The Cook Islands are sunny, fun and a good place to relax as I wind down my last few weeks of this year-long trip. Rarotonga in the southern group of the 15 Cook Islands is a good starting point if you want to island hop among the southern islands. It’s the largest island but it’s still relatively small. I was able to ride a motorbike around the entire coastline in about 45 minutes. It’s also the most populated island with about 8,000 residents.

Some people visit the Cooks as a destination on its own and some use it as a stopover as they cross the Pacific. The islands recently received some notoriety when Survivor was filmed here. I’m not a fan of reality TV so I didn’t see the program but I’m told there were some beautiful shots of the islands beamed all over the world. That makes me feel good. This is a place that should be appreciated and enjoyed by people from near and far.

Aitutaki is a favorite stop among the southern islands for those who want to get away from the busier Rarotonga (if you can call it busy) and experience the country’s more traditional culture. There is a wonderful coral reef on Aitutaki and the pace is even slower paced than Rarotonga.

The Islanders are dark-skinned, wide-bodied Polynesians. They have their own language but they speak English very well. They are religious (Christian) and they enjoy their traditional dancing with native costumes and fire.

Overall, the Islanders enjoy a relaxed lifestyle and they do things on “Cook Island time” which means when they get to it. If you’re patient and enjoy the laid-back vibe, you should get acclimated to island life pretty quickly.

The climate is comfortable with moderate levels of humidity and temperatures in the mid-80s year round but Rarotonga with its inland mountains gets a fair amount of rain. The rains are usually short downpours but it’s a good idea to pack a good, breathable rain jacket because it rains frequently some days. As I’ve learned, there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad gear. A hat, sunscreen and mosquito spray are essential, too.

Scuba diving and snorkeling are popular here as you might expect with beautiful clear water. There is also a popular cross-island hike on Rarotonga that provides great views of the inland mountains, including Te Rua Manga (the Needle).

If you come to Rarotonga and you want to stay at a good budget-priced accommodation, Tiare Village is a good option. Adrienne is the friendly owner and she will take good care of you. She has a dorm-style house, chalets and poolside rooms all in a small, well maintained village.

Rarotonga has a good airport with some of the major airlines servicing it. Flights arrive from Auckland, New Zealand and Tahiti among other places. Flights from Los Angeles arrive on Sundays.

The Cook Islands are a territory of New Zealand and so I won’t add my stop here to my count of countries that I have visited. I haven’t added Pakistan either since I didn’t spend the night there--thankfully. So, my 26th and final country, Fiji, awaits as I enjoy the final weeks of my journey. More on Fiji in my next entry.

Next: Fiji

Not all misadventures remain misadventures. Travel plans gone awry can take you places, connect you with people and cast you into situations that may just change your life.

                                      -- Amanda Jones