Rarotonga 2022

[Ianab]

Hopefully our much delayed Tropical holiday is all go this weekend.  8)  Pretty usual Winter weather here, cold and rain, so a Tropical break is called for. 

We are driving up to Auckland (about 4 hours) on Saturday afternoon, then catching an early flight on Sunday to Avarua. We get there on Saturday afternoons (Yes it makes bookings a brain strain :-\ ) We have a heavy rain warning for the next 3 days, and if that closes the road North, it's about 7 hours the long way. But we have all afternoon to get there.  

This is where we are staying. 
https://www.experiencerarotongaaccommodation.com/package/titikaveka-beach-house

Private rental, basically a small holiday house, right on the beachfront. It's not the place we had originally booked, that got re-booked after 2 years of postponements, but it's right next door. So we know the place and exact area. 

We will have wifi and a laptop and several cameras, so expect some updates to this thread, once we a "flip flops on the ground" 

[Magicman]

This will be fun to watch. Enjoy !!!  8)

[Ianab]

 

 

Early start, but we are all checked in and through security etc. Off to find some breakfast now

[Ianab]

Climbing out of Auckland now.









Fancy newer plane, has wifi  ;D

[Ianab]

Holding at 30,000 ft waiting for weather to pass the airport.

 

[thecfarm]

Leaving at just about freezing temps and going to much warmer weather.
Have fun!!!

[SwampDonkey]

Looks nice and comfy at the destination. And not far to get your toes wet. ;D

[Ianab]

Quick update until I get the wifi sorted properly. Got in Late on Saturday, and the place is shut on Sunday. Now Monday am so we are off to "town" to get supplies / sort wifi / sign for the Rental car we have now had for 2 days ;)  (It's not like you can skip out with the car, so it was just left parked at the airport for us)

Weather has been a bit average, we were an hour late landing due to a thunderstorm at the airport. But it's pleasantly warm and got some snorkel and kayak time in yesterday. Will upload pics once I get a more reliable connect

[Ianab]

OK, Monday morning and things are open again. 

Got my wifi connection sorted, been to the supermarket and bottle shop, so plenty of supplies now. Weather is still  overcast and grey, but mostly fine. 

Almost an hour extra in the air dodging the weather. Luckily it cleared as the "divert" is 4 hour back to Auckland, and that happens occasionally. Clearing customs was a drag as they have new entry requirements (proof of vaccine) plus the usual forms. 1/2 the plane didn't have theirs ready :  We did, but ended up at the back of the queue as Lil was helping her Mother off the plane (limited mobility). The staff then let her go through the "express" lane, which just meant she was waiting on the other side, but at least had a chair. But the staff are friendly and the Lady Lil got told her "Travellers like you make me happy" (all the paperwork was right) This was after an hour of her patiently dealing with people that couldn't get the coconuts in a row, 



 

Anyway, we missed the Supermarket closing time, but were able to pick up some stuff at the local store and didn't go hungry. Easier than the 1am arrival last time, then finding the rental car and house at stupid O'clock.  Had time to check up the view and taste the Duty Free  ;)


 

Sunday - Nothing happens in Raro on Sunday. So back back to the local store (luckily it's 7 days) for some more supplies, and just had a lazy day relaxing.  Got on some snorkelling etc.  These pics are just in the lagoon in front of the house.



 

 

 

 

Too much cloud for an epic sunset, but time for a last swim before it gets dark.




And that's if for the day
 

 

[thecfarm]

All looks good!!

[Clark]

Have fun! 

Your previous post about this place, must have been this winter/spring for us, you posted a video by Youtubers "Gone with the Wynns". I was intrigued and at home with Covid. And that is what got me started watching their videos and figuring out how they got to where they are.

So...thank you?! It did help pass the time in quarantine but now I want to watch their video once a week. It must be how soap opera fans feel. But I don't watch them for the drama. Well made videos, interesting topics and a very different lifestyle. 

Enjoy your time there and yes, thank you for turning me onto this one channel. You live in a very different world down there and it is pretty fascinating.

Clark

[Ianab]

Yeah, I remember posting that Wynns video about the 2nd time our trip here was postponed.  I thought it was well made too, like you say, no silly drama, and they met up with some of the locals who are generally a pretty friendly bunch.  I could pick the places they showed in the video, they were moored beside the fishing charter boat we went on during a previous trip.

We've been taking it easy for the first few days, but have a few tourist activities planned. Off road buggies, glass bottom boat etc. But what I like about Raro is there are no huge resorts. Even if you stay at one of the full service resorts, walk out the front door and you are on the main round the island road. There is a bus stop and car rental office opposite, so the whole Island is your "resort". There are some fancy eateries, or you can buy food with the locals. We had lunch yesterday at the Lucky Rooster eatery in downtown Avarua. The eponymous rooster was there, along with various chickens, wandering in and out, and even crossing the road.   :D  

[Ianab]

Just been out with the torch looking for wildlife around the house. A few geckos, and crabs for miles.

This is the most impressive one. I think it's a baby Coconut Crab, as they grow they ditch the random shell and are tough enough to stand alone. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_crab

At that size they can't swim or breathe underwater, and are totally terrestrial, and able to open a coconut



 

 

But it's different from home, there most crabs are aquatic and stay in the water. Here, most are land living and nocturnal, because the lagoon is a dangerous place to be a crab, full of trigger and parrot fish that love nothing better than some crunchy crab bits to munch on. 

[aigheadish]

Looks beautiful Ian. I'd really like to take another trip to get some snorkeling in (even though I'm kind of sic of the beach) and having that option in your front yard looks incredible, not to mention neat fish!

