Our new leader

So... The news is out, Raro (Elliot) has sold his business in Rarotonga. If he is leaving us, who shall be the next "leader" of this branch so to speak... Raro was the voice of reason... He settled arguments (not that there were many on the S. Pacific branch... Most of the posters are as gentle as the tradewinds), gave solid advice, smoked great cigars showed us the meaning of humility and was generally a chap who gave us all a good laugh and made us think.

Okay... Who is the next leader? Do we even need one?

Lazslo, PapeMike, shully, TaiMarilyn, agingaquarian, Pago, Api, silvanocat, jeaniej, ejpiii, Bulabear, islandboi321, letterdude, Donna Marie, copperspoon, 5Waldos, dadams, WILLEMSPIE, Cosmopolitan, newfie43, Ozziegiraffe, smandkjc, mandja, bendigo, bendejo, Bougy, oldpro, Watsoff, talofalava, wave2angela, amaile, wksamoa, melbar, tropicgirl, jmk, fijitraveler

Speaking of regular posters what ever happened to TikinTahiti, frangipanigirl, Harry Mudd?

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<hr>Who is the next leader? Do we even need one?<hr></blockquote>Of course we don't.
Different posters here tend to "specialize" in different countries anyway.

Sad to read Raro may leave TT as well as his business.
It's unfortunate that even experienced travellers/posters tend to move on from the branch where they have been invaluable once they no longer feel a direct connection with the place/region in question.
Still hope we will see him back.

I seem to remember a poster named "workman"???? Who loved Fiji?!?!

Nah... We don't need a "leader" although this Pacific island addiction could become "cultish" if we wanted it to be! ;)

That being said, I thing what we really need is a party committee and someone who can pour cold tropical cocktails!!! :)

The OP was being tongue in cheek I am sure and not seeing Raro on here posting any longer is certainly sad and I miss his posts and information.

Workman? Oh yeah... Didn't Raro want everyone to vote "It's either him or me"? Maybe workman is tending a taro patch on Rapa now far from the world that made him so angry.

too much diversity- I'll vote for the cold tropical cocktail contingent. Guess I never realized we had a fearless leader. I should have paid more respect!

Yeah, let's keep sharing the 'work load', doin' what we do and mixin' those drinks. I'm first up with iced soursop juice, a fiddle to make (and non-alcoholic) but absolutely divine......... First step, recognise a soursop in the local market.............

Miss you Raro but lets get the party going!
Here's some music from Tahiti, have a sip of some of these and all sing along with me now. Let's dance!

wave- how can one not recognise a soursop??? Does anything else really look like a soursop? But sounds wonderful.

And Raro- just because you are leaving the islands doesn't mean you forget everything- your input will be valuable for years and years to come!

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<hr>Speaking of regular posters what ever happened to TikinTahiti, frangipanigirl, Harry Mudd?<hr></blockquote>
Harry is still hanging around busting his fat arse trying to get work back in Tonga.

I should be in Fiji and Tonga next week for interviews. we'll see.

I vote for Amaile.

I'm actually missing "traineee diplomat", a fearless ( and often un-diplomatic) source of info from Tonga, and the first TTer I met in the real world - not counting "gopies" who I shared beers and anguish with on Tarawa yearsbefore I knew he spent time in this place!

I am certain Raro will be back- as all of us who have caught the "Pacific bug" know, leaving the Pacific is not the end, but merely "time away"!

And perhaps our "leader" just needs to be the person who steps up when they are needed most - that way, we can all keep playing!

Cheers,

Rob

We'll be in PPT for the June 9th sailing of the Aranui 3, maybe we'll see him there?
For sure we'll see Gauguin and SURVIVOR MARQUESAS site.

Leader? I would think that Elliot will chuckle when he reads that! I hope that he does check in, just so I can wrangle an email address out of him. He's really interesting.

As for frangipanigirl...unless things have changed over the past couple of months, she a server at the "Whatever Bar", on Rarotonga. Livin' the dream, ya' know?

If it proves necessary to determine a leader, however, my vote would go to islandboi. In case you didn't know it, he's a secret agent...or something.

All the best,
Mark

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<hr>I'm actually missing "traineee diplomat"<hr></blockquote>

He's anice bloke. met him after the knife attack.

Yes, I wonder what has happened to trainee diplomat. His posts were both informative and slightly irreverent. A new posting, perhaps? Or maybe he was discovered making the posts and was banned from making any?

islandboi a secret agent? Tell us more, letterdude.

He's kind of like "Inspector Gadget"! Ask him about the money he's got in his pockets.

Um, sorry letterdude I've never heard of 'Inspector Gadget'. More info, please.

Better still, islandboi, what are you hiding from us? You told us about sleeping with pigs, but this information is potentially much, much more interesting!

