Vara's

Vara's Guest House, run by none other than Vara herself.  We had the upstairs room on the left.  The hostel was behind our building, closer to the ocean.  Our plane arrived several hours late, but one of Vara's relative's was waiting for us at the airport when we arrived.  She gave us plumeria blossoms and then proceeded to drive like a bat out of hell to the guest house.  Flying down the unfamiliar side of the street at 2am somewhere in the South Pacific was a thrilling experience.  I kept looking up and getting momentarily distressed by not seeing anyone in what I think of as the driver's seat.

Left: Me at Vara's
Below Left: Water Lilies growing in the culvert just behind our guest house.

Below Right: The view from our balcony.  Every morning there were nearly a hundred chickens roaming the lawn area.  Besides wild chickens there were also many, many, wild dogs on Rarotonga.  The only danger posed by these friendly mutts was to motorists.  According to locals, dog/moped accidents remain the leading source of vehicle related injury on the island.

Unlike Rarotonga, there are no wild dogs on Aitutaki.  In fact there are no dogs at all.  About 50 years ago (or so we were told) a dog bit the daughter of a local chief and he ordered that all the dogs on the island be put down.

 

Right and Below:  Sunrise over the Pacific Ocean as viewed from our kitchen window.
 

Photo Album                       < >                   Home Page