No, not one of THOSE days, one of the days that as you crawl into bed you’ve still got a smile on your face. It’s hard not to go backwards, since those memories are most recent, but I’ll retell the day in chronological order. I stored my luggage at the hotel upon checkout and walked down the road to rent a bicycle. They obliged and gave me a basket for the front, so I paid them, plopped my bag in the basket, and peddled off. Beautiful morning, lovely sunshine, the kilometers kept whizzing by as I headed southeast towards Titikaveka Beach.
A few photo stops along the way, but mostly I just enjoyed the views as I traveled along. About 9.5 miles later I arrived and had a relaxing walk along the beach. I had thought that all the amazing beaches in Australia had spoiled all others for me - someone told me that while there and I was inclined to believe them, that is, until I came here. The South Pacific has well earned its fame. The stunning aquamarine, with the bonus of warmer water temperatures and more palm trees, does have Australia beat in those categories.
Without knowing exactly how long it would take to get back I turned back. After a quick lunch stop in town, I returned the bike, collected my luggage, walked across the road and was checking in my bag and waiting for my flight. It’s a very small airport, no security screening for a domestic flights, and just 40 minutes in the air and you’re in Aitutaki. “The sand, palm and seascape of this lagoon is one of the Cook Islands’ most beautiful physical features, whether viewed from the air or the water.” Smith & Lay As we were getting ready to land the flight attendant interrupted my perusal of the local newspaper to inform me that on Air Rarotonga they choose one passenger to invited into the cockpit to watch the arrival. Did I want to go? Absolutely! The view from the air is incredible, you can see exactly where the reef ends as the color changes to a deep blue.
“From a plane Aitutaki appears gradually from the dark blue ocean water as a turquoise triangle bordered by a ruffle of white where the Pacific swells are turned to foam by its reef. Inside the triangle the water is the palest shade of green, mottled with pink by the coral heads which stud the lagoon’s floor. The motu come into sight, a long line of narrow islands, some only a few metres across, others which taper away into the distance. The motu are crowded with coconut palms which jostle each other at the shores and crane their long necks out over the sand towards the shimmering water.”
The two pilots were very nice and when they asked where I was from they were surprised by my answer. They informed me that I didn’t have a very American accent. I wasn’t sure how to respond, so I just told them I’d been living in New Zealand for the last six months and we all agreed that must be why they couldn’t tell I was American right away. When they found out that I was traveling around by myself, the one commented, “Well that’s ballsy”. I never know how to respond when someone informs me that they view my solo travel in such a light. Even Inge told me she couldn’t imagine traveling by herself, but I’ve digressed. After we landed and I came out of the cockpit, one of the other passengers, an older woman, cheekily asked if the pilot was my boyfriend.
My arrival into Aitutaki just keeps getting better as I’m greeted by what can only be described as the most adorable island grandpa. I’m sure he was quite the looker in his day because he still has a handsome face and a winning smile. With the greeting of “Kia Orana” he placed a beautiful ‘ei around my neck (presumably made of frangipani and pandanus - it smelled amazing), gave me the customary kiss on the cheek, and introduced himself as T’uanu. If I remember correctly, he is Rino’s cousin, and on our ride to the airport I find out that he’s lived in Auckland for the last 50-odd years and has 8 children, 27 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren. He’s a very affable guy and in true Cook Island style, loves to kid around. Apparently he only picks up the single girls from the airport, he makes someone else pick up the couples - wink, wink. After setting my stuff in the room I head down to the beach for a walk. I didn't wander too far and soon decide to walk down the road a bit to find some dinner. Twenty minutes later and everything I found didn’t seem to be open (most takeaway places don’t reopen until 6pm), so I turned back towards “home”. Another reason I like this island is that while walking people would smile and wave as they went by, some even said “Kia Orana”. That definitely didn’t happen in Rarotonga. Cafe Aitutaki was open by the time I walked past again and I decided to stop and order a burger. When asked if it was “for here or takeaway” it must have been a God-thing that I said, “I’ll have it here”. What possessed me to sit alone, outside at a little table, in public, when I could have taken it back to my room and eaten it at the privacy of my patio table with a view of the beach? Halfway through my burger (which was phenomenal, by the way) who should rock up but T’uanu! Ever the gentleman, he sat down and started talking with me. When he found out I would only be staying on the island until Friday morning, he politely asked if he could show me around. He had no qualms about putting his takeaway burger in the trunk; he’s such a sweetie he even opened my car door for me.
Our first stop is the lookout point, where on a clear day you can see all the way to the other islands belonging to Aitutaki. From one end of the island to the other, he drove me to all the highlights, occasionally apologizing that I was unable to see much (not long after the lookout point it was dark). While we drive around, he tells me about his life, interspersed with interesting Cook Islands facts, points of interest, the meaning of the names of different areas and from where the names came. I soon discover that his grandfather, uncles, and father were all policemen, and as the only child he was expected to follow in their footsteps. He informed his Dad that he didn’t want to become a policeman and that he instead wanted to study horticulture. He managed to get a scholarship to a university in New Zealand and in the end he never moved back to the Cook Islands. Eventually he quit school, because it was all textbook and he wanted the hands-on practical stuff of horticulture, and got a job planting trees. As time went on he decided that to honor his fathers wishes he would join the police force, but it seems he did not tell his father that he had joined. Exciting escapades as a detective and a case that brought him back to his home island undercover he cracked a forgery-theft case and made it back home without anyone in his family ever knowing. I enjoyed our little tour immensely, for reasons that had very little to do with the tour. When we got back to Rino’s I gave him a big hug and thanked him for his time. I had the biggest grin as I headed back to my room. What a lovely little island.
Fun Aitutaki Facts: You are no longer allowed to build any buildings taller than a coconut tree. The island is also entirely dog free.
**NOTE: All quotes in this post are from "The Cook Islands" by Ewan Smith & Graeme Lay, 1998
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