That old familliar itch...

Ten days left. I didn't count the days this time until just now. It is a crazy feeling to know that my trip is happening so soon and almost everything is actually ready. I suppose it is an achievement of some sort to know that I can organize an overseas trip and be completely prepared in the span of a month.

As some fine folks will be aware, the original plan was to go to Australia. This did not pan out for reasons I will not go into now. My immediate instinct was to flippantly suggest that I was going to Tahiti to finish writing my book. That night I checked into Tahiti and accidentally stumbled across some accomodation that sounded like paradise. The hitch to the plan, of course, was that it wasn't located in Tahiti. It was, in fact, on some island called Rarotonga somewhere in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

A few hours later I had all but planned a trip to the Cook Islands (green arrow on the map). Rarotonga is the largest of the Cook Islands. Its airport is serviced from North America by only three airlines - Air Tahiti, United and Air New Zealand. The kiwis are the cheapest flight and all flights have a stop in Tahiti as it is also remote and on the way.

Upon landing at Rarotonga I have been informed the wait lines are horrendous - but to stave off boredom and cranky air travellers, there is always a local live band playing in the terminal and quite often visitors are greeted with 'ei around their neck - the Cook Islands version of the more well known Hawai'ian lei.

My little piece of paradise is called Tiare Village. The internet tells me they will kick out rowdies, which makes me happy. My guidebook tells me that there is nothing fancy about Tiare Village, but it is clean and has all the practicalities a budget traveller needs. It also has a private library for guests as well as freedom for guests to pick ripe fruit in the garden. Anyone who knows how much I love mango probably knows that this was a drawing point for me. It is down the road from the beach, a bit off the beaten track (there are two roads that run into Avarua - The Main Road, and the back road) on the back road and very nearby a supermarket and the island's only real town. It is far from the tourist centre of Muri Beach, and almost on top of the trailhead for the cross island walk. I get a discount if I rent a bicycle for a week at a time (yes, this time I am bringing my own lights, lock and helmet) and I am looking forward to riding around the island on one of the days I am there.

I do not have to worry about malaria for once, but apparently dengue fever is a concern. Thanks to mum for my NZ birthday gift of the mosquito net! The island has no deadly creatures, but apparently a bite from a giant centipede can hurt a fair bit - the local remedy is to break off a leaf from a rubber tree and rub the rubber juice over the sting or bite.

Local customs sound fairly similar to NZ Maori customs (the locals are the Cook Islands Maori) with one exception: apparently if you are heading out on the town, you are expected to wear a flower behind your ear. The right ear says you are taken, the left ear says you are single. My book did not tell me if this was a gender specific thing, or if I will see a bunch of men with flowers behind their ears.

Souvaniers of note that I will attempt to acquire are the Cook Islands 3 dollar bill, and their unique triangular coin. Cook Islands currency is apparently equal in value to NZ dollars and both will be floating about on the island.

I am not sure how well I will be able to upload photos while I am gone - I know long blocks of text are draining to read on a computer. There are a couple places on the island that have wi-fi - those who are tech savvy know that that means I can bring my laptop in and have my own personal internet. If the connection is slow I won't likely upload many photos because at $9 an hour, I figure everyone can just wait to see them until I get home.

10 days and counting!!!!!!!!!!!!!