Says the backpackers office door (always closed), and seems to be the unofficial policy of this blog I promised to get going 2 weeks ago! 

We’re now 6 days into our trip in the Cook Islands.  2016 was a crazy year for us- I quit my job in Regina, went to Nunavut for 5 weeks with the census, we moved into a house we bought in Winnipeg, to move out of it 8 months later for this trip!  Brad stayed home while I was in Nunavut, and had things sorted enough that upon my return, we left Regina within 48 hours!  He then re-trained and qualified at St Andrews Airport outside of Winnipeg, I found a job with Dufresne as a Special Events Coordinator. 

Why the Cook Islands to start? A small bit more than the cost to New Zealand, it breaks up the flight from LA. Brad’s pal Andy once sailed here and said it was the most beautiful place he’d ever seen. My mom candidly said one day that she’d like to go to “those Cook Islands” (Cook- her maiden name).  

Internet is limited and expensive here (10$ for 150 megabytes), so here’s a quick once over of WEEK ONE!

1. Discovered the island Survivor Rarotonga was filmed (or so we think), as well as Castaway (Okay, that shouldn’t be number one…). 

2. Brad got a license to drive a scooter, so we’ve been scootin around the main road that loops the island.  No stop lights or signs for the whole loop! 

3. Back to backpacking: for $37/night, we get to share a kitchen with 2 pots and 2 pans between 20-25 travellers. You get to know each other quickly !

4. We’ve only gone waist deep into the ocean (full moon/”King Moon” since getting here= low tide), but even only that deep, the fish we’re seeing are incredible!  One’s called a trigger fish and it kicked Brad out of the ocean by smashing into him on the arm.  Hilarious.

5. The flowers, the flowers. I notice a new kind every day.  

Stay tuned, more to come.  My parents arrive the day after tomorrow! Unfortunately I’m having trouble with the blogger interface on my ipad, so no pics this time.  Let’s just say, it’s just as idyllic here as you might imagine 🙂 

Libby

Word from a Brad: “Winners don’t do P.”