1 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Tried some more camera tests at night. This is a (very dim) picture of palm trees in front of the stars.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-19.html

1 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

My kitchen area at night. I wanted to stay in the hostel, but apparently that's still being rebuilt from a hurricane (possibly Cyclone Heta?). The only food I can find is from a small chip shop down the road. Nothing else was open, at least in this part of the island.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-19.html

1 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Tom's Beach Cottage had two guesthouses. I never bumped into the person staying at the other one. I was jealous of the other cottage, and I even though I heard TV or radio from that cottage one of the nights.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-19.html

1 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Found a ride in a family truck at the airport. They told me that no dogs are allowed on the island, as centuries ago, they were though to carry leprosy, or maybe a dog mauled a high chief's daughter or something. Some people on the island have never see a dog in real life! This is the view from where I was staying - Tom's Beach Cottage.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-19.html

1 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

OMG! Are we landing in the water!?

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-19.html

1 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

First view of the atoll - it kind of popped out of nowhere.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-19.html

1 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Soon, we are well on our way over the vast empty ocean, heading to the next island. I love how the clouds reflected off the water.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-19.html

1 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Soon, we were off the island. You can see now small the island is, with no other land in sight.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-19.html

1 June 2011:

View of the Rarotongan towns and mountains on take-off. I wonder what this place looked like when the volcano was active.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-19.html

1 June 2011:

Other than me, there was one Swiss tourist (who I bumped into a few days later - it's common to keep bumping into the same people over and over again on these small islands), and a Rarotongan family that seemed to know some people working at the airport.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-19.html

1 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Walking up to the check-in counter, I was greeted by a hearty "You must be Mark!" Judging by the seat I got, there's not going to be a lot of others on this flight.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-19.html

1 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

I arrived a bit too early, so I hopped across the street to a motel resort to grab a quick beer. This was the first time I felt completely at peace in years, and made some breakthroughs meditating about my life.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-19.html

1 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Rarotongan Airport. I'm taking a domestic flight to Aitutaki today, there wasn't a lot of people at the airport. There were a few chickens wandering around, though.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-19.html

1 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

After a snorkel at Aro'a in the morning, I'm off again. Caught a quick snap of the Parliament building(s?).

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-19.html