Norfolk Island - Pacific paradise with genuine smiles - and never-ending baking ...

Looking for a laid-back holiday in a place rich in culture with plenty of shopping and warm hospitality? Then look no further than Norfolk Island, as Anna Bowden writes.
I'M sitting on a bus when I am first introduced to an interesting - and somewhat shocking - thought from one of the locals.
"Norfolk Island is becoming too much like a city. I'm moving to Pitcairn," Kik-Kik the bus driver tells the two dozen tourists on board.
Silence blankets the bus. Is this guy for real?
Well, yes, apparently the snowy-bearded islander is. You see, Kik-Kik is growing tired of the fast-paced bustle of the island, which boasts a population of 1800.
As we bounce along on vinyl seats in the old bus, Kik-Kik, with shirt sleeves rolled up, tells us he is looking for a rich elderly wife with no family to leave her money to - though, how important money is on Pitcairn is unknown.
Yes, Kik-Kik is about to leave his island with its rich history; his island with a gorgeous ancient town church; his island with a friendly soul that welcomes 40,000 visitors every year with open arms.
"Da bass side orn Earth" is what they call it in their language. You can probably work out what that means.
Norfolk Island is serene, stress-free, has a dramatic coastline and a rich culture that adds intrigue to its tiny settlement. First described by Captain James Cook as paradise, the tiny community is a mere 90-minute flight north-west of Auckland.
Soaring pine trees, golden sands, brooding rainforests and sapphire seas are all features of this little dot in the Pacific which to some, is unknown.
But the argument lies in whether the Norfolk folk are living in an undiscovered treasure or whether their island is being marketed to a specific audience.
Just before boarding the plane enroute to my digs, Fantasy Island Resort, I am a little worried I will be the only person without a head of grey hair.
I stand, look up and down the length of the plane and discover that, yes, I am in fact about 40 years younger than every one of my travel companions.
Not to worry. I'm sure there are other 20-somethings on the island, somewhere. As the plane takes off, I get to thinking about why such an absurd number of retired and elderly visit Norfolk.
And on arrival, I find out why.
Norfolk Island is a stress-free sanctuary - the definition of a holiday - and my new home for five days.
It is an attractive prospect for older holiday-makers, who can enjoy their holiday from the moment they are greeted off the plane.
The scenes tourists see today are a dramatic contrast to the historical stories which are the theme of much of the tourist industry.
Norfolk was once a grisly colony of convicts sentenced to the hell of an island which saw brutal deaths of many men.
Death was a more appealing option for the hundreds of convicts banished to the island.
Some scenes of those days are depicted in the evening outings hosted by locals that tourists can enjoy.
These locals open their homes to tourists for dinners, lunches, and even murder mystery evenings. Guests can move from one home to another in one night.
One evening in particular interests me and introduces me to the epitome of an island personality.
It is Archie's "Wonderland by Night" - an evening in the rainforest with the husky-voiced Archie, born and bred on the island.
He reckons he'll never leave this place and doesn't want to.
Archie loves the simple things in life, like his old tin shed in the yard and the fact that it is filled with everything he needs.
And he loves telling the visitors all about it.
As we tour the rainforest with Archie, and his round belly, I am impressed at scenes aglow, depicting legends and iconic moments in history which inspire Archie to write rhyming poetry.
For me, the evening offers something completely unique, a snapshot of island life - culminating in a great jam on the piano in Archie's shed.
This is the grand effort these people go to. Some even bake fruit cake for their guests.
On another night, a dinner date with the island's Buffett family draws me into the daily lives of the islanders, the complexities of their own holidays to New Zealand and Australia, and their attitude to visitors.
Sue and Allan Buffett welcome me with wide smiles, interesting anecdotes - and tell me the latest on my favourite Australian soap, Home and Away.
Their 13-year-old daughter Alana tells me about school, snorkelling for class tomorrow, her teacher, friends and shopping trips to New Zealand.
The weirdest thing about Kiwis, she reckons, is that we have to wear seatbelts. Despite living on an island with about three shops stocking teen clothing, Alana is dressed just like any other 13-year-old walking down Tauranga's Devonport Rd.
It seems pop culture has made its way to Norfolk and the locals are not scared to embrace it. While their biggest revenue is tourism, culture is not lost through their commercial ventures.
Islanders have developed attractions, evenings out and memorabilia to honour and cherish their long history which is well-documented despite being wiped out twice when convict settlements were abandoned.
And, while many Kiwis might cringe at opening their homes to busloads of strangers, Norfolk people embrace visitors with genuine smiles - and really good baking.
Seriously, never-ending baking.
Traditional dishes are served at their homes and include the delicious pilhai (baked kumara), mudda (banana dumplings) and red emporer (local fish topped with fried banana).
The fish caught around the island is simply extraordinary in taste and the not-so-secret recipe for the lightest batter I've ever eaten is divine.
Those genuine smiles travel with them wherever they go and road rage is simply unheard of - in fact, driving etiquette is like a cartoon.
The folk wave to every person they pass with a smile, it is just like our wave when one, two or maybe three fingers rise off the top of the wheel in a friendly greeting.
But here, every person gets a wave - not just those who have let someone into the line of traffic as Kiwis often do.
A somewhat morbid attraction is suddenly one of the most interesting things I have seen.
The cemetery is located on the picturesque southern side of the island.
With the oldest graves closest to the sea, the grand headstones tell stories of how the people died.
Those with just a rock as a headstone were convicts; one of the more humane prison wardens ensured men were given the right to a proper grave.
As I read about those who had died - and the poetic inscriptions teaching lessons more than a century after death - I feel a surge of wonder for such a display of history. Again I wonder why it seems only the older population are drawn to this place.
"Newlyweds and nearly-deads" is the market Norfolk Island Tourism has and maybe the no-fuss visitors are exactly what the island caters for.
But from 20-something perspective Norfolk is a fascinating place with a fantastically rich and interesting culture.
There is plenty to do and the locally brewed beer - such as Bee Sting Lager - is not bad at all.
At the azure Emily Bay, swimming is fabulous with only a handful of people on the beach; the shopping great with perfume and alcohol even cheaper than duty-free.
Which brings me back to Kik-Kik, who is leaving all this for Pitcairn, population 47, who says the community at Norfolk is growing aloof.
I am sorry, sir, but what I have just seen is pure community spirit, friendly good-natured people and a place with a soul. I don't know why you are leaving it all behind.
Kushu (thank you) Norfolk, stay just as you are.
Anna Bowden's flights were courtesy of Air New Zealand, entertainment Norfolk Island Tourism and accommodation Fantasy Island Resort.