Moana Sands Beachfront Hotel Titikaveka

... photography day, clicking pictures of cloudless skies and expanses of white sand. We read on the beach, occasionally moving as the sun did. The water felt slightly cool, but was warm enough for swimming. We watched lasers and optimists from the yacht club race back and forth. We 'oohed' and 'aahed' at the lovely view, shared with only chickens and the local dogs, who took themselves for walks in the tiny wavelets that ...

... pretty choppy and so the ride ashore was not dissimilar to what we experienced when we went ashore at Easter Island. The tender took us ashore in the capital of Rarotonga, Avarua where we boarded a number of buses which took us around the island, stopping at various point of interest so that we could learn a little more about the history and culture of the island and also take some photographs. The tour lasted approximately 3 hours and gave ...

... about it, because I apparently am a spring-chicken and full of energy in the eyes of the retirees. So along our 4 kilometer route to Te Uki Ou School, not forgetting to pedal on the left side of the road, I take in my surroundings. Turquoise ocean on the left, volcanic peaks on the right. Shadows from the tropical foliage fall over the road and mangey dogs and crazy chickens dash in and out of them. And it is warm...really really warm, but with a breeze that smells like ...

... the park where lots of men were carving, by hand, outrigger canoes that are meant to be used in an upcoming race next week. It's called "Vaka something." In Spanish vaca means "cow", but Vaka in the Maori language refers to "community." So a community paddling race. But according to Ed, outrigger teams from across the world are coming to Rarotonga next week to compete. My inkeeper actually tried to get me a spot paddling in one of the ...

... Papamoa couple) for lunch and with them negotiated what we thought was a reasonable deal with a taxi driver to explore a little more of the island. $20 an hour sounded good. He took us to see Robert Loius Stevenson's museum, past some impressive 2007 South Pacific games venues, a golf course, the airport and the new Aggie Grey's hotel. After three $120. Either his maths was no good or he was having us on. He explained that $20 was just for around town and we had driven some ...

... fish meal of seared tuna and mahi mahi- delicious! We awake early the following day, before the sun, for our day trip to Aitutaki island. We had read and heard that this island is a must-see visit. The shallow clear blue lagoon is meant to be a sight to behold and filled with all sorts of tropical marine life. With fingers crossed for good weather, we board a small propellor aeroplane for the short flight over to Aitutaki. We arrive and are greeted by a very hyper guide and are ...

... had en het verlaten van Aitutaki had me wat melancholisch gemaakt. <br><br>Ik wilde naar huis. Zo graag als dat ik in het begin van mijn reis meer wilde zien, meer wilde ervaren, meer wilde!! Zo graag wilde ik nu terug naar het regenachtige Nederland, de wolken, naar de stukken land waar je over weg kon kijken en het in de verte kon zien regenen, naar mijn eigen kamer, waar verder niemand slaapt, naar natregenen op de fiets, een joggingbroek aan en dan met een kop warme ...

... motu (eilandje), dat naast de CI naam ook wel 'Musquito-Island' werd genoemd. 10 minuten zijn we er geweest en we werden letterlijk door zwermen van muggen aangevallen. Of je nou met een boomblad waaierde, of heen en weer bleef springen, het haalde niets uit. Onze gidsen gaven ons enkel als advies om niet te krabben...<br>Op dit eilandje ligt wel de eerste aanvliegbasis die Aitutaki kende, aangelegd voor militairen. Daarnaast staan er bungalows ...

... bleek al om 15.00 gesloten.<br><br>Dinsdag zou ik op tour gaan met Teking naar de andere eilanden van de atoll, maar deze werd op het laatste moment afgebeld: er waren niet genoeg aanmeldingen. Toen dus toch maar een scooter gehuurd en alsnog naar het<br>politiebureau voor dat rijbewijs. Gelukkig had ik de engelse vertaling van mijn rijbewijs meegenomen en hoefde ik de test niet te doen. De politieagenten zagen er trouwens ook niet ...