Departures (2008–…): Season 1, Episode 8 - Cook Islands - full transcript

(upbeat music)

- [Scott] We've flown from
Japan to the Cook Islands.

The Cooks are a group

of islands nestled in
the South Pacific Ocean.

And we've landed on Rarotonga,
which is the main Island.

And by far the most populated Island

and it serves as a hub for
all the rest of the islands.

We're eager to indulge ourself

in South Pacific tradition and culture.

Justin and I are dropping
everything and just gonna

travel the world for a year.



I gave up quite a bit of stuff to do this.

I just always thought there's
definitely something missing.

Like traveling.

That travel bug gets in
you and it's got you.

One whole year goes by (indistinct)

(upbeat music)

We've arrived in the Cook Islands.

We wanted something nice
and laid back and tropical

in the grand scheme of things

we're treating this as our
vacation, within a vacation.

- Touchdown, landed.

We are here.

- Not exactly the sunny paradise
at first expected to see.

(soft music)



Because we narrowly missed a flight.

We weren't able to
physically check our bags

whether they made the
plane is highly unlikely.

I'm just hoping that they made it.

Yeah, I agree.

I don't think so.

Technically speaking,
as far as doing any more

documenting is concerned, is
our limited battery supply

and no charger, no tripod.

The good news is they've been located.

And as far as we know now,

they're en route to the Cook Islands.

In the end, a lot of people
would give anything to be here

right now.

And that's what I kind of remember.

If I have to live out
the rest of my trip here

with long sleeve shirt,
long sleeve pants and boots

and sweating through them,

then I'll find a way to enjoy it anyway.

(plane engine roaring)

We've landed in the town of Avarua,

located on the main Island of Rarotonga.

Rarotonga is by far
the most visited Island

and the most populated.

And it also serves as a hub
to the rest of the islands.

We need to get some money.

We need to get some temporary clothing.

- Toiletries.

I'm to figure out Scott's password.

His password's 674..

Toothbrush, deodorants.

My first tooth.

Ages six and up. Whatever.

(indistinct) tampons

I think I should just
get a shirt in there.

It was Hawaiian (indistinct) shirt.

(soft music)

- These stuff's so horrible.

- You like turtles.

- Justin Wants to buy my clothes

so that he can make me look like an idiot.

- We've got a couple of maybe

you get to choose from all right, Scott.

I'm not gonna put you in something

you don't feel comfortable with.

- He likes surfboards
so let's be nice to him.

- It's time to try them on

and see which one's the lucky winner.

Coming out in one, two, three.

You got the pink one?

- Right on.

- [Justin] You look good.

- Thanks.

(upbeat music)

In order to get some sort of transport

around the Island here, we
need to rent some scooters

but apparently you need some
sort of a Cook Islands license.

So we've got to get these
things to the police station.

Somehow.

Wait a minute.

(upbeat music)

This isn't like a test.

This is just like handing
the guy, a piece of paper.

It's just a matter of driving down here.

Turn left, turn left, turn left.

And then you're back in here again.

Unless I hit somebody or something

there's no reason I should fail.

(rock music)

Piece of cake.

(rock music continues)

How do you think you did?

- I don't know.

I hit that one kid, you know.

Pass.

- [Woman] Okay, the next one is Justin.

(soft music)

- So long Ontario license.

- Look at my picture (indistinct)

- We got our license.

So now we can legally
drive in the Cook Islands.

We've heard a lot

about this particular
local gentleman named Paul.

Apparently he exhibits a lot

of the traditional Cook
Islands culture here

and he grows all his own
organic fruits and vegetables

and then prepares them

in a traditional Cook Islands fashion.

So we went to go meet up with him

and see what he's all about.

So you must be Pa then.

- Why do you want this onboard?

Take it off.

- Yeah.

- Like me.

Come and see the chicken I marinated.

I marinated with onions.

- [Scott] Yeah.

