How to arrive to Aitutaki... Photo

Photographer’s Note

How to arrive to Aitutaki...

5 months before you must buy a Round the World ticket with Star Alliance, membership of Ansett, Air New Zealand, Korean, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines...
Pay it...and after few second cry for the price.
No problem is a normal event.

3 months before the first flight you must imagine the travel. All the stops, how many days.
We choose: Milano-Frankfurth-Singapore-Hong Kong-Cairns-Port Moresby-Papua Highlands-Fidji-Polynesia-Los Angeles-Munich-Milano.

2 months before your wife read the Papua New Guinea Lonely Planet and she decides that it's a too dangerous Country.

2 months before you must changed all the plan.

2 months before we change in that way: Milano-Frankfurth-Singapore-Hong Kong-Guam-Sydney-Fidji-Polynesia-Los Angeles-Munich-Milano.

1 month and a half before your wife read on the Micronesia and Guam Lonley Planet that Malaria and Encephalitis are endemic in that islands and you'll remember that you had the Dengue 5 years before in Honduras...

1 month and a half before you MUST change all the plan again: Milano-Frankfurth-Singapore-Hong Kong-Sydney-Fidji-Samoa-Polynesia-Los Angeles-Munich-Milano.

3 week before there will be a Golpe in Fidjii islands.
...and you'll must change again and again...
Milano-Frankfurth-Singapore-Hong Kong-Sydney-Tonga-Samoa-Polynesia-Los Angeles-Munich-Milano.

but you'll discover that just from Fidjii there's the flight to Tonga and then to Western Samoa.
So, it's not possible to go there with your tickets,
and so...you'll change again all the plan.
Milano-Frankfurth-Singapore-Hong Kong-Macau-Canton-Sydney-Polynesia-Los Angeles-Munich-Milano.

But you have too many days to spent in Polynesia...too expansive!
so...what there is on the way between Australia and Polyinesia?
A stop over of half day in Auckland, New Zealand (where it is winter season and too cold for your wife!) and the COOK ISLANDS.

What?

yes...Cook Islands.
exactley on the other side of the globe from Italy.
It takes the same time to go there from Milan flying over Atlantic and America or flying over Asia and Pacific.
The other side of the world.

Where i can find a guide?
nowhere.
Cook Islands in Italy are totally unknown (and not only in Italy!)

So you'll must buy a Lonely Planet on line. you'll pay it as a Gutenberg Bible and you'll find that is a totally crap book of not more than 80 pages with few informations.

Finally after many, many flights and too many jet lag headeches you'll arrive on Rarotonga, the main insland of Cooks.
You'll find so that is the ONLY one island with mountains in an area largest than the whole Western and Central Europe.

So...where will go ALL THE CLOUDS of that area over the Pacific Ocean?

yes...exactley...its will go over Rarotonga.
You'll have 12 days of grey sky and with not few rain and thunderstorm in the night.

so...after 7, 8 days what you can do...just one thing..go to the airport (airport...?!) and pay and extra vacation and an extra flight to Aitutaki.

"the most beautiful atoll of the world" as it's called.

..and so...finally you'll arrive to that small atoll with a fantastic lagoon with dozens of tones of green and blue, totally empty of people for the largest part, with a sky that is wonderful....and with some clouds...high clouds...that transit over you...all on the way to Raraotonga...

*Scanned image*

TravelerNL, partha, kiwi_explorer, chrisnet, ChrisJ, Cretense, Budapestman, papagolf21, luisafonso, PixelTerror, snunney, jurarafal, evanrizo, sleon, lestans, Gerrit, jafadabret, pastadog, Rosa_d_MonteLua, JCG, pancla, Talia, tigra, lilimih33, berseph, teutza, Muse, AiresSantos, bibiweb, ruisc_pt, tinamunk3, ckuhn55, Emiel_Skyfreak, Mistral, Sne011 has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

partha (13657) 2007-02-15 4:43

Hi Paolo ,
terrific shot. The inclined coconut tree at the foreground, the nice blue sky, the wonderful colour of the sea water all mingles together to have an excellent shot.
regards.
partha

kiwi_explorer (12195) 2007-02-15 4:47

Hi Paolo,
Ohhh I love this scene ... beautiful. The tropical colours are so real and inviting. Very well composed ... you even have a very pleasing 'S' curve formation in the shore. Excellent!
Cheers,
Renier

barrufeto_77 (25809) 2007-02-15 4:47

Pronto Paolo.

