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Wacky Aitutaki
Aitutaki, Cook Islands
October, 2004
After a week on Rarotonga I decided to head to the other main Cook Island, Aitutaki. I said farewell to my mates at the International Backpackers and was on my way. It was a 50-minute flight and when I arrived, as usual, I had no place to stay. When I got off the airplane and entered the airport, a man approached me and asked me for my Hotel Voucher. I told him I didn't have one and he said, "OK, wait inside and I will be with you in a few minutes."
I thought that was a bit odd, but there didn't seem to be anyone else around to give me a ride or tell me where to go so I took his advice. After everyone else was sorted, he came over to be and said, "Wait here and I will go get the shuttle."
I quickly replied, "Where are you going to take me?"
He looked back at me but ignored my question. I figured it must be a scam and he would try to take me to an expensive resort. A minute later he was back with a little mini van and said, "OK, everybody get on.i
There were two people also waiting, but they did actually have hotels they were going to. I stalled a bit, was going to ask him again where we were going, but before I could open my mouth he gave me this look like, "Just get on the bus mate. Quit acting like such a worried tourist." So I got on the bus.
As we drove from the airport he reviewed the other two passenger's drop off locations. I was still a bit worried. Then he looked at me and said, "So I guess you want to stay at the cheapest place on the island. That would be the Paratroopers." I remembered the cool girl who worked at the International Backpackers in
Rarotonga had mentioned the place, so I agreed right away. This made me smile. Willie, the bus driver, really summed me up. I wondered how many other backpackers he had played that game with. What a sly cat.
When we arrived at Paratroopers I went in to make sure they had a bed. They did, so I paid Willie the $8 NZ transfer fee. Before he drove off he gave me a big smile, patted me on the shoulder and said, "Have a great time on the Island mate."
Paratroopers was more than I expected for the "Cheapest Place." The lady that runs the place is super sweet and a room that you share with one other person was only $15 NZ a night. Most of the other places on the Island range from $50 to $2000 a night. My roommate was a really nice guy from Colorado named Jimmy. He was in the Cooks to do some fly-fishing. He works most of the year in a remote lodge in Alaska teaching people to fly fish.
My first night there I relaxed after parting so much in Raro, but on the second night we went out to "Island Night" at a bar named Puffyis. This one was really good, but it seemed odd that all of the dancers seemed under 16. The dances are very provocative. In Rarotonga most of the dancers were in their 20's.
This is where this story really begins. Jimmy and I are there watching the performers when this incredibly beautiful girl walks in accompanied by a lady who appears to be her mother. She was Brunette and about 6'3" in her heals. She was well built, wearing a skimpy tank top, blue jeans cuffed up to her mid thigh and pink beaded 3" heals. I thought the outfit was a bit much, especially the jeans/heals combo, but it didn't matter, everyone stared. They were obviously locals, because everyone in the place knew them. And the way she was strutting around, really too much. Jimmy and I couldn't take our eyes off her, but were way to shy to go over and talk to her.
Soon the performance was over and the place was clearing out. Jimmy and I decided to ride our bikes to the next place that was supposed to be cool, The Blue Nun Cafe near the Harbor. When we arrived, the place was hopping so we got some beers. Next thing you know, here they come, the tall girl waggling in with her mother. She immediately began to flirt with a good looking guy, well dressed, European, with grey hair and a beard. We could only look in awe. Before we knew it, it was 12:00PM and the bar was closing so we got on our bikes and rode home.
The next day was really incredible. There is no good snorkelling from the beach in Aitutaki, so I decided to go on a day boat ride around the lagoon on Bishop Cruises. Another guy from the Hostel, Charlie, also went on the same trip. They picked up at our hostel at 9:30AM and we were on the water by 10:00 with three other couples on board. Our guide, Tainer Bishop, was the owner of the company that has 3 large boats that give tours of the islands surrounding the Lagoon. He was super cool. He told us lots of stories and showed us the proper way to skin a coconut. The snorkelling was excellent and the lunch on One Foot Island was great too.
Tainer and I really got along. He used to give tours on a couple Hobie Cats he once owned. I told him I was a Hobie Sailor so we swapped lots of stories about our adventures on the sea. He once flipped his 16' while sailing solo and could not right her. Luckily the wind was on shore and he floated safely back to the island.