- Red wine.

- [Scott] Oh really?

- And salt water.

Terel. Terel leaves.

- [Scott] Terel.

- Bring it here and I slice them.

- [Scott] Oh, okay.

- Get it.

- Okay. No preservatives

Cooked fresh right in front of us.

- Make it real cook.

I keep it for about three hours.

The heat come out, the food won't cook.

- But this guy is the real deal.

- That's awesome.

- We've been a lot of places this year

and we've met a lot of people.

For me when I met Pa, there was something

about him that, you know,
I was so intrigued by.

- That's the eye, that's the mouth.

You break the coconut

in half on the top of the head.

Don't break your hand.

- [Justin] There it is.

- [Paul] Yeah. Good.

Go around, go around, go around.

- [Justin] There's like a milk.

- Have a drink.

- Just seeing how he does certain things

and how he lives his life

is very inspirational and it's just,

he's just an amazing person.

You can smell everything.

- [Pa] So that's what we've done today.

- [Justin] Oh yeah.

The chicken with the leaves in it.

- [Scott] The whole thing
was like, you go there

and these people are so
open hearted and like

they just, they welcome
you in (indistinct) way.

And it's just, you just
hang out with them.

And it was just amazing.

- I'm not even going to use a fork.

- I've never tasted
fruit like this before.

It's the real deal

and right in its natural
environment, it was wonderful.

When we were done, we had
to ride back to our hotel

on the other side of the Island,
through the pouring rain.

We're about to hop the
flight from the main Island,

Rarotonga to Mangaia.

Oldest islands in the whole South Pacific.

Here there's chickens walking around

in and outside of the terminal.

- This is island life brother.

I'm kind of (indistinct) Scott.

I don't know where his
head's at right now.

Scott and Andrea.

I don't think it's anything about me,

but I know something back home
is nibbling and they're here.

(soft music)

- [Scott] We flew in this morning,

about 45 minutes from
the main Island Rarotonga

out to Mangaia, which is

by far one of the most remote,
very few tourists come here.

There's only 500 to 700
people who live on the Island.

- What's the deal with the phone?

- No reception.

Thanks for the ride.

Nice quaint little place.

The most important thing
is there's a mosquito net.

Do you have power?

I've got no power at all.

- No I got no power.

Welcome to the island brother.

- No charger, no power.

- We got candles. Actually
we don't have candles.

- [Scott] Candles won't charge a battery.

- You sure?

Maybe if you just heat up the
batteries they'll recharge.

- Well after coming to Mangaia,

we kind of added insult to injury.

We've lost our baggage.

The baggage had essential
equipment for the camera

like a battery charger in it.

- We didn't plan on coming
here during the cyclone season.

And our little vacation has now become

into a wet water land.

- And in addition to all of that

The Island has now lost power.

At least half of the
Island has lost power.

- Our half.

- Our half has lost power.

But the guy who's up here

with a small team trying
to fix the big transformer

apparently also is a bit of a camera man.

He has a battery charger
that may just work

with our batteries.

How long do you reckon
before the power's back?

- Give me a few more hours
and I'll have it by tonight.

Something will be happening.

It better be.

- Looks like (indistinct).

- We stopped off at the gas station

cause apparently they have sandals here

and we might do some reef fishing.

- [Scott] So where did
they fish around here?

- Over the reef.

Have you been to that (indistinct)?

- [Scott] Not yet.

- No, not yet.

There's a guy up there, he
lives somewhere up there

and he's a good fisherman.

- [Scott] He's maybe the guy to talk to.

He's a policeman.

And at the same time, he's a fisherman.

- [Justin] He catches the
fish and the bad guys.

- Yes

(all laughing)

- It's still pouring rain.

We're gonna try our hand at some fishing.

And apparently this is where one

of the star fishermen lives.

And I think we're going
to get really soakered.

- We get some fresh fish out of the deal

it won't be that bad. Right?