The colours are excellent and the view is enjoyable.

Anyway, the best in the picture is the note jajajajajajajajajaja.

Rgs, Oscar

TravelerNL (2951) 2007-02-15 4:47

Hello Paolo,
What a story ... only that is already worth the points.
The colors and compo of the photo are not that bad either, makes me looking for the summer from this grey time but not real winter at all in the Netherlands. TFS.
Harko

siolaw (25734) 2007-02-15 4:48

Ciao Paolo,
Stupendous tones of turquoise color in this sea!! The only thing one could complain is the top of the coconut being cut and still that is arguable! ;D The rest is pure pleasure to watch! Light emphasizing the sand bank in the water is excellent...
Laurent

chrisnet (20374) 2007-02-15 4:52

Hi Paolo,
It's the paradise! I love the colors and the framing with the coconut in the foreground. Beautiful shot!
Regards
Christian

stefanocer (10404) 2007-02-15 4:55

In un giorno piovoso (almeno a roma) ci fai sognare con questo favoloso paesaggio marino , complimenti molto bella .
Stefano.

moody (0) 2007-02-15 4:58

Very nice photo, cheers, Moody

aadilj (17950) 2007-02-15 4:59

Thats a classic beachside shot that just about perfect. The tree bending and curving is the only action on this stark beach. The crystal waters of the blue sea are lovely and well captured. Nice textures and well seen with very good pov and dof.

Cretense (56136) 2007-02-15 5:00

Hi Paolo!

Amazing exotic landscape, a capture of the highest quality, like a postcard (I don't know why some people misunderstand this, I hope you don't) and propably the best note ever written on TE. What more can I ask? Congratulations!

Ciao, Hercules

Budapestman (41920) 2007-02-15 5:20

Hi Paolo,
What a peaceful and calm atmosphere! Heavenly spectacle! Impressive POV and attractive composition. Colours are beautiful and rich. Picturesque image. Thank you, nice days
George

brevbrev14 (372) 2007-02-15 5:24

ciao Paolo, ipossibile non apprezzare questa composizione........
vorrei essere li...... :( per vederla con i miei occhi.........
BEllo il taglio che hai usato e la proporzione cielo-terra...
colori stupendi.......immagine paradisiaca........
ciao!
Valeria

papagolf21 (56367) 2007-02-15 5:26

Bonjour, mon ami Paolo,
Image idyllique, image fantastique, image sortie d'un rêve.
La qualité photographique est excellente.
La note d'accompagnement est édifiante quant aux problèmes que l'on peut rencontrer pour la préparation d'un voyage.
Amitiés.
Philippe

cessy (13647) 2007-02-15 5:27

simply wonderful
I like the simple composition and how wonderful it must be to be there
very nice, Paolo

luisafonso (858) 2007-02-15 5:30

Uff! I am tired after reading your great note! So many changes. So many trips. You really love your wife! :) But it was worthy. Great scenery Paolo. The turquoise blue water is dreamful. A the classic bended palm tree too. I want Summer. Now! :)

PixelTerror (86124) 2007-02-15 5:43

Ciao Paolo,
The colors look good and the association with paradise that comes with such a photo calls for success. That being said it's an old photo taken before TE ever existed, taking it now you would probably avoid cutting the palm tree top and you would try to fully include the attractive sand curve to the left. I already got part of this note in our previous conversations but it's always a delight to read about this expedition again ;-)
Buona giornata,
Jean-Yves

snunney (34884) 2007-02-15 5:53

Hello Paulo,
A perfect tropical scene with exquisite colours. A minimalist but splendid composition that tells us everything we need to know. Greta clarity. Lucky man!

evanrizo (456) 2007-02-15 6:21

Scanned image!!?
Very good quality.
There is the paradise, what a nice light and wonderful colors!
Very good framed also with the tree.
Evan

vinicio (22412) 2007-02-15 6:25

Ho deciso dove andare nella prossima (dicono torrida) estate, bel posto :) Bella foto e ben fatta, complimenti.
Buona giornata
Ciao
Vinicio

vapours (7913) 2007-02-15 7:23

A fantastic postcard image Paolo, most people only dream to be able to view scenery like this, and you've documented it perfectly.

