The locals were celebrating, the tourists looking a little glum! Why? It's raining in Paradise and the Island is very short of water. Local prayers were at least partially answered last week as the rain came hammering down (or that's how it sounded on our tin roof) for a night and a day and then some. From a tourist perspective, we can fully understand the need for rain and would positively welcome it at night but this isn't a place where there's much to do when it's wet! However the rain does freshen the air and keeps the place looking lush and the flowers and foliage glorious.
The main attraction in Raro and its neighbouring islands are the many beautiful beaches and water based activities. You can swim, sail, snorkel, dive, kite and wind surf, paddle board and sunbathe. It's a fabulous place (in good weather) for beach and sea lovers.
So as the beach was pretty soggy for a couple of days, between showers we did a farewell tour of Raro. It doesn't take long as it's not a big island but we've tried to capture the essence of life here away from the beach.
The scene was set two weeks ago in the arrivals hall at the airport. At seven o'clock in the morning after a not very comfortable overnight flight, we were greeted by a guy singing with great gusto about the joys of the Cook Islands. Difficult not to smile at a welcome like that!
Our initial impression from the twenty minute taxi ride to our accommodation, was of an island that was similar to Goa in India and to some of the poorer Caribbean islands. The landscape is lush and tropical with lots of palm and fruit trees and colourful flowers. There's no obvious attempt at "town planning" here so houses, shops and other businesses appear where land allows, mostly around the main tourist centres often creating a down at heel style but with a charm all of its own.
Two weeks on and the similarities to other places are still true but the stand out characteristics are the sheer optimism and cheerfulness of people here. They clearly love their island and we can understand why.
Raro is a very fertile place and on an island where the majority of lifes essentials are imported, it's great to see that so much fruit and vegetables are grown locally and are therefore very affordable. A visit to the market on Saturday is a must, not least to see the selection of local produce on offer. Our quite modest fruit bowl has included local bananas (a bunch of about 20 for $3), paw paw, papaya, passion fruit, limes, mandarins, lemons and a pomello (see our Daintree Rain forest blog for that one). Coconuts are of course everywhere!
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| lots of fresh fruit grown locally |
Fish is an important part of the local economy and although it was scarce in the first few days of our stay because of high winds at sea, there is normally a ready supply of tuna, mahi mahi, marlin and others. They are sold within hours of coming off the fishing boat and are mouth wateringly fresh. Such good value too. Two quite chunky tuna fish steaks for about £2!
Whilst there are clearly some residents who are better off than others, the general impression is of quite a low income economy with everyone working hard to make their buck but without any apparent cut throat competition with their neighbours. Several times we've been advised by the shop keeper to go to another stall or shop where they have a better selection or a cheaper price!
Housing here is mostly simple, timber framed single storey buildings with corrugated iron roofs.
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| Typical local home on a large plot |
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| A larger two storey home on an enormous plot! |
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| Gateway to a rather up market residence! |
The Queen's presence is evident here as it is in Australia and New Zealand. Her portrait is on the back of both the NZ and the local currency* and she has an appointed representative on the Island. The post used to be filled by someone from the UK but apparently these days it is normally a local person. Shame really, we had thought of applying!
*yup, there's a local currency which is used only in the Cook Islands and very attractive it is too. The $2 coin for example is a very unusual triangular shape while the $3 note is a collector's item as it is so unusual!
The most common form of transport on the island is the humble scooter.Rumour has it that there are five scooters for every resident. They are very popular with local people and tourists alike as they're cheap to run. The roads here aren't too bad and the speed limit is 50kmh on the open road and 30kmh in built up areas so high speeds aren't a problem. By sticking to the 50kmh limit, you can also drive a scooter without wearing a helmet which may not promote personal safety but has to be a better option in temperatures that often exceed 30 degrees C!
As in all countries where scooters are commonplace, they also often carry large loads. Would love to think that the guy below is the local FEDEX delivery man but think he was actually just carrying his lunch home, carefully held up waiter style in one hand.
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| Lunch is coming! |
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| Fabulous cakes, breads and salads at the bakery in Muri |
A favourite amongst locals and tourists is a breakfast and lunch time cafe called "The Moorings" by Muri Lagoon. Famed for their fish sandwiches which are delicious if not dainty! Served on picnic tables overlooking the lagoon. The owners also have a great sense of humour. Flip flops decorate the bar and when you order, you're given a hand painted stone with a notable name on it. On our visit we were Gary Glitter which seemed like a mixed blessing!
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| The Moorings Cafe |
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| View from the cafe and the inevitable chuks! |
The wild life here is therefore limited to animals! Chickens and roosters are everywhere on the island. At eateries they help to hoover up any leftovers and they are even to be found on the beach! They are tolerated however not just because they produce delicious free range eggs but also because they eat poisonous insects in the ground. Dogs also roam freely and although many don't appear to have a permanent home, they also seem to reflect island culture and are pretty laid back and non threatening.
As previously mentioned religion is a big part of life here. After death relatives continue to celebrate the dead person's birthdays, significant anniversaries etc Graveyards are a site to behold with ornate headstones and colourful flowers. Most flowers are artificial to avoid the goats eating them! It seems such a positive approach and a way to keep loved ones involved in the family after death.
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| Typical graveyard with a wonderful display of flowers |
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| Local ukeleles |
For us though the stars of this show were the girls dance troop who accompany the singers. Dressed in traditional Polynesian costumes they ranged in age from 2 to about 13! What they lacked in co-ordination they made up for in enthusiasm with magical grins.
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| Dancers ranged from age 2 upwards! |
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| Wonderful grins and twinkly eyes |
"Dressing up" is a way of life here. Women and some men routinely wear bright flowers behind their ear (left means I'm taken and so on) and the women wear beautiful flower garlands in their hair. Clothing tends to be bright and flowery, all helping to create the sunny mood of the isalnd.
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| Head garlands are often worn |
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| and all without a drink! |
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| Maine Villa, Muri beach (part of the Muri Hideaway resort) |
But at the end of the day, our enduring memories of Rarotonga will be centred around the beautiful beaches and warm and friendly people. We certainly hope to return one day!
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| The classic view. Coconut palm, sea and boat at Muri beach |
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| Looks relaxing and it is! |
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