Aitutaki by Car

Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Tue 15 Oct 2013 22:07
Exploring Aitutaki by
Car
![]() Bear came back
to Beez and said I would be thrilled with the cute
little metallic pink hire car at thirty pounds for the day. The lady
in the hire shop had said “to bring it back some time in the morning, no rush,
we are not busy until next week when the golf is on.” Must look out for a sleek
golf course then.... that ended up getting a blog. Off we went at a cracking
pace, one careful owners so thick and fast, they had to be split into two,
machines and houses.
![]() Literally, then.
![]() ![]() ![]() A short way along the road we stopped
to admire this goliath of a metal boat and the little one dwarfed beside her.
![]() ![]() ![]() The lagoon was
quite beautiful.
![]() We
stopped at a café for lunch.
![]() ![]() ![]() I
realised I hadn’t had a toasted cheese and tomato sandwich for so long - it
leapt out from the menu at me. Bear had the special.
The card given to Bear with his beer read, “Matutu
Brewery was born in the Cook Islands by two local mates who knew a guy in New
Zealand famous for his award winning beers. In 2006, they scabbed his old vats
for cheap and got him to design and teach them how to brew two awesome beers.
Named Mai Lager and Kiva Pale Ale, these brews are all natural and delicious
tasting. Take the time to learn how to say these names the island way – you’ll
taste the awesomness more.
The boys Eric and James, hand craft these beers. Seriously! With each
brew they take ten heavy sacks of grain up a ladder and feed them into the
chute, hand stirring below in the vat. At the end of the mix, they dig out all
the grain into wheelie bins and give it to the local farmers. Bottles, some
recycled, are hand labeled using a homemade foot pedal-pulley contraption, bit
of island ingenuity. When the beer is ready, every bottle is hand filled and
capped. This is done in the chiller, it’s nought degrees and they usually bottle
one hundred dozen per brew. That’s the hard part for the locals, the
cold!
Then with much enthusiasm the beers are loaded into their old truck
and hand delivered around the island. Fresh!
Matutu beer is made with pure Cook Islands water, no additives and no
preservatives. Beer recipes created by the Brewer of New Zealand Champion
Brewery 2008, Tuatara Brewing.” What a great little story and Bear enjoyed the
suds too.
![]() Up
into the hills for the view.
![]() From our vantage point called Two Tanks (there were), we could walk a
hundred yards and see both sides of the surrounding
reef.
![]() We
could just make out our route in – in front of the
catamaran.
![]() On
our way down we stopped to admire this colourful hillside
garden.
![]() A
frangipani tree festooned with Spanish moss.
![]() A
Berger house.
![]() ![]() A very humble grave on the side of the
road and the fanciest one we have ever seen in a
front garden.
![]() ![]() We
loved this tiny house with its wash facilities on the outside wall.
![]() A lovely, fresh church that replaced St
John’s, destroyed by Cyclone Pat.
![]() ![]() Not too keen on the sausage shaped graves
at the front. Inside was simple, yet very welcoming.
![]() ![]() This chap stopped chewing to say hello, what a
fine beard.
![]() ![]() ![]() Date night. Bear had Fisherman’s Soup, I
had deep fried prawn. Our smashing waiter insisted he
take our picture. We said how concerned we were about
the number of houses in ruins. He explained that Cyclone Pat took sixty per cent
of the houses but the New Zealand Government helped to resettle folk and it is
hoped they will come back and rebuild in the future.
![]() ![]() ![]() Bear had surf and turf, I had fish and chips. Will that be cod,
madam. No, that will be blue marlin, a new one on me. Very fishy for
a big game hunter, but rather nice dipped in sweet chili sauce, saved from my
starter. Bear rounded his meal off with deep fried ice
cream, I had an Irish coffee, not had one of those for a very long time.
Fits of giggles from the captain as I got four mosquito bites. What was so funny
was I was sat looking at my spray repellent on the table next to me,
dah.......... Time to wend our way home after a really good day.
ALL IN ALL A MIXTURE OF EVERYTHING WITH SUCH WELCOMING
PEOPLE |