leonorkuhn (13561) 2007-02-15 8:15

Hi Paolo,

In Brazil we say thet "shade and fresh water" are the best thing in the life. Very nice image, perfect colors and light.
Well done
Leonor

sleon (9352) 2007-02-15 9:19

Hi Paolo
Ahhh, this looks like heaven! Worth the journez, I trust? A simple and very effective composition which makes me dream of sunshine and warmth...
Regards, Susanna

lestans (15456) 2007-02-15 9:59

Ohhh Paolo!! mi hai fatta morir dal ridere con la storia di questo viaggio!! Fantastica incredibile storia!! E dimmi: quanto tempo in tutto, da Milano a Milano??
Certo che questa isola deve essere stata il paradiso, a un dato punto: bella lo era di certo e si vede! ma dopo tutte le vicissitudini...

La foto mi incanta, ma in questo caso è soprattutto la nota che mi interessa e anche mi ispira. E ho notato che spessissimo in TE vengono dati giudizi sulle foto senza leggere che senso hanno quelle foto, almeno a me è successo. (a meno che non ci si metta nel titolo una parola come "sesso" o qualcosa di simile... :-) ma ugualmente il significato resta accantonato)

Ciao!!

Livia

delkoo (34296) 2007-02-15 10:15

what a story Paolo, hovever you reached your goal this is the most important,
you have archieved a very good one,with great colours of paradise.

ciao
didier

deud (1841) 2007-02-15 10:36

amazing presentation: image + note. the colors are from heaven. the place is fantastic. tfs

Gerrit (35707) 2007-02-15 11:28

Hi Pailo,
perfect crop and ideal landscape. Excellent framing.
This is just the thing I like to see in rainy winterdays. Makes your heart gonna beat faster.
Regards, Gerrit

jafadabret (39627) 2007-02-15 12:47

Paolo, content d'arriver enfin dans ce paradis. Ton expérience servira, je pense, à tous les membres de TE. La photo fait penser à celles qu'on peut voir dans les agences de voyages (c'est peut-être la tienne !)
Tout y est pour nous faire rêver de ces paradis : la couleur du lagon, celle du ciel et ce magnifique cocotier. Du très beau travail pour quelqu'un qui était au repos !
Jacques

carper (64878) 2007-02-15 12:58

wauw, what a advertising for Bounty,Paolo
a very good photo, great low horizon, good light, of coarse, good pov yes a fantastic moment, good photo job.
gr. jaap

pastadog (12821) 2007-02-15 13:02

Ciao Paolo - Lovely colors obviously but the original touch here is the compo with that little sand area in inverted S shape on the lower left and the tree in strange shape too, on the upper left. Funny note too. Regards, Daniel

Rosa_d_MonteLua (1504) 2007-02-15 13:13

Hi Paolo!
Lovely landscape with an amazing cloudy sky!
Water's blue tonality it's absolutely fabulous and the horizon line results perfect on this shot.
That coconut it's perfectly framed on the picture.
TFS and best wishes,
Rosa

Talia (242) 2007-02-15 16:38

Hi Paulo,

With a note like that, who needs to go? I feel like I just traveled all over the world! This shot looks like a dream, like something you find in a calendar full of infinite islands that seem to not exist. VEry well captured! I'm glad you hasd some sunshine in all the grey!
Talia

tigra (2966) 2007-02-15 18:31

Wow... I couldn't find words to describe my feelings..
Paolo, you've found a real paradise, serene and beautiful!
Katia

lilimih33 (9874) 2007-02-15 20:27

Hello Paolo!
Very beautiful place and great colours!
Nice perspective!
Excellent done!
Lili

ChrisJ (70231) 2007-02-16 3:39

Bonjourno Paolo

Fantastic composition with the solitary coconut palm, & superb colour. I like the deep turquoise of the lagoon. Excellent note & well composed. Tfs!

teutza (10564) 2007-02-16 3:58

HY Paolo,
this is indeed an amasing place!!but i liked the note alot!:))made me smile:))
TFS!!
teo

JCG (25331) 2007-02-16 3:59

Hi Paolo,

What a program Paolo !!! A superb stereotyped image which always makes dream. Splendid scan where the colors are extraordinary, especially this turquoise sea and this white sand. Obviously I like very much framing. A great cheer Paolo and thank you.

