Explore the exciting journey with Elastic Island Adventures: Rarotonga
Chapter one – Getting Set to Go to Rarotonga
‘Welcome to Elastic Island, dear children, Heathcliff the Dog and Blong the Cat,’ said Mr Jollybowler. ‘It’s a pleasure to welcome you on our luxury service to islands in the South Pacific. Today we will be departing to the beautiful shores of Rarotonga! Allow me to introduce you to Kura the Kupa, the Cook Islands Fruit-Dove, who is my assistant for this destination. ’Kura the Kupa cooed softly and smiled at them. ‘Kia orana,’ she said. ‘Do you know what that means?’ ‘It’s hello,’ said Emma promptly. ‘It’s a greeting.’ She had read about this. ‘That is correct. It is our greeting,’ said Kura the Kupa. ‘But it is also so much more. It means “may you live long”, so it’s also a blessing.” ’Oh, that is lovely!’ sighed Blong. ‘Kia orana! Kia orana to all!’ He did a small dance, looking impossibly cute in his snazzy red raincoat.
Mr Jollybowler pulled out flower crowns for all the travellers and placed them on each of their heads. ‘A small gift for each of you before we depart.’ ‘Oh, a flower garland!’ cried Blong. ‘I love it!’ ‘It’s charming,’ said Emma. ‘Awesome!’ said Kiri.
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Chapter two: Arriving at Muri Beach
An attractive young woman with long dark hair dressed in a stylish blue floral uniform made her way to the front of the crowd and glanced at her clipboard. ‘Kia Orana, my name is Veronica from Pacific Resort. I have a booking for Kiri, Emma, Ethan, Jed, Heathcliff the Dog and Blong the Cat, arriving on Elastic Island.’ …
Once Veronica had left, they spent a few moments sorting out who would stay where, and after a short discussion, Emma, Kiri and Blong decided on the room on the left, and Ethan, Jed and Heathcliff the room on the right. Then all that was left to decide was what to do with the late afternoon before having dinner. It was a pleasant sunny day with a gentle cool breeze, so Kiri decided to swim in the lagoon, Jed went to organise some snorkel gear, and Heathcliff was keen to walk along the beach. Ethan decided to stroll around the tropical grounds and check out the resort’s layout. Emma decided to sit on a sun lounger outside their room with her book, and Blong elected to sit on her lap and join her, both still wearing their flower garlands…
The Cook Islands had fifteen islands, and they were scattered across a sea area as large as Western Europe. Rarotonga was the largest of all the islands and had the most people. That the local’s ancestors had travelled vast distances across the ocean in double-hulled canoes to come to the Cook Islands captured Emma’s imagination. How impressive navigating the seas in such a small vessel, Emma marvelled as she turned the page.
‘Get off my sun lounger!’ said a small voice in her ear.
Emma turned in surprise to see a colourful gecko with big googly eyes sitting on her shoulder. The creature was reasonably big, perhaps about 15 centimetres. Blong seemed to still be asleep, but one ear lifted as though he was taking messages.
‘Did you say something?’ Emma asked, looking at the creature with curiosity. The gecko was pretty, an attractive brown-yellow colour with pale spots.
‘You are sitting on my sun lounger; you need to get off!’ The gecko had a croaky voice and crossed his small arms, looking grumpy…
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Chapter three: The Great Black Pearl Heist
Ethan looked at Mighty Moko with new interest. ‘I think you should hang around,’ he said with a smirk. ‘I’m not going anywhere!’ growled Mighty Moko. ‘This is my place. You are the ones that need to leave.’
They were distracted by a distressed cry at the entrance to the restaurant. ‘They’ve all been stolen!’ A waitress hurried over to see what was happening. The children listened to a disjointed conversation they couldn’t make head or tail of until another waitress began distributing newspapers to each table. ‘You need to see this,’ she said. ‘It’s an outrage!’ Ethan grabbed the Cook Island News and began reading.
‘BLACK PEARL HEIST’ screamed the headline.
