Aitutaki, Cook Islands

I thought I’d been to paradise when we honeymooned in Bora Bora. And it absolutely was. But it was a bit overrun with beautiful young things that made me feel slightly out of place. (Then; 47 years old, although slim and good teeth … which I appreciate makes me sound like a very old horse.)

Roll forward 5 years and we were off for our annual “flop and drop” Winter break in search of sun, sand and sod all else really.

Thankfully I’d lost sufficient weight to feel ready and after 6 months of solid stress with work I’d made the momentous decision to retire. So it was, in fairness, that we were setting off with a pre-set sense of relaxation before we’d even got there.

We were going for my birthday. Generally, I plan our holidays and adventures, so it’s no great surprise that if it’s my birthday we’re somewhere fabulous and if it’s the Favourite Husband’s we’re to be found hosting a family dinner. In the kitchen. At home.

I’ve never been to the Cook Islands. Hard to believe, living in NZ, it’s the easiest place to head to for a bit of Pacific peace and quiet. I was excited. We were heading straight from Rarotonga to Aitutaki for a whole week. It wasn’t until after our trip, that I realised many people stay in Rarotonga and go to Aitutaki for a couple of days. That seems to be the norm. But we’re not that. We’re not the norm.

My last week at work and I was double checking our itinerary, dotting every “i” and crossing every “t,” when I noticed something was amiss. Our flights had us arriving a day before our accommodation package started. I looked at the screen. I put my $2 reading glasses on. I tilted my head. I took my $2 reading glasses off. I checked the details on my phone instead of my computer. Ummmmm, what the …

So yes, dear readers, even though the flight from Auckland to Rarotonga is only 4 hours, NZ is a day ahead. I had made a pretty big cock up. Don’t be me.

Luckily we had booked the accommodation from our preferred holiday company. The beauty of this being one quick phone call and an extra night’s accommodation was added to our existing package as if the mistake had never happened. Although I’m quite sure I definitely heard a large sigh when I told the customer services rep on the other end of the phone.

So off we set with a sneaky free upgrade to Business Class, thank you Air NZ. This is the first, and the only time, this has happened. And of course it was for a 3 hours and 45 minute flight. Someone is mocking me. It’s not that I wasn’t grateful, I am, but next time can it be on a long haul pretty please.

To be fair, the whole upgrade was also slightly lost on me as I was currently not drinking. I prefer “not drinking” to “sober” after one of the kids told me I sounded like I was a close acquaintance of Betty Ford otherwise.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m no angel, more of a fallen angel if truth be told. See previous comment regarding work stress and I decided that I was far too frequently residing in the Aisle of Self-Medication when doing the weekly shop. So, in order to better navigate the choppy waters of corporate cattiness, I’d decided to stop drinking. A sober holiday and a sober birthday to boot – fun times.

We arrived in a warm and windy Rarotonga where we quickly found our way to check in with Air Rarotonga and then we were off again. Flying over the clearest, azure waters, looking down on islands and lagoons, white sand beaches and yes, it absolutely reminded me of French Polynesia, but it was practically on our doorstep.

(It’s at this point I should advise, none of the photos attached have been filtered. This is it. This is Paradise.)

The flight is about 45 minutes. We were met at the airport by our minivan transfer who came provided with chilled water, a frangipani lei and our bags mysteriously picked up and in the back of the van before you can say “died and gone to heaven.”

We were staying at the adults only private island resort. About 5 minutes from the airport to the ferry across to the island. We knew the resort was undergoing redevelopment so the reception was in a temporary beachfront villa where we had a coconut water mocktail before being shown to our beachfront bungalow. I had to hold both mine and the Favourite Husband’s coconuts in order for him to complete his check in form and then got a fit of the giggles, because I’m mature like that.

We learnt from our previously mentioned honeymoon in Bora Bora, often the most expensive rooms aren’t the best rooms. We have had over-water bungalows at great expense only to find them a fair distance from the facilities, but more importantly very windy. As in blowing a gale the likes of which you’ve not experienced since your parents made you holiday in Frinton on Sea. We had absolutely won the jackpot this time with our beachfront bungalow, complete with bicycles, kayaks and stand-up paddle boards with our own small sandy beach leading directly into the shallow waters of the lagoon. I was literally squealing with delight. The bathroom was open to the elements and yet totally private, you could shower under the stars, it was delightful.

There were various add-ons with our package; free drinks, a welcome bottle of wine (see, I told you someone was mocking me) and dinner credits, but the pina nolada without the rum was delicious and came with the added benefits of feeling slightly smug.

Our week consisted of sunbathing, swimming, stand-up paddle boarding, kayaking, eating and not drinking. There was walking, cycling, sunsets and laughter.

We could get the little ferry across the lagoon with our bikes to explore more of Aitutaki as an island. We walked up Maunganui Pu which afforded awesome views across the island but damn it was hot. We cycled to find the markets (closed,) supermarket (basic) and a coffee and lime sponge cake at the Koru Cafe (exceptional.)

We enjoyed a traditional cultural evening at the resort, only surpassed by a local family gathering (wedding or birthday, not sure but definitely a celebration) the other side of the lagoon on the mainland with ukeleles and singing. We enjoyed a dinner on the island at The Boat Shed, where we had the cheapest ceviche and curried fish whilst watching whales in the bay. Incredible. We sat outside on the terrace, our table had a linen tablecloth and fresh flowers, it was magical. The interior is worth a look too, packed to the rafters with historic artefacts, absolutely worth a browse. Our second to last night we had an awesome dinner at the Blue Lagoon restaurant, also just across the lagoon, where the Favourite Husband bumped into a family he knew from home. The free ferry operates between the private island and the main island all day and late into the night.

The Cook Islanders are just beautiful people. Genuinely warm and caring. Gentle people. The type that I observe and wish I was more like. I am not a quiet and gentle soul. I’m about as deep as a puddle and equally as murky.

On my birthday I had a little bit of “FOMO” when I was jealous of our neighbours, in the villa next to us. I didn’t know them from Adam. But for a minute there I thoroughly disliked them. For at least two hours they soaked up the last of the days’ sun on sun loungers at the water’s edge. Drinking champagne. Frolicking in the water, glasses aloft. Like I said. I hated them. It was my birthday. I should have been having champagne, but I knew I was better not drinking with the stress I had at work. So, instead we had chosen to go for a walk, played a game of pool and by the time we were back in our villa I was ok and back to my grateful, if not quite serene, self. Thankfully the neighbours had exhausted themselves and disappeared. I told the Favourite Husband I was sad that I had felt like I was missing out. So he had produced a packet hot chocolate and a ropey looking Kit Kat. Like a magician with a rabbit out of the hat. God knows where he had got the Kit Kat from, or indeed how old it was, but I figured it was probably best not to ask. Love him.

For my birthday he had said we were going to kayak to a desert island. I had misheard him. I thought he had said “dessert island” so I paddled like the wind. Not a pudding in sight, except me …

Aitutaki is so stunning and so relaxing, so easy and such a delight, that we are going back this year. The world is a big place, and neither I nor the Favourite Husband have seen that much of it, so it speaks volumes that we are returning to the same place and fingers crossed, the same bungalow. Can not wait.