With my all friendships,

Jean-Charles

Muse (31007) 2007-02-16 4:39

Hi Paolo,
C'est le paradis sur terre!
Superbe paysage sous des couleurs qui font rêver.
Personne sur la plage, un vrai rêve.
Best regards
Denise

AiresSantos (42120) 2007-02-16 4:48

Wonderful place in this very gorgeous composition.
Great POV and colours. Very well framed and done
Have a nide day

bibiweb (8) 2007-02-16 12:21

Ciao Paolo,
I just said on the forum this morning that I preferred personal and short notes. OK, this one is not really short, but it's very personal and extremely funny... I really enjoyed reading it all the way through! :o)
The picture is wonderful, though perhaps I would have preferred to see the whole palm tree. And I can only give you two points after all the pain you went through to get to this place!
Have a nice week-end.
Bibi

steveryan2006 (439) 2007-02-17 3:28

Its even better than the one I last critiqued. As I said, just like the tropics and its freezing up here in Chicago.
S.

ruisc_pt (6206) 2007-02-18 15:01

Ciao
What a voyage. Paolo..
For this image it worths all the changes..
H.

tinamunk3 (6382) 2007-02-19 13:10

Hi Paolo,

Thank you for the a FANTASTIC note. It was a pleasure and very interesting to follow your way to......just a moment I have to look.......oh yeah to Aitutaki. Not a very busy place....only you and an other Italian guy has uploaded images from this place.

Anyway - back to the image........but what can I say. It's just a true pleasure to look at this well composed masterpiece from Paradise.

:) Tina

MINOU (0) 2007-02-24 15:34 [Comment]

Show Comment

sebinho342 (18740) 2007-03-02 8:42

Hi Paolo, what a delight this picture-note. Picture can't come without your note and note can't come without your picture. It's the combination that gives all the strenght to this upload. A terrific one Paolo, as i hadn't seen for quite long in your gallery, i really really enjoyed reading you and had a big smile :))) This is exactly how i love TE, with uploads like that, like uploads of Tan, and if both of you were the first i pick in my favorites members there is a reason.
A pleasure Paolo, thanks for sharing such picture and note :))

ckuhn55 (2270) 2007-03-24 21:48

Nice, but tight crop on bottom. Luv your story better..cheers

Emiel_Skyfreak (2976) 2007-10-13 18:15

This should be paradise!
Very fine capture with great low placement of the horizon, sparkling colours, an attractive (polarizeD?) sky with clouds. The tiny bit of beach, I wish there was more in the frame, looks very attractive and inviting. The appropriate golden colour! And that light on the strip of sand located in the sea..lovely as well! Moreover, I love this cyan tone of the sea, just perfect! Friends from me have been at the Cook Islands, and have had a great time..I hope to see them too, once!
So I've heared about the islands before. Now I actually see them (have spotted only a few pics of them here on TE)
Your note was a pleasure to read, thanks, kinda funny :)

One hint on the composition : it would have been better, in my opinion, to include also the top of the tree which is unfortunately cropped off or not framed in anyway.
The rest is lovely, peacefully and calm!
Top work, regards.

Mistral (13694) 2008-01-10 14:54

Simpaticissimo commento e immagine che fa sognare, non importa che sia scannerizzata, bastano i colori dell'acqua ed il senso di lontananza da tutto che ispira... ahhhh...
Buon Anno, Paolo!
Luca

manjiki (26) 2008-04-16 4:57

I loved both your photo and the story behind it :p

Sne011 (3101) 2008-06-23 6:17

Ciao Paolo!

I was searching for pictures of Aitutaki (to release stress at work :)) and then I read your note which really made me laugh :) What an adventure :) But you found a paradise! Nice!

See you around TE
Ciao,
Sne

Photo Information

Copyright: Paolo Motta (Paolo) (40703)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2000-08-00
Categories: Nature
Camera: Nikon N80
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Summer 2000 - Round the World, Your favorites II° [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-02-15 4:39
Favorites: 2 [view]