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Pictures from the islands of Rarotonga & Aitutaki...
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The Cook Islands are located in the South Pacific, approximately half way between Fiji and Tahiti. The islands are unspoiled, very clean and picture postcard perfect. Although there is a Cook Islands currency, it's not used. They use New Zealand dollars instead - which is great for the exchange rate from Australia. The Cook Islands people are very friendly and are all practising Christians - converted from the days of Captain Cook and English missionaries. |
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The main form of transport on the Cook Islands is the motorbike. Over Christmas, the public transport (the bus) stopped. We managed to arrange a taxi to church on Christmas day, but if we were going to get anywhere on the islands, we were going to have to hire a motorbike. Since Steve wasn't game to ride one by himself, I had to take him on the back of mine. We rode all the way around the island of Rarotonga (see picture below) . Were our bums numb after that !! Unfortunately, I managed to get my right leg a little too close to the exhaust pipe and gave myself a nasty burn. Apparently so many tourists get them, that these type of burns are called Rarotongan Tattoo's. |
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This little three wheel thing had training wheels on the back. It was big windscreen, we were able to ride around in it even when it rode it back to the resort one night at about 10pm, after going to a in the dark and no-one told us that the giant crabs come out all |
a hoot to ride. Very squeezy, but because it had such a was raining, without getting wet hardly at all. We also restaurant with Kim & Jim. Couldn't hardly see a thing over the road at night ! |
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This is Rarotonga, the main island in the Cook Islands group. As you can see, it is mostly surrounded by coral reef. We stayed 6 nights here and rode all the way around it on the motorbike. |
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This is the Edgewater resort, where we stayed on spent a lot of time there. They also brew their own one on Christmas Day. Not exactly your average sipped a few cocktails and rested in the shade of |
Rarotonga. The pool and restaurant were right on
the beach, so we |
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After 2 days in Rarotonga, we flew to the island of Aitutaki. This island is made up of several smaller islands called motu's. The one we stayed on was called Akitua. Aitutaki is the most beautiful place I have ever been. The whole place looked like a postcard. Crystal clear water, fine white sand, no sharks or snakes, no nasties in the water. Pure, perfect paradise ! |
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This is Steve and the local 'Fishing God' whose name was BIGGUSDICKUS or something like that.... |
This is the bridge over to the Aitutaki Lagoon Resort where we stayed for 3 glorious nights. It was so beautiful here we never wanted to leave. We stayed in thatched cottages on the beach, which were expensive enough, but some 'rooms' here cost $800 US dollars a night, that's about $1500 AUS !! which is the reason we didn't stay more than 3 nights. If we ever win lotto, you'll know where to find us though ! |
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 One of the things I wanted to learn while I was there, was how to husk a coconut, although I don't think Steve was concentrating on my husking ability when he took this photo.. but I did it & then got to drink one or two. |
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 Steve - doing it tough on the porch of our hut. |
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 There are many locals employed at the Aitutaki lagoon resort. These guys rake the beach....all of it....everyday... just in case there are small pieces of coral or fallen coconuts. |
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I took this photo for my mum. Unfortunately, the
tree is too dark to see in detail, but it was a
custard apple tree, with custard apple fruit
growing on it - right next to the pool. |
Guys to rake the
beach, guys to bring you drinks - it doesn't get
any better than that !! |
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And as soon as we were getting used to the good life... it was time to come home. So we said good-bye to our friends Jim & Kim from the US and boarded the plane for home. Now we're waiting for our next holiday...a trip to Hamilton Island (in the Whitsunday's) at Easter with our friends Wayne & Chris. |