Our Home for the next 6 weeks.

Our Home for the next 6 weeks.

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Once again we are off to the island of Rarotonga, the capital island of the Cook Islands. This is a short clip to give you some idea what paradise looks like.

Twelve little piglets.

Twelve Little Piglets.

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These twelve little piglets were all over the place on a island back road just across from the island electric generating station. Only the sow was "Hog Tied." the little ones of course did not stray too far from mum. The video shows them nibbling on my shoe laces.

To me they remind me very much of the old English breed of "Gloucester Old Spots." I wonder if the missionaries brought the pigs with them in the early 1800's?

The Cook Island Trading Company Supermarket.

The Cook Island Trading

Company Supermarket.

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The CITC Supermarket in Avarura is far the largest supermarket on the island of Rarotonga. Not only does it conduct a retail business, but also a thriving wholesale business as well serving the majority of the holiday establishments dotted around the island. The variety of goods on offer are from either New Zealand or Australia, with a good assortment of local produce and fruit always available.

Here is an interior photo of the supermarket, with goods stacked well up and available for every need whether, singley or in case lots, depending on your shopping requirement. When ever I have been in the store it is always a hive of industry, and yet the staff have always got a smile and a helping hand if required.

The Avarua Bakery.

Avarua Bakery.

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This very fine bakery, tucked away on a back road on the island, has to my thinking and taste, bakes the finest "Omega 3" bread anywhere in the South Pacific. The toast it makes is second to none.

This is a ground level photo of the bakery itself.

Here is a picture taken from space.

Here is a photo of one of the loaves of bread made fresh every day and distributed thoughout grocery stores on the island. This bread is so popular, that if you are a late shopper, you may find that it has all gone off the shelves.

Always Smiling Staff.

Always Smiling Pai.

On the 7th of December 2009 Pai (pronounced Pa-He) was on duty at at 7.00 a.m. To greet us all with a big warm hug and a nice cold drink of fresh Mango juice. As we had been there for the past three years, she said you know where to go and I will bring the luggage later, which arrived in about 15 minutes to gether with our stored Christmas decorations. Needless to say we find all Cook Islanders very happy and warm people. If you take the time to learn their basic greeting of Kia Orana, you will find an even warmer welcome.

Here are a couple of the Muri Beachcomber elves on Christmas Eve 2009, who came around to wish everyone a Merry Christmas in true island tradition.

The Muri Lagoon is pictured in the background of the photo.

Our Holiday Bungalow.

Our Christmas and New Year

Bungalow for 2009-2010.

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From here we wish all our friends and Blog followers a Very Merry Christmas and a very good and successful New Year.

Short Video Shots

Rarotonga International Airport.

Rarotonga International Airport and the Capital of Avarua.

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The International Airport on Rarotonga and its capital of Avarua as seen by a Google Earth photo. Plans are in the works to extend the runway to enable longer range and larger aircraft to land and take off. The airport was originally built by the Americans in 1944, and the building which now serves as the "Cook Islands" parliament, was the construction crews living quarters. There are also consultation and planning for a deep water berth for cruise ships. At present visiting cruise ships have to anchor off shore and ferry boats bring the passengers ashore. Later in 2009 Rarotonga are hosting "The Pan-Pacific Mini Games."

Meet a very good friend

Meet our very good friend Tai (Tie).

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Over the past three years that we have visited the island of Rarotonga both Deborah and I have got to know the Cook Islanders quite well. The one person we have found to be very friendly and goes out of his way to ensure that we are wanting for nothing is our very good friend Tai. Both Tai and his wife work at the resort, she as housemaid and he as a general handyman and gardener. Like most Cook Islanders they have been associated with the tourist industry most of their lives, and know how important it is to look after their guests.

Tai is a very quiet person and only by returning every year I have been able to draw him out of his shell. I only found out this year that he holds quite a position in his village as an elder and chief and he takes care of village affairs which includes the village hall, which interestingly enough is called "The Kent Hall". It was opened by the Duke and Duchess of Kent during one of the Royal visits. This information came from another Maori friend.

What makes our visits to these wonderful islands great is the chance to get to know these people and their way of life. Their cultural history which has been so well preserved, together with the influence that the missionaries have had on them.