- We're just heading to the other side

of the Island right now

where apparently the fishing
is the best that gets

in this kind of weather.

We've come down here
to the beach with Rongo

and his whole family's come with them.

Are you just gonna go in flip flops?

- You can't run across,

you got baby steps.

I'm not Jesus.

- [Scott] Although the weather

is leaving a bit to be desired

it doesn't matter.

I feel great about being here

the serenity and cleanliness
of nature and that's it.

It's huge, right?

- [Justin] Slowly moves.

- Oh, slowly.

Oh, these are the ones,
do you need this one?

- Do you wanna eat it?

- Do I want to eat it?

All this stuff in here?

- [Woman] Yeah. You're gonna crush it

- [Scott] Yeah.

Pull that away.

And then you just get
in there with the thumb?

- [Woman] Yeah your thumb, right.

- Okay. Yeah, I can feel that.

It looks and kind of feels like a tongue.

It actually doesn't taste that bad.

- Lies.

(upbeat music)

- Giving this a whirl, right?

That is a real fighter.

(upbeat music)

- We've got power.

Now you can sleep in
your princess bed, yeah.

From pink shirt to pink mosquito net.

- [Scott] See if this charger
works with my batteries,

come on, sweet.

That little green light means
more Departures coming up.

(soft music)

- Considering that we didn't
catch a fish big enough to eat,

the guest house that we're staying at

they cooked up some tuna here for us

which looks absolutely delicious

but not as delicious as
that shirt (chuckles)

it's a good thing you got here

cause I wasn't gonna drink
that if you didn't show up.

True story.

- [Scott] Thank God we
have fans in our room, eh?

- Fans for the show or..

- No.

I got a phone call

from a big client back
home, like our biggest.

And they've got a job and it's
kind of like, it's good money

but they kind of make it seem

like they're doing us a big favor.

This is your last shot.

And to say, no, it was
like a slap in the face.

You know what I mean?

Andrea has been talking

about going back.

Now I'm just sort of faced
with the fact that like

what Andrea and I built
for the last eight years

is hanging by a thread.

- That's one client.

- [Scott] We've lost a lot already.

In six months we knew
we'd say goodbye to a lot.

- What was your reason for
doing this in the first place?

That's the biggest thing is
don't lose sight on that.

- [Scott] Yeah.

- There's a reason why you left.

There's a reason why you're doing this.

Now you're willing to jeopardize
everything we're doing.

Seeing the world, traveling.

You're willing to jeopardize over money?

(soft music)

- [Scott] There's something
about this Island that I love.

You know, you try to
compare it with Ascension

and somehow it doesn't
feel nearly as isolated

as Ascension did.

You're part of a thriving
community here and you're welcomed

in right away.

Feels very homey.

And yet it's nothing like
home at the same time.

Something about this place has
already recharged me so much.

And yet we've got

a lot of time last year and a
lot of other islands to see.

It's easy to tell yourself that all

of these things don't matter
when you travel around

for a year.

But it's another thing when reality starts

rearing its ugly head,
easy answer is to go back

and save a major client and
save yourself another X amount

of years of rebuilding in the process.

Then there's the question
of how's Justin doing

and how can Justin go on?

We came out here for a reason.

So why lose sight of that?

But when you think

about the rest of your future, it's tough.

- Let me take this one.

Giant lobster tail is
going for (indistinct)

Paces loaded!

Oh, you got lucky!

Oh you're (indistinct)

I'm gonna get smashed.

- On second thought.

I don't think it would be that
horrible to leave him behind.

Tell you what that is.

That's a good sign.

That rainbow is pointing
right towards Rarotonga.

From Mangaia we're flying back

to the main Island of Rarotonga

where we have to catch another flight

up to the Island of
Aitutaki, which is perfect

because we can check to
see if our baggage arrived.

(upbeat music)

- The pilot gave us a map
here just for the forecast.