At a table next to them, a guest suddenly shouted. ‘They have stolen my black pearl necklace!’ The woman clutched at her chest, looking distraught, and a staff member rushed over to offer sympathy. ‘Goodness,’ said Emma. ‘The thief has taken all the black pearls, even from guests staying here!’ ‘What else does the newspaper article say?’ said Jed, forgetting his food for once.
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Chapter four: Making Their Way to the Needle
Of course, the children, Heathcliff the Dog and Blong the Cat, weren’t going to give up. All of them wanted to ensure the missing black pearls were returned to their owners, and the thought of a small reward was a nice incentive too. So they returned to their room and loaded their two backpacks with food, water and other provisions. After checking with the helpful staff at reception, they decided to catch one of the two buses that circled the island – one going clockwise, one going anti-clockwise…
‘How can I help you?’ asked the friendly staff member behind the counter. She wore a frangipani behind one ear, and her name badge told the children her name was Louisa. ‘We wanted to hike to the top of The Needle,’ said Kiri. ‘I recommend that I organise a guide to meet you and take you to the top,’ said Louisa. ‘It’s not an easy hike, although the view is well worth it, so I can’t have children doing this on their own.’ …
‘I do hope the police find the culprit soon and the black pearls are returned,’ said Louisa as they zoomed along a bumpy road lined by tropical bush. ‘It’s clear this is an outside person to do such a thing. These black pearls are the livelihood for many people, and it’s also a cultural outrage that someone has stolen them.’
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Chapter five: The Top of the Needle
‘You can see the shoreline of the entire island!’ said Emma. It was a stunning view from The Needle as they looked at the dense tropical bush that covered the jagged volcanic ridges in the centre of Rarotonga, then out to the sandy coastal beaches, the island surrounded by the coral reef, the sea breaking gently against the reef in the distance. ‘It’s a winning view,’ said Jed.’
‘Oh, we are so high,’ said Blong in a small voice, his eyes wide as he reached out to Emma, his human. ‘I really don’t like this!’ They all turned to look at Blong with sympathy. ‘Poor Blong,’ said Emma, taking him from Kiri. ‘We won’t be here any longer than we need; we will see if we have solved the clue and find out where we go next. Which has to be somewhere down the mountain as this is the highest point. ’I think this might be what we are looking for,’ said Jed striding forward. Resting against the jagged volcanic rock was a small wooden box with a touchpad with the numbers A, B, C, and D. Below the wooden box was attached an envelope.’
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Chapter six: Wigmore’s Waterfall is Wonderful
It was a picturesque spot with a cascading waterfall that flowed down a sloping cliff surrounded by lush greenery to a swimming hole below. Heathcliff the Dog looked at the cool water, promptly raced in, and sat in the swimming spot with a goofy expression.
‘Hot,’ was all he said, which aptly reflected how they all felt after hiking down the mountain, the day’s humidity sapping their energy.
‘This is extraordinary!’ said Emma, looking around.
Blong jumped down from Kiri’s arms and stretched and yawned. Ethan and Jed set down their backpacks.
‘Look!’ said Jed, pointing. ‘There’s another box.’
Kiri looked where Jed was pointing and strode over. It was the same as the first wooden box. A small container the size of a medium-sized jewellery box with a keypad on the outside with A, B, C and D. It was resting on a rock by the pool. She snatched the note below and ripped open the envelope. Kiri sighed when she saw what it said and read it to the group.
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Emma gasped when she saw Blong fast asleep on a rock perched over the pool, right on the edge, about to fall into the water.
‘Oh, Blong!’ Emma cried, racing forward to try and rescue him.
Emma’s cry caused Blong to wake a little, just enough to cause him to move and slip off the rock. They all watched in horror as Blong plunged into the swimming hole below, emerging with a pathetic meow, looking more like a drowned rat than a cat.
‘How did I end up here?’ he said in a pitiful voice as Heathcliff helped him out of the pool. ‘You all know I don’t like water.’
