Friday, July 27, 2012

Rarotongan Honeymoon


It only took 4 years, but Mark and I FINALLY had our beautiful Rarotongan honeymoon.

Day 1 – our first day was overcast and we spent time just getting our bearings. It was Sunday so everything was closed and we ended up having an early dinner at Sails restaurant and Mark had a Frozen Fairy cocktail; enough said!

Day 2 –we went on a 4WD drive tour around the island and up into the bush which gave us a bit more perspective of layout of the island. We saw the abandoned Sheraton hotel which has become very overgrown; there’s a big story there but I need to do some more research. We went to see where the 7 canoes departed from to sail to Aotearoa and also went to a marae. I was expecting a NZ Maori marae, but what we saw was completely differently. It was really just a flat area surrounded by stones etc.  We met some lovely kiwis from Hamilton and then had a beautiful BBQ lunch with fresh tuna and fruit. We ended up having a pizza from a resort just down the road for dinner.

Day 3 –we just swam snorkelled and kayaked and ended up having burgers for lunch and dinner.

Day 4 – finally we caught the bus into Avarua to go to the supermarket. In hindsight we should have done this on the first day as it would have saved us so much money. Mark went for a huge kayak around the islands. Then we had an amazing BBQ tea.

Day 5 – halfway through our trip we had a very lazy day. We watched the lagoon cruise go out in the morning and then watched them come in and prepare for their second trip in the afternoon. Mark did another huge kayak. We had beautiful scrambled eggs for lunch. The weather was somewhat cooler. I finished my 4th book and almost through my 5th book. BBQ for tea.

Day 6 – we started the morning with a beautiful, refreshing kayak and a quick snorkel. Nothing wakes you up like falling out of your kayak. We then decided to hire scooters for a few days to get around…after much DRAMA we just decided against it and caught the bus home and went for an amazing snorkel which was probably about 2km in total. In the evening we went to Highland Paradise which was truly amazing and I will do a separate blog about that. Apparently, the land that the Sheraton is on is apparently owned by the Queen of Takitumu.

Day 7 – Saturday finally rolled around and we went to the markets very early. We met up with my birth mum (Sharleen) and her friends which was great. We bought a few presents and a bit of fruit and then came home. We got told that there was going to be a wedding front of our room and that we were “welcome” to watch….”um no”. About 5 minutes into the ceremony there was a huge downpour and they had to move. We had dinner with Sharleen and the girls and then went along to watch a plane land; which is quite freaky.

Day 8 – we went to church with Sharleen and the girls and then caught the clockwise (no anti-clockwise bus on Sunday) bus back to the hotel. It was so windy that the guys were all out on the lagoon kite surfing. It was too rough to swim or kayak.

Day 9 – we woke up to the wind and a note for checkout which meant our holiday was nearly over. It was a very cold, windy day and then the rain set in. So we spent the day curled up reading and Mark started his third book (which is amazing considering Mark NEVER reads) and I started my eighth.

Day 10 – our final day dawned and we were a bit sad. We packed and checked out to the lounge and caught the bus into town for a final look around. We had brunch at Salsa and then came back for a quick swim in the pool and the lagoon. The water in the lagoon was the warmest it had been.

What is incredible is that Rarotonga is virtually untouched and it is absolute paradise for the people that call it home and for those that are just visiting. The sky is just clear and the stars are breath-taking. The sweet smell of the native jasmine and the last of the frangipani add an alluring sweet smell to the air.

Things we learned:
  • Arrive a day before the markets so that you can go and pick up fresh fruit, vegetables and fish and go to the supermarket
  • Pack half the amount of clothes and bring a bit of extra food
  • Hire push bikes to explore the island at your leisure
  • Buy a 10-trip bus ticket
  • Do not FORK out $100’s for scooters
  • Bring worm tablets for cats
  • Plan for a few special meals out
  • Snorkel, swim and kayak heaps on the fine days as when it is cold and windy you cannot play in the water
  • Kayaking is much easier in a lagoon vs. the sea
  • Book a couple more “experiences”. We are planning to do the Highland Paradise day tours, Koko Lagoon Cruises and we might try Te Vara Nui for comparison
  • Take more photos
  • Lose weight
  • Have a pedicure before I go
  • Find out more about the Cook Islands
  • Have more cocktails
  • Allow maybe an hour each day for a nap, but then make the most of the rest of the time
  • Muri Beachcomber was the loveliest place to say
  • Muri Beach is spectacular
  • If you do not want to lug 13 books with you then take your e-reader 
  • Cafe Salsa is fantastic. We went 3 times!

We have decided to go back to Rarotonga in late July/early August next year in time for their constitutional celebrations. It means that we need to start saving for this now in conjunction with saving for a house. Exciting changes are afoot for us.

Mark said to me that the holiday made him realise that there is “more to life than work”. This made me very happy as he gets super stressed at work. Hopefully, he will also continue reading books to relax and I have already requested the first two books in the Alex Cross series by James Patterson. We both needed a break as my dad has been extremely sick and both our fathers have to have heart surgery in the next few weeks. We have returned rested and ready to support our families.

Photos:
1. Our room. 2. Beautiful rainbow over the lagoon. 3. Mark and I by the waterfall. 4. The abandoned Sheraton. 5. The circle of 7 stones representing the 7 Vaka’s that left for Aotearoa. 6. Where the Vaka’s sailed from. 7. Marae. 8. Raro Safari Tours and coconuts with new growth. 9. The photo that proves that Mark read while we were away. 10. Warrior at Highland Paradise. 11. Willie (our guide) showing how a coconut can be grated on Highland Paradise tour. 12. Beautiful dancers at Highland Paradise. 13. A row of Magic Bullets at the Saturday market. 14. Church. 15. Estelle one of the resident cats. 16. No name kitty…a local cat.

4 comments:

  1. Happy HoneyMoon and Welcome Home Ness!!

    So wonderful you hear you had a relaxing time and got to enjoy a few different things.
    I'm now off to prod Ken in to getting his passport renewed and talk him in to planning a trip away with me too

    Hope you see you soon xxx

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    1. Tara it was amazing. I thought of you a lot while we were there. I reckon the diving must be amazing. Definitely go...it's beautiful. There is so much to see and do...or you can just relax on the beach and swim/snorkel/kayak and drink cocktails. Definitely get him onto getting a passport.

      We now know how to save money for next time but get even more out of the trip.

      Would love to see you soon. xx

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  2. I looks and sounds like you had a wonderful time. I'm so glad.

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    1. Thanks Kerry. It was just what we needed :)

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