 | | So we land in Rarotonga at 6am and this guy is playing the ukulele. Some dedication to the job!
Rarotonga Intl, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |
 | | Um, let me try this again. I think this is the correct ear (another picture had it on the left ear)
Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Me (lance) holding the sign
Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Birdman George laying out a nice spread of us! Too bad we didn't get a picture of it, we were so hungry we just wolfed it all down! (lunch of banana, lime, coconuts, paw-paw)
Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Me on the Anatakitaki Cave tour with Marshall
Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Sampling some orange bush beer at the Aretou Tumanu, that's good stuff! I wish i could duplicate back at home
Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Some downtime at the Aitu Villas
Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Handcarved canoes but it didn't look like the use them on a regular basis.
Aitu Harbor, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Part of the road system goes on the runway. The native thought we were wacked when we asked if it was ok to drive on it. Duh!
Aitu Airport, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Aitu has some issues with non-native invasive species wrecking havok on the island. Many plants were imported with good intentions but they're chocking off the native plants.
Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | I caught this gecko at dinner at the bar. Don't like little reptiles at dinner? Then go somewhere else. Of course this is the only restaurant on the island. (and it's only open for dinner.. and not every night)
Aitu Villas, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Kathy sipping some freshly cracked coconut at the Island Night
Aitu Villas, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Me zonked out on the 1.5 hr plane ride to Raro. I'm not sure why but i was exhasted
Southern Island Group open ocean, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Having some fish'n'chips
Aramoana, Raro, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Kathy's view from our bungalow in Aitutaki.
Aitutaki Lagoon Resort, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Breadfruit
Aitutaki, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Sacred stones, the villagers used to come to these (and other) for meetings, guidance...
Aitutaki, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Dock that the Survivor TV show made. They dumped a lot of money in the local economy, they booked every hotel room on the island for months.
Aitutaki, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | We kept bumping into this New Zealand couple everyday on both Aitutaki and Raro
Aitutaki, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Heading out to go diving w/ Bubbles Below
Aitutaki, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | I'm zonked out again, this time at Etu Moana.
Aitutaki, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Etu Moana- there's a reason why *every* travel rag says they're the best.
Aitutaki, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Snorkel cruise time!
Aitutaki, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | On one of the outlying islands
Aitutaki, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Nesting little baby bird
Aitutaki, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Sweet! The water is as inviting as it looks! The little speck of land to the right of the island is Exile Island on Survivor: Cook Islands
Aitutaki, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | What's not to love here? Warm water, sunny skies, and my wife!
Aitutaki, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | That's us again. 100 yds from Exile Island. And 50 yds from a post office
Aitutaki, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | The brits are filming a survival TV show here too. See the staring people getting all smelly like?
Aitutaki, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Who drank all those!
Rarotonga, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Kickin' it at Sokala Villas
Rarotonga, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Me in front of the Whale Center. We're here by accident, the artist's wood carving center is across the street and i was looking for some souvenirs. But they only make them there, no retailing : (
Raro, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Din-din at the Kikau Hut. Very Yummy.
Raro, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Kathy, my little trouper, in between dives w/ Pacific Divers
Raro, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Post Dive Kathy
Raro, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Beach palm tree posing with Kathy
Rarotonga, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Me posing with an Etu Moana at Sokala Villas
Muri Beach, Raro, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Um... there seems to be pictures of me crashed out at every hotel.
Sokala Villas, Muri Beach, Raro, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Foo-foo drink at the Flame Tree
Rarotonga, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Airport terminal for Raro.
Raro, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Local bus transport around the island for $4. Great deal, we just sat on the bus the entire way 'round since we had some time to kill before our flight.
Raro, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | um... mr pilot...i can see that there is a sale on milk but shouldn't you be looking out the window? Should you be able to see out the window? In his defence the sun is quite strong down here, and it's not SoCal airspace.
Enroute to Aitu from Raro, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Short final to Aitu.
Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | k-miss just after arrival at Aitu Villas
Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Road system of Aitu. They just got phone service in 1993.
Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | More roads on Aitu, this is one links the outer rim road to the inner roads. They're all in good shape and are easily navigated on a scooter.
Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Farm fields including taro
Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | k-miss under a coconut tree looking for a bird
Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Birdman George with a fossilized giant clam. He runs a fantastic tour I recommend to everyone
Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Birdman George on a coconut tree to get us something to drink.
Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | To survivor contenders: learn to open a coconut. Here's george husking the shit of of a pile of coconuts. In a minute he had 1/2 opened and ready to drink
Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Kathy at the beach where Capt Cook landed way back when
Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Birdman showing the whiteman exactly how to climb
Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Kathy after a super lunch
Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Us during the warmer times
Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | More taro farms. All the locals grow it as a dietary staple. There's a blight going around the south pacific and the traditional root is being wiped out. The new variety is resistant but somewhat tasteless (i can hardly tell but i'm white)
Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Kathy taking a picture of some bananas. How often do you see them growing by the side of the road?
Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Kathy decending into a sinkhole/cave on Marshall's tour. Another good tour operator.
