We flew out of Nadi in the evening of the 2nd and arrived in Rarotonga at about midnight on the 1st, having crossed the international date line. At long last I've got back all those hours I've been losing along the way! Rarotonga is the largest of the 15 islands that comprise the Cook Islands and is home to the capital, Avura. The population is about 14,000 and the people have close links to the New Zealand Maoris. The total land area is only 241 square kms, although it is scattered over 2 million square kms, making travel around the islands possible only by flying. The first European to see the islands was Captain William Bligh, who then had the famous mutiny on the Bounty 17 days later. Rarotonga is an easy place to get around as there is a big hill in the middle and 2 roads circumnavigating the island and they run parallel to each other. Unfortunately, we arrived in the early hours of Saturday and EVERYTHING closed at lunch time on Saturday, until Monday morning. Communication with the outside world is incredibly expensive as there is one telephone network provider and tourists are their prime target. Mobile phones - forget it. The weather wasn't great and we managed to pass the time by befriending a strange Essex man called Colin. He told us he was a barrister, had written some books and was now working over here. Fairly sceptical I have to say, especially when he then went on to tell us that he did numerology and Tarot readings. Why not? It'll waste a bit of time until everything opens again, although I can't actually recall what he said. I know you were mentioned mum (must have been the old dragon card!), kidding! The hostel here is very clean and has all amenities, despite the rooms looking like prison cells. Better than the last place though. S xx