Downtown colours in AvaruaA two week holiday in the tropics in the middle of winter? What a great idea! Massive thanks to Mark and Alex for giving us the excuse needed to abandon the frost, snow, wind and office for the sun, beaches, lagoons, fish and island time that is the Cook Islands. Inspirational idea.
Left ChCh and then Auckland on a frosty morning, and flew in comfort on the flash harry 777 Airbus. Own personal movie screens, free booze, good company. 4 hours later touchdown, 27 degrees and sunny. And we shared the flight with the new Cooks Governor General and the NZ G-G so there was a full royal island welcome upon arrival. Nice! Rarotonga customs? No worries. Bags took a while unless your name is Jo...then you get preferential treatment everywhere you go it seems...nice scam!
Left ChCh and then Auckland on a frosty morning, and flew in comfort on the flash harry 777 Airbus. Own personal movie screens, free booze, good company. 4 hours later touchdown, 27 degrees and sunny. And we shared the flight with the new Cooks Governor General and the NZ G-G so there was a full royal island welcome upon arrival. Nice! Rarotonga customs? No worries. Bags took a while unless your name is Jo...then you get preferential treatment everywhere you go it seems...nice scam!
The Pacific Resort is nice. Real laid back. It's also for sale after our visit...I'm sure thats just coinicidence though! First thing you do when you get there is throw away your watch, you're on Island Time now after all. Go for a snorkel, swim with the fishes....the multitudes of fishes, every colour under the sun. Even found Nemo. Water temp in the mid 20-s, just like the air- only worry is sunburn, theres nothing in the lagoon that'll eat ya!
Muri Blue LagoonThen its cocktail o'clock, dinner on the beach and chill time. Perfect.
Day 2...go get your Cook Islands drivers licence...this will be a whole other post, a story in itself!
Then more swimming, more cocktails, more beach dining. Ride the scooter round the island in a leisurely hour or so, Raro is still a pretty laid back place, not crowded, nor too overdeveloped. Was hard to remember the last visit 24 years ago, but not too much seems to have changed. Life is hard in the Raro lane!
Day 3- wedding day. Keep Mark and Alex away from each other, don't want any bad luck after all. We shot off to Market Day at Avarua, fun exploring a true island-style market place. The weather didn't play ball, windy and wet, but man was the surf roaring its approval of Captain Thompson's nuptials. It all went off with a hitch, just as planned, wonderful ceremony and reception under the marquis on the beach. Congrats guys!
Days 4, 5 and 6...more swimming, exploring, lazing, drinks on the beach, crawling round the island. Whats an office again? One by one the Wedding Party filtered off, back to the Land of the Long White Cloud. Raro's weather was a mixed bag, some crackers and some slightly chilly ones, but the daytime temps are always over 20 degrees, even in mid winter, usually more like the mid 20's.
Days 4, 5 and 6...more swimming, exploring, lazing, drinks on the beach, crawling round the island. Whats an office again? One by one the Wedding Party filtered off, back to the Land of the Long White Cloud. Raro's weather was a mixed bag, some crackers and some slightly chilly ones, but the daytime temps are always over 20 degrees, even in mid winter, usually more like the mid 20's.
Dog gone fishinNext installment... Atiu, a true remote experience.
1 comment:
Pretty as a postcard.
(and i don't mean you in your mankini).
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