Hello All,We made it to Fiji! Yipeee... We are still having problems with downloading the pictures, but we will try again when we get to New Zealand. We are off to a remote island today with only sand and sunshine so we will be out of contact. We are looking forward to doing some hiking and snorkling again.
Hope things are well in America, things are great here.
Talk to you all soon, lots of love, have to catch a bus!Love, Lauren and Mike! XO
Rarotonga
This is a pictures of Rarotonga, the main island of the cooks. It was taken from the airplane...
This one too!
Varas
The hostel we stayed at in Rarotonga at Muir Lagoon....
Us in front of the Hostel sign, also the bus stop. Our friend, Ian, cut off the top of the picture, but you get the point!
IAN Our British friend in front of the sign!
Mike on the dock in front of the hostel. The hostel was right on the beach. It was very beautiful and we spent a lot of time in the water, snorkling and working on our tans :)
Lauren: This was right outside our room at Rarotonga/Vara's Beach Hostel
Vara's Pond Flowers: On the walk into the Hostel by the road, there was a little creek that ran along it and there were beautiful little flowers that Lauren admired each day! :)
Island Night: This was a traditional dinner and dancing evening at a place called Staircases. The little girl was 7 and she was the champion dancer in New Zealand and all around the area. Very adorable!
Those lovely ladies again!
Ian and Adam Coconut: Ian and I started to open a coconut and our other buddy Adam from New Zealand decided to finish it off.... We all had a feast!
Aitutaki Plane: This was the little plane we took over to the Aitutaki "Heaven in Paradise" Island. It was absolutely gorgeous as you will start to see in the next few pictures we took from the air!
Aitutaki
Aitutaki Air: This is one of the photos of Aitutaki from the air. It shows the Island, which was extremely small, and the coral reefs that surrounded it. It was magnificient
Aitutaki Airport: Not much too it really... Just a grass hut and lots of nice locals to greet us!
The boat in the background is the Kit Kat cruise boat that we took for a day trip in the lagoon where the next few photos will show the various stops we made.
Aitutaki Cruise Group 2: Mike, Paul and myself on the boat. Paul was a British bloke that overheard Michael talking to another gal about coming to Aitutaki and was astonished that we were able to go there! We said that there was plenty of room on the plane and in the hostel so he went and booked and the rest is history! He was a great friend, lots of laughs and beers at Ralphie's the only bar on Aitutaki!! Miss you Paul if you see this! We are loving New Zealand already, thanks for the insiders scoop!
Shipwrecked Island: This was the island that the British put 16 young adults in their twenties to last 10 weeks without any convienences except an axe to build shelters (another picture). Paul told us the whole thing was a fiasco and they ended up taking a couple at a time to the mainland with $100NZ in their pockets to spend on provisions. They all ended up at the bar feeding themselves alcohol completely forgetting their "shipwrecked" mates on the island! Quite a spectacle! Only 7 made it the whole 10 weeks. Our captain laughed when speaking of the whole adventure as they felt sorry for all those kids on the island...."how pathetic...no offense Paul!"
Shipwrecked house: One of the remaining structures those British kids attempted to build!
Coconuts Growing: Coconuts growing on the beach by the shelter in last photo
Local basketweaver: This guy was demonstrating how to weave the palm leaves into baskets and various other helpful things.
Crab: "Look a crab....QUICK, get it's picture..."
Naked Island Fosters: This was a beautiful island that was called naked island because nothing grew there. Mike and Paul had their Fosters at all times!
Naked naked Island: Paul decided he was an artist! Go Paul, Go Paul....
Lauren Hammock: Me lounging on One Foot Island after a PHAT BBQ by the local guys. The fish was excellent...so fresh baby!
Paul Hammock: We had to take turns....
One foot Island: The view from One Foot Island to another one of the various islands in the lagoon.
Giant Clam: "Hey Lauren, pick up one of those GIANT CLAMS....they don't bite!" Yeah, thanks Mike!
Wasie Fiji: Our adventure to Waya Island begins in a tiny dingy with Wasie at the helm! It was a beautiful sunny day. We took along with us, Dave from berkeley, but unfortunately didn't get any photos of him and his sunburn! OUCH! See you in New Zealand Dave..maybe :)
Mike lounging on the boat, soaking up the rays and enjoying the atmosphere. There are over 300 islands in Fiji...all surrounding us as we cruise through the open Ocean of the South Pacific.
Waya
Waya: The remote island we stayed on from the distance. There was no electricity there but lots of food and hospitality. We camped under a bread fruit tree and the billion of stars in the Milky Way. The first night was truely enjoyable until the rain came. We stayed in the tent one more night after we dried it in the scorching sun, but to no avail, it rained like we have never seen rain before AGAIN! We gave up on the tent and stayed in the dorm with Dave. He kicked our butts in Rummy 500, night after night by the light of our oil lantern! We will get you one day Dave...
Jungle Walk: Mike and I hired a local guy John to take us to the waterfall. "WE don't need a guide to find this place," mike says. Then John our guide shows up with a machette and has to hack the path as we go! "Yeah, good idea Mike, we would have been lost in the jungle for 10 hours looking for this waterfall!"
Mike and John: John our guide to the waterfall and mike in the jungle
Waterfall: The waterfall we were walking too on the Island of Waya... beautiful huh?
Mike Waterfall: Mike under the waterfall. It was very refreshing after the jungle hike!
Mike waterfall 2: Another shot of Mike under the waterfall
Lauren Waterfall: I decided I wanted a try too!
John Coconut: John climbed up the coconut tree and got down three coconuts and opened them for us so we could drink the milk. We thought it tasted more like sugar water than milk, but it was again very refreshing after our jungle trek!
Lauren Coconut Drink: Self explanatory
Coconut Meat: John gave us each a taste of real fresh coconut meat (take that for what you want!?) It was soft and mushy in our mouths. It was delightful!
Waya House: John with his son/brother/daughter/cousin/neice we aren't quite sure who was who or belonged to who or came from where! The houses were particularly intricate as they were all woven from palm leaves! How do they not leak in that torrential rain they have? Ask Jeeves....
Horizon hostel: The hostel we stayed in the night before we left Fiji. It was in Nadi, we didn't particularly care for the city of Nadi, but the hostel was very nice with a swimming pool and breakfast!
On to New Zealand!
