In my last intemperate post about fleeing to Rarotonga because of lousy weather here (and The Weather dominating The News) I said I wouldn’t come back and tell you about “the weather” in Raro. I lied.
But this is just to make you feel good: it rained and rained and rained. Then the rain stopped for a bit, then it rained and rained and rained.
I’m told it was quite nice here in our absence. Harummph.
Anyway it was good for the wedding day that we went for -- and then it rained and rained and . . .
You get the picture.
I watched a lot of World Cup soccer and old movies like The Harder They Come, Dog Day Afternoon, Legally Blonde . . ….
Fortunately I also got out and met some interesting people (one in the hard end of politics, another in business, and another a mate who moved back to Raro in 73 so that was a catch-up on old friends and so on).
And we hired a car for a couple of days -- yeah, I know, scooters are cheaper but the torrents of water coming down meant I wanted to get to restaurants and meetings at least partially dry and comfortable.
We drove around the island a few times (mostly just to get out of the hotel) and then on the last day I had to fill the car up to return it to the hire company. Somewhat hilariously I had to drive around and around again because there was no petrol to be found.
It seems when people heard it was going up to about $2.20 a litre there was a rush on the (few) pumps.
It was an interesting time (I know a lot more about Cook Island politics, graft and corruption than I did before, and that’s maybe a good thing), and we met some nice people.
But it’s always good to be home, especially if it’s dry. And it seems to be here.
Actually, the last day we were there the sun beamed down, but by the time we got to the airport just after noon it was lashing down again and I kinda felt sorry for the hundreds arriving for the school holidays.
The hotel we were in -- and another that I checked out -- were fully booked for the next few weeks (and no one was saying the weather was going to suddenly improve).
Still, they are there and I am now here -- and aren’t the Auckland roads quiet this week? Hmm. School holidays? Quiet roads? There could be a pattern here, right? Something to think about maybe? Again, maybe?
But now it’s back to work -- and more and more my happy work involves the Elsewhere website here
which has taken off (especially so in my absence, which I attribute to the generous mention in the Listener for this week’s programmes, in the section Websites We Love).
If you haven’t checked out the new Music From Elsewhere page (updated every Monday, so there's new stuff there right now), then have a look’n’listen. The 15 minute Fela Kuti track should keep you amused and occupied for a while.
So now I am back to work, but what the hell. The sun is shining -- which is more than Some Places I Could Mention!
(And that’s the last you’ll hear from me about “the weather”)