And that's where we are.

Nice and clear.

And this is where we're going.

Cloud central.

- Yes. The bags are waiting
for you (indistinct)

- We have clothing.

(motorbike engine roaring)

We're Trying to hitch a ride to the hotel

where our baggage is

but we're not having much luck.

(upbeat music)

- Yeah!

(upbeat music)

Sun is out and that makes
(indistinct) a very happy person.

- It's perfect.

That's great. Thanks so much.

(upbeat music)

- Bag, bag, backpack.

- Fresh clothes.

I love you backpack.

You, don't, don't do that to me.

We're going to have a serious talk.

- It's checking in for a 45 minute flight

from Rarotonga to Aitutaki.

Now I'm reminded of just
how heavy this backpack is.

(cool music)

we've somehow left the
sun behind in Rarotonga.

We still have about three
hours, but now it's gone again.

- Welcome to Aitutaki

- Thank you.

- Welcome

- Thank you.

Thanks.

- How many times have we got
laid on this trip so far?

- Every Island we've
gone to. Not bad, right?

- Not bad.

We've got laid four or five times already.

(cool music)

(cock crowing)

- [Scott] The idea is to
rent a couple of kayaks

and just explore some of the
outer islands of Aitutaki.

We find one of these islands
that is completely uninhabited

and we just made camp there.

- So we're going on an
adventure, crazies adventure

this side of the Cook Islands.

The rule is we're gonna
stay there overnight

and you can't bring
any food to the Island.

So we have to live on
the Island for 24 hours

and can't bring any food,
but you can bring drinks.

- [Scott] Do you want a water?

- I'm not drinking water.

I'm going to be dehydrated

but let me have a (indistinct)

- Hey, you want this?

- [Justin] What do you mean?

- Can't lose that one.

- I already got one of those.

- Oh, nevermind.

- This guy.

- Now that I don't have the utmost trust

in my skill and Justin's skill,

but just in case, might
as well have a backup plan

because I know Justin won't have one.

- And some gumballs.

Do you want gumball?

I got my alcohol, I got my gumball

and that's all a man really needs in life.

We came down here to the hotel
and they have a whole bunch

of kayaks here that the tourists use.

I feel like I'm taking a
teacup ride at Disneyland.

You know, we figured
that if it was raining

the last thing we wanted to do

was sit under a grass canopy

sipping a few drinks with other tourists.

Instead we decided to
go find something else

and something better.

And that's the beauty

of the Cook Islands is if
you want it, it's there.

You just have to go get it.

(soft music)

This is the southern most Island

that you can get to in Aitutaki
much like the last group

of islands here, they're all uninhabited.

So long paddle, but we made it.

We've established a good camp zone here.

Stage two is gonna be set up a tent.

Stage three is gonna be explore a new home

for the next 24 hours.

We've got to go see what's for dinner.

(soft music)

You ready to try to get food now?

- You need lots of protein.

- [Scott] Which way's the beach?

- This way

- We better start motoring.

Cause the weather doesn't
look all that good.

And we don't have a fire going yet.

I don't want to get caught in pouring rain

trying to start a fire.

Let's go have a look now
and see what we can find.

See what this is..

You want to do a few more sets?

- Let me finish this set
off and then we'll go.

(upbeat music)

- This way?

- Let's go.

- So aside from the obvious
food, we've got to get wood.

Anything else that you're
looking for in particular?

- Hot dogs.

- Great. That's a big coconut tree.

- Big coconut tree.

- [Scott] Can you give
me a hand with this?

- (indistinct) I got it.

(groans)

I got one.

Can you hold this?

You pull.

- Yeah.

Just cause you're on a deserted Island

doesn't mean you can leave
your table manners behind.

Next major thing is get some firewood,

(indistinct) a lot more comfortable

going around in the bush

and being able to find
stuff like kindling and that

but here you're working

with completely different vegetation

completely different landscape.