Ethan rummaged in his backpack and found a towel, which he handed to Emma. ‘To dry Blong off,’ he said.
‘That’s very thoughtful,’ said Emma, who proceeded to towel-dry Blong.
Kiri looked at Ethan in surprise.
‘I can be thoughtful!’ Ethan said defensively.
‘Huh!’ snorted Kiri, but then relented. ‘Maybe.’
‘Poor Blong,’ Emma said to her cat. ‘We will try to keep you away from water, but you must stop falling asleep in strange places.’
‘I must say Blong looks so refreshed now he’s had a swim. The water looks very inviting.’
‘It does,’ said Kiri, looking at the water with longing. ‘I’m going in!’ she declared, taking off her shirt, T-shirt and sandals to reveal she had togs on underneath. She dove into the fresh, cool water.
‘Oh, this is sweet as!’ Kiri said as she frolicked in the water.
Jed looked at Kiri for a moment, took off his T-shirt and shoes, and did a bellyflop into the pool, splashing Emma and Ethan, who laughed. Emma took off her shoes, sat on a rock and dangled her feet in the water. Ethan followed suit by rolling up his long trousers and soon had his legs in the water as well.
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Chapter seven: The Maire Nui Gardens Are Beautiful
‘Oh, I love this garden!’ cried Blong as he danced ahead of the others, stopping on a small wooden bridge to admire the water lilies in the water below. ‘It is the best garden in the whole wide world!’
Emma smiled at Blong’s enthusiasm. It was beautiful, there was no doubt about that. The Maire Nui Gardens was bursting with colourful, tropical plants creating a serene and gorgeous oasis as the children looked around. The frangipanis were incredibly fragrant, thought Heathcliff. Jed counted around 20 different varieties of palm trees, and there were plenty of edible plants – mangos, passionfruit, bananas and pomegranate plants, to name a few.
To find out more about Maire Nui Gardens click here.
‘It’s a nice day for walking around the gardens,’ Mighty Moko commented, calculating how long the children might take to walk the seven acres and have lunch.
Mighty Moko smiled when he thought of the time sliding by, putting the mission out of reach. He might even be able to manipulate things, so they got lost! The thought made him even more cheery. But the smile slid off his face when Blong jumped up and danced towards a stone frog sitting on the path in front of the garden. On top of the frog’s head was another wooden box with a keypad on the outside and another envelope underneath.
‘Another box!’ Blong announced. He grabbed the envelope that was sitting underneath and took it to the table just as their food arrived.
Emma took the envelope from Blong and opened the envelope…
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Chapter eight: A Diversion
‘Naughty Mighty Moko hypnotised you in the bus,’ said Emma, holding Blong in her arms. ‘Bad gecko,’ said Blong, turning to look at Mighty Moko, hanging out of Ethan’s pocket and trying to right himself after Ethan had picked him up and stuffed him in there. Mighty Moko looked uncharacteristically subdued and sheepish. ‘You did what!’ said Kiri, glaring at the gecko, who shrank from her fierce stare. ‘But Mighty Moko confessed to what he had done,’ said Heathcliff, standing by Jed and looking at him affectionately. ‘And confession is an act of honesty and courage.’ Mighty Moko perked up and smiled at the group. ‘See, I did the right thing,’ he announced. Kiri opened her mouth to say something, then closed it looking confused. ‘I’m still unsure what happened, but we should get to Black Rock?’ ‘Are you sure you are up to it?’ said Emma. ‘How are you feeling?’
‘Actually, I feel just fine,’ said Kiri. ‘And swimming with the turtles was amazing.’
‘It was!’ said Jed with enthusiasm. ‘Well, let’s get a bus to Black Rock,’ said Blong the Cat. ‘Hooray, the mission is back on track.’