After 2 hours, that is... When we got to One-foot Island for lunch, Tainer and the first mate got out some traditional Cook Guitars (kind of cross between a guitar and a ukulele) and played some songs. I told him I was a guitar player so after lunch we did a little duet, I followed his chord progressions and sang along too - A song for the Honeymooners on the trip. Really fun. Tainer plans to purchase an 18' Hobie soon so he gave me his email and invited me to come and work for him. I just may have to take him up on that offer!!
This is the story Tainer told us about how "One foot Island" got its name. Many years ago, (it seems all south seas stories start this way because the islanders really didn't have date/year timeframes) there were wars amongst the different islands around the lagoon that includes Aitutaki. The Chief from one Island would always be at war with another. In this story, two of the Island Chiefs teamed up against the Chief of the main Island of Aitutaki. It seems that the day the two Chiefs attacked and sacked Aitutaki, a father and son from there were fishing on a small-unnamed Island in the atoll. After the raid, upon returning home, someone from the boats saw the two fishermen. When the father saw the boats coming he said to his son, "Quick, walk up the beach into the brush."
The father followed his son stepping in his foot prints so it appeared only one person went up the beach. When they got into the center the father told his son to climb to the top of a palm tree. When the warrior arrived they were confused that there were only one set of tracks. One warrior suggested that maybe the second person they saw was just a rock sticking out of the water. Unsure, they went into the interior, found the father, and killed him as his son watched from above. Finding no one else, the warriors returned home. The boy later became the Chief of Aitutaki and got revenge for his father's death. There you go. A classic story, war death and revenge.
Tainer was such a great guy. I was really surprised by how friendly the people were on Aitutaki. When you walk along the street everyone smiles and says hello. It was odd at first. I'm so used to cultures that ignore everyone. In one day Tainer was like my best friend. Really amazing.
That night Jimmy and I went back to the Blue Nun CafE for another Island Night. Same show and performers from the night before. About an half hour after the performance, the crazy tall girl showed up, but this time with a bigger entourage.
Her mom was there, but also two other pretty girls locked arm in arm and an older lady, thin and German looking with a really big bust. Wow, did they make and entrance. Everyone could not help from staring. I really wanted to meet this group but I was a bit intimidated. They were surly the "A Group" of the Island. Time went by and a few drinks later I ran into one of the "Couple" girls at the bar. I was wearing my brown polyester "Euro" shirt and my hair was crazy as usual. She stopped, looked at me, and said "Now, my, aren't you camp! I've got to get to know you."
The door was opened and the flood came through the gates. She gave me the rundown of the entire group. Her name was Asti (pronounced Estie) and she lived in Sydney but grew up on the island with her family. The tall gorgeous girl was her sister India who lived in London, the other girl was her lover, also from Sydney and the two ladies were their mothers. "You have got to meet my lesbian lover!" she said.
I thought it was a bit over the top the way she used "Lesbian" not just "my girlfriend" but I said, "Ok, cool." But her girlfriend would have nothing of it. Asti kept on trying to drag her over but she would shrug and pull her arm away and go back to her mother at the bar. So I went with Asti to the bar where everyone was hanging and met her mom, Leslie, India, her lover X? and her mom who I will call Helga. Jimmy soon saw that I was in with the crew and came over to the bar. I introduced him and India walked right up to him, said, "Hi Jimmy!" and kissed him on the mouth. Wow, this was really wild.
I then found out that Leslie and her husband Riki owned the Coconut Crusher Bar, the most popular Backpacker Bar on the Island. Talking about in with the in crowd. Asti really seemed enamoured with me and kept on saying to her mom, "We really must get to know this one." Her girlfriend and Helga were acting strange, not smiling much like the rest of the crew. I don't think it had much to do with her flirting with me. Something else was going on. Then the evening took a wild twist.
The bar was closing and the staff turned off the lights. India had gone to the toilet and Jimmy and I were waiting for her to get back. Next, I see India walk up, she says, "Where's Jimmy?"
All of the sudden, an incredible eruption. India and Helga traded swings and then were wrestling on the floor. A local girl basically attacked Asti and they were also on the floor rolling around. All the locals at the bar were stunned. I quickly ran to the Asti fight and began to separate the girls with the help of a local. They had hold of each otheris hair and it was hard to get them to let go. Soon the bar staff turned the lights back on and the fights were broken up. Then the scene filtered out into the parking lot. There were at least 30 locals watching the pandemonium. They really made an incredible entrance, but the exit was out of this world.
