Watching this makes me miss the Cook Islands, my family come from Rarotonga and every now and then I try to catch a flight over to visit them. I just love watching people’s vlogs of our little Polynesian nation and seeing how much they appreciate their visit. Meitaki ma’ata, thank you for helping show the world how beautiful it is!
AlexTheVagabond I live in New Zealand, born and raised. Many of my family members, such as my grandfather still live in Rarotonga. NZ is currently in Lockdown but the Cook Islands isn’t. Of course this has a negative impact on our tourism industry. Hopefully, once this all clears up many people will go on holiday in Raro.
It's true, it's really beautiful... I'm from Brazil... here too many similar places... but there's no way to know other places.... I loved it with all my heart😍😍😍
Beautiful 😍 21:07 was like a painting in the sky! "The heavens are declaring the glory of God;The skies above proclaim the work of his hands." (Ps 19:1) How thankful I am to God for giving us such a beautiful Earth and to you for uploading this video!😊
I myself find Raro so haunted with a mystic jungle... If u in takuvaine.. theres a bridge up there... I stood there and was mesmerized by that mountain... Te Manga..
One Cook Island I'd like to visit some day is the unusual island of Atiu; the more I read about this small island the more interesting it gets. I assume it has its share of rather unique island features, yes?
I've been to Raro several times over the years, always staying at Vara's along Muri Beach. And yes I found your country extremely pleasant/interesting/colorful, your island most certainly gave me a warm, comfy energy vibe every time I've been to the Cooks. This yank certainly enjoyed your beautiful little country very much, that's for certain.
My friend Ralph Westover a native Alaskan who in the 40s homesteaded near Anchorage. The winters were brutal and they would go to the cook islands every year. I met them in Apache Junction Arizona in the early 90s. They would travel to Ratonga almost every year. They invited me many times to come along but being young and trying to start a business kept me very busy and I never went. After seeing this video see what it would be like 40 years ago I think I missed a lot. I Will have to make a plan. Thank you for making this video cheers Joe
I was back home on Rarotonga just over a month ago, but it's been ten years since I last went back to Aitutaki and your video truly made me miss my island paradises even more. I'm so glad you and Carrie enjoyed your time there and I hope you get to go back and see some of the other outer islands very soon (Mangaia, Mitiaro and Manihiki just to name a few). Between July and October is a great time to return to because whale watching season, and July-August is Te Maeva Nui, where the nation celebrates its Independence Day with various events and festivals on Rarotonga. My Rarotonga; my Aitutaki; my ipukarea (paradise). Thank you so much for this video! Kia manuia 🌺💛
Thank you so much for leaving this lovely comment. It is so inspiring when locals leave me messages like this. I LOVED your country and can’t wait to get back and explore the outer islands too. All the best
I've been to Raro several times and in some ways it's the PERFECT Pacific paradise; it's large enough to have a lot of interesting features to explore, but still small enough it's very quick and easy to explore the island through bus or rental bicycle or even hitch-hiking. Raro always seemed like a perfect balance of a Pacific paradise to me.
Thank you for this video, I love you and Carrie (will miss Marko of course). You guys introduced me to the concept of being a traveler and not a tourist, of learning about culture and history which is really what makes the experience so much more soulful. What you do matters, more than you can imagine. I changed my entire outlook on life with your help. The dance was so awesome haha, and your quote at the end made me tear up. I’ve never met any of you but I love you guys so much and wish you all the best that life has to offer, you deserve it.
This comment is exactly why I do this. Sharing your life and opinions online can be tough at times but you exemplify the reason why I share! Thank you so much for this kind and positive comment. Wishing you all the best!
@@WellnessandTruthMinistry She is absolutely correct, sir, you're very lucky to have such a DYNAMITE looking, gorgeous wife. No offense, I'm just saying the obvious......I'll bet this lovely little lady is good for you Alex
I just wanted to say... how much I really enjoyed your vlog. I've watched so many vlogs about the Cook Islands, and this is the only one I've come across where you didn't make assumptions about the people and culture, you really immersed yourself in our traditions, and the way you described it made me feel even more homesick. Manea tikai! Thank you for putting the best of the Cook Islands on display! 💕
I spent nearly three weeks in the Cooks last year, and 5 days on Aitutaki as a solo traveller. It was a dream coming true. The people are so nice over there and I came back with so many impressions. Thanks for sharing this beautiful video and wish you both all the best for the future. Greetings from London.
