|
|
You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
............ 
Jan 25, 2019 10:00 PM Around Tongatapu
Taxi drivers will be happy to drive you around the island. Full day tour costs 150 paanga, half day - 80. Sorry, not for the backpacker! :)
At the beginning I wanted to see those unknown places I did not see 20 years ago. Somebody took me to the Vaino junction and then I was walking 5 kms to see the natural Bridge on the southern coast of Tongatapu. This bridge is not as huge as thd one on Eua, but also nice - see picture. Then I went by empty and bumpy coastal road to the blowholes - noturay geysers on the rocky coast - nice at the time of the strong wind.... Finally I reached western end of the island where is the monument pointing the place of Europeans landing - Dutchman Abel Tasman was here in 17th century.
At tge monument I met two local ladies travellind in the car - they invited me to go with them to the east of Tongatapu to see the cave and famous Haamonga Gate. Lucky me!
I returned in the late afternoon, tired but happy....
|
Jan 24, 2019 10:00 PM The king is not here!
Bread in the supermarket costs 1,20 per loaf, a box of NZ milk - 2,50 and a bar of NZ butter - 4 paanga. Not expensive! After shopping I prepared my breakfast and took a long walk to the Royal Palace - I wanted to apply for the meeting with a king. What a disappointment! The king is ni New Zealand and will be back only on Feb 19th!
Bad luck! I expected at least to see him on the Sunday mass in the church.
Nukualofa changed since my previous visit in 1999. With the help of China and other countries they built a huge residence of the prime minister. Can you see the red roof on the picture? The embassy of China is now like a big, fenced campus. Some samples of old, colonial architecture remained - Friends Cafe is one of them. On Saturday along the coastal Vuna Road you will find many stalls selling local vegetables, bug also imported second hand clothes.
It is very hot. Still no internet connection!
|
Jan 23, 2019 10:00 PM By ferry to Nukualofa....
Nowadays little ferry arrives to Eua on the weekdays brynging supply and taking passengers to the capital (fare is 20 paanga for 2,5 hours trip). I asked my host if I need to buy the ticket in advance - she said not necessary! When she gave me a lift to the jetty I saw a little crowd in front of the green kiosk where they sell tickets. - One ticket please! - Tickets are sold. Could you please travel tomorrow? Carramba!
I decided to wait , trying to convince them, that they should apply other rules to the foreign tourists... Finally I got the ticket, but the situation was very stressful...
It was a nice journey along the chain of the little islets... We reached Nukualofa before sunset and soon I found my accommodation: Tonga Holiday Villa on the outskirts of the town.This place - bookable through booking.com is worth to recommend - it is clean and has big, airy rooms and guest kitchen. Great value for money!
|
Jan 22, 2019 10:00 PM Northern Eua Island
My host seems to be little disappointed - she expected to earn more money delivering me by her junk car to different places on the island. But I am a good walker - I prefere to meet people, talk with them, to enjoy flowers in their gardens....
Today I was walking north, crossing the main settlement - Ohonua and heading to the cliffs. The views were great - I reached also a little, isolated beach below the cliff. Sorry, little traffic this direction - nobody offered a lift. I experienced also little rain... In the evening obligatory laundry of the muddy trousers and cleaning of the shoes...
|
Jan 21, 2019 10:00 PM Southern Eua Island
Most of the islands of Tonga are flat. Eua is the exception - along the eastern coast it has a high cliffs with the 312 m summit. The trails are not developed, bumpy and muddy... Of course you can hire a local guide, but it costs extra money. I decided to go alone with a poor map. To the southern tip of the island it is 11 kms each way. But somebody gave me a lift, then I was walking again... The highlight wad the stone, natural bridge at the end of the trail - see picture. I returned in tha late afternoon sweaty and tired, but the views were worth the effort. I did not meet any other tourist...
|
Jan 20, 2019 10:00 PM Internet is down in whole Kingdom!
(posted a week later) Nobody in the Kingdom of Tonga has access to the internet. They say tha underwater fiber optics cable to Fiji is broken. I the old telecoms engineer cannot understand who invented such a project. Every telecom system must have a backup solution ready for immediate use! But this is Tonga! I am in thd middle of South Pacific...
Today I am leaving Haapai Islands and going on the little plane to Eua Island. I found in internet the Highlight Guesthouse. The owner was waiting for me on the tiny airstrip. I am the only guest - I pay 50 paanga for the room with fan and breakfast.
|
Jan 19, 2019 10:00 PM Holy Sunday on Haapai
Each Sunday is holy on Haapai and the rest of Tonga. No flights, no ferries, shops and other busineses are closed. Since 5 am the bells and drums of different churches are ringing and drumming, calling to pray.