- Now let's do this man.

(soft music)

Right there.

- [Scott] Finish (indistinct)

- There's your juice.

And that my friend is how
you open up a coconut.

Dude, got your little drink here.

Fresh coconut juice.

But before, can you
hold this for a second?

Before we break into it

- Keep us wired all night long
coconut (indistinct) sauce.

The coconut meat inside is
gonna be nicely marinate.

- Yeah, no shit.

(soft music)

I am the king of this island.

And anybody who wants to
challenge me, please step forward.

- I think we survived long enough

without having anything to eat.

Now I've caught one little crab

and I know he's not going to be enough.

So there's apparently
coconut crabs here, which are

like a really bright blue,
when the tide comes in

they start to come in and
the tides have been coming

in for the last 45 minutes or so.

So we hope that it's
prime time to catch them.

- [Justin] Oh, he's running at me!

(indistinct)

- That's the bamboo man.

(soft music)

Aside for the bit of shell

it just tastes like an
extremely tiny piece of crab.

- [Justin] We've come, we've conquered,

we've killed, we've eaten.

- We've eaten.

(soft music)

We have to leave this Island, to be honest

I don't really want to leave

I'd rather spend a bit more time here.

We got to go.

And that's kind of the
theme of the whole year

so to fulfill the whole
cast away sort of feel

I'm gonna put a message in the
bottle of rum that we topped

off last night, who knows,
but an email address on there.

Maybe someone will find it.

(soft music)

to come here and have nothing was just,

it was exactly what we needed.

It gave me that time to really think

about the situation back home

and, you know, it'd be
nice to get the money.

It'd be nice to do this and do that

but there's so much more to
life than that next paycheck.

(soft music)

- [Justin] Hopping on a plane.

- Well, if we can make it there

and this gale force wind.

Hopping on a plane

and heading to Atiu

(upbeat music)

Even arriving in Atiu was exciting.

But it certainly wasn't
the start that we wanted.

It seemed quite similar
to the other islands.

- I thought we did this
island already, but

- Thank you.

Another one.

(upbeat music)

We got off the plane in Atiu.

We were greeted by Roger.

He's well-respected and

he's well connected around the Island.

My understanding that in Atiu

there are quite a number
of traditional beers,

I guess you could call them.

- Yeah. There's about six of them.

We call them "Bush beers."

- [Scott] Bush beers.

- And the proper name is "Tumunu".

You want to go to one of these do you?

- Yeah.

- Yeah, I'd go to a brewery.

- Over here is our pavilion

and beyond our pavilion is
Wimbledon Court Number nine,

it's grass, so you can
play barefoot there.

(upbeat music)

- [Scott] Roger had arranged
this cottage or Villa

if you will.

It was big enough that Justin

and I could split the cost
and each of our own bed.

- This is pretty,

this is really neat.

- If you notice but there's
a whole thing of fresh fruit.

- I thought it was plastic or..

- Good news is we can
start saving some cash

cause we can cook for ourselves here.

- I can seriously go for spaghetti

- Well, let it be cheap enough.

- And what's really good is the bananas.

No, no, don't eat them.

You're gonna get sick.

These bananas are so good
that I'm gonna have to set up

booby traps so he doesn't eat them all.

Hopefully.

- Keep your bananas.

I'm gonna keep this
little house warming gift.

- [Justin] Booze?

- Yes, otherwise known as wine.

Tumunus, I believe they're called.

It just seems a little unlike us and a bit

half-assed to sample one

when there's six of them on the Island

we might as well try all six.

- [Roger] This is Amos, Amos Tumunu.

- Hello?

- [Man] Hello. Hi.

- How are you doing?

- Not your typical brewery.

Ancient Bush brew,
Tumunu, for long time now

it's traditionally been brewed here.

Once the church was established,

drinking wasn't seen as being nice things

to be doing around town.

They decided to ban it.