Thank you for sharing your amazing vacation to the cook islands it's magical place and little heaven on earth paradise really appreciate of you sharing it on your RU-vid channel 👍👍👍
Loved this video so much. Love watching you and Carrie, you guys are the perfect hosts. My goodness that water is so gorgeous. I miss it. I hope you guys got to see the stars as well. Truly mind blowing
AlexTheVagabond, we fortunately have been there 3 times but not for about 15 years. You stated so beautifully in your piece that the Cooks get into your “soul” and never let go. I couldn’t agree more! Thanks again for the great piece!
Hey Alex. I'm from NZ. I climed the needle about 20 years ago. But I went on the wrong day. On the day it was, I think 28-32 degrees The sun was out, no clouds, humidity 80-90. I swear, after I completed the walk, I must have lost 5-8 kilos. Looking at your video (correct me if I'm wrong) the weather looked over cast, and not so sunny. Which is the best time to do the walk Thanks for the upload. Keep up the good work. Peace and love to you and your family.
Kia Ora! The weather was overcast which was a lifesaver for the hike but it was still humid and hot. Really great hike though. I can’t imagine what the islands must have been like back then. Where in NZ are you from? I’m a Kiwi citizen, believe it or not, and heading down there next week! Cheers Alex
We also did the needle a few years ago and got terribly lost! spent half the day lost in the jungle following the powerline to get back!! ended up quite the fun adventure
Kia Orana Everything about this video is beautifully done. Your commentary and knowledge (kudos on the pronunciations) music background, scenery 💓 interaction with locals. Made me teary it's so majestic, not forgetting your dancing skills 👏👍 Thank you for sharing our paradise with the world. Meitaki Ma'ata (Big Thanks)
It really is incredible Natalie. Highly recommend. If you want more information watch the travel guide video I made for the Cook Islands too. All the best
Wow again Alex. I showed your Aral Sea video again last week with new students in my Freshmen Geography classes in Kansas City, KS. I will be showing them this the last day before Spring Break to show them where my wife and I will be traveling... to Aitutaki...we depart on March 21st for a week in paradise. Thanks for creating this and your wonderful journal writing at the end.
This is so cool to hear Chris! As a former teacher, and I guess still sharing knowledge in video form, I love that educators use my videos in class. All the best and enjoy your upcoming vacation!
Hey Alex Thank you so much for your video of my home. I’m an Aussie born Cook Islander who was raised on Rarotonga. As many locals do, I made the decision to head back to Australia when I was 20 to see what the whole world had to offer. 14 years later my fiancé and I made the decision to move back to the Cook Islands. As they say “there is no place like home” She is part Cook Islander and was raised in Australia all her life. During her first visit to Rarotonga 4 years ago, she fell in love with the island and knew she wanted to spend the rest of her life here. That is when we met. I was very fortunate that she lived in Sydney where I was living! Small world huh 😅 And now we are living our best life here in the islands. I suppose as a child growing up here I took everything for granted and as we said back then “ I can’t wait to get off this rock” haha I’m so grateful that I was raised here and look forward to raising my children here. Meitaki Maata and God Bless 🙏🏽 Kenny Ben
Meitaki Kenny. Comments like yours really make my day. I appreciate reading about your life and how my video makes you appreciate your home. Wishing you all the best
Spectacular. It bought back my fond memories of six wonderful journeys to the Cook Islands. I made many friends who would welcome me back any day. I also went to Atiu. The Aitu coffee is magnificent. The Lagoon of Aitutaki is as great as they show. Kia Orana. From down under.
Hey Alex i love your video. I'm glad you both enjoyed your trip to the Cook Islands. I'm from Rarotonga living in Las Vegas. My house is about a mile and a half from the Pacific resort. My kids love Rarotonga.
