Club Raro Resort Avarua

Hey folks ...sorry about the delay.. finding some internet access is proving a problem here.<br><br>Anyway a quick blog from the cooks... Aitutakai is the most amazing place ...there are just no people here it is truely a deserted island paradise. Our beachfront villa is situated directly ON THE BEACH......there is no one around and I feel like I am on the programme shipwrecked but without the other wallies.(apart from Steve !) we eat local food and laze around all day a nice change ...

... road. Being the South Pacific, we assumed that bus stop signs were probably non-existant, and stood there anyway. A shiney, large, air-conditioned coach pulled up... this couldn't be the local bus service, surely? No, but the coach driver was going into town and wanted to know if we would like a ride. <br><br>We arrived in town, and quickly located the market. Colourful handicrafts predominated, from virant sarongs to beautiful applique coverlets, woven palm bowls and ...

... are organised and guided walks along it, but I decided to brave it myself. After all, it's only 8km up and down a hill - how hard can it be? Initially, it wasn't. The track follows a dirt road through semi-cultivated areas, mango trees and banana palms lining the verges. Once the path entered the jungle, however, the going got tougher. I was soon climbing over and through trees and streams, while roots and creepers did their best to catch unwary ...

... vitsien mukaan lentokoneet lähtevät ja tulevat tänne Rarotongalle keskellä yötä siksi, ettei ihmiset näkisi ja kauhistuisi miten lyhyt kiitorata täällä itseasiassa on! :-) Vettä tuli siis ihan kaatamalla ja koneesta juostiin pikavauhtia suoraan pieneen terminaaliin, jossa olikin sitten todella aito ja mahtava tunnelma! Terminaalissa oli todella kuuma ja joku ikivanha äijä soittamassa keskellä yötä ukulella ja syntikalla kunnon tunnelmamusiikkia. Ihan ...

... positioned restaurants and cafes. Had we found heaven? Well, if it wasn´t, it was a close second. A few days of enjoying "Island Time" along with some snorkelling and kayaking was followed by a short jaunt over to Aitutaki. This tiny little group of islands is a marvel to behold and beautiful from every angle and we spent three days enjoying the peace and quiet. Our second day included a tour of the lagoon, simply stunning. There was no need for ...

... it's called here) and a sunset to dream about over a calm lagoon. Met Maureen's three-legged dog Jack and watching him crawl around in the sand "commando style." Lots of three-legged dogs around here. Suffered through a 17-minute-long preschool/babysitting ordeal yesterday, at which point I admitted to the school principal that I was not emotionally equipped to deal with small insane children running amok...he reassigned me ...

... carpentry detail at the Takitumu Conservation Area. What could have been a fiasco instead resembled a small carpentry miracle as the four of us came together as a team. And Peggy, who was certain she would not succeed at tasks other than painting, swooped in and picked up the slack with the hand saw and some tap-dancing. -- The way that Bill always stops to take an interest in what the rest of us have been doing from day to ...

... the Cook Islands National Stadium in Avarua to check out some island-style dancing. Now this was not an actual dance show, but rather a dance show practice. The local dancers who perform at island-night shows and national competitions had invited us over for a little dance lesson. I won't lay it out in detail, readers, but lets just say I give huge props to my wonderful group of retirees for getting out there and attempting the hula. I'm here with good-natured happy people. love,Q

... down by people walking along side it. Almost everyone is on scooters, and there are plenty of chickens and doggies in the road too. I headed to Muri Beach, which is right down the road from Ambala Gardens. Totally incredible, but the best part was the silence. Even the people on the beach were quiet. The water in the lagoon was quiet and blue. The breeze was quiet. No airplanes, no music, no radios, just quiet. Tomorrow, 0730, scuba diving....me and the sea. love,Q

... and very entertaining it was. Tonight we crossed the dateline and have a certificate to prove it so now we have another - Monday 21st We woke early to another warm humid day, to watch the tricky maneuverings by the ships captain, with pilot assistance, as we docked at the wharf. We were treated to music by the Police band, and a cultural performance on the wharf as we docked. We breakfasted early and spent the morning exploring the town area. By prior arrangement we met Lawrie ...