And so ends the first chapter of our adventure. We don't actually leave until Friday, but today is our last day with access to post entries on the site while we're here and we have no clear idea about how much access we'll have in Fiji.
Whenever we leave a country we ask ourselves "would we come back here again?" Answers always vary, but more often than not we say yes. We would absolutely come back to the Cook Islands under any circumstances, without any restrictions. While the island is more expensive than we imagined, and the diving industry is still a 'young' industry, the warmth and friendliness of everyone we met is also more than we could have imagined. We were made to feel welcome every where we went, and not just as tourists, but as individuals. The Maori culture has certainly been affected by western culture, but it is still very strong and this is great. The people of these islands want to invite outsiders to visit, but are carefully balancing this with maintaining their culture and lifestyle. They don't want the Cook Islands to become another Hawaii!
We've met many new friends here and reconnected with an old one. Hopefully we will see some of them along the way in New Zealand, Australia or other parts of the world, and maybe even back at home if they ever decide to come to America. They would always be welcome in our home!
Reflections of the Cook Islands:
- Gecko/lizard guano
- Ceilings that appear to be moving (see 1.)
- Rarotonga Sailing Club
- Raro Idol 2005 - Rock Me Baby
- Rainbursts that would impress Portlanders (Oregon that is)
- Roosters at dawn (some even earlier)
- Crazy scooter drivers
- License plates that only need four digits (the highest registered we've seen so far: 5500, the lowest: 2)
- Driver's license tests that take only 5 minutes (Four left turns with a 'STOP' sign thrown in to really test you)
- Two crosswalks, four stop signs and no stoplights
- Sunday ghost towns
- No alcohol, including beer and wine sold on Sundays
- A government that works 21 days a year (feels like home)
- Two-day drive by tourists
- Tribal/family land law disputes
- Mafia money laundering and government pilfering in concrete
- Checking pull dates (expiry dates) on EVERYTHING you buy
- A scooter that we can run faster than
- Poi spinning
- Gin and tonics at sunset
- Two empty bottles of Patron
- LAGER
- Rugby 7s
- Lush greens and blues that defy description
- Warm people who will remain in our hearts
Books read:
- From Beirut to Jerusalem
- Amsterdam
- Me Talk Pretty One Day
- Barrel Fever
- Devil in the White City
- Lonely Planet Guide - The Cook Islands
- Home (Eric only)
- On the Road (Val only)
- Harry Potter 1, 2, 3 (Eric only)
- The Satanic Verses (Val only)
- In the Name of Salome (Val only)
We'd also like to give a shout out to all of you who have been reading our posts and sending us e-mails. We love to hear from you -- keep them coming. Your e-mails have made us feel less like homeless vagabonds, and more like a part of a greater community. Thanks for sharing. It reminds of the saying in the Cooks: Aro' a: "may the kindness you have shown us, come back to you tenfold."
Next stop - Fiji
Aere Ra, Eric and Valerie
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