The scuffle lasted another 15 minutes outside. The India-Helga brawl was still in full force but some big locals separated them. Lots of words.
India yelling, "No one gets away with punching me you bitch!"
Helga yelling, "I'm tired of you picking on my daughter. See what happens when you drink!"
Leslie yelling, "Leave my daughters alone!"
Atsi yelling to her girlfriend, "I can t believe this! No one will ever love you!"
Asti's girlfriend yelling towards India, "Youire the Bitch, leave my mother alone!"
Totally insane. Everyone was standing around shaking their heads watching the girls go at it. Not soon enough, Atsi left in a car with a local, India and Leslie got into their car, still yelling and drove off. Helga and the girl walked off and got a cab. No one could believe what happened. I was kind of bummed because we had just met these girls, they were inviting us to go with them and then the craziness occurred. It was a wild scene. Jimmy and I laughed and reviewed the events while we rode our bikes back to Paratroopers.
The next day was a big bike ride day for me. I rode around the Island from the south and got some good shots. I really hoped I would run into the girls. I knew that they would be embarrassed, but hopefully not to embarrassed to say hello. I was in luck. As I turned the corner going towards the airport, I saw India and Leslie walking up the road. I stoped to say hello and they both greeted me with a big, "Look its Ron." India was embarrassed and swore that things like that never happened on the island. I just laughed and said, "Don't worry about it." They told me that they would open the bar that night, so I should come by for a drink. I told them that I surly would and bid them a farewell.
I rode on to Samade Sam's to take a swim and have a beer. I was really hot so I got a beer at the beach bar and walked to a table by the water. The first thing I noticed when I got to the bar was that Helga and her daughter were also there. I ignored them, set my beer down and went for a swim. After I got out of the water I relaxed sipping my beer and did a little spying of what was going on at the other table. An Aussie Rugby team surrounded them and they really looked like they were having fun. Nothing like the night before. I was surprised. They were smiling, laughing, flirting, etc.
Then a guy works at Sam's came and sat with me. I had met him on a previous visit so we knew each other. He started, "See those two ladies over there? You would not believe what happened to them last night."
I assured him that not only did I know, but also I helped break up one of the fights. A big smile came to his face, "You were there! Hey, you know the brown one that was fighting Atsi; she is right up there. She works in our kitchen!" We both laughed and he went back to work.
Next, two drunk local girls, probably about 17 came up and started flirting with me. "Hey Mister, are you double?"
I replied, "What do you mean by double?" She continued, iYou know, are you here with anyone. My sister and I want you to come swimming with us." They were making quite a spectacle and lots people were staring. I assured them that I was fine just sitting sipping my beer. Then one of the sisters saw Helga, began shadow boxing and slurred, "Look, there's that lady, she can really box, do you see her?"
I was really cracking up. Obviously the entire Island was talking about the night before. The girls wandered down the beach signalling me to come, but I ignored them. It was getting to be about 5:00PM so I finished my beer to go meet up with Jimmy to tell him the good news.
We arrived at the Coconut Crusher Bar at around 8:30PM and it was pretty dead, there were two older couples having dinner and a couple guys at the bar. India was the bartender and hostess, Leslie was the chef, Riki was also behind the bar and Atsi was not to be seen. We walked up and India greeted us with cheek kisses and we got a couple beers. One of the guys at the bar was named Christian, a cool guy from Germany. The other guy was the same "European" from the other. India said Asti was in the back and she would try to get her, but the problem was that they had been drinking all day and that Asti was hammered.
India was wearing really short shorts and a tank top, the same outfit she was wearing when I had seen her earlier. When she came out to check on the tables I saw her look down at her shorts and make a quick adjustment. I thought she would pull them up a bit, but instead she pulled them down so you could see her black lace underwear on her bare hips. She then strutted to the table and flirted with the husbands showing off her incredible body. Jimmy and I just shook our heads and laughed.
Finally Atsi came out, but she was so drunk all she said to me was hello and that she had been drinking all day because she broke up with her girlfriend. She then grabbed Christian and said, "I'm too tired, and I need to pass out." She was scheduled to fly out that evening with her girlfriend, but that obviously was not going to happen. India then returned from the tables and grabbed Atsi and took her over to the house to sleep. While they were gone the father came out and we began to chat.
