A mixed crowd

The Cook Islands are a true tropical paradise with an interesting flavour of Maori culture. While the islands off Fiji were the beautiful ones, Rarotonga has white coral beaches all the way around the island, with a reef about 100 metres off the beach, leaving the entire coastline of 32km surrounded by amazing blue lagoon waters.

Im staying in a place called Backpackers International, about 10 minutes from the main town Avarua, and the beach is a short walk down the road. I had bumped into Dave who I met at Seashell in Fiji and an American girl, Amber. For the course of our adventure, we became Juicy, Rubber Lips and Amberlicious, but Im unsure why. It might have something to do with nicknames from school. I certainly didnt ask how Dave got to be called Juicy.

As even this, the largest island, is pretty small at 32km circumference, and me being lazy I hired a motorbike/scooter. Khaled will be dissapointed but only the really poor backpackers or scaredycats have mountainbikes. Its also one of the fastest bikes on the island, which I now realise to be excessive as the dogs here have a habit of throwing themselves out in front of you when they hear you coming. Im sure I have seen the dogs huddled in groups and timing their coordinated run across the street as I have come past.

I have finally purchased a snorkel, mask and rash vest. It makes snorkelling a little easier if you have your own stuff, and it is so worth while around here. I have seen shoals of trumpet fish, who are very curious and arent as timid as the unicorn fish. There are many Picasso Triggerfish here, which are some of my favourite, although I have realised they have some vicious teeth as you can hear them take bites out of the coral. I wont be waving my fingers at them any more. I also had a ray fly under me the other day; so graceful and elegant looking and it had a splashing gasping fool chasing after it, namely me.

Other gossip, a few of us gatecrashed a locals party we could hear from the hostel. Barry had tracked it down and we all followed, after Lyn had galvanised us into going. It was a fairly mixed crowd, with lots of college kids for a guys 21st birthday. He doesnt drink or smoke but had spent $1600 NZ on booze, which is about 500GBP. Well worth it, and I seem to remember the moon turned a rugby ball shape, due to the amount of Steinlager I drank. I got to meet a few interesting sorts; a few local gang members, the Cook Island PrimeMinister's daughter, and the largest Marijuana grower on the Island. It was a mixed crowd.

Since getting into the speed of things here and learning a little of Cook Island Maori's I have changed my flights to stay another week, and I am going to the island of Aitutaki. I met Kirsty, Anna and Anna who were staying at Vara's and they flew off the other day to this island. It sounds good and I have since heard other good reports. I want to extend my tan into the bottom end of the Dulux browns so don't want to go to wintery New Zealand just yet, or spend too long in expensive Tahiti, just for the sake of a bit of skin cancer.

Oh yes, bumped into some Swedes, and they think my "Nasta Odenplan" train announcement is funny. I had to say something in Swedish and after "Kan jag fa en ol tack" and "mosta kisa" (spell) the train announcement was all thats left. Oh well.

My brain is starting to free wheel from not having to do any work, and I built the largest card tower the world has ever seen, and have come up with the idea of staging the Actors Olympics. Im pretty convinced that after seeing Tom Hanks play ping-pong in Forrest Gump and Paul Newman play pool, there should be some even held for them. I leave you with the thought that I really have so much spare time on my hands that sometimes I just sit and giggle to myself. I have tried to do the cross island walk but the clouds have been stuck on the hills for the last day or so, but I have explored a few beaches, gone jetblasting at the airport, seen the Black rock which the locals believe is the physical gateway to the afterlife, and seen some truly amazing beaches and scenery.

I have tracked Scaramanger to an island atoll and will be reshuming undercover ops from there. Sho long Mish Moneypenny. until my next communication . . .