Sept. 4th Take Two

With the date line crossed on my way to Rarotonga, I've now lived through Sept. 4th twice.  Gill and James were so wonderful - they took me to New Plymouth to catch my flight and we stopped in town for lunch at a wonderful Dim Sum restaurant.  We checked my bag in and then sat and had a coffee while waiting for my flight.  As there is no security lines or anything they waited with me until I joined the line to walk out onto the tarmac and board the plane.  As I was crossing the tarmac I heard my name and they were standing at the fence waving me off.  On the four hour flight to Raro I was beside a young Cook Island man with his infant son.  The medical care on the island isn't as good as in New Zealand, so when his son developed jaundice they sent him to Auckland for treatment.  Although the Cook Islands are self-governing, they are in free association with New Zealand and their health care covers their trips to-and-from NZ for medical reasons.  The country is made up of 15 islands and few nations have such a disproportionate ratio of ocean to land.  Each island has its own identity, strongly influenced by the differences in the landscape of each island.

My arrival at 2am (CI time) made me very thankful that I'd booked at The Islander Hotel because it's directly across the street from the airport - you can't miss it, even if you're directionally challenged.  It was a bit overpriced in my opinion, but the location was incredibly convenient. Their morning breakfast was absolutely delicious - pancakes, eggs, bacon, three kinds of fresh tropical fruit, and muffins.  I wasn't able to get a hold of the office at Highland Paradise to book their cultural day tour, so I ended up walking into town (Avarua is a good 30 minute walk from the hotel) to browse.  There were so many things I wanted to buy, but my suitcase was already full and I didn't actually need any of it.  I managed to come away with two tshirts for my nephews (they're birthdays are coming up) and some postcards to send back to my friends in Hawera.

The churches in the Cook Islands are famous, and there are six in total on Rarotonga.   The Maori people quickly adopted Christianity once visited by London Missionary Society missionaries in the 1820's.  The resulting denomination is now known as CICC and visitors are encouraged to visit to hear the beautiful singing during church services.

Cook Islands Christian Church Avarua

I noticed the National Museum on the map and it didn't look too far away so I had so I decided to go visit and learn some more about the country.  The pieces and artwork they had in the museum were amazing - the people here are extremely creative, but since I couldn't take photos in the museum you'll have to take my word for it.  The Beachcomber Gallery had some lovely pieces, but they only allowed photos of the carvings:

The walk back felt like it took twice as long, but I did make it back.  The hotel book in my room mentioned loungers by the shore, which sounded perfect for reading a book.  Unfortunately, they only had tables and chairs by the Hula Bar with a view of the ocean.  I made it work and enjoyed the sunshine while waiting for evening to arrive.

The island buffet and cultural night was a phenomenal welcome dinner.  I had been assigned a table with a NZ family there on vacation, so at least I had some company and didn't feel segregated or alone.  We got to try several of their local cuisines: ika mata (raw fish marinated in lime & coconut), poke (cooked fruit pudding), and taro.  All of the food was excellent and their dances and drum music were fantastic!  Definitely puts you in the tropical-island-vacation state of mind.