A RETIRED BBC radio and TV reporter and presenter has been having a long distance love affair with the remote and unspoiled Cook Islands in the South Pacific for nearly 40 years.

Now, after multiple visits and a wealth of research, John Roberts says he wants to “share the love” by way of a new book he’s written called ‘Around the Corner from Nowhere: The Cook Islands Rediscovered’.

The Grappenhall resident describes it as a narrative about all 15 of the islands, rather than a guide book.

But there are also fascinating stories and traveller tips which he hopes will interest those who’ve visited, are thinking of visiting or just want to armchair travel. Down the years he’s written and broadcast in the UK, Australia and New Zealand about the Islands, and for 17 years has run his own Cook Islands website cookislands.org.uk which gets over a quarter of a million visits a year.

His love affair began in 1982 after he read a story in the travel pages of the UK’s ‘Sunday Times’ newspaper about the Islands and it completely captured his imagination. But it was more than 20 years later before he finally made his first visit. And he recalls, in the chapter about the main island of Rarotonga, that night he arrived.

 

3. One Foot Island is one of the islets in the vast crystal clear blue lagoon of Aitutaki. This beach won a travel industry “Oscar” as the best in the Australia/Pacific region

3. One Foot Island is one of the islets in the vast crystal clear blue lagoon of Aitutaki. This beach won a travel industry “Oscar” as the best in the Australia/Pacific region

 

“Deep emotions were mixed with an overwhelming desire to see something of this island of my dreams as soon as possible. OK, I admit it; I cried tears of joy and darkness wasn’t going to get in the way of discovery. In fact, it made for a memory to last a lifetime.

"Strolling along a beach which was deserted and silent apart from the pounding of the Pacific Ocean, the best free show in town was under way. With no light pollution, looking up into the night sky was like seeing the view inside a planetarium. Billions of stars sparkled down as they must have done since the first Polynesians crossed uncharted seas in their canoes to reach these islands more than a thousand years ago.”

The book blends his own first-hand accounts of visits with those shared with him by other travellers and islanders themselves to provide an insight into each and every one of the 15 Cook Islands.

 

1. Jake Numanga Snr. MBE – He’s been singing welcome songs for visitors on every single flight arriving into and departing from the capital island of Rarotonga since 1980

1. Jake Numanga Snr. MBE – He’s been singing welcome songs for visitors on every single flight arriving into and departing from the capital island of Rarotonga since 1980

 

Over the course of 16 chapters, complete with more than 30 photographs, he also answers some intriguing questions.

All profits from the sale will be donated to the Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Research UK.

The title of the book comes from a passing remark in a long and insightful article about the Islands in a 1967 edition of ‘National Geographic’ and John concludes with his 21st century reflection on that writing by way of some personal pondering about the future of the Islands and threats from tourism, climate change and seabed mining.

“Around the Corner from Nowhere: The Cook Islands Rediscovered” is available now from Amazon as a print replica e-book by following this link getbook.at/Cook_Islands-ebook

The paperback edition will be available later this month via Amazon or direct from the author (author@coookislands.org.uk). It can also be ordered through bookshops from February