My mistake was ignoring the farewell comment from a friend of John's on the final page of the book...."You have to be careful, you know, because after too much time here the little green tendrils start to grow round your ankles. They can take you over entirely, they can, and never let you go".
So maybe that explains why, nearly 40 years on and after multiple visits, my love affair with the Cook Islands is stronger than ever!