Blogs from Cook Islands, Oceania - page 6

INDIANAPOLIS -- Things worth noting from the Giants' loss to the Colts on Sunday: What it means: That the New York Giants aren’t in the Peyton Manning/Indianapolis Colts class yet. They can beat the Carolina Panthers, but they aren’t among the elite. When the schedule came out, though, did you really think the Giants were winning this one? The Giants at 1-1 after a 38-14 loss to the Colts is what we expected. Tomorrow’s talker: The Giants seemed so wary of the pass game that they may have overdone it with with the extra defensive backs. That made it easier for the Colts to run it, and Joseph Addai and Donald Brown looked just great with the ball in their hands, combining for 161 yards and a 4.5 average. Addai looked particularly fresh, decisive and darting. ... read more

Rarotonga is one of the wettest islands in the Cook Islands, although they don't tell you that in the brochure. When it rains, it sucks. But when it's sunny it's everything a tropical island should be. A 360 coastline of sandy beach, cushioned by an expansive lagoon which protects you from some almighty looking waves. In said lagoon you find fish acting how fish do - which by the way is nothing like in an aquarium. The little stripey ones come up to you and say hello. Parrotfish graze the sea bed making audible chomping noises with their beaks - hence the name. Others like to follow you around too. There are huge ones, tiny ones and ones that don't look like fish. And don't get us started on the octopus. The island looks like Lost ... read more

18.33.02S 174.03.23E Arrived 0300 on the morning of Friday the 30th of July in the moorings of the harbour of Nieu, a beautiful little island between the Cooke Islands and Tonga. We were sooooo lucky to be able to get the last available public mooring thanks to the assistance of Rob from Bristol Rose and Mads and Ellen on Go Beyond got the last available fishing boat mooring. Not long after we tied up, a French Catamaran, Becoup or something similar came in and we let them raft up next to us and shared a few beers, rumbos and wines before getting to bed about 5.00am. We were happy campers to be on a mooring rather than having to find a place to drop the pick as the sea bed is littered with deep rocky gutters ... read more

Mon 12th The flight was ok as I did sleep most of it, well on and off. We arrived at Rau's guest house, which it did not look anything like the photos from the internet, as we were explaining to the driver that this is not what we expected a lady turned up and said we should be at the beach resort with the family. We got to the guest house and the family who own the house were i there with the grandparents, children, brothres etc although they made us feel very welcome the grandmother said to use ' well i hope you don't mind kids crying in the night and children fighting'. We knew that there was a dispute about the house, the family have taken it back and don't want to rent it ... read more

A second visit to any destination is always a bit of a decider. Will it now become embedded in the travel itinerary or will it quietly slip from the agenda as a ‘yeah, we liked it but…” Our current feeling is that Rarotonga is now dangerously close to earning its embedded stature. A few clarifications required here; We haven’t been to Aitutaki even though everyone says we should - more beautiful, even better beaches, more peaceful etc. But who needs another flight? We haven’t been to Samoa. Many people say you’re not missing much. Others say you’re missing the real Pacific. We have been to Fiji but not for many years. Through the growing years of Olivia and Ted Fiji was the embedded Pacific destination for the Thorps. But now we don’t need nannies, kids clubs, ... read more

Having failed to rid ourselves of the hangover that dogged us throughout Easter Sunday, following Dave & Char's wedding we settled into the excellent Air NZ flight early evening and vegetated throughout the flight drinking beer and watching Avatar. We were looking worse in Rarotonga than when we took off and slumped into bed for some much needed recuperation. When we woke up, it was Easter Sunday and neither of us had a headache. The Internatinal Dateline is the greatest hangover cure ever, you get to have another try at the same day. Unfortunately, there is nothing to do in Rarotonga on a Sunday, let alone Easter Sunday. Easter Monday offered little more. It's funny how the societies which introduced hellfire and eternal damnation to the pagans in the Pacific Islands now have 24 hour lifestyles ... read more