[Ianab]

Bonus whale watching today, from the front door.

Didn't have the long lens on the camera, and the outer reef is a fair way out here, so not great pictures, but the white dot is the fin of a humpback that's doing some lazy sort of rolling around. . 



 

Zoomed in a bit. Really just enough to show there was a whale there, or maybe Sasquatch?


It then blew a few breaths and dived again, but the big lens is on the camera now, and like Sasquatch, they never appear for that.  :D

[Ianab]

It had rained heavily overnight, so we went to check the waterfall. It's also an intake for the local water supply, so in dry weather there is little (or even zero) water down the falls.  Plenty today though




 

Getting up into the hills there is more of a Jungle vibe going on. Part of the water treatment system by the carpark.



 

[Ianab]

Another day of doing not very much  ;D

Had a rain squall pass over while I was out in the lagoon. Water got a bit choppy, but the fish didn't care. 



 

Saw a couple of new types of Butterfly fish along with the usual suspects.



 

 

Raro has issues with stay dogs. Generally they don't cause too much hassle, just if you are walking along the beach you will generally find a dog simply walking with you.  This is "Ralph" who spends the day on the beach in front of the house. I think he just likes the company and seems to wander "home" to one of the houses across the road at night. 



 

[Ianab]

OK, I passed my level 1 tropical island survival test. I can get water from a coconut. It actually takes some effort. It's a lot simpler to give a local $3 and get one with a drinking straw already inserted.  :D

Old coconuts tend to be dried up, and most of the fallen ones have been attacked by rats, so we found a short enough tree that I could grab a fresh yellow nut from. 

Main problem was the house hasn't get a decent husking stick for ripping the outer husk off. Took a bit of machete work to get into it. Then find the "eyes" and open one up sharp knife.

Anyway, there is a surprising amount of "coconut flavoured" water in a fresh coconut.



 

 

There was more than a glass full in one coconut, so as the locals here say "the tree of life"

The locals can grab on from 30ft up the tree have it husked and drained in about 60 seconds, and be showing you have to make sunburn cream from the "meat". I'm not that good  :D


Random shot of Muri beach. Don't need to photoshop, that's what it looks like.


 

[Magicman]

Thanks, I was curious about the coconut water thing and whether it would give you the runs etc.  It's also interesting about the rats attacking the fallen ones.

I am enjoying your trip, nice picture (s). 

[Ianab]

Green coconut water is basically 95% water, about 4% sugar and the rest is traces of fat / protein / vitamins and minerals. Tastes sweet and slightly "coconutty", so quite pleasant to drink. As long as the nut is fresh and sealed it's probably the safest thing to drink on an Island. 

[Ianab]

Got a little bit more energetic today :-\

One of the local walking tracks, heads up to the Raemaru hill. I told Lil it would be fun, she didn't  believe me, but agreed to come anyway.  :D



 

To be fair, they have improved the signage since I was here last. The new one is much more ominous, and has the Police / Rescue phone number in large friendly print. 



 

Part way up looking back down to the main road. You can see the reef and one of the outflow channels. The waves push water in over the out reef into the lagoon, and it flows out again through several gaps in the reef. BAD place to swim as the current is outgoing, no matter what the tide is doing. 



 

Started getting a bit steeper here, time for a drink break.



 

Lil pretending to have fun. ;)


 

We didn't do the last 50 ft, it had started raining enough to make the (vertical) climb slippery. They don't have a rescue chopper, so if you break a leg up here the locals will have to carry you down, while telling you how dumb you were for ignoring their new sign.  :D



 

But Lil DID make it to the rock wall.



 

Then there was the walk back down. It's hard to get "steep" in a picture, but lets just say the tree roots were out friends here. 



 

And then Lil's Raro Nemesis appears. We are almost a mile distance (and 1,000ft high) up a jungle track, and here's a freaking rooster. Can only assume he lives up there.



 

Looking up to the centre of the Island, it's steep.


 

Navigating some of the obstacles.





And we did find some trees. I think it's an Acacia of some sort. Lil's just hugging it because it means we are nearly back to the car.  :D



 


After that, it was beer o'clock ;D



 

[Magicman]

I admire Lil's courage and determination!!  8)

[Ianab]

And just like that we are on our way home. Currently bouncing through some clear air turbulence at +/- 38,000 ft.  Nothing too serious, just enough to make typing on a phone a mission. 

We left Avarua at 26°C, weather forecast says about 1C when we get home 

[Walnut Beast]

Sounded and looked like you had a great trip

[Ianab]

Got home at about 1 am local time. Wasn't as cold predicted, but we had some heavy rain leaving Auckland. but that cleared as we got further South, Was about 5C when were got home, and 4C this morning, with some actual snow flurries first thing in the morning. 

After 2 weeks of shorts and t-shirt (even at night) it's a bit of a shock to the system. 

[thecfarm]

Can work that way here too. 
Can be in the 70's one day and than BAM down in the 40's it goes.

[Ianab]

Video for the fishermen.

This is in the harbour @ Avarua. One of the smaller charter boats has just come in, and the local giant trevally have followed it in.  They don't fish for them as they are basically the local "pets", that get fed the leftovers from the filleting on the dock. 

If you haven't seem these fish, they grow to about 5ft long and 170lb.

Giant Trevally at Avarua. Rarotonga - YouTube

[tule peak timber]

Awesome to see fish of this size and just enjoy the view ! 

[Hilltop366]

Thanks for the tour Ianab.