Riki was a really incredible guy. He had made all is money playing music and actually had a gold album in the 50's in New Zealand. He told me the story of his first break. He was in London living in a little van with Leslie and a two year old Atsi. All he had was his guitar and a little amp. He approached a pub owner and asked if he could play there and the guy agreed, but he would need a PA. Riki went to the local music store and said, "Look mate, today is Monday, let me use this PA and I will pay you the money on Friday."
The guy agreed. Riki states, "A few people came on Monday, a few more on Tuesday, by Thursday it was packed and on Friday he had the money for the PA." He said that soon he was making over 700 Pounds a week and at that time it was big money. What a great story. I told him that I also played.
"Alright mate, I got a little PA up on that stage, I'll grab my guitar and you can play us a few songs. How about it?" I agreed and soon he was up on the little stage setting everything up. Of course, he started off and played about 4 songs, all oldies but very cool. I was kind of worried. The guitar was a bit out of tune and really twangy, so I was not sure how good I could do. I figured if I just didn't play too hard things would be fine.
I started with all Island tunes via my old friend Christopher Gilmore. I was just playing to the two couples, Jimmy and the family so it was no big deal. I played "Diving for Pearls" a couple Harry Bellefonte hits (Mary Anne and Jamaica Farewell). I knew I wasn't doing so badly because I saw Leslie poke her head out of the kitchen and smile and the couple were moving their feet. Then I decided to mix it up and played "Hey Ya" by Outcast to blank stares. I asked if anyone had heard the song and there was a resounding "No". To make up for it I played "Can't get you out of my head" by Kylie and that brought them back. Then I asked Riki if he wanted to play again and he said, "Sure mate, take a break."
He then got a few beers and proceeded to play, with his eyes shut, in the zone, for over an hour. What a character. What an incredible family of characters! A couple of my friends that I had met in Rarotonga showed up and I could barely get them beer because India was flirting heavily with Jimmy. "Common India, my friends are here, can't you just reach back and get them some beers?" She sighed, "Oh alright, I hate working at the bar." I wondered how they did any business on crowded nights.
Soon it was about midnight and they were closing the bar down. Leslie shut off the lights and Riki locked the bar door. He needed to give "The European" a ride home. As soon as he drove off, India quickly unlocked the bar and said, "Come on, lets all do some shots!" Leslie was a bit nervous, said that Riki would be right back, but she joined in too.
"What kind of shots do you want?i said India. We mulled around some options and I said, "How about a Dirty Lagoon?" The dirty lagoon is a drink I made up in Morocco. It is fairly gross but it does have a funny little story that goes along with it so everyone agreed. "But hurry!" stated Leslie.
I grabbed four shot glasses, a bottle of Vodka and filled each shot half way up. As I poured I started the story, "Back when the earth was young, the fish swam free in the clear waters of the lagoon."
Then I grabbed the Jim Beam and filled them up to three quarters. "But then came Man with his hunting and fishing and the water in the lagoon began to turn brown."
Next I topped off the glasses with Baileys. "And finally, with the coming of the machine, the lagoon became putrid and the fish swam no more...."
This seemed pretty funny in Morocco, but we were in such a hurry the whole thing didn't go over very well. Everyone made funny faces as they downed their lagoons. "That is not a very tasty shot," firmly stated India. That made me laugh.
"Here, I have a shot everyone will like." she said. I'm not sure what it was, I just remember Leslie saying, "Hurry." We were out of the bar by the time Riki showed up. Things were coming to a close. Leslie, India and Jimmy went into the house to have a smoke and I noticed that Riki was on the upstairs balcony so I went up and joined him. He was drinking a bottle of Champagne. We had a glass and he told me of his new dream.
"I want to lease this place out, move to New Zealand, start a studio and only work with young talent. There are so many talented young kids with nowhere to go." He was solemn and serious. I think all old musicians have this same dream. It was odd because itis the same thing the old musician that lives on the balcony next to me in Morocco says he wants to do. Small world. I was getting a little bored and wanted to see what was going on downstairs so I told Riki that I was going down for a piss, to see what was up and I would be back in a few minutes.
When I went down it was pretty dead. Leslie and Atsi were sleeping in the living room and India was gathering up pillows for her and Jimmy. India said to come in and hang in her bedroom but I thought it best to leave so I went back out to see what was up with Riki. When I got to the top of the stairs Riki was gone, the Champagne was gone, and my glass was there half full. "Oh well," I thought. I drank the rest of my glass, jumped on my bike and rode home.