The Shipwreck Hut

The Shipwreck Hut Entrance.

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This little picture is for Chris Barnett. I was at the entrance early one morning and the place was closed tight. So I took a picture of the entrance sign board.

A Pacific Reef Heron walks the Beach.

The Pacific Reef Heron walks the waters edge looking for small fry that are driven into shallow water by bigger fish that were praying on them. The Heron then gets a chance for its breakfast. Five minutes after this shot was taken the Heron flew off and will not return until the next morning.

Close up shot of Pacific Reef Heron on Muri Beach.

The Common Myna or Mynah Bird.

The Common Myna or Mynah Bird of the Cook Islands.

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The Common Myna Bird of the Cook Islands (Maori spelling) has only been in residence for just over a hundred years. Originally from India (where it has an H added) it was introduced as a pest control agent. Now below here is that story:

Clement Wragge was an observant visitor to Rarotonga in 1904. He reported that Paper Hornets (Rango Pātia), Coconut Stick-insects (‘Ē) and caterpillars were very common pests. He was told by his round-island guide that Resident Commissioner Gudgeon would not introduce the insect-eating Common Myna for fear that it might destroy fruit. The guide also said, "If insect-eating birds are not soon introduced, the pests will ruin us."
At that time there were no insect-eating native birds common on the lowland and, obviously, the few Australian Magpies and Skylarks introduced from New Zealand in 1892 by the British Resident Frederick Moss, had not survived.
By 1904, the Common Myna, a native of India and western Southeast Asia, had been introduced to Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Fiji and Tahiti to control various insect pests. Wragge had seen it in New Caledonia and in Tahiti.
In March 1906, Sidney Davis, the manager of Cook Islands Trading Company, wrote to his trading partner in Tahiti, Mr. H. Meuel, to obtain some “Indian Minahs”. Mr Meuel replied that he knew of them as Merle des Moluques and could obtain them at about 4 shillings a pair, noting that they were “imported [to Tahiti] to help in the destruction of wasps, but it is found in practice that they also feed with preference on native fruit, such as Bananas, they multiply pretty fast.....”. Merle des Moluques, literally “thrush of the Moluccas”, refers to the Molucca or Spice Islands in Indonesia.

So there you have a brief story of how this bird arrived. I say that it is as cheeky as a Magpie, as it will visit your table if you are eating on a veranda and steal the food off your plate.

This one is for Birdman

This bird was always my early morning companion as I sat and waited for the sun to rise over the horizon. It would walk backward and forward along the waters edge of the lagoon waiting for the canibal fish to drive the small fry into the shallow water and give this bird its chance to have breakfast. One morning I saw it run up the beach and grab a left handed hermit crab, which after a little tussel extracted it from its shell. Mind you it was still trying to finish off the swallow with many trip to the lagoon for a drink to help it swallow the meal. Funny after sunrise this bird vanished and would not be seen for the rest of the day. This one is a professional photo, but I will publish my photos that I took as soon as I get my photos sorted.

Our Island for the next month

OUR HOME FOR THE NEXT MONTH.

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We arrive on the Island at 4.30 p.m. Cookham Time on the 15th of December.

Come and join us for Christmas!

Christmas is coming to Rarotonga.

It is December and Christmas is coming to the Cook Islands.

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Yes, by the time we arrive in mid December the Capital, Avarua is getting decked out for Christmas. With Father Christmas, sleigh and reindeer all strung out along the main drive are lit up at night.

The supermarket just off the main drive has a good show of goods for sale, especially for those who are celebrating big family reunions.

As I have mentioned earlier in my previous postings the Cook Islanders are very religious, due to the early influence of missionries who came and settled. No sport is played on a Sunday, and for those who have to work in the service industry, there is a service at 5:00 a.m.

St. Joseph's Cathedral is the largest of the many churches on the island, of which there are a great many. Some services are in the Maori tongue and some are in English, as all islanders are fully bi-lingual.





The Christmas manger scene is usually errected during the second week of December and made from local materials, mainly plaited palm fronds. The floral decorations are changed every day by local parisioners. I have been told that there is very strong competition among the ladies to be part of the daily redecorating team.

Some interesting factors of the Cooks.