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Chapter nine: Black Rock Surprise
There was a refreshing breeze when the children made their way along the beach to Black Rock after catching the local bus. Jed had already noted a golf course on the other side of the road. When they’d solved all the clues, he’d like to come back for a golf round. There was also tennis and volleyball. Rarotonga was such an excellent place for anyone who liked sports! Black Rock was what you would expect from its description. Large black basalt rocks were sitting on the ocean’s edge, making them the perfect diving platform for the rock pools below, another beautiful aqua-coloured playground within the coral reef of Rarotonga.
The children, Blong, Heathcliff and Mighty Moko in Ethan’s pocket, made their way along the sand and stones of the shore, and it was Blong who spied the wooden box first. ‘There it is!’ Blong the Cat cried. ‘The latest box with the clues!’
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Chapter ten: Modelling at the Seawall Mural
The mural was beautiful. It had colourful collages depicting coral reefs, native sea and
birdlife, and local people dressed traditionally, and there were Polynesian motifs and
imagery. ‘This is very impressive,’ said Ethan, and even Mighty Moko, standing in Ethan’s
pocket, had to agree, and he nodded enthusiastically.
‘It’s wonderful!’ announced Blong from Emma’s arms.
‘It’s such a beautiful work of art!’ agreed Emma.
‘There is so much work in this,’ said Jed as they continued to walk along the mural
that seemed to stretch for ages. He bounced his ball on the footpath. ‘It must be like running a
marathon to paint all this.’
Two men who had been painting stood up and approached the children.
‘Kia Orana. We are so pleased you like the mural,’ said the first man. ‘We are part of
the team working on this project.’
‘It’s a pleasure to meet artists of your calibre,’ said Heathcliff the Dog. ‘It is beautiful
to witness such a wonderful creation of art.’
Both artists looked pleased with Heathcliff’s comments.
‘Can you tell us a little about the mural?’ asked Emma.
‘Oh yes, please!’ said Blong. ‘I really want to know more!’
‘Well, the Nikao Sea wall was built in the 1970s, a functional grey wall to protect
this part of the island. As you can see, we are now transforming this wall, and each of the
Cook Islands has been allocated a section of the sea wall to tell their story,’ said the first man.
‘The Marae Moana mural is a great reminder of how our forefathers first sailed the
Pacific Ocean and settled the islands we now call home,’ said the second artist, busy painting
a section of the sea.
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Learn more about the largest Seawall in the South Pacific here
Chapter Eleven: A Beachcomber Diversion
There was a sign for a café in front of the historic Beachcomber Building, and Emma stopped to read the other sign outside the white building. The limestone building was constructed in 1845 by the London Missionary Society and was believed to be the second built in Rarotonga. It was initially used for Sunday School, church and community functions. ‘Oh, look,’ said Ethan, peering over Emma’s shoulder. ‘Cyclone Dolly caused a lot of damage in 1967. But the building was restored in 1992 to showcase Cook Island black pearls and contemporary art. ’‘Oh, they won’t like that their black pearls have been stolen!’ said Emma. ‘We had better continue our mission,’ said Jed, looking at his watch. ‘Still so many clues to solve, and we only have until 9am tomorrow to get the black pearls back. ’Ethan nodded, thinking of the reward, and picked up his backpack.
‘Let’s go, Jed. ’Jed led them back out of the breezy courtyard, but Kiri made a detour when she heard some voices from the nearby shop and went to investigate. She looked around, there was a lot of contemporary Cook Island art, but she could see many glass display cabinets were bare. The other children, Heathcliff and Blong, followed her into the store, and one of the shop assistants rushed over to talk to them. ‘Oh, are you the children solving the clues to get the black pearls back?’ she said excitedly. ‘All of our black pearls were stolen, and we are worried we will need to close the shop if we don’t get them back. Well, not too much information has been released,’ said the shop assistant. ‘But a wealthy billionaire arrived a couple of weeks ago on his yacht, and there have been some suspicious sightings of some of his staff around the island. ’‘Suspicious?’ asked Emma. ‘Well, you wouldn’t expect people to wear balaclavas on a tropical island,’ said the shop assistant drily. ‘Much too hot!’ said Blong the Cat firmly. ‘That’s very suspicious!’ said Ethan.
