December 17th-21st, Aitutaki Cook Islands

There is a place in the South Pacific that is everything you think of in a tropical paradise. Aitutaki, a motu lagoon, formed by an extinct volcano. Aitutaki is in the Northern end of the Southern Cooks Islands. The Ocean is azure and turquoise blue in the lagoon, and deep crystal clear blue outside the lagoon. The motu is surrounded with smaller uninhabited islands and crystal clear water. Pull up Aitutaki on the web and you get a great arial picture of the island in images. The sand is powdery white, and the reef is loaded with many colorful fish, eels, urchins, beautiful coral heads and more. The girls can walk 20 feet from their beach hut, put a mask and snorkel on, and be exploring the underwater world. The temperature is mid 80’s each day, and in the night about 75. We have had gorgeous sunsets from our beach and beautiful lightning displays on the horizon at sunset. Being so far from any cities, and no mega resorts are aloud on this island, there is a night sky that is piercing clear. You see stars and planets that only the center of the South Pacific will allow. There are no dogs on Aitutaki, as they are banned. Something about a King who’s son was bitten several hundred years ago. Anyway, there is a law banning dogs. It makes for a very peaceful experience, not that dogs are bad, as we own one, but the dogs on our last Island, Rarotonga, were a bit aggressive from time to time. Although, mostly playful. We have crabs scampering around the beaches, beautiful birds and sounds we have never seen or heard, and fresh fruit hanging from the trees. All of our consumed fruit (bananas, paw paws, passion fruit, mangos, coconut, avocado, bread fruit and limes) can be picked from the grounds we reside on. Most of these we simply pick and eat with one of our meals. Or, if we can’t find anything on the grounds we can simply walk down the street and find a fruit tree or vine in the jungle, or off the side of any road. Most fruits are abundant in supply; we only need to wait for some to ripen. We often trade fruit with others staying around us, or are given fruit from somebody on a daily basis. While writing this Peter and Jane stopped by with several mangos and a coconut. Curt’s Ahi tuna served all the guests (4) staying in the other two huts next to us, and we still have more tuna to serve our Swedish friends on the December 23rd. 26 pounds of Yellow Fin can be stretched a bit. We can walk down the beach and venture in to local peoples gardens and buy produce directly, and tea and cake may be offered in return. The people on Aitutaki are beautiful and friendly. This place really is quite amazing, and special. I’m sure there are many other remote islands in the South Pacific that are similar, we are simply really thankful that we get an opportunity to experience it as a family and see this one first hand. If you are fortunate enough to visit this place someday, or a place like it, find a hut on the beach with a local family, as it should only cost you about $25-$45 USA a night. Sure your water/plumbing may only work half of the day, you may need to put up with a few geckos in the room, and the humidity might catch you a little of guard, but you can’t beat the living, people and the life experience.

Maddy's nugget of wisdom #18: When going under water make sure to hold your breath.