Monday, Aitutaki - Rarotonga

We had a lie in and a leisurely breakfast, lots more lovely fruit. We were due to leave for the airport at 10.45 so not enough time for a sunbathe and get all hot and sweaty.

I managed to log on and sent an email but not sure if it went or not as so slow.

We left for the airport, all of three minutes ride. We went to the check in and the man said Jonathan and Norma! Never had that happen before. Later when we boarded we realised why, only six people on the flight and we were the only two foreigners, the rest were Cook Islanders!

The flight came in on time and in twenty minutes we were taking off, Ryan Air would be impressed! We had been given the back row of four seats. The rest of the plane was one seat and two seats making three across.

I took some lovely photos as we took off of our hotel and the lagoon and then settled down to read with a coffee. The flight was very bumpy and I really had to hang on to my coffee and book. Maybe it was because it was the back row! Lol!

When we arrived we were surprised at the change in the weather, it was cloudy and had been raining and very humid. We collected our bags but nobody was waiting to meet us outside. After twenty minutes Jon rang the hotel and was told the taxi was there waiting. We were pretty obvious, two white people with luggage looking lost but still nobody came. Another fifteen minutes we rang again and were told the same but they didn't tell us who to look for.

After an hour we were hot and very fed up so Jon rang again and was told the owner was on his way. I have read about the owner on Trip Advisor and he has a bit of a name for himself and not all good. Anyway, he eventually arrived but no apology and he stored our cases in the back of the ute, Jon got in the front and he made a bit of space for me in the back with the vegetables that he had obviously just bought. Not such a good start.

Jimmy, is Hawaiian and has lived here since 2001 and I can't say I like him much, loud and sarcastic and a lot to say for himself but the bungalows is lovely with a lovely deck and right on the beach.

We went straight to the bar for a drink and some lunch, not the best choices for Jon but we ordered a Camembert and it came like a ploughman's and was very good. We also had a very alcoholic welcome cocktail, served in jam jars which is the usual drinking vessel at this bar, and sat on the beach and watched the waves breaking over the reef. The two hotel dogs were playing in the water and having a great time. After chasing each other they would stop and look down into the water at the fish, very funny to watch them.

We went back to our room and unpacked and set up our Christmas tree again. We have a beautiful bowl of fruit in our room and some lovely flowers. There are more luxury touches here than in the other hotel.

Jon went to book a car and the 4WD trip around the island and the cultural night. He managed to get the show for tonight and the 4WD for tomorrow morning and they will drop us off at the car hire place. We then have to go to the police station for a licence - just a money making scheme really. We have to get it tomorrow or the police station will be closed for the holidays!

We got ready and waited on the roadside outside the hotel for our transport which was half an hour late - very much island time here. We were taken to the meeting house and Jon said he would be the chief as everyone else on the bus was shy.

We had a lovely evening and sat with a young American/Indian couple who are just here for a week - a long way to come for a week but there are now direct flights from LA so more Americans are discovering it. The food was OK and the dancing show very good. Unfortunately, I found the compare very much like a Maori and he talked a bit too long for a fun evening, not quite right for holiday entertainment. The highlight was Jon, as the chief of the red canoe, was asked up onto the stage and invited to dance with one of the young dancers clad in grass skirt and coconut bra top! The other chief was a loud American from Hawaii so he did have the advantage on hula hula dancing but Jon put on a good shop and was soundly applauded.

Back to the hotel, all of five minutes and the bar was closed and everyone was in bed - it was 9.20! Never mind we have an early start tomorrow, we are being picked up at 8.30 but no doubt it will be late. Breakfast doesn't start till 8.30 but they told us to go over to the bar and we can have it early.

We have booked the Christmas dinner and we were told there is a BBQ here tomorrow night with a famous Kiwi piano player and some fire dancing so that sound interesting or we can sit on our deck and watch and have the BBQ food here, too.

Hopefully we can get some Internet tomorrow and be able to contact the girls but I don't hold much hope for it as Aitutaki wi-fi was sooooo slow.

WEATHER
Aitutaki - very hot and humid with light cloud 31 degrees.
Rarotonga - cloudy, humid 29 degrees