Cook Islands - June 2006 Photo Gallery by madidotcom at pbase.com

Cook Islands - June 2006

Kia orana (may you live long) from the Cook Islands!	Layover in Tahiti	Faaa airport in Papeete, Tahiti	Dan laying over
Thirteen hours from LAX we arrive to the Cooks!	Deplaning in Rarotonga, Cook Islands	Dan got eied (they can't be bothered with the "L" here)	Madi got eied, too
RAR airport. Slightly bigger than SBA	Home for the next week: Rarotonga Beach Bungalows	A totara (puffer fish) guarding the Totara Lounge	Decor in the Totara lounge
Tupa (crab) bungalow	Our outside seating area	Our lounge chair area	Our porch
Our breakfast spot	Our side garden	Inside Tupa bungalow	Inside Tupa bungalow
Inside Tupa bungalow	Inside Tupa bungalow	Paddles everywhere	Inside Tupa bungalow
Satellite TV with 3 channels! Serious, the locals were jealous	Inside Tupa bungalow	The coolest shower rack in the world	Shh...sneaking up on Dan in the garden shower
Our garden shower	Our garden shower	Our garden shower	The view from our porch
The beach outside Raro Beach Bungalows	View to the left	More view to the left	View to the right
Holding hands over a fallen coconut	Offshore coral keeps the waves offshore	Etu moana (blue starfish)	Pretty flowers
M is for marriage	More beautiful beach as we trek eastward	Roughing it	Matu rori (sea cucumber). Supposedly the locals squeeze the raw innards out and eat 'em. Ick.
Pretty neighboring bungalows	Dan gets his feet wet	More beautiful coastline	More pretty flowers
And more beautiful coastline	Our view all afternoon as we laze on the beach	Waiting for the hourly clockwise Raro by Night bus	Island night at Staircase
Demonstration of local dances	Pawpaw for breakfast	Pawpaw = papaya and it's yummy!	Another day, another day at the beach
Preparing to lounge	First, a quick swim	The water is perfect!	Dan tries out the kayak
Off he goes...	And keeps going...	And going (I can't even see him anymore)...	All the way to the wave break!
Finally, Dan heads back for shore	Dan heads back for shore	Dan makes it back to shore	Phew
A huge etu moana!	The Avarua government building	There's even a 3-screen movie theater. Now playing: Date Movie and Ice Age 2	First infamous short-legged dog sighting
Canoe hangar	Trader Jack's, owned by Avarua harbour master J.H. Cooper - "The Trader"	Umm...I think this is the extent of the Raro harbor!	Dan on the deck of Trader Jack's
Star fruit (not as tasty as pawpaw)	5:23 pm - two sets of canoers head out clockwise	More canoers head out to catch the sunset	Off he goes
Our first Raro sunset (we were on the wrong side of the island last night)	Sunset	Sunset	Sunset
Kids playing on a Survivor challenge platform	Sunset	Sunset	Sunset
Sunset	6:11 pm - the canoers return from the other direction	That's just 48 minutes to circle the island	Sunset
Sunset	Sunset	Sunset	Seafood pizza: smoked fish, calamari, shrimp, mussels (my first and second-to-last), shredded crab, and fish pieces...yum!