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Chapter Twelve: Visiting the Takamoa Theological College
‘What a beautiful building,’ said Emma. They made their way up the driveway to the white stone wall with steps leading up to the building. Emma consulted her book as Blong walked on the ground by her feet, dancing with new energy after his cat nap at the café. Jed was juggling a ball back and forth that he’d retrieved from his backpack, looking around with interest. ‘The building was completed in 1843,’ said Emma. ‘That’s old!’ said Blong cheerfully. ‘Older than me and all of you! Even older than Heathcliff. ’‘Getting older is a privilege,’ said Heathcliff, who was the oldest of their group, especially when you factored in dog years. ‘It gives you more time for experiences and to accumulate wisdom. ’‘It was the first Theological College to be established in the South Pacific by the London Missionary Society,’ said Emma, turning a page in her book. Then she gasped, ‘Oh, this isn’t good. Jed looked at the coral limestone building and spied a small box at the top of the stairs. He put down his ball and raced up the stairs to retrieve it and the envelope underneath. ‘Another clue!’ Jed said as he ran back down the stairs to show the others. They gathered around as he ripped open the envelope.
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Chapter Thirteen The Banana Court Interview
They stopped in front of the Banana Court Building, which housed several businesses, including a place where the children could sit and have a drink. The colonial building had wide verandas and a large overhanging roof. They made their way inside, and Jed ordered lemonade for his friends, and he arranged for some water bowls for Heathcliff and Blong. They sat at a table with views of the outdoor courtyard. ‘Where’s my insect sandwich?’ demanded Mighty Moko as they took a seat. ‘Not that again!’ said Kiri, looking at the gecko in her pocket. ‘Thankfully, you are still cute even when you pretend to be grumpy,’ she added. Mighty Moko sighed and pointed under the table next to them. ‘The thief is getting sneaky,’ said Ethan. ‘He’s now hiding the clue boxes. ’Jed ducked under and saw that the box was taped to the bottom of the table as well as the envelope. He retrieved them both and re-joined the others. ‘So what does the new clue say?’ asked Ethan impatiently as Jed ripped open the latest envelope. Just then, a young man wearing a white shirt and smart black shorts ran into the building. He had a camera hanging on the end of a strap around his neck and was holding a note book and pen. ‘Are you the children solving the clues that the black pearl thief has left around the island?’ he asked. The journalist peered at the small wooden box (that they knew had a steel box inside) and the keypad labelled with A, B, C, and D and then looked at Jed again. ‘So what does the note say?’ he asked, and they all listened carefully as Jed read the latest note. You are now at the seventh location of nine. Answer this multi-choice question too pen the box to get the clue to discover location number eight! The Banana Court was the first hotel in the Cook Islands and has been used as a sanatorium for accommodation. What year was this historic building built?
A 1905
B 1955
C 2005
D 2015
PS – you are never going to find the next clue box. Time to consider defeat! The journalist looked surprised by the postscript. ‘The PS is typical,’ sighed Kiri. ‘The thief has a down vibe. ’‘The thief thinks he is smarter than everyone else,’ said Ethan. ‘But we are smarter! ’‘But we are going to figure this out!’ said Jed. ‘We are not losing this race.
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Chapter Fourteen: Punanga Nui Market Surprise
The children made their way to the market, temporary stalls now set up amongst the permanent huts that operated all week. It had such a fun vibe, with live music and throngs of people enjoying the atmosphere. Emma took some time to look at some of the sarongs, Jed was interested in the wood carvings, Kiri liked the look of the ukuleles, and Ethan found a place that was selling some second-hand trinkets. Ethan examined a carved wooden turtle on the shelf and decided he would get it. It was an impressive piece, and he always enjoyed getting second-hand things.
