Surfing and babies in Rarotonga

We are heading to Rarotonga from NZ in June with my 1 year old and another on the way ( not planned when we booked the holiday!)

We would love an good ideas about what to bring for a baby and what we can get there and any helpful tips having never travelled with a one year old before, especially with the dengue fever there at the mo.

Also does any know of any surf breaks on the island, we are staying at Muri beach. Hubbie is determined to take his board, how we are going to balance that, a pram, a baby, bags and a pregnant lady is beyond me, surfers aye.

Thanks guys.

I'm still half asleep.... When I initially saw the post, I thought it read "Surfing with Babies in Rarotonga."

My heart jumped more than it did with the usual morning coffee rush... ;)

My hubbies wishes... not quite yet aye!!

Don't worry! You'll have a great time.
I've sent you a PM.

I would keep up with the news of that dengue outbreak, and perhaps consider changing your plans if it is bad. Dengue could be a very nasty thing for either a 1 year old or pregnant woman to get and the dengue mosquitoes can be quite hard to protect against. This website is good for checking out how things progress. Last report is March with 700 people infected (which is fairly significant for an island the size of Rarotonga) - but maybe they are getting it under control now. Sorry, not to be positive but I've dealt with dengue / malaria outbreaks with my young son and it has been quite scary - particularly if I am in a situation I can't leave (i.e., it is where I live). The other thing to check is the actual number of deaths. If it is a mild strain then it probably wouldn't be such a big deal to put yourself at risk.

Probably the only thing you can do to protect against the mosquitoes is use repellent or long sleeved cotton clothing (although mosquitoes can often bite through this). In my experience though, the only repellent that really works are the ones containing a reasonable amount DEET and I wouldn't use these when pregnant, or on a young child. From what i remember Muri beach had a good breeze so that can reduce the mosquitoes too... If your child has a day sleep then make sure they are are under a net or in a room you can guarantee to be mosquito free (dengue mosquitoes are active during the day).

Aside from dengue, Rarotonga should be easy to get about - despite baby, bags etc! Its a lovely friendly, easy destination to travel to.

emma - regarding dengue, jeaniej will be able to advise you as she's living there at the moment. And unfortunately her son caught dengue so she knows all about it. From what I read the cases are dropping but take jeaniej's advice. If she has already sent you a PM, I suggest you reply. Good luck.

With regards to dengue here in Raro, as I have indicated to Emma, it is still around but seems to be on the downturn. Unfortunately, I caught it myself two weeks ago, but I really think that I had become complacent regarding mozzie control and using repellent. The strain is a mild one. While not pleasant, by any means, it's also not the worst illness I have ever suffered - flu-like, headaches, aching bones, lack of appetite and energy and the most annoying, itchy rash I have ever had. I have only heard of a couple of other cases over the last few weeks, so it seems to be slowing down a lot. Having said that, the official figures are not really a good indication of the real story as many people don't bother having blood tests at the hospital, or attend the clinics.

The weather here is definitely cooling, which should help with the mosquito control, although we have had a lot of rain over the last couple of days. Mozzies are out in force at my house today!! Hopefully, by June when Emma and her family are coming over, the temperatures will have dropped further which will impact on the mozzie population.

So, what to advise..? It's really luck of the draw, I think. I wouldn't cancel a trip because of the risk, if it were me. However, I think it is a good idea to take all possible precautions, without being completely paranoid.

#6 jeaniej - what bad luck!

I hope to goodness the cooler weather does help as the odd thing with this outbreak is that it started during last winter there. At that time they didn't seem to know where it had come from and thought maybe from Tahiti.

Take things easy and I hope you get well soon. I hope your son is now fully recovered and is full of sympathy for you!

Yes, get better soon jeaniej! I just wanted to add that I am in Asia, where perhaps you have to worry more about some of the very nasty strains of dengue. If it as mild as jeanie says and on the downturn, then I would still consider going as well - although perhaps talking to a doctor (or even check the health branch here as a start) about the risks of dengue in pregnancy, might not be a bad idea. I know pregnant women have less resistance to malaria, but I don't know about dengue.

Hi Emma -
Great to read your post - I was about to write exactly the same one! We're travelling in July/August with our 15month old and another on the way.
Until now I hadn't heard about the dengue... hmmm... What have you decided?
We've travelled before with our daughter (at 10 months) and found that really they're pretty easy little creatures to please. She slept in with us and ate what we ate, played with pinecones or whatever she found. If you need a portacot appartently the Phil and Ted ones are great - only 2kg with an inflatable mattress. We're thinking of getting one for this trip.
Where are you staying in Muri? We haven't sorted out our accommodation yet. Any advice?
Have a great trip.
Charla

Thanks for the kind wishes, agingaquarian and Api. Much appreciated! I'm feeling better by the day. Our experiences here on Rarotonga have been worth every second of the discomfort that came with dengue! (but I will be burning those mozzie coils more diligently in the future!)