What’s Rare About Rarotonga?

Travel quote: "The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper." -- W.B. Yeats

Good morning!!

Here comes Rarotonga!! This island is the largest of about 15 islands in a group called the Cook Islands. Located in the South Pacific, where it seems we've been for about a year.......... it is about 26 square miles and has a population of less than 20,000. It was "discovered" by the Europeans in 1823. Today, you can fly there direct from Auckland, Sydney, Tahiti and.....Los Angeles. Come on out, the water's nice!

I took a ship tour called Lagoon Cruise and Snorkeling. We had fun. I swam and watched the fish, as best I could, since I couldn't wear my glasses in the water.....

The water and the fish was amazing!

It was a really hot day!

We had a yummy barbecue on the beach - fish, plantains, sausages and onions. There was also potato salad, papaya, cole slaw and pineapple.

Our guide, who was a hoot, by the way, engaged all of us as he demonstrated what you can do with a coconut tree. They use the fronds to make baskets and rugs, and other items. The roots of the tree are used to make medicines (which, he said, taste horrible - he'd rather stay sick than drink the medicine his mom used to give him). The coconuts are used fully - the outside stringy stuff is used as tinder for fires, the outside soft peel is used as cloth, the juice inside is for drinking, and the white tender coconut meat is used to eat, make coconut cream from, and also to make oil, although that is a long and laborious process.