The Cook Islands.. Hmm, where do I start?

So, it was easily the best two weeks of my life.

On the island I saw one little round about, that's it. No traffic lights.. everyone is so friendly, if I was bored I would leave my hotel room and just take a walk along the beach, there was plenty of people who would start conversations.

I arrived on the Monday at the hotel, which was an amazing place! On the Wednesday I went to a place called Cocoputts, which was a 5 minute drive away and the manager got someone to pick me up. I got there and paid $20 for a burger, beer, round of golf and for the pick-up and drop-off. I made friends with the manager Took's, who heard that I was doing the website for the Crown Beach and he said that if I help him with his Facebook page he will sort me out with drinks and food while I'm there, so that was a deal!

I went back a good few times and had free food and drink all night, and the food was AMAZING!

I got so drunk that I don't remember saying I'd go to the club called Rahab. It was a fun night though, I drank a whole lot of stuff I never had before and ate a seafood pizza, I wouldn't have done that sober! I went through my gallery and found a picture of the toilet roll holder in a bar called the High Tide, I have no idea, haha.

So, at Rehab I bumped into John, a guy I was working with at the Crown and his friend Corey who I saw on the plane too.

So, for the next couple of weeks I met up with Corey and his friends alot, I ate fish, fish and fish! Corey's dad celebrated his 50th birthday which I went to, the food was amazing and I got to meet a lot of people that live on the island. The next day I went on a fishing trip with one of his friends of the family. That was cool, especially driving the boat, but, sadly no fish :-(

A few days later I went snorkelling with a company called Dive Rarotonga. That was awesome, they took me to two different spots, one was called Mushroom Forest - weird eh. One of the guys that work there is from Leicester I think it was, so he talked to me about how he managed to get over there and how it all works, that was interesting to know.

I got my hair cut in Raro too - I asked for a trim, yeah.. It's just as short as it was when I started growing it 3 years ago :-( boo! But hey, it was unhealthy so needed to be done.

I completely fell in love with the Cook Islands, the place and the people. Rarotonga was amazing, even if there were goats! I hate goats, they hate me.. and there I was just walking along the beach when BAM FOUR GOATS!! I did crap myself.. slowly walked past them like "pllleeeeaassee don't come over :'(". If you've ever been with me at a zoo or farm, you know why! Mum, Paul, Toni and Lee lol!

There are a lot of dogs running around the island too, which are all friendly. They just want a pat on the head.

Most people get around on scooters, it doesn't cost a lot to fill one up and as it takes 45 minutes to get around the whole island then the fuel lasts a long time.

There isn't really any crime in Raro, apparently in the prison the prisoners are aloud to operate chainsaws - lol.

I just never felt so comfortable in a place so far away from home, I feel homesick from there and would love to go back on a working contract to see if I would like to live there, the only thing that puts me off is the price of flights from the UK and back, so I couldn't see my family often at all. It's so expensive. In the Cook Islands they do not get paid a lot of money at all, so what they do get goes on the things they need to get by. But I really like that! It's not all about the money and that's why they have such great little communities.

The internet is not found in many places, and when it is, it's expensive.. so I heardly had my phone on me at all - I loved not having to look for flaming wifi spots. That's one reason why I didn't take that many pictures I guess.. that and the fact that I was very drunk most of the time, I blame Took's and Corey, definitely! (Actually, I thank them ).

So, yeah, I loved the Cook Islands, more than I ever thought I would, which ever way you look has amazing views, either a mountain or clear blue water. It's just a completely different way of life, for the better!

On my last night I went to Corey's friends where we had a roast dinner, that was lamb (my favourite!) and mixed vegetables, there was also a lot of raw fish. I actually preffered the fish out of everything else.

I don't think I can think of any negatives about the island, hmm.. I don't live there? That's all haha. Food is pretty expensive unless you've got someone catching the fish for you.

I'm now a massive lover of fish and want it all day every day. As soon as I arrived in New Zealand I went and bought sushi lol. Not the same though :-(

Anyway, I will rabbit on forever about Rarotonga if I don't stop now. I just hope that I start having fun in New Zealand or Australia, because, at the moment I'm just like "How am I supposed to enjoy myself now when I've left the most perfect place?" sucks!

I just feel like nothing is going to compare.

Miss you Raro!

Nikki xxx

Money spent: $164.30 (NZD): $5 internet, $31.20 food, $20 Cocoputts, $3 keepsake coins etc, $11.20 sun cream, $40 snorkelling, $18 hair cut, $35.90 airport (sarong and postcards).