Rarotonga - January 1, 2 and 3
Action packed couple of days here, again in no particular order:
1. We did a Dirty Buggy ride on January 1 afternoon, what a dirty load of fun that was we went to the unfinished and deserted Sheraton Hotel and drove through the muddy and smelly water holes, bogs or whatever they are called. Mud and dirt everywhere, our legs were covered in runny wet smelly mud slop. Bert drove so I had no idea what was ahead of us as the windscreen was already filthy. Then up to the Waterfall, that was spectacular and flowing heavily after all the summer rain we have had, walked in clothes, sunglasses and mud covered and washed off in there. Local kids were jumping off the rocks and it looked dangerous but they laughed a lot which was lovely. We did too, it was good fun but smelly.
2. Beach picnics, lazying in the water shallows of the lagoon and going from coffee shop to coffee shop was the best part of the rest of the days.
3. Drove down a gravel road we hadn’t found before and there were TARRO (white sweet potato’s about the nearest description) was planted down the sides of the road, they make a mount of dirty with a “moat” sort of thing around it full of water, cover the dirt in old cardboard and then in dead palm fronds. They have one planting and about 2-3 huge young men with a very odd looking wooden tool (about 5-6 feet long with a large bulbous bottom on it) and they seem to pound that bulb first into the ground and wriggle it around to make the deep wide hole for the new plant to go in. Never seen anything like it.
4. Spent some time just sitting and watching the ocean.
5. Got my new tattoo from Jason Teitinger yesterday afternoon, 2 hours and quite painful but he coloured it and it is beautiful. Colours of the “paua” shell, like the inside of the oyster shell, very very pretty and I am very pleased with it, a little sorry for myself today while it starts to heal and am aching a bit, the direct sunlight on my clothes in that area is very uncomfortable so have been sticking to the shadows all day and can’t swim or saturate it for 3 weeks so my snorkelling days are done for this holiday. I will get it finished with one more line when he comes to Sydney next, and the colours to match.
Bert is down on the beach taking photo’s (as I write this) of a local chap boogie boarding, there is outrigger canoes going past and lovely fluffy clouds in the sky.
Tomorrow is another rest day, no plans in particular and then Thursday 8:30am Bert has his appointment for further tattoo work on his shoulder. We went and bought a local flowery shirt and a hippy tie dyed t-shirt for him to wear home and “leak” all over as we fly home at 3pm the same day he has his done… We land Friday night around 7:30pm and then the 2.5 - 3 hours drive home we will get in about 11-12 midnight, cuppa tea and toast and into bed with airconditioning (if needed).
Did I mention that we don’t have air conditioning in the apartment and the humidity is 85-95% all day every day and the nights aren’t much better. Sleeping is easier now that it was…
Photo's to follow.
