I’m alone for the first time in 10 days. There are no little people beside me asking if they can go to the pool or go buy a mocktail. It kind of eerie. I miss the company.
I’ve travelled a lot for work this year. I’ve been away from home a huge deal. In the middle of the year when the kids started to notice that I was away to exotic places without them, I made a promise to have some family time later in the year. When we were invited to a wedding in Rarotonga on the 1st Nov, it seemed the perfect place to go as a family.
And perfect it was:
This was taken right outside our room.
As we went through customs on our way out of Rarotonga the customs lady stopped and chatted to us. There is your first indication that the Cook Islands are very different. She chatted. She asked our favourite parts. She told us of family she had back in New Zealand. Most of all though, she asked us to spread the word about how fabulous Rarotonga is. If we liked it, please tell our friends. I got the feeling everywhere we went that Rarotonga would love more tourists, they bring money into the island and it all helps the island economy. I promised I’d go home and let everyone know just how amazing the place was.
(I loved a t-shirt I saw somewhere, it said “If you love Rarotonga, tell your friends, we love tourists, the last ones were yummy”.. lol…
From the Coconut tree climbing lessons:
Notice poor Braden ripped his pants attempting – in front of everyone – didn’t stop him having a second go.. the coconut tree was not going to beat him. He was back outside our villa at 6am the next morning practicing as well…
To the lessons on how to de-husk and get milk from a green coconut.. so much nicer than the old brown ones…
This is my hubby, chosen for the job for his muscles apparently. He was declared a honorary Cook Islander for his uncanny knack to open green coconuts without having to learn… Teacher, Bruce,second name Lee apparently, looking on…
And then this is the result. They passed out straws and we enjoyed a true Cook Island treat. Apparently it is the full-on amazing hangover cure too. Sadly on the day when I really needed it,the thought of getting out of bed was far too hard, never mind scaling a 20 foot coconut tree for a miracle hangover cure.
Island life is amazing. 50km/hr speed limit everywhere you go. Which is lucky because half the people there ride motorbikes. With no helmets. And one hand holding on to the shopping one one handle bar while the other reaches around and holds the baby on the back of the bike.
Things are most definitely slower there. A lot of the stuff around the Island wasn’t as maintained as I would expect at home. Funny though, it was immediately relaxing. Even when we needed a doctor for Abby – ear infection – that’s what happens when you spend 6 hours a day swimming – it was cruisy. Walk into the hospital. Walk out 30 minutes later with antibiotics, ear-drops and only had to hand over $30. Awesome.
It didn’t slow her down though. Seriously. Around six hours a day swimming.
I was there too, but not so much in front of the camera.
I was too busy capturing scenes like this…
And like this – not edited – water seriously that colour when the sun was out… the guys are snorkelling right by the restaurant. Those are fish in the water. So big that Abby freaked as they brushed past her legs on the first day and didn’t spend any more time in the beach. It was the pool after that for her…
Notice the dog. There are lots of dogs in Raro. They roam everywhere. You have to watch for them when driving. This one was digging up the sand looking for breakfast. Those dark things in the water are fish.
I have so many more photos I could share but I’ll spare you! Pats on the back for me, I have uploaded/edited/sorted them already and hope to have a digital photo book printed by the end of the week. You heard me. I’m sending them all off to be printed in a photo book. I’m including text from the kids. Its going to be photos and pics. And that’s it. Does that shock anyone? I’m waiting on a few pics from the wedding we went to, and I’m searching for a few photos we missed (anyone stay at the Rarotongan and get any of the staff? Anyone that has travelled to Raro got any of the Air NZ plane?).
I think I’ve done Rarotonga proud. I think I’ve fulfilled my promise to the customs lady. It’s an amazing place and we already have another coin jar to start saving up to go back.
Especially when you come away remembering moments like this:
And like this:
And people like these – all people we’d never met before but all people that became a highlight for me.
The experience would have been nothing without this group that found each other through a common love of relaxing, hanging out with our collective group of 8 kids, and watching the sun go down on a tropical island with drinks in hand. Of all the things I loved most about Rarotonga, it was the friendships we made that stands out for me.
Good one Raro, and thanks for the good times.
laters.
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