Nuku'alofa by Hire Car
Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Thu 5 Dec 2013 22:57
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Nuku’alofa and Tongatapu in a
Hire Car
 We spuddled across the bay in Baby
Beez to find our old friend still attached to the
fuel dock. This sturdy, sea going lady is going to set off for Auckland, New
Zealand in the next few days, we wish her Safe Winds and Following Seas.
  It poured
with rain so we ducked under the fish market awning to wait for the hire car to
arrive. I was happy watching the tree loading. Soon a
very smiley young man appeared, Bear handed over seventy pa’anga (twenty four
pounds in old money). At no point did Bear admit to having a driving license,
receive any paperwork and off we went. Our happy chap drove into town so we
could drop him off and for Bear to log us out with Immigration, that too was
done without anyone clapping eyes on me. Next it was to Customs and the Harbour
Master, all done without anyone seeing Beez Neez or me.
 The heavens opened again so we
decided to drive to the furthest point on our itinerary. En route we drove by
the very smart Vaiola Hospital, that boasts it is a
No Smoking Building on a big poster.
 
 We drove past a
set of very proud looking gate keepers and a pair of
cannons in the garden of what we guess is a very wealthy Chinese
importers house. On the opposite side of the road, in isolation, was an even
more impressive gatehouse, complete with armed
guard.
 A very long sweeping drive led up to a
handsome property, we think is one of the Royal
Residences.
  We went by several graveyards, laid out in a less haphazard way than what we
have been used to seeing. At one Bear particularly liked a
tree, don’t ask I didn’t. Completely lost, no sign posts, we decided to
just keep going and see where we ended up.
  In one village we found a pair of
churches exactly opposite one another, the
only nice buildings. Bet it’s funny to hear the
bells competing for the faithful on a Sunday morning. Trust you to
come out with that little pearl...........
 The happy colours of the University of Tonga, advertising signs boasted MBA
courses.
  Chance took us to Captain Cook’s Landing Site and we followed the coast road until we saw an interesting looking
track.
 The track had an
obstacle who was happy on our side of the road, much coaxing to get her
to step aside.
  Bear got a filthy
look but we did find a chap just beyond on new
non-friend. A good looking lad stopped in his rather smart silver Kube to find
see if we were OK, smiled and carried on on his mobile phone. On we
went.
 Several water
towers, powered by solar panels have been donated by the Japanese,
Chinese and Australian Governments.
 Enough of the very bumpy track, we
turned back on to the main road and found a lovely new
build.
 We passed a few parsey houses.................
 ....................but the majority
looked carefully owned, with plenty of clutter. This
at the posh end of the market.
 
 Many little
chapels along the way. We found ourselves back in
Nuku’alofa...................
 Had to stop in the rain
for this picture.
 
 We had to cock our legs over some
really chatty barb wire to get close to this really nice War
Memorial – six wounded and one dead soldier.
 Not sure why this pleasant park was fenced off.......
  Through town we went by a couple of
interestingly shaped churches.
  Bear got me
out for Abel Tasman’s Landing Site, turned out to be a sea wall with a chatty
plaque, onward......
 We actually saw a
sign, almost hidden by a digger. Wow what a first.
 
 I bimbled around a
church whilst Bear bought our chicken curry lunch.
  All shops look the
same and we drove by many small
markets.
 The busy Rugby
Club was next to the tennis courts as we drove back into town. Bear rang
the hire car people to arrange pick up at eight, after we hung the laptop out of
the window to get weather files. Time to go home after a full, interesting but
long day.
ALL IN ALL QUITE A
MIXTURE
GREAT TO SEE ‘THE BIG
ISLAND’ |