Lucky's cat hanging out on our porch...there are way more dogs than cats on this island	Ah...this is the harbor	The port	The port
Port Authority	Ministry of Transport	Containers	Miss Mataroa
A huge container ship arrives for the day	Cruise ship by the 1916 wreck of the SS Maitai	This cruise comes through every two weeks...next stop Bora Bora!	Punanga Nui Saturday morning market
The market	The market	August 21, 1998 - To commemorate the opening of the Punanga Nui by the New Zealand high commissioner to the Cook Islands	In appreciation of Ausaid, the People's Republic of China, and the Catholic Commission for Justice and Development
Coconut rolls...yum!	Cook-style coffee sleeve	Big and beautiful	Shorty dog at the market
Fresh fish (the branch is to swat the flies away)	White hibiscus	Tangaroa, the Polynesian icon of the sea and fertility (view him from the front to see why!)	Another shorty dog
Small dogs need a small SPCA	Meatco, for all your meat needs	Seven-in-one coconut tree...found on the island of Takutea and replanted here	Another shorty dog
Dan looking pious in front of CICC (Cook Islands Christian Church)	Super old tombstones at CICC	Super old tombstones at CICC	CICC is made entirely of coral
Cycling to the Cooks vs. Tonga rugby game	Cycling to the Cooks vs. Tonga rugby game	Why the chicken crossed the road: to escape the 100,000 annoying roosters in the yard	Tereora Stadium
The opening kiddie game	The Cook Islanders take the field to practice	Tonga takes the practice field...check out those crazy coaches' outfits	Tonga warming up
A helicopter arrives	This is the first time a helicopter has landed in the stadium	Cargo onboard: the prime minister and Miss Cook Islands 2006	The PM and Miss CI both live in Rarotonga, but I guess they need to arrive in style
The helicopter lands	The prime minister deplanes (decopters?)	The PM is greeted by a crazy man	Miss CI 2006 deplanes
She and her posse join the party	Off goes the helicopter	The PM and Miss CI don't get to leave by copter	Away she goes...
A prayer for the home team and a curse on the visiting team	Everyone lines up for the national anthems	Team Cook Islands	Team Tonga
Team hug	Tonga's haka (war dance thingy)	Our haka is better (except for that dude who fell down)	Game on!
The score is about 30 to 3, Tonga :(	Maybe Peter Dean's South Pacific doppelganger can save the day	SP PD prepares to sub in	And he's in...time to save the day!
Cooks get the ball back	The stands are packed	Pancakes with ice cream and chocolate sauce...the perfect rugby snack	The drum section (they drum for every score)
I just love those Tonga coach outfits	So chic	More rugby	More rugby
More rugby	More rugby	More rugby	Crazy tattoos...must be from New Zealand
And it's over...77 Tonga, 10 Cook Islands	A final prayer	Miss Cook Islands 2006 stuck it out 'till the bitter end	Shorty dog outside the game
Uh oh...clouds rolling in	But it's still nice out	It's getting pretty stormy	Rainy day means time to crack the complimentary champagne
Mimosas on the porch	And World Cup on the TV!	Sunday night BBQ at the Pawpaw Patch	Cloudy, but not rainy today
Cloudy, but still beautiful	Definitely walking weather	Sea bird. I dunno what it is, but I'm glad it's anything but a rooster	Shells today, snacks and jewellery tomorrow
Oh neat: normal-legged dogs	After a quick fight over me, I get to keep the tan one for the walk	Walking toward Muri beach	Muri beach
More Muri beach	A motu offshore	Coral is pretty, but you can't take it from the beach	Same goes for shells
Few cows on the island means milk comes in cans	Tramping along Muri beach	Uh oh - two new normal-legged dogs	Taakoka motu
My dog meets the new dogs	And the new dogs battle it out	My dog doesn't participate	A perfect chance for me to escape
Sheesh...as soon as I ditch the dogs, I collect two new ones. Where are all these big dogs coming from?	And then as soon as I pawn the new dogs off on an unsuspecting New Zealander, two more approach!	The dogs go in search of lunch	The dogs look for fish
No luck so far	Finally, my moment to escape	One tracked me down to the bungalow	One bookstore on the island
Those short legs get tired quickly!	Lunch at Whatever	Mini (yeah, right) fish burger...yum	The cutest shorty dog yet
He's running away quickly, but it's hard to tell with those tiny legs!	Dan's favorite rock face	I think this means "keep left, you dummy"	Look at the size of that beer
"A curse upon the brother of all who photograph this site"...oops, sorry Al!	I never found out what a judder bar is	Neighboring city of Ngatangi'ia...we stayed in Titikaveka	Another shy shorty...
