Post trip blues have set in enormously. I’m back from my excursion back to the Cook Islands, this time to welcome 200 visitors there who had come to see the total eclipse of the sun on July 11th. We spent a few days on the island of Rarotonga and then on the island of Mangaia, which was the first land mass in the path of totality. Unfortunately for the dedicated umbraphiles our eclipse was clouded over. To inexperienced me this made it all the more beautiful, going dark, Venus shining, birds going to bed in the trees, then lights shining through the clouds after.
The absolute best part of the trip was the bonding between the islanders and our guests. Everyone benefitted from our visit and this made both the island hosts and the guests feel special. Our accommodations were basic dormitory style, beds set up in schools, church halls and guest houses, all our meals prepared by and shared with the locals, after the eclipse we were all shuttled on the back of trucks to various churches for the most magnificent, powerful singing church services I have ever experienced anywhere in the world, including Africa!
Drumming and dancing are very important in the Cook Islands and at the magnificent Highland Paradise on Rarotonga we learned the island history through a drumming, dancing and singing show. (There’s a couple of videos on the website.)
Now back to the reality of Lala land ….. my old childhood friend Fran and her family were here visiting from Cape Town this week and on Monday we went out for dinner bumping into Heather Locklear and her on-again off-again boyfriend Jack Wagner, ESPN reporter and Dancing with the Stars finalist Erin Andrews as well as Jeff Foxworthy, host of our new television show “So you think you’re smarter than a fifth grader”. All in one teeny neighborhood restaurant.
Then we dashed off to hear Ryan Rabin’s band Grouplove who were playing at a club downtown (more fantastic drumming, this time by Ryan). I predict they are going to be seriously huge and you heard it here first!!! Ryan is Trevor Rabin’s son — here’s one of my favorite songs I bet you’ll love it too! GROUPLOVE – Colours
grouplove