Ethan thought of it as giving the item a second life so that it didn’t end up in a landfill just because the original owner didn’t want it anymore. After he had paid for it and put it in his backpack, he also thought about adapting it. When he got home, he could put wheels on it and attach a small motor to a remote control. It would make a great mobile table that way! Something to whizz around the house. Imagine a party and the carved wooden turtle circulating around with snacks for people. That would be a great way to show off his inventive skills! Maybe he could even patent the idea if it worked well.
Ethan continued walking around the market, happy with himself and his ideas. Blong the Cat and Heathcliff the Dog were more interested in the food, the delicious smells wafting through the air, tantalising their noses and taste buds. There were pizzas, doughnuts, waffles and kebabs. Blong noticed there was every type of fresh fruit smoothie you could imagine! There were also local favourites like taro, coconut, poke and Ika Mata. And there was also loads of baking! Everything from Danish pastries to croissants to cakes. ‘This is my kind of place,’ said Blong happily, looking around. ‘Oh, and I love this song.’ Blong began dancing to the rhythmic beat of the local band playing live on stage. ‘Come on, Kiri, dance with me!’
Learn more about the Punanga Nui Markets here
Chapter 15: The Cultural Night
The four children, Blong, Heathcliff and Mighty Moko were running a bit late when they stepped off the bus at Te Vara Nui Village, which was hosting the evening cultural show. The hostess, a slim, elegant woman wearing a sarong and impressive flower garland, was waiting outside for them and greeted them warmly. ‘Kia Orana! You must be our guests with the tickets organised by the Cook Island News.’ ‘Yes, we are, ma’am,’ said Jed politely. She smiled and began handing out costumes for them each. ‘What are these?’ said Ethan, looking at the outfit he had been handed with concern. ‘You are fortunate. Cook Island News also arranged for you to be part of the show,’ said the hostess. ‘Follow me,’ she said, walking briskly into the complex and pointing as they walked. ‘You can get changed there, and we have a table booked just there so you can enjoy the buffet meal before the show. And don’t worry, you won’t need to join the performers on stage until the end, so you have plenty of time.’
The children followed her reluctantly into the venue, whispering as they walked behind her. ‘Oh boy!’ said Kiri, fiddling with her gold bracelet. ‘What are you worried about?’ said Ethan looking at his costume in horror. ‘You are a natural performer. You’ll be fine. I’m not sure about the rest of us!’ Heathcliff looked perplexed by it all and had no wise comments for once.
The hostess came back on stage to introduce the show, and the next minute the dancers ran on stage in their colourful costumes, the drum beat causing them all to tap their feet. Kiri, in particular, was mesmerised by the show. It was spectacular, from the dancing to the costumes and choreography to the light show, flaming torches, and accompanying music. The show was performed on the stage and on a floating platform on the stream. A voice-over told The Legend of Tongaiti, and all of them were mesmerised by the story of a voyaging warrior named Tongaiti, searching for a new land to call home.
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Chapter 16: Mighty Moko Changes his Mind
You are now at the ninth destination. Answer this multi-choice question to open the box to get information to recover the black pearls. Beautiful Avana Harbour is the arrival and departure point for Polynesian migration, but what was the first European ship to land in this harbour in 1814?
A The Cumbersome
B The Cumberland
C The Cummerbund
D The Cucumber
PS – If you answer this correctly, I will admit defeat, return all the black pearls, and give you a reward. But you only have until 9am today, so time is of the essence. ‘Oh, that’s tricky!’ said Kiri as Emma frantically looked through her book. ‘It doesn’t say!’ wailed Emma, and Blong looked utterly dejected when he looked at her face. ‘Well, it’s not Cucumber,’ said Ethan. ‘That would be a ridiculous name for a ship. You’d feel like an idiot saying to people you were sailing on The Cucumber.’ ‘But that still leaves us three choices,’ said Jed. ‘I don’t like the odds of this at all.’ Matthew the journalist was scratching his head. ‘I’m up to date with breaking news, but I confess I don’t know this piece of history.’ Mighty Moko cleared his throat. ‘The answer is B, The Cumberland.’ ‘But how can you be sure?’ said Ethan. ‘And how do we know you are really on our side.’
