OFF TO MARKET

DAY 27: Rarotonga

Saturday is the best day at the Punanga Nui Cultural Market in Avarua, so today, that's where we're going. A bit adventurous for us this week you might think. The rickety bus was going the right way this time, so no confusion for where we were going and it dropped us off right outside the entrance.

The market was really colourful and smelt amazing with all the fresh food being cooked. We settled for a frozen pawpaw (I think it's a papaya) smoothie, which was delicious and welcome on such a muggy day. One thing I noticed in the market is the tribal wood carving statues of Polynesian warriors that are sold everywhere are not shy about their manhood. Seriously, they would make good door stops - the statue as well as its manhood.

After buying some fresh mahi mahi fish and salad we went into 'town' to back up some photos on DVD and have a mooch around before getting the bus back. There's only a clockwise bus in the afternoon on a Saturday so it was a good opportunity to see the rest of the island.

The sun decided it would grace us with its presence this afternoon so we took advantage and hit the beach. After a short snooze we decided that we'd like some more fresh coconut, so I got cracking and in no time at all had a nut draining its milk into a glass. Once that was done I had to split it in half, but unlike the other two I'd already done, this one didn't have a crack in it to start with. After about 20 sturdy whacks of a stick, and still no crack, there was only one thing left to try... launch it at a log. I think I should have started with the softly softly approach as I was a bit too generous with the power and the coconut split into loads of pieces. One half was still good though so Jen began de-shelling.

The evening saw our best sunset yet, watched over with our mahi mahi (my turn to cook), salad and beers. I think we could do this forever.

Levels of relaxation are dangerously high at the moment. Brain is starting to wilt now. Even the simplest of tasks are becoming a challenge, like spelling and walking. Non-instinctive skills are becoming impossible.