Well, this place is as beautiful as I had always dreamed. Clear turquoise seas inside a reef on which waves crash frothily in the distance and brightly bicolour exotic fish dart around your feet as you pick your way through the coral away from the bright white sandy beach..
I am on the very south of the island, but the views are stunning every where. Friday (my second in 48 hours due to the very confusing crossing of the date line) I spent sitting on the beach, dozing and listening to my iPod, getting burnt cos the sun moved and I woke up no longer in the shade.
The first night Vaia, and his wife Mocha, who run Rau's Guesthouse, and their friend Nick welcomed me by getting me so drunk I could barely move the next day, until the evening when I went for a superb steak dinner with Atua, the owner of the Guest houe, who takes out all his guests on their first night (or second!) so today, Sunday, was the first time I managed to get up and do something.
Now brace yourselves before you hear what it is that did.
Ready? Good.I went to church!
Yes yes, I know I know, not my kind of thing, and I haven’t "found god". (But I do know where he hangs out if I need him.)
I walked the 2 miles there, along the coast road, enjoying the breeze and the glittering sea on one side and the verdant green of the mountains in the middle of the islands on the other. When I felt I’d gone a couple of miles and I still wasn't there, I asked an old man on a moped who was going the other way if I was on the right track to the church . He said yes, it was not much further. A minute later he drew up alongside me and offered me a lift on the back of his moped the rest of the way!
People here are so genuinely welcoming and friendly, and it’s taken me months to let that British “you are being nice to me so therefore you must want something” guard down!
It was a lovely little place and worth a visit just for the scent of the flowers around the alter and the view of the mountains from the windows.
However the reason that i came, was that I have heard that church is much more of an event here, and very much part an important part of the culture of the place. I have visited so many Buddhist temples now it was time to appreciate some Christian culture, and truthfully I really went for the singing which I had heard was really something. Singing is said to be huge part of the hour and a half long service and boy, they weren’t understating.
The men and women sing different parts and everyone sings in harmony together. No-one organises them, there is no choir as such; but Their voices soared, people sang joyfully and as loud as they could, so fervently and genuinely happily one couldn’t help but join in even though I did not know the songs or the language before. The tunes were simple and easy to learn so anyone could be a part should they wish to, and the words were projected on the wall, as there were no bibles or hymn books; some people had brought their own though.
People held each other as they sang, children hugged each other. Old men leant on the pews in front whilst they sang their hearts out in harmonies they had learnt since childhood and the small church was so full of the sound of togetherness and happiness it was utterly infectious and very moving.
All the time the sun streamed in and I watched the beautiful view out of the window when I couldn't understand the sermons, (half of which are in the Cook Islands native tongue and half in English)
The pastor even said that although Psalm means "short lesson" he apologised as today they were covering Psalm 150 which has lots of verses and so todays sermon was going to be a bit of a longy!
And afterwards everyone went across the road and ate sandwiches and scones and drank orange squash together to chat and meet each other! I meant a few nice people before Nick picked me up and took me to the Mura beach on the East of the island to go Kayaking and snorkelling around the reefs there.
Mura beach is the most popular place on the island.. There are 4 or 5 little tiny islands that when the tide is low you can walk to, are close enough to swim to and easy to kayak to and the snorkelling is fantastic off them too, and all the while they protect you from the tide and winds.
So we kayaked round the islands, and snorkelled amongst the many fish. Saw parrot fish (which are apparently “good eating” and giant clams and big blue starfish and long thin trumpet nosed fish ... and stripy fish that come right up to you to see what you are..... it wasn't quite as stunning as Nha Trang, but then you could just wander a few years into the sea to see all these fabulus creatures and corals,s in that way it was lots better!
Then, exhausted after load of swimming and kayaking and diving down to pick up starfish and squish sea cucumbers, spent some time just lazing on the beach of an island that many couples come to get married on; each, rather romantically planting a coconut palm during the ceremony so they can come back and visit their marriage tree whenever they want to.
They have a nice simple attitude to the weather here also which made me giggle..
Went for a few beers in the evening not many at all after the experience the other night) and made plans for tomorrow... I am going to hire a bike! (not a moped, just a cycle)
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