Anatakitaki Cave, Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Inside the Anatakitaki Cave
Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | yeah, picture overload, so sue me. It's my bandwith you're eating up so piss off : ) Anyways here's an opening in Anatakitaki where the roof collapsed
Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | k-miss hiking amongst caves
Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Kopeka bird. Little birdie can fly around in the caves without seeing. They have a radar type thing and the make chirps to hear where they are. Makes trying to focus on one a bitch.
Anatakitaki Cave, Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | And there's water in these caves, a little chilly but not cold. I still wasn't about to go in
Anatakitaki Cave, Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | The local bar scene, Aretou Tumanu. When the missionaries came they outlawed everything so the men would dissapear for a while and make/drink orange bush beer. Good stuff.
Aretou, Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | So this island only has 1 part time restaurant which isn't all the helpful for folks on holiday. So we had to figure out how to cook ramen.
Aitu Villas, Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Mata pulling her lawnmower into position. She has to husk 60 coconuts a day to feed them! Anyways her coffee tour is great
Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Mata and her daughters have to do everything by hand, including removing the silverskin from the beans. I guess that's removing by finger... a lot of work for a few tons of coffee beans
Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Pancakes, coffee with coconut creme with Mata. We're in her house so you can see that the locals don't have McMansions but the get by just fine.
Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Remnants of a ship named in "From Kauri Trees to Sunlit Seas". Decent read by a local ocean goer.
Aitu Harbor, Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | The town's walmart, this is the biggest store on Aitu. They had what we needed: bug spray, ramen, cookies...
Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Our pimp ride. That's right, electric start and everything.
Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | One of the 27 deserted beaches on the island. There were maybe 10 tourists on the island when were there.
Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | These little buggers are everywhere. Cute little geckos, they make a little 'grrg' sound. Just tell your womenfolk that it's the wood creaking. They'll buy it. Easier to deal with than having them freak out.
Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Island night at Aitu Villas. They like to fuck with the white people. It's fun though.
Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Packed up and ready to leave the Aitu Villas
Aitu, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | TSA, smee-ess-ay. Puh-lease, they don't even check ID. Ain't no one been hurt yet. This isn't Beruit or Fallujah you know.
Aitu Airport, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | I always hate leaving but we have 2 more islands to visit!
Aitu Airport, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Oh shit yeah! That's Aitutaki below us! Sweet!
Downwind to Aitutaki Airport, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | This island is a bit more of the western trappings, you're met at the aiport with a lei and coconut drink.
Aitutaki, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Oh the frigid waters of the South Pacific!
Aitutaki Lagoon Resort, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | The resort doesn't have a road to it so you have to take a boat to get to it. Or wade.
Aitutaki Lagoon Resort, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | The 2nd highest point on the island, you have great views of all the little motus.
Aitutaki, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | I asked Elizabeth where i could get some breadfruit so she pulled over and asked the homeowner if we could pick some. Cool, nice to live in a small island sometimes.
Aitutaki, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Obligatory cop car pic. One of the couple moonlights as a DJ, also at the docks too.
Police Station, Aitutaki, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Etu Moana, sweets bungalows ever.
Aitutaki, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | View from our beachside bungalow.
Aitutaki, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Because I can't stop taking pictures (of Etu Moana again)
Aitutaki, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Back at Aitutaki Lagoon Resort for Island Night
Aitutaki, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | The sun always shine with Kathy
Aitutaki, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | The beautiful couple
Aitutaki, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | I know i'm hot but the hula girls always pick me to go up and dance whitestlye. Of the 3 islands nights i went up 3 times!
Aitutaki, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | That ain't no asian statue if i ever saw one. You'll see Tangaroa everywhere you go.
Aitutaki, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Samade on the Beach. Ok, decent location and food, but it's nothing to write home about. Shoot, they don't have any Jimmy Buffett to play either.
Aitutaki, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Info on Aitutaki if you're looking to go. It's not a place to get hammered at 3am so look elsewhere if you want to party.
Aitutaki, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | More info for potential tourists. The place isn't crawling with trinket shops.
Aitutaki, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Night shot of Sokala Villas. Everyone gets a private pool.
Muri, Raro, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | k-miss needs to take landnav again. She directed me here which isn't the place where we wanted to go hiking : )
Rarotonga, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | My new desktop wallpaper, the sunset from our bungalow.
Muri, Raro, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Some downtime while it rains. We can't go anywhere with a scooter : )
Muri, Raro, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | K-miss getting a little stir crazy : )
Muri, Rarotonga, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | The reason why the Cook Islands economy is in the shitter. This resort development (with Marriot) took $100m but failed to due corruption, etc.
Rarotonga, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Arts/Farmers Market on Raro on weekends. No major deals to be had but the food is real good and priced to move.
Rarotonga, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Kathy at lunch on the beach
Raro, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |  | | Our last night and dinner on the island, we're about to catch a plane back home. Hopefully we'll be back! It was a great honeymoon!
Rarotonga, Cook Islands
save file: small medium large |
