Right,

I have just given Carly my password to this thing to tell you all I couldn't access it from here, only to get on it anyway so I thought I would update my blog afterall as she is sure to put something offensive on here (and bear in mine Carly, my FAMILY read this)

Well, the Cook Islands are beautiful, actually like paradise. It's mixed weather at the moment because it's the rainy season but I think that makes it a lot more interesting and I have still had plenty of time to spend on the beach! The people here are very friendly but all of them run on "Island time" which basically means a lot of the time that they will do something at some point in the next 5 hours but only if they can be bothered. It's unbelievably tropical and countryish - just people sitting around and driving round in trucks with a load of other people sat on the back. It was a bit hard to get used to at first but I am starting to settle into it. I leave on Friday morning so not so long to go yet and next is NZ where everything will all be done at a much faster pace no doubt.

It's very tropical here which means coconuts and bananas and mangoes growing on trees. There are only about 15,000 people on the island but 27 churches - they love a good bit of Christianity! They used to be cannibals though, so the first people who tried to introduce them to Christianity got eaten for their troubles because of the language barrier. Amazingly, they didn't give up though, so this is now a Christian country.

My guesthouse is very beautiful - I found out it was actually recommended in the Guardian last week. I have made friends so although I wasa little bit jetlagged and homesick on the first day I am starting to get used to it now. I went to get my Cook Islands driving license to drive a scooter - and managed to fail the test which was just driving round the block on the scooter. Very embarrassing, especially as I saw the policeman who failed me today and he recognised me and waved. But what the hell do you EXPECT if you give an extremely powerful scooter to a girl who has never ridden one before? Ridiculously though they gave me a car licence without a test because I've driven a car before, so I have been on wheels for 2 days (sexy old school Honda Civic, nice) My driving licence got printed off but there was a typo so it's in the name of Catherine Mancock - what an amazing souvenier!

2 nights ago we went to and Island Night where they give you loads of traditional food and then there is local dancing and singing. It was so cool, especially as I've never been anywhere like this. I also went to a local market on Saturday morning and bought loads of local delicacies to eat, there is not danger of me losing weight round here.

I've taken pictures of everything but the connection here is so slow that it would probably take me most of the week to upload them. There is one telecoms provider here (imaginatively called Telecom Cook Islands) and it is via satellite. Which means s*** expensive internet, can't use my mobile here at all and to call the UK it is several pounds a minute. Roll on NZ with your fast cheap internet. I've never been in such a blackspot before!

Anyway, I will go now and I will put photos of this on the net as soon as possible - I have got people to take plenty of pics of my white mosquito ravaged body in the crystal clear waters and on white sands. Just to make you enjoy January back there a bit more.

Thanks for all your messages on my wall. Bit upset that none of my faily have thought to write on it yet, the skanks. Please keep writing to me, it's so lovely to hear from home!

Katie xxxxxx