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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
............ 
Jan 15, 2019 10:00 PM Here I am: Lifuka island - Haapai Archpelago -Tonga
After 7 hours sailing on the rough, dark blue ocean I disembarked yesterday on Lifuka Island. The daytime journey gaveme opportunity to enjoy the variety of many li?tle islands and reefs passed by.
Lifuka has an interesting story: Abel Tasman and Cpt Cook were here, then the mutiny on the "Bounty" took place just in front of the island. Than the Tongans catch and burned the ship "Port au Prince" killing all crew except 15 years old Will Mariner, who lived with them 4 years before return to Europe.
HOT, HOT, HOT... Palms, papayas and tropical flowers around. Poor internet - I cannot upload pictures... One German traveller and me... and 3000 smiling locals...
Welcome to the tropical paradise!
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Jan 13, 2019 10:00 PM To the Kingdom of Tonga...
It is 6 am local time and I am waiting in the Nadi airport to be taken to the Nukualofa - the capital of the last kingdom in the Pacific. I was there already in 1999. Now I want to explore the most remote group of the Tongan islands - Haapai.
The plan is to go directly from the airport to the port expecting that there will by a boat today going that direction. But who knows? I am also not sure about the internet access on the remote islands. So it sounds like the big adventure awaits there. Please keep your fingers crossed!
Later: landed in Nukualofa! An American expat from the same plane gave me a lift to the port - 22 kms- no public transport!
No ship to Haapai today! The next will sail tomorrow at 6.00 am. I already have a ticket -with negociated senior discount 25%. I paid 90 TOP one way.
Tongatapu Island is flat, full of palms and flowers.. I will stay overnight in Lose Lodge for 60 TOP in the room with fan and shared bath. So far nobody knows where is the king.... :)
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Jan 12, 2019 10:00 PM Navala - what a scenery!
I am still on Viti Levu island - on Fiji. In the north of the island, in the mountains they have preserved old-style village with traditional bures - thatched houses. They have a church, the school and are happy to show how to prepare and how to drink kava. Tourist agencies offer tours to Navala charging 275 FJD per person.
The budget traveller can make it on a cheap: I took the public bus from Nadi to Lautoka (2,75) then next one to Ba (3,00) Then.... Ouuuu.... It is Sunday. Nobody told me that on Sundays public buses from Ba to Navala located 28 kms inland do not operate... But near the bus station in Ba the pick-up drivers are waiting to take you there (fot much higher price). Only first 5 kms od the road is paved, then it is bumpy gravel. check the tyres if you go there by rented car). The scenery is extra ordinaire!! Imagine black, volcanic mountains covere party by luch green... With my crazy driver it took me only 40 min to the point where you will see the thatched roofs of Navala on the other side of the river with picturesque mountains in the background. Then we crossed the river and I experienced big surprise. The village is fenced. Just because they charge 25 FJD entry fee and 10 for obligatory guide. I wanted to talk to the chief of the village to ask for discount. aThey took me to such a bure. -Mr chief, I spend too much money for the pick-up to pay you full entry fee! No mercy! But the place is really great!
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Jan 11, 2019 10:00 PM Walking in the warm rain -Fiji
They are returning smiles, they greet you -Bula! But they are like a big kids: local lady in the tourist info desk in Nadi airport told me that it is 4 kms to the central Nadi. It was raining in the morning (it is very warm rain here) so I decided to walk anyway... The public bus cost only 1 local dollar, but I like to stop every corner, to meet the people, to take a pictures of tropical flowers...
OK, but it was much more then 4 kms - probably around 7 kms so I was completely wet when I reached Nadi (locals pronounce "nandi") downtown. Huge, covered market is the main attraction for the tourists - you will find there tropical vegetables, fruits, flowers but also the stalls where they sell dry roots of kava - used to prepare national drink - a kind of the soft drug... In the dark corners the groups of men are sitting and dinking. I tried kava in the past - it is tasteless so for me it is hard to understand why they like it... Nadi changed a lot since my first visit 30 years ago. I saw today many new buildings, supermarkets and elegant luxury shops... A loaf of bread costs 2,60 FJD, 1 l of coke - 3.80. Many local gent' s still wear sulu skirts :)
To get back to the airport area where I live I took the bus. They just introduced magnetic cards to pay the fare. But where to buy the card worth 5 dollars if you will travel just for 1? After welcoming -Bula! The smiling driver of the junk bus became very friendly and tolerant - I handed him one dollar and went to the back of the bus. Now the sun in shining in the late afternoon. My wet clothes are drying on the string and I do hope that there will be dry weather tomorrow on Fiji. Bula!
