Cook Islands Kukicast

Discover the South Pacific paradise of the Cook Islands through fascinating chats with those who have a unique insight

Contributors

Host

John Roberts

A report in the travel pages of a UK Sunday newspaper 40 years ag captured the imagination of a young journalist. It told of "a cluster of 15 reef-fringed specks" where a river of orange juice ran through the capital island, signs warned unsuspecting diners of falling breadfruit and the Prime Minister's office was "up the stairs at the back of the post office". That journalist was me and the specks were (and are) the Cook Islands. It was the start of a love affair which continues to this day. Over the years I’ve made multiple visits and written and broadcast about the Islands. I built and run single handedly the most complete guide on the net to all of the Cook Islands and have written book about them called “Around the Corner from Nowhere” (which is pretty accurate way of describing the location of this South Pacific paradise)

https://www.cookislands.org.uk

Guests

Guest

Ian Rankin

Born in the Kingdom of Fife in 1960, Ian Rankin graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 1982, and then spent three years writing novels when he was supposed to be working towards a PhD in Scottish Literature. His first Rebus novel, Knots & Crosses, was published in 1987 and his latest, Midnight and Blue has just ben published. Rebus also features in a stage play and television series

Guest appearance on:

Fish sandwiches and beer - Ian Rankin's Cook Islands

Guest

Stella Neale

Stella Neale was born on remote Palmerston in the Cook Islands in 1958 where she’s returned to live and from where she spoke to me for this podcast. She’s directly descended from William Marsters who founded a dynasty on Palmerston in the 19th century. Although administratively part of the Cooks, that island is owned in perpetuity by William’s descendants. Stella’s mother, Sarah Marsters first met Tom Neale in 1942 when she arrived on Rarotonga from Palmerston. The couple married in 1956, two years after Tom’s return from his first stay on Suwarrow. Stella trained and worked as a nurse and is now retired, but has found a new pleasure in writing and has begun sharing some of her work on her Facebook page.