electricspells

peregrination :: island holiday on Cook Islands – February 2015

Wednesday, 4 February

Today I crossed the island. This involved a bus ride into town, walk up to the power station, then the overland track to the Needle, down to the main road and a bus home.

The highest point of the island from town
The highest point of the island from town
Housing on the outskirts of Avarua
Housing on the outskirts of Avarua
The official information panel for the overland track
The official information panel for the overland track
The track leading to the Needle as you pass the power station
The track leading to the Needle as you pass the power station
The view up the pass to the Needle
The view up the pass to the Needle
The outlook from about three-quarters up the track
The outlook from about three-quarters up the track
View West from the base of the Needle
View West from the base of the Needle
View of the side of the Needle
View of the side of the Needle (trying to get a shot that shows imposing height)
Straight up the Needle from below
Straight up the Needle from below
The 'safety chain' to allow/assist seeing the other side of the Needle
The ‘safety chain’ to allow/assist seeing the other side of the Needle
View Southwest from the Needle
View Southwest from the Needle
View South from the top of the descending track
View South from the top of the descending track
The Needle (from the descending track)
The Needle (from the descending track)
View West from the descending track
View West from the descending track
Jungle vegetation on the descending track
Jungle vegetation on the descending track
Creek that the descending track follows from near the top
Creek that the descending track follows from near the top
Small waterfall to a pool in the creek
Small waterfall to a pool in the creek

Today’s resort event was an ‘island experience’ including headdress making, coconut opening and milking, Ika Mata(!), U’mu oven (like a hungi), and island dancing.

The headdress that I made
The headdress that I made under instruction
A group of my fellow resort guests
A group of my fellow resort guests
(L to R)Sydney couple, Canadian couple, [unknown]
Me learning how to husk a coconut
Me learning how to husk a coconut
Me learning how to husk a coconut
Me learning how to husk a coconut
Me learning how to husk a coconut
Me learning how to husk a coconut
The U'mu oven being opened
The U’mu oven being opened
The food revealed in the open U'mu oven
The food revealed in the open U’mu oven
Island dancing exhibition
Island dancing exhibition
Audience participation in the island dancing exhibition
Audience participation in the island dancing exhibition

Another night for the sunset

Sunset from the OTB Restaurant
Sunset from the OTB Restaurant
Sunset from the OTB Restaurant
Sunset from the OTB Restaurant
Manuia Beach Resort from the shoreline
The view West passed the Needle from the descending track
Manually created panorama