‘I’ve had endless people in my room over the years,’ said Mighty Moko. ‘And I found them all very annoying until you lot turned up, and I’ve now changed my mind about my no guests policy. But I can now appreciate they all taught me a lot about Rarotonga, reading their various books and brochures aloud. The answer is definitely The Cumberland.’ Kiri looked at Mighty Moko making his speech from her pocket, and before they could debate things further, she punched the letter B, and they watched as she opened the final envelope. ‘So what does it say?’ said Ethan impatiently.
Find out more on the 10 Best Historical Sites on Rarotonga here
Chapter 17: Back Where It All Began
‘So what are we going to do with the reward money?’ said Ethan, eyeing the wads of money that Jed was holding. ‘Oh, how much is there?’ said Kiri, snatching the rolls for Jed and beginning to count. ‘Wow, it’s five thousand dollars!’ ‘That’s a huge amount of money,’ said Emma, her eyes wide. ‘I can’t even imagine that amount of anything!’ said Blong the Cat. ‘I can make a robot!’ said Ethan happily. There is plenty of money for that. ‘Ethan!’ said Kiri. ‘We need to share it between us! Don’t be so selfish!’ Ethan frowned. ‘Oh. all right then!
‘You are much more blessed to give than to receive,’ said Heathcliff. ‘This would be a wonderful thing to do in appreciation of our stay here.’ ‘Well, I’m the local,’ said Mighty Moko. ‘I vote the money goes to a local school.’ Ethan sighed and looked at the group. He knew when he was beaten. ‘Alright then, we give the money to a local school for their library.’ He picked up his backpack, grumbling. ‘It doesn’t feel like a blessing doing this, I have to say!’ But Ethan was soon distracted by the growing crowds wanting photographs and autographs. Matthew the journalist arrived sometime later to say that mystery trucks had been seen all around the island, and already many shops had their black pearls back.
‘We can’t risk this ever happening again,’ said one of the officers looking stern. ‘It is much too disruptive.’ After all of this, Jed looked at his watch and declared that they had to have brunch urgently, or he would faint from hunger, and they were soon planning the rest of the day’s activities, Mighty Moko eagerly wanting to join them on everything they suggested. ‘I feel the most alive I’ve ever felt,’ Mighty Moko said, looking at them with a genuinely happy smile. ‘Thank you for invading my room. You are welcome to stay as long as you like.’ ‘Thank you, Mighty Moko,’ said Blong with a mouthful of fish. ‘I must say, I love Rarotonga. This is the best trip ever, and you are a wonderful new friend!’
Learn more about the School Island Adventures tour here
Chapter 18: The Elastic Ride Home
‘Grab a palm tree!’ said Kura the K?kupa, ‘And you can put your drums in the main pod palm tree.’ She pointed at one of the palm trees where the door was open, and the children had a glimpse of the control room for Elastic Island. They were all seasoned travellers on Elastic Island, so they quickly stored the drums in the control pod palm tree and then clung to a palm tree each, Heathcliff choosing the same tree as Jed and Blong draping himself around Emma’s neck. Drums were still beating, and people were still dancing on Muri Beach as the sand on Elastic Island began to form into long furrows stretching towards the coral beach. ‘Next stop Browns Baaaaaaay,’ Mr Jollybowler shouted, as there was a loud pinging sound and next thing Elastic Island was moving and Rarotonga disappearing into the far distance.
It was a smooth trip, the twing and twang working perfectly, and it seemed like they were hugging the beach at Browns Bay only a few minutes later. Blong jumped to the sand, and Emma took off his red raincoat as the others stepped on to Browns Bay Beach. ‘It’s been a pleasure to have you travelling with Elastic Island today,’ said Mr Jollybowler. ‘We appreciate you have a choice of different transport alternatives and look forward to seeing you again in the future.’ ‘We loved having you travel with us,’ said Kura the K?kupa in her sweet voice. ‘See you next time!’