At last: ab in die Südsee...COOK INSELN

RAROTONGA

At around 22:00, we landed at the small, very idyllic airport in Rarotonga. Every arrival is greeted with a warm "kia orana" and a fragrant flower garland. In the midst of the baggage conveyor belt sat an older local musician who serenaded us with local hits and immersed us in the island atmosphere. Live music at the airport, you can only experience it here!

Arriving at our beautiful accommodation, we were delighted with our spacious apartment with 2 bathrooms - a special pleasure after weeks in the campervan under much tighter conditions. The next morning we saw how beautiful the garden is with a fantastic view of the sea.

The beach is protected (Rauna) and is full of corals, beautiful shells, and seashells, which have found new residents by now.

In the evenings, the colorful crabs walk with their homes across the meadow. I spent hours watching them and listening to the sea. I never got bored...

There are also chickens here (at least as long as they don't end up on the table as chicken curry or something similar;)) like in paradise. They run all over the island, even at the airport.

As we have seen, chickens love fruits just like us. And there are plenty of them here. Mango and papaya trees, coconut palms, and noni trees are abundant.

Red and yellow hibiscus, intensely fragrant frangipani, shape the landscape and the smell of the island.

Not only women of all ages, but also - although more rarely - ​​men like to wear colorful flower wreaths on their heads or around their necks. At least but a flower behind the ear or in the hair enchant every face and is still a cheap and natural jewelry.

Speaking of which: black pearls are offered here, which are grown on pearl farms in Manihiki and achieve quite impressive prices depending on the size and perfection of the surface. Since I don't wear a lot of jewelry at home, I wasn't initially interested. On the last day, I looked around a bit and discovered that the truly beautiful pearls cost a small fortune, unfortunately;)....

Rarotonga is the largest of the 15 Cook Islands and belongs to the southern group. To circle the island once, it doesn't take too long because it's only 31 km. If you want to rent a moped as a tourist and don't have a driver's license, you can take a test in a "fast track" at the police parking lot. After that, you are the proud owner of a driver's license that is only valid in the Cook Islands ;). When Peter was here 9 years ago, he had to take a test even though he had a motorcycle license and an international driver's license, but it was reportedly more basic back then compared to today.

Locals generally don't wear helmets here, but for tourists it is mandatory, unless you drive a maximum of 40km/h with an allowed maximum speed of 50km/h... well, different logic;).

So we rented a scooter to explore the area a bit. It is definitely recommended to visit the different markets, such as the Punanga Nui Market held on Saturdays, where local dishes, fruits, vegetables, and various souvenirs are offered, and there is also a musical event regularly.

Near the stunning Muri Beach, the Night Market is held several times a week, which offers only culinary delights, but in a great variety.

Muri Beach

Muri Night Market

We visited the Mooring Fishcafe several times and ate the best fish of our lives there: a Mahi-Mahi. We googled it and found out that it is translated as gold mackerel, although it does not taste like mackerel and its bright green color makes it even more special.

It is quite spectacular to watch an international plane land from the coastal road in front of the runway. Because the runway is very short, the planes come very close to the sea and land just after they have whizzed by (felt very close) over your head...

The locals, called "Cookies" here, have been able to maintain some special freedoms. The land belongs to the residents and not the state. People can do whatever they want on their private property. It is common here to bury deceased loved ones in their own garden.

No one pays rent or lease here. Land can only be passed on to locals, usually within the family. This has so far prevented powerful foreign hotel chains from gaining a foothold. Apparently, it is agreed here that in the long run, this can only benefit the charm and well-being of the island and its inhabitants.

During our stay, it rained constantly, sometimes without a break. However, the temperatures are pleasantly warm, so it still feels wonderful to relax and read on the terrace, which also slows down. But both of us are now at a level where we don't necessarily need to slow down anymore ;)...

But even in bad weather, island life feels very, very good....

AITUTAKI

After a week in Rarotonga, we flew with the small but fine airline "Air Rarotonga" to Aitutaki, another island belonging to the southern Cook Islands. It is located about 220km north of Rarotonga and can be reached in 45 minutes.

It's even more relaxed and cozy here than in Rarotonga, and as a tourist, you are greeted everywhere. There aren't many tourists here, so the few are noticed immediately. Friendliness and openness are obviously part of it, as are generosity and curiosity.

