Photos are up!

February 5, 2007 - Rarotonga

Tonight a lizard ran across my knee and down my other leg.


Apparently there are a few people out there who actually read my blog, because I've had a few e-mails wondering where I've been and how I am. The answers are simple, fairly short and very gentle.

The exciting part of the trip is over. Now all that remains are a few days of complete relaxation. What have I been up to? On Saturday I went into town and went grocery shopping. Saturday night when Mike came home he introduced me to ice cream fruit. I'll have to upload a photo of it and explain it then because it would never make sense in a million years otherwise. It is a bean that works like a banana with the consistency of marshmallow and the inside is the same size as lotus seeds...

On Sunday I watched my last remaining housemate move to the other side of the island. Then I picked up munchies at the Seventh Day Adventist store down the road. Today I rented a bike that is a bit big for me. Getting on is a challenge. It involves tilting it to the side a bit and pretty much launching onto the far pedal with a forward motion while resting most of my weight on the handle bars. Once on the bike it rides very nicely, and for the benefit of everyone who is concerned for my safety, I brought my own bike helmet and lights.

My first stop on the ride was the cafe at the botanical gardens. I enjoyed a lovely lunch - the food here has been fantastic. I don't eat out much to begin with, but when I have it has exceeded my expectations - even Raro Fried Chicken and FBI (that's Fish Bites Inc.) fish and chips. I also asked my barista today what the difference is between a flat white and a latte. Anyone from Australia or New Zealand might already know this; I am guessing that most folks from North America will never have heard of a flat white. I was excited when I found out the Cooks were in friendly association with New Zealand because I could have more flat whites, and hopefully figure out what one is. The way my barista explained it made it sound simple. A 12 oz. latte in Starbucksland gets one shot of espresso. But a flat white gets two shots. Flat whites come in one size, and that is small. Lattes come in all sizes and do not taste as strongly of coffee. The espresso in question was from Juergen's farm on Atiu - it makes a lovely espresso.

After lunch I took a walk through the garden. It was beautiful. I filled the memory card on my camera with photographs of flowers and plants and growing things. The majority of them turned out very well.

Back on the bike, I made it as far as the next beach. I parked the bike and waded into the ocean where I noticed a large school of tropical fish - iridescent white ones - and one larger fish that would zoom through now and then to terrorize them. The island is surrounded by a coral reef, meaning it is not great for swimming and great for snorkeling and very much fun for wading.

I swung round to the beach at Blackrock where I stopped for a breather again, enjoying the ocean. It is amazing to be able to stop and watch the ocean.

I called through a store just behind the airport to see if they had any of Mata's coffee left - she's the one who roasts in coconut cream. I think I managed to scoop the last two bags on the island. (For anyone interested in what CIDA is doing over here, apparently we gave Marshall a ladder to make his Kopeka cave tour easier, and according to the back of the coffee bag we're doing something to help Mata produce coffee as well.)

Tonight I have killed time in the common room at the guesthouse while the Irish ones watched an incredibly bad movie. My photos are edited and ready to have prints made when I get home, and I have accomplished some writing as well. All was going well and truly slowly and was relaxed... until the lizard ran down my leg.

I think the little gecko fell from the ceiling? I have no idea where it came from. It was maybe the length of one of my fingers. I felt something warm land on my knee and large enough that I went to swat it but then it moved to my other leg and ran down my leg onto the floor. It was then that I was able to discover what it was. It didn't scratch, it almost tickled. It was light, warm, fast, and gone before I could exclaim to anyone what had happened.

And that, Ladies and Gentlemen, is all the excitement.

Jen out.