The first thing that was necessary to get our heads around when arriving in Rarotonga in the middle of the night, was that despite leaving Sydney on Tuesday morning at 11.30, we arrived in the Cook Islands at about 3am, on Tuesday. Which means that, really, we have had two Tuesday 2nd Junes. Which makes it very complicated to think what time it is at home, never mind what day. We're 11 hours behind, which is horrifically different - and will rear its ugly head when it comes to flying back to the UK, which, we've heard, is meant to be nice and sunny this summer?

Anyway, upon arrival in the Cook Islands, at 3am, we were serrenaded in the tiny airport by a cheery man playing a eucalele (sp?) which was lovely, compared with the hostility shown in Australian & New Zealand airports. As far as they were concerned, they couldn't wait to have us out of their country. We all piled into a pickup mini bus to take us to our hostel, whereupon a really annoying american girl with a squeaky voice said to the Tongan driver, 'so nice to meet you,' and the driver replied with 'Whatever.' We think we're going to like this place.

So, our first full day in Raro was a knackering one. We had felt the humidity walking off the plane, but today it was overcast and cloudy, apparently so for the next week, so we hibernated inside our little hut, and caught up on the missed sleep we'd had over our previous two flights.

Wednesday we caught the bus into the town centre. There is only one road on the island, which goes all the way round, with 2 buses which run clockwise and anti-clockwise. It was quite a rickety journey and we soon realised that this place so laid back, most places shut at 4pm, if not lunchtime. We had a mooch around the shops and found a promising warehouse called 'Foodland,' so we stocked up on dindins. In the sunlight, this place looks like a location from Lost!

We've discovered that the hostel runs nightly events out, with transfers, for cheap prices, including Island nights - with cultural dances, local food and generally a great atmosphere. We're hoping to catch a couple of these nights while we're here, as well as take advantage of the market on Saturday. For now, it's a case of making do while the rains fall. There is only one flight out to LA a week, which means the residents in the hostel are pretty much stable ones, meaning we've met some nice, and some not so nice, permanent lodgers.

Stay tuned for more sunny blog entries! :)