I thought of a little song on my way back. When I got back to our room, since no one was there, I grabbed my guitar and lay in bed lightly strumming some chords so I wouldn't forget the melody of the tune. Then, all of the sudden the front door opened. I thought, "Who the hell could that be."
It was Jimmy. "Man, you would not believe what just happened!" he began. "India and I were lying in bed kissing when her dad stormed in and yelled, "Where the hell is that Ron. Were not running a whore house here!"
I guess he thought I was still in the house, not Jimmy. Jimmy said he jumped up and was standing next to India. India tried to calm Riki by saying that they were just having a smoke but he would have nothing of it. "This isn't a whore house, you girls have been driving me crazy since you got here. Tomorrow were going to have a long talk..."
While he was raving and the family was trying to calm him, Jimmy said a few words like, "Sorry sir, I meant no disrespect," got on his bike and rode back to the hostel. What a family. What a couple of nights! And it doesn't end there...
The next day, my last day on the island, I did another big bike ride. At the end of my ride, like the day before, I went to Sam's to see what was going on. When I arrived, I took a swim and the guy who was working the bar the day before was sitting in the water having a beer. "How's it going Mate?" he said. His name was Richard and he worked in the resort and his family also owned a hostel on the Island.
I said all was cool. Then we went into the usual, where you from, how long have you been on the island etc. Then he said, "Let me buy you a beer, itis my day off so I'm going to have a good time."
I wasn't planning on drinking, but hey, I couldn't turn the guy down either. The beers cost $7 and it would have been a bit of an offence to refuse. So we sat in the water, on the sand bar and talked about all kinds of things, America, the war, his home in New Zealand, land development on the island, etc. Soon we were joined by Christian (the German guy from the night before) and we had a little party in the middle of the lagoon.
"I always see the tourists sitting out here drinking and thought I would have to give it a go," said Richard. We all agreed it was quite a cool place to sit and enjoy a beer.
It was about 4:00PM and all the boats were coming in from the day trips. Christian looked up and said, "Hey look at that boat there, its Riki." Leslie had been talking about taking the family for a boat trip on the lagoon so I guess they made it out. I was a little hesitant because of the night before, but I decided I would go over and give him a hand putting the boat on the trailer.
As I walked up Riki saw me, smiled, and said, "Hey Ron, how's things going today?" I said all was well and proceeded to give him a hand. He could tell I knew what I was doing, so He didn't object and started giving me little orders. There was a bit too much weight on the boat to get her out correctly, so Riki went up and woke all the girls who were having a little Siesta on Board. Asti and India jumped off but Leslie stayed on.
The girls were happy to see me and gave me hugs. They were both wearing G-strings and asked their mum to hand them out their shorts so all the local Island boys wouldnit stare. Then we easily got the boat on the trailer. "How about we join Ron here for a drink at the bar before we go home," said Riki.
There were no objections. Asti, India and I walked on the beach and Riki went to park. Asti apologised for the night before, that she had drank all day because of the incident with her girlfriend. I assured her I did understand and that all was cool. I asked about Riki, "It seems he has forgotten about last night, do you think he is still mad at Jimmy?"
India replied, "Oh, don't worry about father, he always puts up a big fuss but never holds a grudge. If he brings something like that up, we just change the subject and that is that."
One quick beer at the bar turned into several, and then several more. Riki kept on saying, "Ok girls, your mother is waiting in the car, this is the last one." Then he would proceed to order another round of Brandys and beers for everyone. He was really getting giddy. Then he started inviting every person who walked by to join us. An older English guy walked by and he said, "Hey Steve, won't you join us?"
The guy replied, "My name isn't Steve and you don't know me."
Riki replies pointing to another couple he had invited to sit with us, "Well, weren't you out with us today on the day trip on the lagoon?"
Then the guy smiles and says, "No, you weren't on our cruise, but I did see you fly by on your boat with a bunch of pretty young girls!" Everyone laughed and the guy sat down.
Next Riki told us a great story. "Every Friday night we have the best party on the island. All the of the backpackers and locals come and we have a great DJ. But on Saturday morning when I'm cleaning up, I notice the place is littered with these "Mudslide" bottles. Ron, you know what the Mudslides are?"
I look at him like, "Sure I guess..." The girls look at me like, "Oh god, not this story again."
He continues, "So there are these bottles everywhere and I've got to clean them up. We don't even sell them! So you know what I did? I went down to bottle shop and bought every damn mudslide bottle they had. See Ron, that's how you take care of these little problems."
