East Coast pit stop on the way to W.Africa

East Coast pitstop,

Hope you are well and thriving. You know it's that time of the year again...my Birthday Trip! This year will feature Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Togo, and Benin, W.Africa. First, a pit stop on the East Coast (USA) for the Anniversary party of a traveler's social network, Nomadness Tribe. So I'll quickly recap that:

From LAX, arrived, (with friend/travelmate, Nikida), in Philadelphia, PA where we spent a couple of nights with her family before heading to New Jersey to spend a night with another Tribe member. He wined and dined us thoroughly before we moved on to New York where we met up with other Tribe members, and celebrated to exhaustion. We enjoyed a very nice Brunch in Harlem before I was dropped off at JFK headed to Accra Ghana (via Amsterdam).

Aitutaki/Rarotonga, Cook Islands, pt 6 final post

Departure time, from Aitutaki back to Rarotonga:

It was the shortest flight ever, yet I thought my bladder would burst mid-air. I'd slammed down the rest of my water then had a cup of coffee by takeoff! What was I thinking? The flight attendant got the pilot's permission for me to potty even though we'd begun descent. It was the greatest relief I've ever experienced. Awww! TMI? Sorry, but it explains why I took a pic with a flight attendant - she saved me from embarrassment and a 'clean up' on seat 12 A:)

Landed in Rarotonga and got scooped up by friendly, familiar faces - Cassandra and Terry (from Monterey, CA). We then went on our very own island tour after a delicious lunch of fresh grilled tuna sandwiches (I don't think I can ever eat it from the can again). Terry got a turtle tattoo, we met Sara (a local school teacher), singing sisters Leilani and Kura, more wonderful locals, and spent the rest of time enjoying music, meals, ambiance, and locals. We all treasured the trip and our time together. 

Fortunately, I saw Ida and Branko the following week during their long layover in L A, before returning to Vancouver. I'll reconnect with Cassandra and Terry in July at the Gilroy Garlic Festival!!!

Pics: Aitutaki airport, accommodations, Angel flight attendant, Cassandra and Terry/tattoo, their beach cottage/view, Sara and cousin, dude with pet dog and pig, vocalists/sisters: Leilani and Kura, Mr.Hopeless (bus driver), and other random shots.

Leaving Aitutaki, friends, and my adopted family, Cook Islands, pt 5

Aitutaki:

Vaikoa's Garden Villas, owned by Mama Vaikoa, assisted by her daughter Terangi and her husband Junior showed me island hospitality, welcomed my visiting adopted family Ida and Branko, and set up my Lagoon tour for me. I enjoyed them so much, yet it was time to go back to Rarotonga.

The morning before I departed, I spent time with Mama Vaikoa and Terangi who gifted me a beautiful necklace made of shells found only on Aitu (Mama's Vaikoa's birthplace).

It was also time to leave Branko and Ida who I'd spent time with everyday for one and a half weeks. We'd shared meals, drinks, walks, talks, music, stories, and so many laughs, my cheek, abdominal, and rib muscles hurt when I moved. The last time I recall laughing as hard, as long, and as often was when I visited Turkey 20 yrs ago:

(I had a bath in Turkey, where I was flogged, man-handled (by a topless, amazonian woman), lathered up, and mopped around like a wet seal, on a slab of marble. I laughed throughout the entire bath. My 'washer' joined in, then every woman in the bath house. I didn't speak Turkish, none of them spoke English, yet we had an EPIC time!!!

I returned a couple of weeks later, and as soon as the women saw me, they room broke into laughter and applause (that 'turn up time' kind ), and that's what we did!

Branko, Ida, and Sheila gave me a farewell party.. When I came:

Me: Oh wow, this is so beautiful, thank you all for putting this together.
Branko: What? It's just some leftovers.
Ida: Da ad! Way to kill the mood.
BrankoL What? It's leftovers, nothing special! But we're still going to miss you Loninka!

Sheila and I were rolling in laughter! The evening was Deluxe!  Mii came after work and we laughed, drank, ate, enjoyed a beautiful sunset and and wonderful evening together

(Pics: Lagoon, Puna - boat captain, new Aussie friends, nesting birds, me w/Sheila, Ida, Branko, Mama Vaikoa, Terangi, and Junior)

Ka Kite Aitutaki!

Aitutaki, Cook Islands, They call me 'Sister'! pt 4

Aitutaki cont.:

 Ida rented a car so we rode around the island, met locals, enjoyed the scenery and tranquility! The islanders are so warm and friendly, and I love it that the Natives, Australian and New Zealanders with Maori blood, call me 'Sister', as we are connected by blood from the Motherland. Indeed I am both 'Sista and Sister'!

(pics: me and friends, lagoon tour sights, surf board yoga, sea cucumber (everywhere), mysterious fruit on tree, lagoon yummy lunch, finishing a snorkel session)