Shortly after our arrival, we took a little tour to get a first impression. A local woman waved at us to offer us pineapples and gave us two right away. When we asked about the price, she shook her head, slightly perplexed but smiling. How nice! The fruits taste paradisiacal here, just like this.

The next day, we had a similar experience, but this time we got into a very nice conversation and received a few mangoes from her own garden when we said goodbye.

Local wedding procession

Since the fish here has always been simply delicious, even in small restaurants, we mainly lived on it...

along with the variety of tasty fruits available.

Because of that, stupidly enough, I reacted to something with a strong itchy rash, which only really exploded after 3 days despite antihistamines. Since there is no local pharmacy here where you can easily get the necessary medications, I had to go to the local hospital. But this is how we got to know the friendly doctor, originally from Bavaria, who told us that he had lived here together with his wife and four children for several years until recently. Due to private obligations at home, he will return to Germany with a heavy heart soon to be with his family, who had already traveled ahead. From his point of view, the quality of life here is invaluable, even though the salary is quite modest. How inspiring to meet people like this who, despite having several children, embark on such an adventure!

The rain remained a loyal companion here too. Since I had read that there is also a small studio called T&S on the island that offers black pearls from their family business, we also stopped by there. It is run by a sympathetic Englishwoman who had lived in Australia for many years before settling here a few years ago with her husband from Aitutaki. She told us many interesting things about the socially influenced way in which people feel responsible for each other within society. There is no homelessness here because it would be a shame for the whole family not to accommodate him or her in their own house. She told us that in 2010, a powerful tornado completely destroyed 80% of the island's houses. Her own husband, who had lost many of his tools as a woodcarver and processor at the time, had said that the most important thing was that the chain saw worked so that he could help other victims with the reconstruction as quickly as possible. Self-pity is not common here, but self-responsibility is.

Then, in the following year, when Christchurch was severely affected by the devastating earthquake and many families not only lost their loved ones but also their homes, the least wealthy residents of Aitutaki donated particularly generously, knowing that in addition to all the misery, it was also very cold in Christchurch.

There is almost zero crime here, no drug problems, mental problems, or depression. Occasionally, a drunk stumbles, but that is the absolute exception.

Death is also dealt with completely naturally here. Children are not kept away from it from an early age (as is more common with us) and also learn to accept this unavoidable experience as a natural part of life.

For example, if a woman loses her husband, she is naturally supported in all the necessary steps by the family and also receives an envelope with a cash amount from each member of the community at the farewell ceremony. This is intended to allow the widow not to have to work for a whole year in order to grieve in peace. This alone would not only be unthinkable for us, but it would also be significantly different financially.

Due to the very low wages, many of the younger people go to New Zealand to try their luck there. There are plenty of job offers, especially in the resorts. However, the hourly wage for a waitress here is about NZ$6, and in New Zealand, it is about NZ$16.

Due to the very changeable weather, we repeatedly postponed our plans for a boat tour to the next day, hoping that eventually a more favorable day would come. And so it was, fortunately! On the last day before our departure, it was finally the day: not only a particularly beautiful day but simply the perfect day!

Incredible how the colors of the lagoon shine in strong turquoise and blue-green tones when the sun is shining! No photo can capture that... just white sand, and the paradise is complete!

We made a little stop at Aikaime, where seaplanes used to stop to refuel.

You don't necessarily need to dive here because even while snorkeling, you can see a great variety of fish living here. Some of these specimens are quite large and not very shy.

The water is so clear that you can actually observe a lot even while standing, as this area is not very deep.

We visited One Foot Island and had a delicious lunch there with freshly grilled tuna, salads, and fruits.

Everyone gets their own little house;).......

I was really intoxicated (without alcohol;)) by everything that had an impact on me in terms of colors and impressions. Just floating in the water triggered a feeling of happiness in me that I cannot put into words! This was certainly one of the most beautiful and impressive days of our trip, and now I hope to be able to preserve a little bit of that feeling of happiness and carry it over into everyday life.

Now, at the end of our incredible year of travel, I am filled with gratitude for everything we have experienced and the opportunity to have realized this dream. This thanks goes on one hand to Peter, who as the (my;) best travel companion, not only due to his ability to plan and organize but also always acted solution-oriented in difficult situations. But I am also very grateful to my son Constantin, who took care of Peter's business matters on site during our one-year absence and also kept an eye on our apartment. 😘