Some interesting views of Rarotonga

This is a very interesting viewpoint in downtown Avarua around Christmas time when the local Flames Trees come into full blossom as if to put on a festive air. This picture is taken from Trader Jack's looking across the downtown roundabout.

Not with the looks of 10 Downing Street, but it is still a hive of activity in governing the Cook Islands.




Right next door to the Prime Minister is the Office of the Minister for Island Administration. No need for a car, he can walk across the yard to the PM's office.

This is the Cook Island Campus of the University of the South Pacific. Students from here go on to further their education and a degree in their chosen field, either in Auckland or Wellington.

Tucked away in a little valley is the Rarotonga electricity generating station, powered by diesel generators. There is talk that wind power is being considered as a power source, together with wave power, which would lower the dependancy on oil

This believe it or not is the way to milk a coconut. Again one has to be in the right place at the right time to witness this event.




When it rains it rains in the Cooks, Mind you they need it as they count on a generous rainfall for all their fresh water needs.

I'm a Senior Chav!

So I got bumped!

But, you can't keep an old "Senior CHAV" down. By the way I have just booked this same scooter for my holiday next month.

Cook Island Black Pearls

A three string Black Pearl necklace.

The Cook Islands are famous for their Black Pearl Industry, from the perfect size and colour and size. To the odd Baroque Black pearls that have a charm of their own.

In 1982 research began into the possibility of creating a similar cultured-pearl industry in the Cook Islands. The first commercial farms were set up on Manihiki atoll in 1989 and over two million cultured oysters are presently held there. By 1994 the Manihiki lagoon was thought to be approaching its maximum sustainable holding capacity and farms began to be established on Penrhyn atoll. Hundreds of thousands of oysters are presently held at the various farms, and the Penrhyn hatchery is constantly producing more.

To establish a farm, an investment of NZ$6,000 is required, and no return will be forthcoming for five years. Yes, that is correct it takes at least five years for a mature Oyster to develop from the hatchery to mature Oyster. There are currently over 30 farms with just 20 percent of them accounting for 80 percent of the oysters. The oysters are seeded once or twice a year by Chinese workers, and it takes 18 months to two years for the pearl to develop. Of course the Oyster is about three years old before it is big enough to be seeded. All harvested pearls are inspected by the Cook Island government inspectors.

Consider purchasing a loose pearl and having it mounted back home. If you think you might do this, check with your local jeweler before leaving for Rarotonga.

Half the fun is in the shopping, so be in no hurry to decide and don't let yourself be influenced by a driver or guide who is after a commission. The best way I found is to rent your own scooter, this way no guide is involved, the shop should pay the commission to you in the form of a discount (be sure to ask). It's preferable to buy pearls at a specialized outlet rather than a souvenir shop, and never buy a pearl from a person on the street. A reputable dealer will always give you an invoice or certificate verifying the authenticity of your pearl.

Odd shaped pearls can be picked up from a dealer for as little $5.00 NZ. These can be ideal for making up drop earings and pendants. Remember that all pearls are dissolvable, so if you want your pearls cleaned, let a professional do the job. Another thing to remember is that black pearls come in various shades and matching is a very speial and laborious task and is reflected in the price you pay.

Sunday in the Cook Islands

The Cook Islands and in particular the island of Rarotonga are very religous with a great many church's of varying faiths dotted around the island. Above is one such church that is just down the road from the Muri Lagoon.

Here above is a Sunday service in full swing, With a mixed choir singing hymns in the Maori language. Though some services are held in English for the visitors.

This lady happens to be favourite housekeeper at Muri Beach, seen here with her grandson. Seen here in front of the church after the service. Take note that one of the Sunday services are held at 5:00 a.m. in the morning. This is so that those who work in the hotels and restaurants, before having to go to work.

Here you can see members of the Church Ladies Guild leaving the church to cross the road to prepare and serve a Sunday lunch for those in the congregation who would like to share in a Pot-luck-lunch. Note that every lady wears a hat. These hats are all homemade, and are in many cases decorated each Sunday with fresh flowers.



This flower grows wild in the hedgerows and in the island jungle and is called the "Bird of Paradise Flower" Like the hibiscus of which I am told there are some 37 varieties in the Cook Islands.

This has to be one of the most exotic flowers on the island grows in ponds, and that is the Lotus which is also native here as well.