we're learning how to navigate living together under one roof, getting used to how we all do things. But we're doing pretty well, I think. We had burgers for dinner tonight.

The moon is almost full, and the light sparkles on the water. There are so many stars! The waves crash on the reef a couple of hundred yards offshore, and the water laps gently at the white sand of the beach.

It's scandalous how crowded the beach is.
How about some privacy, people?!
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

I spent a considerable amount of time today just looking at the turquoise waters framed in coconut palm fronds from our deck. It's mesmerizingly awesome. The most beautiful beach, with nobody on it. The most enticing lagoon, with nobody in it. There just aren't words to describe it. I don't even want to go anywhere else. Just give me that feast for my eyes. And to think that heaven is even better than this. It's hard to imagine. Thank you, God!

Rarotonga - Arriving in Paradise

Rarotonga, Cook Islands

February, 2011

February 13 - 14

We started the travel day with a delicious lunch of baked tilapia, asparagus, corn on the cob, and chocolate cake with strawberries. No, not at the airport...silly you! We travelers had gathered at my niece's home in Redwood City for the “first leg” of our travel to the Cook Islands. Thank you, Robin and Hector!

Mostly because we hadn't purchased all five tickets at once, we hadn't been able to schedule a flight with all five of us (My husband; his brother, Bob; Bob's wife, Karen; my husband's sister, Jo; and me) leaving at the same time from San Francisco to Los Angeles. But, happily, once in LA, we would all board the same flight to the Cook Islands. Which is a good thing, because there's only one direct flight to the Cooks from LA each week! Wouldn't you hate to miss that connection! Yikes!

So, we were dropped off at the airport by said niece and her husband. I think it's safe to say that we were all completely thrilled and super excited at the prospect of this fabulous, two-week tropical adventure to the South Pacific. For Harry and Jo and I, it would be the first time south of the Equator. For Harry and I, it would be the first time west of the United States mainland (This was before our Hawaii trip recently chronicled in my blog).

Jo's flight was two hours before ours, and we waited at the San Francisco airport for our United Airlines flight relatively patiently, we thought. Jo would, in turn, wait patiently for us to arrive in Los Angeles. The weather in San Francisco was stellar – sunny, warm, clear – which we gladly enjoyed.

Bob and Harry, waiting patiently.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

Los Angeles airport was a madhouse, with construction going on and a “do it yourself” attitude. I don't understand the horrible customer service, the surly TSA people, the confusing signage. Air travel is not what it used to be, for sure.

Air New Zealand, however...well, it was simply awesome. The flight attendants were attentive and kind. The seats are comfortable. There's a small display screen on the back of the seat in front of you, so you can watch whichever movie you want, if you want, when you want. Don't like that one, after all? No worries. Choose a different one. Or listen to music. On the free headphones. The in-flight meal was actually delicious. I know! Go figure! Go Air New Zealand!

This particular flight to Rarotonga (which is the main island in the Cooks and is also the capital) is a red-eye. That is to say, it leaves Los Angeles late at night, and you arrive in Rarotonga early in the morning...6:30 a.m. It's a 10-hour flight, so there's plenty of time to sleep after the movie. If you can sleep. Who can sleep when there's so much excitement coursing through your veins? There's a two-hour time difference from Los Angeles.

So, we excitedly looked out the window to see Rarotonga approaching. Well, actually, we were approaching, but you know what I mean. The island is relatively round, surrounded by a lagoon, with rugged peaks in the middle. It's the top of an “inactive” volcano. At least right now.

Day breaks over Rarotonga as we approach.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

It started to rain as we were landing, as it does occasionally throughout the day (at least it does during this time of year, which is summer in Raro). But it had cleared by the time we left the airport on the shuttle, and it was tropically gorgeous (which is to say, hot and sticky) for the rest of the day.

Live music welcomes us to the Rock.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

The airport in Raro is fairly small, and handles the international and inter-island flights. And there aren't all that many of those each day. Upon arrival, we were greeted by a singer, playing island tunes on his ukelele to welcome us. Instantly, you decompress. It's just so nice. We got our luggage (no issues there...yay!) and exited the terminal, where we were greeted by the welcoming committee and given lovely plumeria leis along with a bottle of water. Very thoughtful and considerate. They know you're probably dehydrated from the flight, and they don't want you to get heat exhaustion on your first day in Rarotonga! No, there was no charge for the water. I mean, really, how nice is that? And welcome to Raro, because that's how everybody is. Hospitable. Kind.

The shuttle dropped us off at the house we had rented (Coral Villa, in Titikaveka), where we were greeted by our property's manager, Rongo. She showed us around the place, knowing we probably wouldn't remember half of what she said, patiently answering our questions. We would have lots of contact with Rongo over the next couple of weeks, and she was unfailingly helpful and gentle.

Fresh flowers everywhere.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

May I just say, Coral Villa was exactly as represented (except there was no blender, a shortcoming that was easily remedied). The house was, in fact, right on the beach. The deck was, in fact, overlooking the lagoon. The kitchen was, in fact, completely operational and roomy and well-equipped (except for said blender). The views were, in fact, exactly as shown in the online advertising. And it's a wonderful thing when advertising is, in fact, completely truthful. Isn't it? There were beautiful hibiscus blossoms artfully arranged on the beds and in the bathrooms (2). The entire ambiance just said, “Welcome to your home on the island.”

Rarotonga is small, just 32 km (20 miles) all the way around. There's a two-lane road, paved, that rings the island, and it takes less than an hour to circumnavigate it. It's a lovely drive, but it isn't like it's going to fill your day. It's interesting, though, that after a few days it seems like a long way to go. Go figure.

The snorkeling was not great on this day due to the timing of the tides. There were lots of fish, but the water was kind of sandy, and so not very clear.

We had really good fish and chips for lunch at a little shack by the water near Avarua, and we decided to BBQ some burgers for dinner on the outdoor grill. We were too tired from the travel to go out, and the humidity was wearing us down, as well. The house is not air conditioned except in the master bedroom, and we never turned on the a/c at all. Once the windows were all opened and the fans (fans in each room) were turned on, the house cooled off somewhat. We just needed to get used to the climate, which takes a few days. Especially when you're leaving winter and arriving in the summer heat.

The view from the deck. Come on!
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

We were surprised that the sliding glass doors had no screens, and we were concerned about mosquitos and all that. Jo thought that maybe it was because it gets awfully expensive to keep replacing the screen doors with all the drunk tourists walking through them. True enough? [We didn't have a mosquito problem, but it's a good idea to pack some repellant, just in case.]

First impressions: Rarotonga is stunningly beautiful, more gorgeous than I was expecting, even though I'd been looking at photographs for months. It's lush and green, with flowers everywhere. It smells wonderful. The pace is tropical. That is to say, no rush. Island time. I'm looking forward to exploring the island. Today, I just want to put my feet up, because they're swollen. Typical for a tropical trip. The rental car's trunk leaks, and there's a bunch of water in the wheel wells. Not surprisingly, it's rusty. I'm thinking the climate has a lot to do with the condition of the vehicle. Most people here seem to ride on little motorcycles and scooters (not surprising, with gasoline at a ridiculous amount per litre). It makes me wince to see the little kids dangling their flip-flop-clad feet loosely, their toes so close to the pavement. The speed limit is low, but still. Surprisingly, most people seem to keep their toes, so... What can I say?