And so they ended up going

out into the woods or the jungle

and producing the Tumunu out
here away from everybody.

- So that's one brewery down.

We've got five more.

- We're gonna do a pig hunting on Monday.

- [Justin] (indistinct) tomorrow

- [Scott] Can we do the pig hunting?

- We're doing a pig hunting on Monday.

Yeah, (indistinct) a roast, eh?

- Looks like we've been
invited to a pig hunt.

- [Man] You know, the dogs, (indistinct)

(groans)

- I got myself a nice,
a little buzz so far.

- [Scott] First impression of Tumunu.

- I suppose.

- This is a (indistinct)
Tumunu or (indistinct) Tumunu

which is the name of
the land, which is on.

And guess what it's made out of baby-food.

Every time you drink the
government's getting nothing.

- And because it's a
baby-food, there's no tax.

Cheers.

(all laughing)

(upbeat music)

Polynesian dudes in gangs.

Number three.

- Starting to feel it now.

- [Scott] Thank you.

(upbeat music)

- [Justin] So you guys
do the pig hunt as well?

- [Man] Yeah.

- Yeah.

- Anything we should know.

- There's one man, he's a teacher.

He's a teacher he's (indistinct)

- (indistinct)

- (indistinct)

he's a teacher from (indistinct)

yeah he knows to hunt.

- [Roger] This is the
number one Tumunu on Atiu.

- How do you become a judge?

- [Roger] You just have to be
here on the 14th of January

and never been to a Tumunu before.

I'm sorry.

(soft music)

- Apparently if we come back on Sunday,

they'll be no buckets.

There's a (indistinct)

- If you come back after
the church on Sunday.

- There's lots of pigs down here.

(upbeat music)

- We are now up to number
five we're about to visit.

This one's really remote too.

This one feels like the original.

We're still in hiding from
the church and from the women.

If I were a judge, I would
say based on smoothness

and based on ambiance,
being the remoteness

you know what I mean?

Like it might still be illegal.

It's kind of cool.

I like that.

- It's sketchy.

- Yeah.

- Five down, one to go.

- We're gonna make it.

- [Roger] This is (indistinct) Tumunu.

(laughing)

- My name is Prince (indistinct).

- [Scott] Prince?

- I'm the prince of the island of Atiu.

- [Man] And I'm one of the stupid..

(drunken indistinct chatter)

- Tell them that you're the one.

- This is awesome.

(upbeat music)

- Here in Atiu, in the Cook Islands.

It's official.

- It's in the books.

(soft music)

(children talking and laughing)

- Did you notice

that the first day that
we had a beautiful sunrise

and blue sunny skies as
we're heading to church.

Visiting a church here

on the Cook Islands was
something that we really

wanted to do after we realized how much

of a presence it has here.

And to hear how warm

and how into their religion they are

to be in that church.

When someone opens their religion to you,

that that means a lot.

That's incredibly personal and
that's incredibly important.

(soft music)

10 spaghetti is on the menu tonight.

It's a good thing we
started preparing hours ago.

- [Justin] How long did
you let that spaghetti

marinate in the can?

- I put a little bit of wine in mine.

- [Justin] Does it (indistinct) flavor?

Some people might add a pinch
of sage or some cardamom seeds

at this point, but I say, let
it stew in it's own juice.

(soft music)

(cat meows)

- You ain't sleeping on my bed.

Comr in Scott's bed, come
sleep on Scott's bed.

- He looks like a boxer.

- Is this is a family recipe?

- Oh yeah. Ancient.

Tomorrow we're going on a pig hunt

or at least I know I'm going on a pig hunt

and I don't know how keen Justin is.

For me, I'd really like to see it.

Hey.

- How are you?

- Good.

- Are you the man that's
keen on pig hunting.

- That's right.

- Okay. Right.

Basil Ross is my name.

- Basil, Mr. Ross (indistinct)

- We've got a group, a team of pig hunting

school boys actually.

