Problems updating RaroLens

People who complain about Telecom Cook Islands should try accessing the internet from a hotel in Tahiti. It costs an arm and a leg and it's as slow as a wet week.
One hour access costs $27 and most of the time is spent waiting for pages to download.
I've got a video ready to add to the blog but I can't upload it at the moment.
I'll be on a boat heading for the Marquesas Islands tomorrow and don't know if internet access will be available.
If not I'll be back in a fortnight.

Queen’s Baton at Takamoa, Rarotonga

Rarotonga, as everyone knows who has lived or visited here, has a single main road that circles the island – all 31 kilometres of it. It was along this road that the Queen’s Baton Relay (for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi later this year) took place.
However, one of the highlights was a side trip to the Takamoa Theological College.
The college buildings have recently been renovated and the administration building and grounds now look magnificent against the backdrop of lush, green mountains.
The building is the best example of colonial-era architecture still standing and was founded by Aaron Buzacott, one of the early London Missionary Society (LMS) missionaries.
The LMS is now the Cook Islands Christian Church (CICC) and Takamoa is where the pastors are trained. They live there with wives and families and the choir, a family affair, is noted for its imene tuki renditions.
During the QBR the trainee-pastors greeted and challenged each baton-bearer, then the choir sang while the baton was carried around the college building.
It was a beautiful day and the men in white suits and women in white muumuu and rito hats were quite spectacular as you can see from the video.

Final match in Pacific Netball Series

This video is of the final match in the Pacific Netball Series.
As I mentioned in the last post, Samoa played well to beat the Cook Islands by 56 goals to 46.
It was a disappointing series for our girls but netball fans got to see some great games and let's hope some of the skills and attitude rub off!

Pacific Netball Series in Rarotonga

Pacific Netball Series Opening Ceremony


Fiji (50) v Samoa (45)


Cook Islands (59) v PNG (57)


Samoa (57) v PNG (54)

I’m back from chilly New Zealand and it’s a relief to be warm again!
The Cook Islands has just hosted the second Pacific Netball Series with four countries vying for two spots at the World Netball Championships in Singapore in 2011.
According to the world rankings before the tournament the Cooks were in seventh place, Samoa 8, Fiji 9 and Papua New Guinea 12 so we were definitely hoping to secure a spot.
Well, things didn’t go to plan.
We managed a narrow win over PNG (59-57) but were trounced by Fiji (32-46) and well beaten by Samoa (46-56).
It must have been very disappointing for our netballers but the other teams should be delighted with their performances. The PNG girls in particular might feel a bit unfortunate to end up in fourth place because their results against Fiji (42-47) and Samoa (54-57) were better than ours!
Still it was nice to see the new indoor arena being used for international sport again.
Meanwhile it’s back to the drawing board for Cook Islands netball – no longer number one in the Pacific.
Here are short videos from the opening and first three games.
One more netball video to follow and then there will be other from the Queen’s Baton Relay.