Our first Cook Island. Although clearly named after a certain British explorer, we didn’t conquer or otherwise steal these islands. Au contraire, as one might put it, the islanders asked the Brits to protect them in case those pesky French tried to extend their aquisitions in the area. More recently this has changed to New Zealand who now look after the security interests of the island group, including granting dual NZ nationality to it’s peoples, although the reverse is not true (Kiwis are not Cook Islanders.)
We’re on Aitutaki, our second and final planned circumnavigation of an island on this awesome Pacific Islands cruise on Odyssey.
Aitutaki is famously considered the most beautiful island in the world by Lonely Planet a few years ago, and it’s hard to disagree with that opinion.
It’s a long channel between the reefs into the harbour at Arutanga, we go slowly with the tender’s crew watching both sides.
On disembarkation from the tender we head North, clockwise around the island, until a junction causes us to choose the extra spur, alongside the runway, until we reach Aitutaki Village and Ootu Beach. This beach is by the side of the huge lagoon of the island. More importantly there’s the Blue Lagoon bar with ice-cold beer – even though it’s barely 11:30. Many of our fellow travellers have made already made a head start so we don’t feel bad about partaking.
We retrace back past the airport, chatting a while with Captain when he stops to greet us. He’s also circumnavigating, but pedal-power means he will be back home a long time before us.
The eastern coast is so much quieter. We don’t see any tourists , passing only local people. Of course the ship’s arrival is big news and everyone is pleased to wave, offer lifts or just chat – where are you from, what are you doing etc.
It’s quite a different walk to our Bora Bora outing, there’s no mountain and the road isn’t as close to the water’s edge, but it is still beautiful. We note the absence of cats and dogs, instead we see quite a few goats and some pigs, although like most islands on this journey, chickens remain by far the most prolific creatures.
We come across many churches, some having seen better days, and likewise with other buildings – from sad to spectacular. At one point the road passes through an enormous Banyan tree – probably the largest we’ve come across.
All in, 25.6 km or 16 miles in about 5 hours.
Back onboard we decide to go the Collonade, the restaurant at the stern we usually don’t use, because it has an Indian special, so we enjoy chicken tikka masala followed by lamb rogan josh and finish with chocolate pudding (nope can’t see the Indian connection either!)
Tonight’s turn is Ricardo Afonso, the first Portuguese leading man in the West End, who is very good indeed.
