People Again
Rarotonga is the capital & largest of the Cook Islands. It is a lush island with a range of tropical mountains running down the center. All the people live on the coast and the center of the island is unihabited. The island is surrounded by a coral reef which protects the island from large waves.
After a two hour delay in Fiji, the flight to Rarotonga was uneventful. I, and quite a few other people were picked up at the airport by Paul of Rarotonga Backpackers. We all squeezed into the van with our luggage and were either dropped off at the Hillside (me) or Beachside complex. I visited with the other people at the hostel and then went to bed.
Saturday morning, I caught a ride into town with Paul and went to the fresh fruit market and the grocery store. I was accompanied by an Irishman named Ray. We explored the town and were then going to catch the bus to do a complete circuit of the island which is 32 km around. As we were walking, a Canadian with Einstein like hair pulled up and asked us if we wanted a ride. He had already picked up two girls. We accepted and he took us to Muri Beach. Muri Beach is a large natural lagoon of clear blue water. After looking around the area, we caught the bus back to the hostel. That night I decided to be creative and made a dish consisting of rice, coconut cream, bellpeppers, onions, garlic, curry, and sausage. I also put in apples and a seasoning that smelled like cinammon. I boiled the whole mix until the water was gone. To my surprise, it actually tasted quite good. I was able to eat on it for the next three days.
On Sunday morning, I had planned to wake up early to do the cross island trek with several other people. I awoke to an immense rainstorm. By midday, the storm had passed and we decided to do the trek. We (me, two Englishman, Ray, and a Czech) caught a ride to the start of the trek. We didn’t know it then, but later found out that it was considered dangerous to do the trek after a strong rain as it is very slippery and the streams are high. The trail started out on a wide path, but soon degenerated into a small and very steep path through the jungle often requiring the use of tree branches to pull myself up. We climbed to the top of the mountains to a formation called the Needle. The view was somewhat obscured by a layer of fog which seems to always hover over the mountains. We then began the descent which required crossing a very fast stream several times thoroughly soaking my hiking boots in the process as the water was often up to knee high. The trail had some very steep descents. At one point, I went sliding down the hill. One of the English guys fell into to the river from some rocks cutting his arm, but this was overshadowed by the much bigger crisis that his cigarettes had gotten wet. The trail ended at Wigmore Falls.
On Monday, we (the same group minus the Czech but add a Dutch) rented bikes and snorkeling gear. We rode around the island stopping at different points to snorkel. While I didn’t see as many fish as I did in Fiji. I did get to see a large eel and the biggest lobster that I have ever seen.
Tuesday was fairly uneventful except for a fish and lamb chop barbecue that night held at the hostel.
Wednesday morning was spent doing the Raemuru hike with four other people. Raemuru is basically a mountain that is topped by a plateau instead of a peak. According to local legend, the top of the mountain was cut off by a tribe from a nearby island during the night and taken back to their island so that they could have a mountain as well. The trek to the top of the plateau required a 15 km rock climb which, while fun, was a little scary.
The Cook Islands has been a very different experience than Fiji. I went from being people deprived to being surrounded by them. This has helped me get over some of my homesickness that had set in at Fiji. I leave Rarotonga tomorrow for Aitutaki which is considered to be one of the prettiest islands in the Cook group. I will spend Easter weekend there and then go to New Zealand.
Tags: Cook Islands, Travel
cjun
April 6th, 2007 at 3:54 am
Glad you’re not feeling so homesick anymore. I enjoyed seeing the Figi pictures. Look forward to your next posting! Love you!
April 6th, 2007 at 7:10 am
Happy Easter Barry!
Our Easter Prayer for you is that your journey continues to be safe and enlightening. We wish you much success!
We miss you.
April 6th, 2007 at 4:17 pm
Hey Barry,
Sounds like you’re having interesting experiences! I’m glad to hear you’re doing well, and good luck on the rest of your journey.
April 8th, 2007 at 10:47 am
Hi Barry! Happy Easter! Spent Easter morning getting caught up on your travels. Certainly enjoyed your pictures. Many at work start their day by checking your blog. We all wish you a continued safe and fun journey!
April 8th, 2007 at 1:46 pm
Hey Barry. I had lost your blogspot and finally just found it again. (Don’t ask.) I just spent Easter Sunday afternoon catching up on your adventures. It sounds fabulous. I am very envious.
2 things:
1. Kava is hepatotoxic, you dope! Don’t ever drink it again. Darn good thing livers can basically heal themselves.
2. Coral can actually cut you quite badly. The tiny friable spines of calcium carbonate and silica break off inside your skin and cause a dramatic inflammatory response that can keep the most minor of scrapes from healing. Be careful!
I look forward to your future posts. Love and Happy Easter.
April 8th, 2007 at 9:37 pm
Happy Easter Barry!
Sounds like your really having a good time.
Are the pictures posted on this site? I am not seeing any on here.
April 9th, 2007 at 6:31 am
Hi Jomi!
This is Julie, Barry’s mom. Look to the right of the blog page. There’s a caption that reads “My Links”, and under that “Trip Photos”. Cick there to see his pictures.
April 9th, 2007 at 8:45 am
Barry, The pics of these islands are dramatic..ihowever, i am a people person so I’d like to see these people you refer to in your great chronicles of Barrynia..where is a pic of irishman Ray, the unamed englishmen who were just as crazy as you to go hicking up a mountain immediately after a rain storm. You said you were back with people..I only see pics of fish, air, water and huts…? ps..i am one of those people joe mentioned starting my day out by looking to see what your next stop was like! Keep going and stay alive.
April 9th, 2007 at 2:45 pm
The people I mention in the blog are in my Cook Island pictures which I will post in a week or so. Hopefully Internet access in Auckland will be faster and cheaper.