...aptly escaping down Smurf street	Super brown...for your shopping needs of any color	Tangaroa outside the Perfume Factory	Cute public restrooms (well, cute on the outside at least)
Fish and chips...yum	FBI fish and chips	The failed Sheraton resort in Vaimaanga that temporarily bankrupted the islands	Drying out after a rainy bike ride
Island night at Edgewater	Jerri and Chet and a butter sculpture	Hey, that's the same MC from the Staircase island night	Honeymooners who were too slow to hide are called up on stage
Island night	Island night	Island night	Island night
Island night	Sunrise...and clear skies!	Sunrise...and clear skies!	House of the queen's rep
House of the queen's rep	The queen's rep is conveniently next door to paintball	Takitumu conservation area	Apparently conservation does not start at home here (house behind the Takitumu sign)
Wac that child (along with "_low down" and "_c_ool ahead")	Big J's	Accommodations for every budget!	Hi puppy! This explains all the tall dogs...they're breeding
CICC in Titikaveka	CICC in Titikaveka	I think this is a solar water heater...all the houses have 'em	Sun is almost up and the sky's still looking clear!
Almost time to leave Raro...goodbye construction!	One last visit to our beach	Dan recycling	Back at the airport, at the only gate
How cute is the hand-written boarding pass?	Dan boarding the Saab to Aitutaki atoll	Last glimpse of Rarotonga	Last look at the needle
So long Raro	First glimpse of Aitutaki	So far, no Survivors in sight	Look at that blue water!
The left side of the island	The right side of the island	Not much to it!	Coming in for our landing
View over Aitutaki	Talk about a teeny airport!	Aitutaki airport	Airport entertainment
Welcome to Aitutaki	Etu Moana Boutique Beach Villas	View of Etu Moana from the beach	Etu Moana
Welcome to Villa (old no.) 7	Lovey shows us villa 7	Greeted with eis and coconut milk	Relaxing on the porch
Here's the pool	Honeymoon bungalow apparently means no sitting room	And only 2 channels on this island, but we'll still get the World Cup	Inside old no. 7
Inside old no. 7	Inside old no. 7	Dan in the garden shower	Painting by local artist
The porch	The porch	I wish these pesky birds would eat more mosquitos...they're both EVERYWHERE	Pool and poolside bar
Happy Tangaroa guarding the poolside honesty bar	View to the pool and beach	View to the pool and beach	Here's where we'll spend the afternoon
Local hair	Local hair	This island is teeming with cats...probably due to the lack of dogs	I think the lack of dogs is also why there are so many icky matu rori here
Dinner at Cafe Tupuna...the best food the whole trip	Schmoopies at Cafe Tupuna	Dan chilling at our beach	The perfect spot for morning coffee
The water is great!	Dan starts up the VL100T-3 for our around-the-island tour	Due to Survivor, much of the island is off limits...stupid Survivor	One of the many many maps showing the locals where they're not allowed, thanks to Survivor
The footbridge to the private motu Akitua was washed away in February	The Lagoon Resort is the only thing on Akitua	View of the southside of the atoll from O'otu beach	View of Akitua from O'otu beach
More view of Akitua from O'otu beach	Dan on O'otu beach	Madi on O'otu beach	Dan looking fly with motu 'Angari in the background
Bishops has been completely commandeered by Survivor so we're waiting to find out who will take us on our lagoon cruise	Back onboard for the (partial) around-the-island tour	There's the whole airport...no tower or nuthin!	Dan "opens her up" to 60 km/hr...that's fast here!
