There and back again

Dear All
Well here it is the first blog. This one will, as im sure all future ones will be short in an attempt to save me from bankruptcy at the hands of slow/costly email service mongers or slaughter at the hands of my hardworking friends !
Left England with tearful goodbyes to Taff, folks and The Tosti/Walker tribe at the airport. 38 hours later several drinks 4 films and no sleep later I was staring at turquoise waters on a white sandy palm lined beach in Rarotonga.
Itinery Turned out something like this :
Mon – Tried to stay awake till nighttime by walking down beach for 4 hours. Ended up missing bus back and having beers with locals. Nearly killed Japanese sleep thief.
Tues – Cycled round the island (only 32kms or so), watched sunset with a couple of cold ones and music. (very nice) Went to an ‘Island night’* with couple of very young gap year people (felt very old). Got back to find hostel filled with 50+ year olds. (felt reinstated as young hip traveler) *Island night was a like a Rarotongan cross between B
Butlins and the generation game. Very amusing.
Weds – Moved to Varas beach house where upon things took decided turn for better from the first second in terms of company and accommodation. Was invited to join a birthday celebration for Radi, one of my dorm mates,by her deviant boyfriend(escaped from Bournemouth) and her best mate Claire (escaped from rehab). This kicked off at six pm involving local disco and ended with myself and a gay scouser called James prancing around naked in the sea at 6 am !! (nothing saucy you understand!!)
Thurs – Write off for the inhabitants of the beachside dorm all bar a sudden and crushing desire for nice food (anything other than more 2 minute noodles) which resulted in a trip to a really posh nice eatery for fine wine and flashy nosh.
Friday – A not very inspiring dive in plenty of current, with a woman who didnt even know how to set her kit up and a dive master I had to share my air with as he ran out !!!! In the afternoon/evening we all drifted into an impromptu booze up ending up with me introducing impressed folk to Vodka lemon shots using a sea shell as a shot glass whilst everyone sang ‘drinking vodka from a shell’ instead of pulling mussels. Was introduced to some very funny people and stories that night but they are somewhat censored.
Saturday – 2 fantastic dives !! 7 massive eagle rays, a small hammerhead, 2 m grey reef shark (I found as I stuck my head under a shelf!), HUGE 3m moray thicker than my tank, green turtles courting, hawksbilll turtle, massive tuna, giant puffas, caves to swim through and an underwater canyon with sand river leading to drop off/sand waterfall to 3500m ! That was ace (I only went to 42m as opposed to the full 3500!) Fantastic!! Couple of beers with local lads, attacked by dogs which i fended of with a litre carton of mango juice in a carrier!! Cards and beers back at the base.
Sunday – Talked Kate into doing the 5 hour cross Island hike with me. Bloody ace, nice veiws and Jelly legs!! Got soaked to the skin, blagged a lift back from road and was offered an opportunity to crew on a yaght bound for Tonga....ooooooo.....that was tempting! Stupid very funny drinking games with hostel dwellers, amateurish attempts at breakdancing.
Monday to NZ – Lost day though as crossed the line (not the first time though!!)
Tues – arrived in Christchurch and met Phil (yep in the pub) Out for much needed and lovely meal and a liberal dose of beer. Met Ellen Phils lovely Dutch girl.
Weds- Dithered round Christchurch sorting bits and bobs out and contemplating buying a coat (bloody cold at times) Nice to be back in NZ, forgotten how much I like it here. Went to watch Ellens cousin play for the dutch national team in the World Wheelchair Rugby Championships. Bloody good game !! Great Britain doing ok too!! Couple beers before beating early retreat to bed for first good nights kip in a bout ten days !!
Tonight – who knows but tomorrow off back to Wanaka ......I’ve talked Phil into coming too.......I predict a riot !!!
Love to you crazy cats
Coxy
(That wasn’t that short after all was it, oh well you know me!)
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There and back again

a travel blog by Jon Cox

Rarotonga to NZ

Avarua, Cook Islands