Everyone laughed. The girls began to shout, "Yes but father, now we have all those bottles and can't get rid of them! No one will buy them!"
"Yeah, but I'm not picking up those bottles any more on Saturday morning," Riki said while winking at me. I wondered what new bottle he was now picking up, but I though it better not to bring that up.
"OK girls, we have to go, but I think we should have just one more shot..." Just then Leslie walks up. "Alright you guys, I'm driving the trailer home, are you coming or not?"
No one really wanted to leave because we were really having a great time. The only ones who were getting antsy were the waitresses who were trying to set up for dinner. We were taking up half of the dinner seating and they were trying to get rid of us. Riki got up and said, "OK girls, lets go."
"But Daddy, we don't want to go yet." said India.
"Alright, then Mother will have to come back and get you," said Riki. Leslie agreed and the life of the party left. Man, Riki is one wild guy. It was so fun watching him work the crowd.
The sun was almost down and the staff was really trying to get us to leave, so after a few more (on Riki's tab) we decided to get going. Christian said he could give the girls a ride on his moped and I rode my bike. India and Atsi told me to come by later in the evening and we would party for my last night. I wondered if anyone would be alive after so much drinking. What another wild day! What a wacky family! I gave them kisses goodbye and said I would see them later.
When I returned to the hostel Jimmy was making dinner and I told him the story of the day. He was laughing, "That family is insane!"
I told him that they invited us over later in the evening but Jimmy wasn't so sure. "I don't know. Their father was really mad last night."
"Don't worry about it." I said. "The girls said it was totally cool and after today I don't think he will even be awake."
I had some dinner and at about 9:00PM we rode towards the Coconut Crushers. When we arrived, all was dark. Obviously everyone was passed out. I suggested we ride out to Sam's for a beer and maybe they would be awake by the time we returned. Luckily, Sam's was still open, Christian was there and we had a couple beers. Around 11:00PM we rode back to the Crushers and lights were on. Jimmy was really nervous but we knocked on the girlis window and they let us in.
Riki was on the couch; he looked at us, but was out of it and didn't say anything. The girls were very undecided whether they wanted to rally and do something that evening. Finally, after lots of debating, they said, "It's Ron's last night, lets go over to the other house and have some drinks."
Leslie seems a bit worried, "You girls are drinking me out of house and home! You absolutely can't take any more bottles from the bar."
Atsi steps in, "Mum, we will pay for a bottle, OK? And you should come over and join us. Ron is going to play his guitar!" She hesitates, then says, "Ok, but you have to pay for the bottle."
We all agree. We all went over to the bar, paid Leslie for a bottle of Vodka and some Sprites and then got in the car and drove about a half mile to another house, Its wasn't a house they owned, it was a friend of theirs and she was gone on holiday. We had a great little party. A local guy showed up and proceeded to get everyone really stoned. Jimmy was so whacked out I don't ever think he left the couch.
Then I got out my guitar and played a bunch of songs. They were all really stoked. The local guy really liked my crazy covers.
"Mate, how long you on the island for?" he said. "I can get you some gigs. You could stay here for free and make some money. Common Mate!" I was really flattered, but my flight left at 9:00AM the following morning and my schedule was impossible to change. I told him, "I would love to stay, but my flights are too tight, tomorrow I fly to Raro, the next day I fly to Auckland, and two days after that I'm on to Perth."
Next Leslie stated that Atsi could play and encouraged her to do some songs. She kept on refusing, but finally she got on the guitar. She played a few songs and I could tell she was really good but, way out of practice. She even tuned up a bit for me! These girls never seised to amaze me. What a great bunch of people! We kept on Partying and the next thing you know it was 4:00AM.
Soon, one by one, everyone began to pass out. First Jimmy, then India, the local and Leslie went home, and the next thing you know it was only Atsi and I awake. My problem was that I had to catch the shuttle to the airport at 7:30AM. If I fell asleep, there was no way I would wake until after noon. Atsi was a real sweetheart and decided to stay up with me until I left at 6:30AM. I gave her a fond farewell, walked to the Crusher, got my bike and rode back to Paratroopers. A true all nighter.
What an incredible trip to Aitutaki. The Coconut Crusher girls made it extra special, but regardless, it was a trip I will never forget!!
Go to the Photo section to see a pic of the Crusher Girls and Jimmy.
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