Pushbikes, motorbikes and driving tests.

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17th February 2011

We awoke to the noise of the bloody cockerel again this morning - we may have been converted to early rising but this was taking the biscuit. So we went to the toilet and went back to bed until a sensible hour.

When we awoke again it was approaching 9am which is very late for us but the lack of aircon means that we don't sleep very well, and as such awake feeling like its bedtime. Only our own sheer force of will gets us out of bed at all. I had some leftovers and we then tried to make a plan for the day. We had both decided that we wanted to get out of this hostel as it is the pits, but with super expensive and unreliable wifi, we would have to go searching for new accommodation in person.

So I gave the pushbike back early so we weren't in a rush to get back and we boarded the island bus for the second consecutive day. This time we didn't go as far (not that it makes any difference to the price) and we got off at Muri beach. We knew there were some hostels, as we had been given a recomendation for one here, but thought we'd check them out online as well, so had the laptop with us. We had a bit of a wander around and stopped at a cafe which had internet (not free though) and Lou had a bite to eat, and we looked for places online and checked in with the world that is passing us by whilst on this little island.

With this done, and the search online fruitless we reverted to trudging the pavement in search of somewhere to stay. We stopped in at more than one place but both Aremango, and Vara's Backpackers had nobody in the office despite it being within the advertised office hours - island time really does rule here.

We wandered a bit further but the search revealed nothing more and so with the timeframe for the return bus approaching we gave in and decided that we had better sit about and catch the bus (they can be up to ten minutes each way from the timetabled time, and we had missed the first bus we tried to get this morning which was rather annoying)

The bus arrived and we returned to our dingy institutional abode. Beaten by the island and it's laid back style, and lack of facilities. Dinner was eaten and we then watched a film in the "lounge" with the English couple we have made friends with in the hostel called Ivor and Laura. The film was ok, considering Lou chose it, and it was a typically Lou film. Once this finished we headed to bed, still tired as we were when we awoke this morning.

18th February 2011

Another morning another competition between the cockerels as to who is loudest and earliest! This really isn't fun. Some more snoozing, and getting up feeling sluggish.

This isn't a good routine. Breakfast, and then trying to decide on what to do for the day. We had both had enough of this place and really wanted to find another hostel, so we decided the best thing to do was to hire a moped. As such, off I went leaving Lou behind whilst I sorted out the transport. This isn't a tough job here, as every third shop hires mopeds. I got to the blissfully air-conditioned office sat down and did the paperwork, and then I had to do my practical test!

Yep they make you do a driving test here - I got on the bike, started it, did the things you never ever do in reality, like look in your mirrors for the sake of it to check they are there, and then drove off the forecourt about 20 yards up the road, turned around and came back again. It was a tough test but I passed! I was issued with my temporary license on a piece of paper, with the receipt, and told that it was only valid for 24hours, until I took it to the National Police Headquarters in Avarua (the main town) and got a proper license.

So with the first part of this done I went back to the hostel and picked up Lou. First stop was back to the rental place as Lou had to sign the credit card swipe as it was her card I used (so trusting to let me go and just ask me to come back with the wife!) With this done we headed towards town to sort out the license.

Enroute we did a stop at a backpackers that we had seen online initially when we were booking our accommodation but they hadn't had availability. We stopped in and had a quick look around before agreeing there and then to spend the next two weeks in the place. No haggling, no debating, we didn't even see inside a room as they didn't have any available at that point, we just saw the communal areas, and the beach front location and the little pool and said yes.
(It shows how desperate we were to get out of the other place and concerned we were that we weren't going to get anywhere else to stay that we did this!)

Anyway from here, we finished the short journey into town and stopped at the cop shop. I got in the queue for the drivers licenses, and Lou sat in the foyer. A quick ten minutes later I had a credit card sized license with a picture of me on it officially allowing me to drive a moped and a car in the cook islands, all for $20.

It would seem this is the most popular souvenir, and the civilian working for the police who issues these has the biggest revenue generating job on the island.

With the jobs for the day done and both of us feeling a little better from the melancholy that was threatening to overtake us here, we headed back to the hostel (I won't call it home like I have so many others as it is too grim)

On our return we met Ivor and Laura, who were heading to the beach, and we agreed to follow in that direction in a bit. It didn't take us long to sort ourselves out, and the moped allowed us to get there pretty quickly.

The afternoon was spent lazing in the sun and doing a bit of snorkelling in the clear water. Maybe we are finally getting into this island life?

We left before Ivor and Laura, and as it was their last night we thought we'd get a bottle of wine to share with them to say cheerio.

Once dinner was prepared we ate together (separate meals mind) and shared some wine and beer chatting about travels, weddings, as these two are engaged and have the planning to do which is after all Lou's favourite subject, and the issues created by going away leaving jobs etc.

Before we new it it was time for bed and we returned to our damp room hoping against all odds that the roosters might let us sleep.

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