Ask copperspoon! ;-)

I managed to see 7/8 of Inspector Gadget returning from Honiara to Brisbane on a rare Solomon Airlines service that had TV screens AND videos that worked. Given a 3 hour flight, they really blew the timing. it was taken off for a steve Irwin quarantine clip.
They now have a new smaller plane _ I'll be on it in July and August this year.
Meanwhile, I need to see more of the Pacific - Fiji is planned for next year - where next?

Gee OP, thanks for including me in such illustrious company, Im proud.

silence is golden

Are you really a spook? wow....always knew that there was "stuff" tucked away in the islands. Now we have proof.

What do you reckon guys? Should we give islandboi a new handle? What about 008?

Any other ideas?

But I'm still dying for more 'stuff'.

I like the "history":- even "workman' (where is he?) versa "Raro" is remembered (wasn't it fun?). Maybe an idea for a new branch? "The most challening posts" or somethin like that...

do you really think Elliot won't be back? Even if he doesn't own his business anymore his knowledge is still so very important to this branch...and to me - although i post rarely here I am a regular visitor to "keep current" on my information...it would be very sad if Elliot is gone...

Having sold his business, I think Raro will have to be very careful if he says anything. He probably has signed a restraint of trade agreement and many other things. A new owner would be sensible to want these things. Therefore Raro would have to be very careful to recommend, or even comment on, other accommodation units in Raro or even to comment differences between the Cooks and other SP islands. Just my thoughts.

Hi all!
I'm back, but will be so to a limited extent.

Thanks for all the nice comments! Never considered myself the "leader" of the branch, maybe of the Cook Islands mini-branch, and occasional mediator of disputes. But thanks for the nice thoughts. Not sure a "leader" is needed, but regional or country experts are well-known, and all point these out to new OP's, like looking for 5Waldos for micronesia, Laszlo for Vanuatu/PNG, IB, silvano and lots of others for Tahiti/Cooks. Yes, I know there are 20 or 30 more, all included in above posts I recommend as well. Is IB really a spy for the Canadian CIA? I would have thought you all would have chosen Tiki in Tahiti!! [one of my favorite former guests at SL!]

Have been basically traveling and bit and back in California, have not had a lot of time to check e-mails, and even less to scan the webs and the TT.

Yes, I've sold Shangri-La, to a nice couple from Australia. they seem to be keeping most of the same features, except they will be accommodating kids, so that's a change. they will also be offering more things like bar BQ's etc., things I didn't have time or energy to do. Also, it has a new name, Muri Beach Resort. From what I gather my manager's residence (where I lived)---right on the beach---is now one of their rentals, and if so, I would highly recommend it. Great spot, best view on all of Muri Beach. And no, I don't get commissions (too bad!).

As mentioned above, there is some minor contractual limit (normal stuff) on what I can comment on about Shangri-La, but in reality I never really mentioned it much during the 5000 posts I made over 7 yrs or so, so not much will change on that score.

I won't be on the TT very much, hard to say exactly how much. I was on alot as I checked my SL e-mail five or six times a day, and it was easy to just click on the TT link, etc. But I don;t check e-mail that much.

I do remember I joined many yrs ago when someone wrote "watch out for the sharks in the lagoon on Rarotonga." What an idiot. I replied that this was crap, the only sharks on Rarotonga were in the bars on Friday nights.

So, maybe I'll just jump in whenever there is a gross error, or have something unique to add.

When I joined, very few TT'ers had been to the Cooks, now there are a few dozen that comment on things, and I pretty much agree with most of what they say. So, there are plenty of you out there that can answer the Q's, give your good opinions, etc.

The only thing I noticed today was some new TT'er who set up a website about the Cooks. He was mentioned in an other post. I looked at his website, some cookislandsinfo.com or something, and it is mostly fluff, with lots of mistakes. It sounds like he got a lot of the general info either directly or indirectly from my Cook Islands Companion guidebook. But after that, when he gives his own opinions, he strays from reality, such as "Best place to stay is Avarua" What a crock! Someone else has pointed this out, so the red flag has already been raised, but I'd like to add to that flagpole, and suggest anyone reading his posts just ignore them.

So, glad to be abck, very part-time. I won't check the TT for weeks or maybe months on end, so I may not reply to anything said for a while, please don't take offense.

Regards to all!
Raro

WELCOME BACK!!!

Raro- don't disappear. Your knowledge and wisdom are needed here! And besides, you may leave the islands, but they will never leave you. Never.

how odd- this thread turns up twice in my today posts. same one. another tt quirk.

oops- now it has merged back to one. nevermind.

Great to have you back Raro!

It's great to have you back on the branch Raro, I was holding my breath hoping you'd return! We'll all look forward to seeing you on here again when you can. :)