The first step of my magnificent journey has been made. Hurrah! Distance wise, it was more of a slight shuffle forward rather than a giant leap. However, it was by no means an easy shuffle. My last four and a bit years in Edinburgh have treated me very well, and I wish I could take the city and all of its wonderful people along with me on my travels. But as it is I'm struggling to find space for 7 books, 3 different types of swimwear, too many CDs and my sunhat, so...
I'm now in Cumbria, having left Edinburgh, whittling down my packing and getting ready for a family Christmas near Milton Keynes. Despite the loveliness of firesides and Agas that make Cumbria a treat, all this fog and darkness has lead me to dreaming of the big blue skies and warm green seas of Rarotonga - the first landing point of my proper big leap.
Rarotonga is part of the Cook Islands, which were named by a Russian cartographer who named them after Captain Cook who hung out there in the 1770s. The 15 islands that make up the Cook Islands are dotted among an area of ocean something like the size of Western Europe. Rarotonga is the capital island, but is still just a wee speck as it's only 20miles in circumferance.
After doing a quick Google image search of Rarotonga to see just how lovely it will be I have also discovered that December til March is Rarotonga's monsoon season, and that the chances of cyclones hitting the island are on the increase due to warming oceans. Apparently, in 2005 five cyclones occured in just five weeks, with Cyclone Meena creating 9m-high waves that reached nearly 400m inland. Wow!! Better learn how to surf.
