Now where did I leave you last

Wow how time flies. It's been a week since my last post. Things have been hectic but glorious. Jan 20-22 Bay of Islands Tour Morning of Jan 20 we headed north via a coach tour to the Bay of Islands, the most northern area of the north island, staying in Paiha. After a few hours drive we are treated to a walk and cultural tour where the Waipeti (sp?) Treaty was signed. One of only two treaties worldwide ever signed in a peace time without the threat of war. After which we have free time so on the spur of the moment we decide to go parasailing ... tadem ... over the water... awesome! My first parasail and we fly to 1200m. We then take the ferry across the bay to Russell home of the first/original capital city of NZ. We get there around 4pm and are looking for somewhere to eat a late lunch but it seems almost all places are closed between 3-6pm - very odd. We find one little bar open with a garden eating area for some very good island pub style food. Back across the bay for a wander and an early nite. Jan 21 we head out on a tour of 90 mile Beach (not actually 90 miles!) which we drive on in the bus, Cape Reinga and some local sights. Just off the top end of the beach are huge sand dunes which everyone (not me) climbs and boogie boards down on their bellies like you're toboganning. Dave was giggling like a school boy. After the tour we headed into town for dinner and ran into two different couples we've yakked too eating dinner side by side, one on the bus up and the other on the day's tour, we pull up a table and turn up the chatter volume. Jan 22 we head out on a boat for our Hole in the Rock cruise and another Cape (I forget the name). A beautiful day on the top viewing deck. Back into Paiha to kill a few hours before our bus ride back into Aukland. Dropped off at the hotel aroun 8:30pm for an evening of laundry and repacking of the bags (we'd left some stuff behind in Auckland). Jan 23 we head out to the airport for our 10:30am flight to Rarotonga, Cook Islands. In flight we gain our lost day back and land at 4:00pm January 22 - the day before. Very cool. Unfortunately it's quite overcast and raining. It's been raining for a few days here and isn't going to clear up for a few more. It is very warm and humid though which does help to make the rain somewhat more bearable. We are staying at Palm Groves and have a beachfront bungalow looking out onto the lagoon. You can hear the surf crashing on the outer reef which surrounds the island. We don't venture far due to the rain - alternating between heavy and light showers. We dine at our "local" bar and chat we other residents. Jan 23 (again!) It's still raining but in the afternoon it actually lightens up some and stops. We spend the afternoon in the water swimming and snorkelling and kayaking. Dave gets bitten (well nipped is more appropriate I guess), not once, but twice, by a fish. She didn't like him poking his finger near her I suppose. He never learns!!! It rains again thru the evening with thunder & lightening. I wake up to use the WC during the night and the surf is crashing sooo loud is sounds like it's right outside our porch. Jan 24 It's still overcast and raining. This morning we are flying over to Aitutaki, a smaller island in the CI group. The weather is an improvment here when we lake. Mostly sunny with clouds ... NO RAIN!!! Aitutaki contains a number of islets which are surrounded by and part of a barrier reef. Inside is a shallow lagoon - magnificent from the air as we fly over before landing. Here we have a bungalow but not on the beach. Our location however, we hear from everyone else who comes by to swim, has the best beaches and is the most protected on the island. We located on a smaller inside lagoon whereas the majority of other locations are on the outer side of the island. We swim and spend the balance of the day on the beach. Jan 25 ... nothing but beach, water and sun today. Jan 26 ... we take a lagoon cruise and spend the day with 6 others on a small boat snorkelling, touring the lagoon, a few islands, and a bbq lunch on one. A fun group and an extraordinary day. At our first snorkel spot we feed the fish bread, not sure how healthy that is but ..., they swarm around us as we snorkel. Our next snorkel stop is an area of giant clams - they range in size from your hand to 5 or 6 feet high. We continue onto another island. The tide is going out so we get out of the boat to walk the new island "honey moon island" which is growing out of a sand bar where the boat meets us on the other side to cross the channel to our lunch stop. We have fruit, salads, a fresh bbq'd parrotfish & chicken which we eat on a picnic table under the palm trees. One more snorkel stop, a few island highlights and our last stop of One Foot Island where we get our passports stamped for fun. We're back around 5:30pm and seeing as we're in our swimming toggs we take another dip to cool off before showering up for dinner. While getting ready we're surprised by a knock on the door ... a NZ couple we yakked with at the Rarotonga Airport is staying at the high end real "resort" just down from us and have asked us to dinner on their island. Sure we say as we have no real plans. And you do need to take a "ferry" boat ride over the channel for a maybe two minute ride and a 100m distance!!! We enjoy a great dinner and drinks at the resort restaurant overlooking the water and under the stars. Jan 27 ... today we take a jungle safari tour of the island. We go inland thru the agriculture and plantations, visit a couple local sacred sites and up the three "mountains" (the highest is 300+m above sea level) for some incredible views of the island and the lagoon. We're back by 12:30pm. As I type Dave is still out laying in the sun ... the man is a worshipper. Me I get too hot and spend more time in the shade as my delicate skin can only take so much sun. I am getting some colour though and won't be returning as pale as I left. And that's it so far. A few more days in paradise to go. Tonight is island nite here at our local resort. The guide books rate it pretty good. We'll be getting a cultural show and dinner, something similar to the Maori Hangi and the Hawiian Louaow (sp???). The Cook Islander dancers are supposed to have even faster hips than the Hawiian's. Bye for now!