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Jan 10, 2019 10:00 PM Fiji - 12 hours ahead of Gdansk
At the beginning of my long flight I was talking with the chief steward showing him the ticket of my cancelled flight and complaining. And... - he upgraded me to the business class! So I was flying in the unknown comfort...
It was 8.20 local time (12 hours ahead of Poland) when we landed in Nadi - the only Fijian airport big enough to receive such a big planes. First time I have been here in 1989, during my first round the world voyage. Last time in 2007. Not many changes.... Two guys were singing for us the welcome songs in the arrival hall. -Bula! Hello!
They installed in the customs area big screening machines - all luggage is screened! That's because they do not want you to bring any food to their paradise. But there was a crowd and I went through widhout any hassle. Welcome to Fiji. Money changers pay 1,99 Fiji dollar for one USD. Hot and very, very humid outside!
It was 30 minutes wallk from the airport to Westfield where I booked basic room with fan at the little pension. The price is rather high - 30 USD per night with breakfast included, but this is the Pacific!
Finally, after 4 flights I can take a shower and rest!
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Jan 09, 2019 10:00 PM Flying to the Pacific
My chair in Singapore airport was comfortable, but I did not sleep much - Asian around were talking, kids were crying... At least I had a chance to stretch the legs and use wi-fi. To get wifi password for 3 hours connection you have to have local mobile phone or to go to info desk of a kiosk to scan your passport... Works good!
At 3 am the herd of the police checked all people sleeping in the lounges - they woked me up asking for passport and boarding pass for the next flight....
Today in the morning I shaved myself to feel more comfortable and took carpeted corridors to the sky train - they changed my gate to C1 in T1.
It will be 4 hours flight to Hongkong...
And here I am - with the boarding pass for the next 10-hours flight to Fiji. What a marathon - never in my life I was flying so far without the stopover!
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Jan 08, 2019 10:00 PM A night in the airport
It was 6 pm local time and 31 deg Celsius when I disembarked Lot's dreamliner in Singapore. Well, Fiji Airways cancelled my flight who should depart at 9 pm.... With a help of my friend Stephen (thanks a lot Stephen!) I managed to have rerouting via Hongkong, but the flight to HKG is tomorrow morning. So I have to spend the whole night in the airport! Fiji Airways do not care about that...
The last expensive airport hotel charges around 130 USD per night - not for me! Fortunately Singapore Chiangi airport has opinion to be the best airport in the world. In the terminals they have many reclining seats so it will not be so bad, I believe.
I did not go through the customs and immigration - no need. Between the terminals they have free, automatic sky train I used.
I will sleep in Terminal 3... :) That's traveller' life!
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Jan 07, 2019 10:00 PM A long flight to Singapore....
My Wojtkowka sleeps in the winter while I travel the world (see picture). I was there just to control,if everything is OK and the cats are doing well.
Big Journey started today in Gdansk airport. I became little bit nervous waiting for the flight to Warsaw - it was delayed by 20 min. Normally it is not a problem, but I had very short connection in Warsaw to Singapore flight. I was almost running to the gate 13N, going on the way through the passport control (I am leaving EU).
Ufff.. I boarded the dreamliner with the last passengers. It was white in Warsaw and the temperature minus 1 deg so when the boarding was completed they took the big plane to deice it....
The flight was full. At midnight they offered the hot dinner (beer and softs are included, but you have to pay extra if you want something stronger). 11 hours in the air. 2 hours before landing they served hot breakfast. Due to the 7 hours time change this breakfast was served at 4 pm local time....
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Jan 06, 2019 10:00 PM New voyage! Pacific is calling me!
I am setting off on the first voyage of 2019! The route leads to the islands of the Pacific Ocean, Australia and New Zealand. Maybe I'll see the famous volcano of Krakatau... On the way back I intend to visit several new, interesting places in Southeast Asia. In the distant Kingdom of Tonga I would like to see new king... :) I plan to cover many thousands of kilometers by air, ships, trains, buses and rented car.
This will be another great and very varied journey, prepared over a year. I plan to be back in mid-March. You can find hot news and photos from this voyage as always in my travel log - if only I'll have access to the Internet. Please, keep your fingers crossed for me dear friends!
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Jan 05, 2019 10:00 PM Happy travelling in 2019!
Happy New Year dear friends!
Look how my dacha looks in the winter time :)
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