Sights that will knock your specs off !!

Clearly, here I am a little overwhelmed. If you look behind me you'll see some of the flora and fauna of the islands - the ubiquitous palms, hibiscus, flame trees and scooters. Scooters would often be found in pairs seemingly a long way away from anywhere people might be. I think they mate for life like some birds.

The only predator of the scooter is the newly introduced, Breathalyser. Brought to the Island by the new Police Commissioner who is never referred to by name but only by the title, "He's from New Zealand." The effectiveness of the breathalyser is still up for grabs. According to a vast taxi driver who Eloise quizzed about the breathalyser - most of the elusive scooter drivers avoided them by either turning around, heading inland to take the old road ( there are only two roads that pretty much circle the island ) or simply stopping and walking. In spite of this a number of people have been caught up. During a visit to the Cook Islands High Court - yes, I know. I do get around - a beefy lawyer representing one of the first teens that blew over the limit, plead Not Guilty on his client's behalf and maintained that he was going to launch a test case. I don't know how this will work but, um, at least it is creating jobs for lawyers.

The flame trees are magnificent. Not long after we first arrived we jogged up to the Hospital that sat on the top of a hill. The view was spotted with patches of the flame trees that were fully blooming. They are like Jacarandas but up close and personal the flower is much more impressive and robust - as if designed to withstand pelting rains.

Behold ! The clinic

Here I am modelling my first pair of thongs purchased on the Island - the thong toll on the trip was up near 7. A number of other thongs survived only by tying themselves to palm trees with rope.

Ours, all ours !!

This was the first daylight sight we had from the window of our room at The Aquarius. An ocean that flat, a sky that blue, a collection of hammocks and beach chairs all sitting in tropical calm toastiness. That is some quality holidayscape.

The Vaka has landed

The Cook Islands are 15 hours and yesterday away. We left on Saturday 11 Jan 08 from Sydney at 630 am. Flew to Brisbane, Auckland and arrived at Rarotonga 15 hours later but just after midnight on the morning of Saturday 11 Jan 08 - about 7 hours before we left. Devastating maths but you have to love a destination that gives you 7 bonus hours just for rocking up.

Here we are pictured after waking to the sweet sound of waves through our windows ( concealed here by delightful curtains ) at the more civilised hour of about 11 am.

By now the hallucinatory headspace of the night before had lifted. We had arrived sleepless and due to a slight misinterpretation were not met at the airport by another of the volunteers. We were, like every visitor to the Cooks for the last 15 years, greeted by the strumming ukerere ( No L's in Cook Islands' Maori ) of one of the locals who has met and farewelled every flight since then - way impressive when you see the timetable usually only operates between midnight and 4 am !

After our meet and greet looked like it wasn't happening, we were so kindly directed 5 minutes walk down the road to The Aquarius, where we met Terence, the night Clerk, who it turned out, like so many Cook Islanders had lived in Australia - in Marrickville. He inspected a couple of rooms for us - found one with towels - and we were set for some quality sleeps.

In fact I just realised this picture is from the following day - we are wearing our Ei's - that had been refrigerated for us after the girls from the clinic mixed up our flight arrival time - "Cook Islands' time" is a rubbery concept. They are made of gardenia flowers. Refrigerated ei's are now one of our favourite items of clothing.

In case you are wondering, a Vaka is a sea-going canoe. The Cook Islanders arrived on these vessels from somewhere near Tahiti hundreds of years ago. That's a long trip with no back-of-seat entertainment system.

Wherever you go in the Cook's the sound of lilting tropical music is around. You'll hear a number of ukerere'd versions of classics like Girl From Ipanema but plenty of originals - there is a lively local recording scene for a country of 10,000 people. My favourite was "Who stole my Vaka?" - I could often be found humming or singing along to this catchy like a coconut tune. If I learnt anything about Rarotonga, the Vaka probably wasn't stolen but borrowed or mistaken for another person's Vaka. It'd turn up. There's no real crime on the Cook Islands. Mostly just minor traffic offences. And a few crimes against fashion by visiting tourists.