1998

Cook Islands

I had not heard of the Cook Islands until the travel agent from Air Brokers International said I could stop there for an additional $50. Like I am gonna say no. Ha!

Excerpt from journal dated January 25, 1998:
I got settled (Tiara Village Dive, Rarotonga) and headed to town to get a late lunch. I barely got going down the road when some people called out to me to join them for lunch. It was James, Toru and their daughter Elizabeth. She is 5, Toru is 29 and James is 34. They were having their special Sunday meal. They cooked it in the traditional style in the umu (earth oven). They had just finished eating. They had a pig, chicken, taro root, taro leaves cooked in coconut milk and pumpkin. I had chicken, taro root, pumpkin and fresh coconut juice. Initially it was hard to eat because the pigs head was sitting in a pan looking at me.