This afternoon we joined Tony and Raewyn, our neighbors, for cake and coffee over at Janet and Richard's. Janet and Richard are from New Zealand (both transplants he from the UK, she from well, a lot of places South Africa, Nigeria ...) and are over here on contracts working for the School District. Richard actually works for the Ministry of Education and Janet is teaching ... well, she's teaching 3 different subjects now. She is a Maths/Physics teacher and ironically, she came over here without a job, and no intention of taking one during there stay here. She's been pressed into service due to a teacher shortage, and no small amount of guilt since at least one of the classes which would have gone without a teacher would have been her own sons Maths class -- can't have that.

As you may recall from earlier journals, Tony, Raewyn, Janet and Richard are all members of the Rarotonga Sailing Club. All of the folks we've met from the sailing club are delightful and really seem to have their lives dialed in here in the Cooks. Living, sailing and socializing on a tropical island. Doesn't sound too bad to us!

If you ever want to fully experience gracious hosts, and a feeling like you're at home away from home, have the good fortune to be invited to Janet and Richard's home. Our responsibility was ice cream, so dutifully we stopped and put our prize in the boot of our scooter. You may remember the gutless wonder we've been tooling around on. Their home is on the opposite side of the island (east side) from where we are staying and up what proved to be a slope our little scooter couldn't handle. We were a little nervous for our ice cream since it looked like it was going to take us a while to summit! Val had to get off near the bottom of the driveway and I only got about halfway up before I had to get off and push the bike up the hill. I had the throttle fully open and could walk it up the hill using the bike's power for a little assistance. The hike was definitely worth it (thanks to Tony for coming back to pick up Val!) -- the view was breathtaking. They overlook the Muri lagoon where the Sailing Club races and the water is pure turquoise/teal (the kind of color crayola has yet to name because we doubt they could duplicate it and few words would even come close to describing it). They said the sunrises are incredible and we could certainly see how they would be. The house has a large deck with a glass enclosed hot tub on it. The only catch is that they use it as a cold tub! Of course, why would anyone want to sit in a tub of hot water in the tropics?

Janet baked not only a chocolate and a banana cake, but also managed to bake two gluten free cakes for gluten intolerant Raewyn and her own son Chris. And, did we mention the yummy chocolate sauce and plunger coffee? We thought we'd died and gone to cake and coffee heaven. We were sure there was no way we could eat all the goodies, but then some unexpected guests (more Sailing Club members) showed up and then the kids came home ... well, there may have been a piece or two left, but we doubt it. We poured a shot of Cointreau on the chocolate cake, ladled on some chocolate sauce and then added a local favorite Hokey Pokey ice cream smothered it all in a locally produced Coconut-Coffee liqueur. Amazing we didn't all go into blissful sugar comas -- it was heavenly.

After cake and coffee, we sat around and talked for a while when Janet asked if we would like to stay for Tea. We had just finished coffee so I was a bit confused until I remembered this is what they call supper. (too much liqueur on my cake?) Janet cooked two delicious curries one chicken, the other fish and potato and whipped up a tomato chutney to boot, and we ate and talked for more hours.

Reluctantly we left to come home after 10:00 p.m. -- hoping we didn't overstay our welcome! After almost 5 weeks it seems we're leaving Rarotonga too soon. We've met some great folks and really hope to see them again. But read tomorrow's journal entry for our final reflections.

Until next time, make time to meet someone new each day.

Eric and Valerie