First night on Rarotonga was actually cold

So... this post was written on my phone, then it wouldn't let me publish. Will upload it when it lets me with a bit of Wi-Fi.

Some photos that I managed to upload with a lot of patience...

Yes, there are nice beaches!

Me trying to pose for the camera, except I look exactly the same in all the photos that I've taken myself!

Just casually walking down the road... There are coconuts on the ground (and in the air) left, right and centre! And no one claims them... really.

There are not only coconuts, but also free-range chooks everywhere. I'm not even sure if they belong to someone. They just roam free everywhere.

This is at Rarotonga Backpackers. I called this the "Beam of Jandals" - just something visitors had left behind over the years. Adds quite a character to the place. We used to have lunch and dinners under one of these.

The beach right in front of the Backpackers. There are actually more nicer beaches in Rarotonga than Aitutaki. It turns out Aitutaki has less "swimmable" beaches and has more rocks. But once you are out by the airport end, nothing really beats the beaches there. I haven't been there yet, but looking forward to!

So temporarily, long story short, Raro was great. Papayas are big. Most necessities are there. Raro Backpackers has amazing people. Oh and the beaches are nice. Lol.

Written during flight to Rarotonga

Hi all! I suspect I've now attracted a few friends to visit the blog.

So... I got on my first ever solo flight overseas.

By some interesting work of nature, we had 200+kph of direct tailwind and was flying something like 700+mph (~1100kph!!!) groundspeed. According to the captain, it's most unusual and meant that we were travelling much faster than usual 500(ish)mph. So I got more than what I had bargained for and got extra 30 mins to spend on Rarotonga (well, according to arrival time predictions onboard).

And it seems rather ridiculous and amazing that while I'm here having my Thai green salad for lunch, it's 11277m above sea level and -50 degrees outside this doesn't-look-anything-special window.

I made a smart move of choosing the seat right by the wings and got bugger all view out the window but hey, I got some good peeks through the neighbour's!

We crossed the date line on the way and now it's going to mess with my biological clock. Thank goodness it's 22hr difference (so technically only 2hrs out)!

When I was boarding, it was evident I had chosen the name of my blog well. Sure, it's a little bit of plagiarism off 'An Angel at My Table' and Raybon Kan's 'An Asian at My Table' but I was seriously the only Asian on the flight.

The fact that I'm flying out of the country hasn't sunk in as I type this into my phone in-flight. I suspect it will start sinking in when I get smashed on the head by a falling coconut. I hear coconut injuries are a class of their own in the Pacific Islands!

I have no idea what I'll be doing for the next day and a half on Raro except that my tshirts and shorts will get to see some light at last. Thhnks to international date line, it's going to be Sunday afternoon when I arrive even though I left.Monday morning! Which also means that hardly anything will be open today. I suspect I'll have to live off either a fallen coconut or my emergency soup sachets until I find somewhere suitable to eat.

Anyway, will update how things go later. Might need to get phone sim card first to call home.