Been to Raro twice once for my honeymoon and last year for my birthday, got to see the humpback whales swimming past our resort every morning,.Raro is my favourite Tropical Island.
I've been to Rarotonga (& other South Pacific island paradises) and I've always LOVED that sweet Iki Mata dish (or "poisson cru" as they call it in Tahiti). It's a raw fish salad made of raw, diced Ahi tuna soaked in lime juice and coconut milk, as well as other shredded vegetables. I couldn't get enough of it! It really is tasty.
Well done Alex & Carrie for this wonderful vlog of of our homelands.. I love your appreciation for custom & tradition, no matter where you go in the world. It's a great attitude like yours that brings so many great responses & comments. Thank you for shining your great video, all the very best for your wedding latter on..
The way you are going soon you will speak the lingo fluently. You pronounced the words correctly and that made me smile :) I grew up next to the golf course. That stretch of beach between the Seawall and Black Rock was my childhood playground. I did the hike to the Needle twice, one when I was in primary school. My class did the trek to the Needle and across to the Wigmore Falls. I also hike alone to the Needle when I was about 15-16. Back then, I know most of the plants and trees along the trail. Now I can't remember LOL I am too much of an Aussie these days Hahaha. I thoroughly enjoy your video, it brought back memories of my childhood. Thank you for sharing :)
took 6 months off and went down to aitutaki in 2016 and worked as a bartender at pacific resort. Became a really good friend with Quentin (wet&wild). Miss everything and everyone. great video :)
Thank you and Meitaki Maata for sharing our beautiful Cook Islands paradise. Your acknowledgement of the need to continue share our ancestral knowledge is very important to us as people of the Ocean and Polynesia. This vlog was absolutely beautiful and although I reside and live in NZ now, this makes me proud to be from such a special place in the world :)
Just got back last week after having been "trapped" on the Cook Islands for 3 months. We had a great time and made a lot of new friends from all over the world. I took plenty of pictures and video, but nothing as pretty and polished as your work! Very cool! We were one of only a couple of hundred foreign nationals left on the island so (1) a lot of stuff was shut down, (2) we got good deals on everything. We were sad when inter-island flights were shut down, but we were finally able to make it to Aitutaki for a week before we left. We soooo want to go back someday soon. Thanks for the lovely video!
@@AlexanderAyling we started to feel like locals in the Cook Islands (parties every weekend), but our home base is in Auburn, Washington (just south of Seattle). We actually went to the Cook Islands because it looked like they would be spared a hit by COVID-19. The borders shut down the day after we arrived.
The feeling you described of groundedness there, is the same as what I experienced when I was fortunate enough to spend time there. Absolutely amazing place. Gorgeous footage. 🌺
I am so purchasing the cameras and drone you used for all of this stunning footage. You captured some beautiful memories of these gorgeous islands. Love love love 🌺
I think I saw you guys when I was over there for Holiday. That hike was never ending the first part. But was worth it once I got to the top of the chain track. The view was priceless
Wow! Fantastic video! This is an incredible place that is definitely on our "must go to" list now. Aitutaki looks like the place where heaven meets the earth. I am impressed by your dedication to learning the local customs and history on your travels. We seek the same on our travels, especially with our kids. I hope we can make it to Rarotanga soon.
Thank you so much for taking me on your journey to two places I call home - I miss being here so much. Well done on pronouncing the local place names too. Such a great little video - thanks again..
@@AlexanderAyling Based in the beautiful Tauranga! Also working on a Cook Islands film the last 1.5 years from my trips there! Such a dream destination! Cook Island Adventures is the FB & insta pages :)
Hello Alex. When did you visit Cook Islands in this video? Which month out of a year? New Zealand captured my heart ❤️ when I went to Queenstown for the first time this year! Great videos by the way...very informative and emotionally intelligent
Honeymoon island in Aitutaki is my favorite place on earth so when I saw that you started the video there it was funny lol. The most beautiful place I have ever seen. I have been to Raro and Aitutaki in 2007 and 2010 I stayed in Aitutaki a total of almost 1 month. Want to go back.