- [Scott] Okay.

- And they're really committed.

I'd like to introduce you to our action

in pig hunting and introduce
you to some of our culture.

So you're fit?

- Um..

- Einstein, have you seen Scott?

Cause I don't know where he is.

(upbeat music)

(dog barking)

- When we're hunting
the dogs come with us.

- So when they see the Jeep
they think it's time to hunt.

- Silence.

This'll be our starting area.

It's literally full of pigs.

And of course with
depopulation, a lot of them

have gone, few only been left.

- So the pigs have become a
bit of a pest then I suppose.

- They are a pest.

So we're been asked to go
up there and clear any boars

that are up there that are
actually killing goats.

- How does the process work?

I mean, you let the dogs go.

- We set the dogs out,
wait til they find a pig

and then run as quickly as we can to them

to stop them, avoid
them being torn to bits.

It is an adrenaline rush, but
it's also doing a good service

for the Island.

So we look at it that
way, and everything is

there's nothing that goes to waste.

Everything is processed and eaten.

- Yeah, it makes me feel a
lot better to be going out

on a pig hunt, knowing that they're really

overpopulated and they're really causing

a problem right now.

(upbeat music)

All right Basil.

Thanks so much for the look around.

In a small way I know what I'm up against,

but I guess we'll see you in the morning,

I guess that's all there is left.

(upbeat music)

I have no idea where Justin is.

He's not at our cottage.

He's not at the bar.

And there's very few things
that he or I know around here.

(upbeat music)

(foreign music)

- Look who shows up.

- What happened to you?

I know what happened to you now.

(foreign music continues)

It's our only sunny day so far here,

anywhere in the Cook Islands

at least from sunrise to sunset so far

and would really really
love to get in the water.

Looking ahead, our time is winding down

as it always seems to do too quickly.

And I'm gonna wake up and be
faced with leaving the Cooks

and thinking back all the people we've met

and everything we've done so far

we've had a great experience here.

If I had left at the
beginning of this trip

I would have missed out

on this opportunity to go to this Island.

Now that I've done that I
wouldn't give it up for the world.

And it's that one little experience

that makes me think, well I
don't want to miss any of them.

(upbeat music)

(soft music)

It wasn't until we were
actually heading over

to Basil's place to meet up with Basil

and the rest of the headhunters group

that it finally sunk in

that I was about to go
out on my very first hunt.

- I think Scott's ready for this.

I'm gonna be his left hand man, I guess,

he's gonna make the call.

I ain't gonna stay away from that.

- Morning.

Welcome to Headhunters. (laughs)

- Good luck boys.

Will you home some bacon?

- [Justin] Yeah, definitely.

- When the adrenaline's there and you feel

like you're ready to have
a go at dispatching a pig

we'll find one for you.

- [Scott] All right. Sounds good.

- Yup. Just be aware of the tusks,

they'll tear you apart those tasks.

(praying in foreign language)

Okay, let's hunt.

Good luck.

- Come on Rossy you can run in the bush.

(upbeat music)

- We've already split
into two small teams.

So I've gone to one side and
the other is kind of flanking

around on the other side.

And then hopefully we'll
just pinch together

and be able to sweep
across the gully itself.

(upbeat music)

(man shouting)

- Up this way.

- The team is quite distant, so

in order to hear their calls

you've got to stop walking, and talking.

(upbeat music)

They're on.

We heard a big call, dogs are barking

so I think we got ourselves a pig.

- Cloth line.

- It's funny how quickly you
have to switch on and off

you know, you're just walking around

everything's calm and you
listening to the dogs.

And then all of a sudden you
hear all the dogs start going

and you can hear this distance squeal.

And they're off a lightning bolt.

I could admit I'm still a bit confused.

(upbeat music)

Dogs are slowly starting to come back

and the dogs can catch up to the pigs.

So they figured they must've been small.

