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14th September
Ki orana!
Hifrom paradise that is Atataki.Flew here on Tuesday morning from Rarotonga, 40 min flight taking us 220km north.Views of Atataki from plane are amazing but wasn't impressed as had a wing seat and the better view was on the other side!Got taken to our hotel, Are Temaru which only has 12 big huts.Felt like we had finally arrived in luxury, hut is big, even got a wardrobe (haven't had one of those for a while and all other mod cons!Our balcony has views down the path to the pool with the sand behind that then the green lagoon so not bad!Pool is an infinity pool over the beach and the beach is amazing with an amazing green/blue clear lagoon and palms everywhere.Aitataki is said to be in the 3rd best lagoon in the world and its not hard to see why.
Got here at 0900 so had breakie round the pool before lying on the beach all day!There were only 2 other couples staying and didn't see them or nearly anybody else all day!Did quite a bit of snorkelling in the clear waters and went out on the kayak.Had lunch at the sister hotel nextdoor which is bigger and is said to have posher rooms than ours but their pool isn't a spot on ours!Paul also fell backwards out of the hammock which was very very funny!The sunset over the lagoon and was very cool, took so many photos it took ages to decide which to keep!We then at 1830 got picked up and went to an island night at a hotel called samanade on the beach.Sat on a table next to a nice young honeymooning Queensland couple and 2 nice Kiwi couples, had a good laugh will all of them.Had a buffet of local food, during which I was very brave and some of it was very nice.There was then a local dance show with men, women and teenagers and a band and drums, was all really good.There was even a 2 year old girl strolled on with a flower band attached to her skirt shaking it as she shook her bum, very cute!Paul got dragged up to dance and had to copy this girl and shake it, very funny!A local band played after that, had a very good night to end a good day!
Wednesday we got picked up after breakfast to go for a lagoon cruise and snorkel trip.There were only 4 couples, 2 us and a kiwi and went on a little yellow boat with our guide Poonar who was very nice.We travelled around the tiny motu (little islands) off the south of Aitataki in the lagoon.Was very cloudy in morning but cleared, still some grey clouds in parts but lots of sun.Stopped and saw about 5 turtles swimming around on the way but none came near enough to photograph.We then stopped at a sandbank called honeymoon island, was rather nice.Also saw some red-tailed tropic birds with their tiny chicks, the sandbank island is the only place where they live.Afterwards we had a snorkel just near the island, Poonar through bread in and there were loads of fish and was so clear.We then passed an island called moturakau which is where they are filming the 3rd series of English shipwrecked, we had seen the film crew leave the harbour in their speedboat all looking very happy with themselves and their jammy job!We weren't aloud to get too near the island but near enough to see the contestants trying to catch so me fish!It was then off to another sandbank near one foot island that they call nude island cause nothing grows there.This tiny place was 100% picture perfect, white sand, clear water, amazing.Here we had a bbq lunch and lazed around and snorkelled, it was surprisingly good having no coral, big fish were attracted by the food from the boats though!Again this place wasn't too shabby either!Also has a little 'post office', not quite in the true sense of the word but sells stamps and gives a passport stamp which is cool!Went snorkelling again after this which again was very good before going back to mainland (if you can call tiny Atatuki that!).So had an unbelievable day, beach/water scenery was the best of its kind we had seen, Atatuki is full of honeymooners and its not hard to see why!Went back for a siesta before eating at Tevaka restaurant in the hotel, meant to be nice but didn't rate the food at all but can't like every meal, got followed back to our room by a cat, felt bad but Paul assured me it would find its way back!
Thursday my alarm clock at 0800 was mam and dad, was blue skies so after breakfast walked up to the Maungapu 125m high viewpoint.Was rather steep and hot to begin with but as we got half way of the 30 min walk the blue skies were replaced by grey so not the best views of the lagoon, was topped off by drizzling all the way back!Checked out and hired a moped, went to the pacific hotel for a drink as its rather posh.Met a 70 ish kiwi couple as they asked us to help them with their camera which we did, then had a drink with them in the restaurant overlooking the lagoon, they were very nice and amusing so had a lovely little time!Also by this point the sun had come out although it kept coming and going all afternoon.We then had a drive around the island and to a scooter friendly viewpoint then for lunch at the boatshed then for a cocktail at the $1400/night Aitutaki lagoon which we had to get a very short ferry to.Afterwards we came back to the pool and sat reading my mag while Paul played PSP.We weren't impressed as most of our hammocks and sundowners were taken up by the shipwrecked crew who were using our facilities for their day off, how rude!Went to the airport for our 1900 flight back and got given a floral necklace thing (cant remember what the correct name is)Paul couldn't wait to get his off, he didn't feel it suited his outfit!
Flight was awful, was very windy and rainy and the take off and landing were both not fun but landed in one piece!Went and had a drink at the backpackers over the road with our English friends Dean and Steph that we had met on the first day and then got the bus back.We were staying back in the room we had left and had new housemates, a couple from Heathrow and she's also a nurse in ITU, weird and I picked up her shoes by mistake as they were exactly the same as mine and size, doubly weird!So very much enjoyed our time in Aitataki well worth the expense and now back in good old Rarotonga, fly out on Saturday at midnight, will probably update you before then.Going to do our photos now, they are amazing!!!
PS Paul's favourite subject is his 50 mossie bites, he's abit covered and most since Cook islands!!LOVE AND MISS U LOADS USXXXXXXXXXX
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