We’ve just returned from our tropical vacation in the Cook Islands. Rarotonga proved to be incredibly laid back. It was a more rustic version of Fiji that slowly grew on us as the days passed. Sadly, the blustery trade winds discouraged a lot of outdoor activity. As a result. we did very little most days beyond reading, eating and drinking cocktails in our comfortably appointed villa.
We also took time out to enjoy a few established Rarotongan traditions. This included lunch and cocktails overlooking the ocean at Trader Jack’s, a local institution on the island’s north side. This was then followed by dinner that evening at Tamarind House, a "fine dining" venue by the beach on the island’s north side.
The cocktails were better at Jack's, while the Ika Mata was excellent at Tamarind House. Ika Mata is a local delicacy consisting of fresh raw fish marinated in coconut milk and served with plenty of finely diced accouterments including cucumber, spring onions, chili, ginger, and fresh herbs.
Then, at the opposite end of the scale, we gave the Muri Night Market a go last Sunday evening. The market is basically a series of food hawker stalls. Garry tracked down a giant plate of BBQ ribs and I enjoyed some amazing BBQ prawns. After dining, we decided to walk 3.6 kms back to our villa.
This was one of four lengthy post-meal walks we took while on the island. Our other excursions included walking to and from dinner at The Little Polynesian (about 750 metres each way) on our first night, plus a walk along the beach after brunch at LBV Cafe & Bakery on our first day (at least 3.5 kms), and a walk home from Charlie's bar (1.1 kms) after returning from Aitutaki. We also took the resort's e-bikes for a spin one day and rode to Wigmore's Supermarket to restock our pantry (a very easy 3.5 km ride with turbo battery assistance!).
We did hire a car for our final three days on the island. This gave us a chance to explore Rarotonga's northern shores and enjoy some of its more far-flung popular tourist venues. Far flung is a relative term as it takes little more than 45 minutes to drive around the island at a posted speed limit of 50km/h. Although, I must admit we didn't really make full use of the vehicle. For example, I'd planned to visit the island's museum, among other things, but we ultimately never made it there.
Before we flew to Rarotonga, sister-in-law Shelley McGregor recommended that we try Island Platters. This local catering company delivered a stunning mixed platter to our villa on Saturday night. The food was sublime, and its initial presentation on two separate platters was an experience all of its own. I’ll let the photo above tell the story.
Finally, we squeezed in a couple of cultural experiences. This included an evening at the Te Vara Nui dance spectacular, a slightly cliché evening of island dancing and music. The show took place on a stage set in the middle of an elongated pond where dancers performed while rafts carrying traditionally dressed warriors glided by.
However, the coolest cultural experience unfolded on our last day. The coconut tree trimmer came by to remove a burgeoning clutter of coconuts from a tree directly outside our villa. It was awesome watching him first shimmy up the truck and then go to work carefully removing coconuts one bunch at a time. Once the tree was bare, his friendly assistant cracked open a few nuts for us to enjoy refreshing glasses of coconut water.
The following morning we departed for the airport shortly after 6:15am. It also happened to be my birthday. The immigration officer at the airport made a note of the date and wished me a happy birthday. Our 7.5-hour Jetstar flight home departed shortly after 9:00 a.m. and passed uneventfully. However, we crossed the dateline and thus landed at lunchtime the following day. Without a doubt, it's the shortest birthday I've ever experienced.
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