Even if you do.not pray it is worth to go and to listen how nicely they are singing...
As a first I visited Free Welseyan Church of Tonga. People came in traditional toavala skirts. Also ladies. The service was 1,5 h long and beleve me I was not bored...
Then I was in the old and poor Free Tonga Church to see the big Polynesian drum they use instead of the bell. Less people here but yhe ladies in the fancy hats.
AT 5 pm the were the mass in the catholic church also with a powerful singing. I had a nice talk with the father and local people after the mass. We also took souvenir pictures. Well, tomorrow I am leving Haapai going to another remote island - Eua. Keep the fingers crossed for the good weather, please! :)
|
Jan 18, 2019 10:00 PM Birthday party on Haapai
As on other little islands in the Pacific the shops belong to the Chineese. -No bread today! Nobody knows why... One shop, second one... the third one was hardware shop and maybe that's why I found there a loaf. Passing by the way the only open air restaurant I saw that they decorate it in blue... -What is going on? We will celebrate the birthday. You are invited! At 5 pm! Wow, this lady made me happy and excited...
I spent most of ths day exploring the East coast of Lifuka island. After heavy rain in the night the roads were muddy, but I managed to reach the coral rocky coast offering nice views and little blowholes. There are also lonely little cemeteries on that coast - why they do not grave the people around churches?
By excident I saw also well hidden His Majesty Prison.
I returned home in the afternoon to take the shower and to went to the restaurant. Can you imagine all noblemen of the island in one place: 11 heads of different churches, principal of the police and more... Finally I also saw a person, who was celebrating the birthday: 1 year old boy! It is local behaviour to make huge celebration for the 1st birthday of every child. No more...
There were music, dancing, buffet dinner with cassava, raw fish and more. A lot of speaches, wishes and birthday cake. But I enjoyed most the traditional dances performed by one professional lady and by local kids. Just great!
|
Jan 17, 2019 10:00 PM Did you hear about Fakakakai?
Haapai group consists of 62 islands - big and small - only 17 of them are inhabited, only 4 largest islands has elactricity...
Today I wanted to visit one of this a/c free islands - Haano. Not easy if you travel on a budget. I found out that inhabitants of Haapao are coming for shopping with their own launches to the little jetty in the village of Faleloa on Foa island. I went there walking/hitchhiking in the morning. Nobody was on the jetty near the huge, shaddy tree... Only wandering pigs... -Be patient! After an hour waiting 7 people arrived with goods and a little launch. They took me for free! It is very important to be open to the people in such a situations.
The ocean was not rough. We la ded in Fakakakai - one of the 4 villages on Haano. Soon I started a walk to the other villages. There is only one gravel road without any traffic. Nice little houses surrounded by bananas and flowers... The owner of the tiny shop where I was buying water offered me for free more than a kilo of sweet bananas. In the Pukotala village they have beautifuly decorated church of Tonga. In Haano village the men invited me to drink with them kava. It was 1.30 pm when I reached a little beach on the northern tip of the island. The return was harder due to the heat. 1 km before Fakakakai I experience d short tropical storm, but long enough to became completely wet. :)
One more kava sip with the men sitting at the beach and I was already sailing back. This ride was only for me so I paid 60 TOP... Honest price, I think. Rain again when we were sailing the ocean. Uff.. I am already in my guesthouse making laundry and resting. What a day!
|
Jan 16, 2019 10:00 PM Walking to the end of Foa Island
From island to island on Haapai Archipelago you can travel by rented motorboat, but this is expensive way - friendly Tongans treat foreigners like a milking cow... One hour sail on a junk boat can cost you 100 USD.
But Lifuka and Foa are so close yhat they build a causeway - like a bridge o coral rocks to connect two islands.
I decided to walk today to the other end of Foa. Before tue causeway I made a detour to the monument erected where Tongans attacked ship Port au Prince on the wild beach. Then I passed the causeway and few villeges on Foa with their churches. The most picturesqud part of the caast is at the dead end of thd island. Two lodges are there: "Sandy beach" for the rich - 208 euro per a/ c chalet and Matafonua - 100 paanga per room with mosquito net but shared bath. A?l meals extra.
The views to the next - Nukunamo island are great and you can swim there through the passage at low tide... It is 14 kms each way from Pangai to this paradise, but it is worth the effort!
|
Page:
94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104
|
|
|
