The colours of Rarotonga

My love of flowers and bursts of colour meant that my senses were thoroughly indulged in Rarotonga. The plant life looks and smells so beautiful, especially the tropical flowers growing in abundance all around the island. My favourite is still the classic white and yellow frangipani but I was also treated to displays of wild hibiscus, hanging heliconia, red ginger and tropical water lilies. Even the foliage is dynamic and colourful.

Here is a selection of photos I took during my holiday. I can't identify all of the flowers but loved finding floral surprises whenever I went walking.

Kia orana, Rarotonga!

Kia orana! May you live a long and fulfilling life.

I have recently returned from nine glorious days in a tropical paradise. What's not to love about the Cook Islands? It's small and easy to get around, warm and friendly with plenty of things to do - or you can just enjoy some precious time out. The pristine beach scenes from the postcards are real. So is island time. Add a large whānau wedding to the equation and we had a first class experience of island hospitality.

I'm going to post some pictures and highlights of my holiday in the coming days. They're something I'll look forward to returning to during the long winter months ahead, when my feet are no longer criss-crossed by the tan lines left by my sandals and summer seems like an impossibly distant memory. Kia orana, Rarotonga.