Sometimes the dog would come back

you see blood around the mouth

and it means they've
probably already killed a pig

before we got there.

- No blood.

It means it got away.

- [Scott] It got away.(laughs)

- Holy Shit.

(speaking foreign language)

- Oh yeah.

- [Justin] Wow. There's juices in there.

I think it's full.

It's incredible.

- Finally, enjoying a coconut

sound like the dogs were onto something.

It could have been another young pig.

- Doesn't help to be the person
seen with this little guy.

I'm gonna bugger it.

- Here it is.

(pig squealing)

(upbeat music)

(pig squealing)

- That's pretty..

(upbeat music)

- Going up to it,

I wasn't even thinking of
it as being a living thing

you go up there and you see the thing,

they hand you the knife

and you say, okay, where, you
know, you take the knife out,

it just started bleeding out
and it already feels dead.

They did everything.

They held it down for me.

All I had to do was go (laughs)

The first one that we found must've been

about this big, they caught
onto this little guy.

You pulled them out, didn't you?

Let's take him home and feed it.

- I was just wondering
what they did with the baby

- Keep it
- [Scott] Raise it?

Eventually it will go tame, so

(soft music)

- [Scott] I just finished my first hunt.

It definitely lived up
to the hype and buildup.

It was an incredible rush just
to, know that the dogs are

onto something and go
tearing through the bush.

And especially once you bring
it down to the beach here

and you have to clean it
out for the first time.

- Well, this is the lucky one here.

He is scared shitless right now.

I (indistinct) attitude, all right?

Are you okay?

(upbeat music)

Follow me, follow me.

We've got to let this guy go.

(pig squealing)

They're gonna know (indistinct)

Okay, okay.

You two, you stay there.

Faster!

Shouldn't have brought me on the pig hunt.

- [Scott] I think beforehand
last night I was a bit worried

that you're looking at its eyes

and somehow not bring myself to kill it

or do it, you know, and it didn't happen.

You got to get it

before it gets too hurt and
before the dogs get hurt.

And it just comes down to that.

(upbeat music)

Pretty good.

(soft music)

Coming to the Cook Islands was just

a little Caribbean stop.

And it was anything but.

The expectation that at
least I had in my head,

but it quickly turned.

And we were just absolutely
slapped in the face

with 1,000,001 different
opportunities to indulge ourself

in what I would have thought was long gone

in the South Pacific, as far
as tradition and culture.

(upbeat music)

- Which bag's heavier,
this on or this one?

- Yeah I know.

Its good exercise.

- He's so concerned about how he looks,

All the time he's constantly
pumping (indistinct).

- Welcome.

- Thank you.

- Great having you.

- Roger, thank you so so much.

You're certainly
well-connected on the Island

- And tell Einstein,

I didn't get to say goodbye (indistinct)

- [Scott] We were faced
with challenges that

in the end came up to be
incredible experiences.

The pig hunt was something
I wasn't expecting at all.

And it's something that is
probably gonna end up being

one of the major highlights
of our entire year.

And it certainly helped clarify
my decision for the work

and this whole kind of
problem that's been before me

do I stay or do I go?

After Aitutaki, and after
Atiu, it was abundantly clear

and I've made the phone
call and I'm not going back

and Andre's not going back.

After those experiences

and after what I've experienced here

as cliche as it sounds, you've
got to live in the moment.

You've got one chance
at some of this stuff.

So when the opportunity
happens, if you're not

there to take it, you're
gonna lose out on it.

I wouldn't give these
opportunities up for the world

and I wouldn't give up traveling

with Justin for the world either.

I knew what was at home.

I wanted something different.

I wanted something better
and we're living it

why would I choose anything else?

(soft music)

Next stop New Zealand.

It's well known for its
wilderness and extreme sports,

and we plan on indulging in both.

As the holidays approach, it'll be hard to

be so far from home, but great to spend it

with such close friends.

(upbeat music)