CICC in Arutanga	This CICC is the first church in the Cooks, from 1828	Tall ship offshore	The harbor
Port authority "building"	Hi Gina!	Goats really know how to make you feel like popular	Tautu wharf
Exploring the motu-ette off Tautu wharf	Exploring the motu-ette off Tautu wharf	Exploring the motu-ette off Tautu wharf	Hike to the top of Maungapu
Maungapu is the highest point on the island, but is only 124 meters up	View from the top of Maungapu	View from the top of Maungapu	View from the top of Maungapu
View from the top of Maungapu	View from the top of Maungapu	Heading back down to do more tramping	View from the ridgeline tramping track
View from the ridgeline tramping track	View from the ridgeline tramping track	View back up Maungapu	View from the water tower
View down to Arutanga (it's the biggest village on the island, but it's small!)	View from the water tower	View from the water tower	Cute! Baby goats
I no longer feel like a goat rockstar	Back to O'otu beach	Hanging at Samade on the Beach	Sitting on a sand bar
Time for lunch!	Fish burgers (yet again) at Samade	Samade certainly is right on the beach	Starting our kayak trip south towards motu Akitua
After crashing into the Lagoon Resort bungalows for a closer look, I've determined they are not glass bottomed	Checking out motu 'Angarei	Dan snorkelling off 'Angarei	Next stop motu Ee
Ee is aawesome	View of motu Mangere from Ee	View along the length of Ee	View along the length of Ee
View of Ee	So that's where baby palm trees come from	Checking out the wave break past Mangere diaster strikes as Madi capsizes	View of wave break past Mangere
Watching the sunset back at Samade	The beach is like one big kitty litter box	Dan (and the obligatory cat) in the sunset	Dinner at Te Vaka is tainted by all the Survivor crew a-holes hanging around on their day off
Lagoon cruise aboard the Titi Ai Tonga, hosted by Prince something-or-other	Cruising out towards Honeymoon Island and Maina. One foot Island is off limits thanks to dumb Survivor...wah	Madi sampling sea grapes...they're salty and awful	Lunch is BBQed tuna. Oh, and there's a bar onboard, too. Yay!
The prince, Captain Wonderful and Captain Cook ("he's the captain and the cook") provide lunchtime entertainment	Crusing to Honeymoon Island	The Titi Ai Tonga	Under a wedding arch on Honeymoon Island
Rare baby red-tailed tropic-bird on Honeymoon Island	Red-tailed tropic-birds on Honeymoon Island	View of Maina from Honeymoon Island	View of Maina from Honeymoon Island
Our footprints	Approaching Maina	Frigate birds above Maina (unfortunately they signify a storm is coming)	Dan on Maina
View of Honeymoon Island from Maina	Rare baby red-tailed tropic-bird on Maina	View of Honeymoon Island from Maina	Coconut demonstration
Dan and the prince demonstrate proper pareu technique	Parachute pants...sexy!	Preparing to demonstrate the haka	Wait...first the prince has to hide a coconut in Dan's pants
Dancing the haka	Dancing the haka	Dancing the haka	The Survivor tribal council spanish galleon on Aitutaki (far left)
Oh, it's the Bounty...that makes more sense	There's no way they canoe from One Foot Island to Aitutaki...I bet TV will make it seem like they do, though	Survivor crew camp...400 Americans, New Zealanders and a few locals have invaded	Boats for some Survivor challenge
Returning to the harbor	The Heineken Store...selling way more than just Heineken	The Heineken Store...selling way more than just Heineken	Air Rarotonga city ticket office...looks like the agent is on break
Maina Traders Superstore...the Wal-Mart of Aitutaki (OK, not quite)	Island night at the Pacific Resort	Island night at the Pacific Resort	Island night at the Pacific Resort
Driving by Cafe Tupuna	Driving around the island	Orongo Centre...the center of Arutanga. This is the center of town, if you can believe it	Mangrove tree?
Relaxing in a hammock	History lesson: vehicle left behind by the US during WW2 when they built the old runway	Giant banyan tree	Giant banyan tree
Last look at the beach	Dan tries out the pool	Back to Raro	Welcome back to Rarotonga

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