It finally happened

As I sit here typing away, licking the chocolate cake mixture from my fingers, the chocolate cake that I made with my cake mixer and measuring cups, that will be decorated using my piping tools and colours... and look at my photos on the wall... and listen to Jamie riding his squeaky bike on the deck... you guessed it.. THE BOAT HAS ARRIVED!!!!!

At the end of last week we heard that the boat was due on Friday, so I ran (strolled quickly) down to the beach while the kids had breakfast and a beautiful sight awaited my - Voyage 115 (as it is known) - hovering outside the reef, cranes unfurled (??) lowering containers onto waiting barges which bring them through the reef and to the 'dock' in Arutanga (town).

Of course it was exciting to think that all our boxes would be arriving, but more exciting for the island was the arrival of the petrol. We ran out of gas 3 days before the boat arrived, though Michael had some in his work vehicle. Using the work car for school pickups is logistically problematic so we did as most of the island did - kept the kids home from school. The roads were very quiet - the only people moving about were those with deisel vehicles. Then at around mid morning, we heard a strange sound - cars! The fuel must have been the first thing off and in short order there were scooters and cars all over the place.

For the past 7-10 days it had felt like the island was slowly contracting, turning inwards and settling down into something akin to survival mode - unneccesary travel was eliminated, people ate what was in their cupboards instead of venturing out to the shops, fewer people were out and about and the ever present toots from passerby's vanished. It felt like the island was taking a bit of a nap. Then the boat arrived like an alarm clock going off and the island awoke and life started buzzing again.

We waited until late Friday to get our fuel, thinking that things would have settled down. Instead we parked ourselves in the queue at the Aquila station. We sat under the trees and shared our grumbles at the tour operator who had rolled up with a truck load of 44 gallon drums to fill, and the van that opened up to reveal half-a-dozen jerry cans. The rest of us in our cars and bikes slowly took our turn to fill up and 45 minutes later drove home with a feeling of freedom.

So for following days we watched people carrying jerry cans of various (illegal in NZ) descriptions on scooters and trucks alike and filling them to take home, either to fill other vehicles or to stash for later on - the later I suspect. It was the closest I have ever come to panic buying. And now a week later the sign outside the Aquila pumps says, predictably, "no containers being filled, limit for cars $20". The big problem with this is that for various, contentious reasons, V116 is not due for another 5 weeks.

The lions share of the blame belongs off the island though. Issue number 1 is that there is only one ship servicing the Cook Islands now - Reef Shipping. Towards the end of last year the second carrier, Pacific Fourm Line, decided that the run wasn't making them any money so they pulled out. The first effect of that was that there wasn't enough capacity and containers got left behind in Auckland. Those containers then started getting taken to Samoa so that the ship had to make longer runs - Auckland-Raro-Aitutaki-Nuie-Samoa-Rarotonga-Auckland.

So now the situation is that any delay during one voyage (such as cyclones Joni and Ken over the last few weeks, or making a diversion to Apia) slides into the schedule for the next voyage, resulting in any supplies that have been ordered to cover the estimated 4 week turnaround of a typical voyage needs to stretch out until the boat actually does arrive. Now because of the time frames involved, it is not as simple as ordering more - often the news of a ship diversion comes too late to order additional stock.

The second issue so far as fuel goes is that the fuel suppliers in NZ and Raro now demand payment in advance of shipping. The businesses here are too small to stump up with $30k plus to ensure adequate fuel supplies, and the more often fuel runs out, the worse the panic buying gets. Things might be improved by major purchasers - resorts and tour operators - paying up front to ensure their supply outside the supply for regular buyers, but it seems that either they are unable or unwilling to tie up their cash in that manor. (Happy to say that Pacific Resort is the exception!)

Woops, jumping off the soap box now!

So our boxes arrived, with suprising efficiency, on Saturday afternoon and the kids are in 7th heaven playing with their toys, I can finally do some baking and there are books to read, medicine cabinets to stock and photos to view. There are still half packed boxes everywhere, and stuff for Africa, but things are a lot more homely now.

xxJen

Mikey's Bit -
Now about work...so I've been at it for 11 weeks and I certainly feel at home at the resort. I like to think that there aren't many things I can't cope with but the odd thing creeps up to suprise me. On the face of it the resort is deservingly worthy of it's many awards and without a doubt guests love the place - the ambience and the setting are amazing. I constantly hear how much more beautiful we are than Taihiti, Fiji and even Hawaii, but it is the very charming and genuine service that guests seem to enjoy. There are a few areas that, after 7 years, are flagged for attention and will be my focus for the next few months. It's a challenge working 6 day a week - yes that's the standard for expats and I am looking forward to my first 3 month off island break.

There is never a dull moment - no matter how hard I try. New menu and wine list are due out in a week or so...I need to remember to take time to smell the roses (hibiscus anyway) but there's always something to make you smile ---

This week at a cocktail party for some travel agents one of the staff offered to pass around the cannabis - that's the small bite sized snacks you have for CANAPES and I was asked to order some more 'snoggles' - those are the tubes you breathe through when you're snorkeling!!!

xxM