18.39S 174.02W
JENNY
Alan Franklin/ Lynne Gane
Fri 20 Jun 2008 09:09
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Hi All
Tonga is a beautiful place despite the poor weather
we have had in the main since arriving. The people are really friendly and
helpful and happy with their "lot". This is a feudal country - the kingdom
of Tonga, and the differences between the "haves" and "have nots" is
marked. Tonga is not a rich country and it shows in the standard of
living, out of town the housing conditions are very much back to
basics with no mains water or anything else it seems.
Tonga is a very religious country, everything
closes on Sundays, except for a few small shops run by Orientals, or a couple of
bars run by Kiwis! We and a large number of BWR people went to
church to hear the beautiful singing, the readings et al went on for about one
and a half hours - all in Tongan tongue, but they were so kind and welcomed us
enthusiastically....... in English.
We've now had a couple of days good weather and the
Rally boats went to one of a large number of anchorages nearby. We then had
a dinghy race, won by a dinghy with two umbrellas for a sail!! our
design obviously needed more work - the mast fell down! We finished -
about last as we paddled in, but Ellie wouldn't give in and start the outboard!
we ached next day! In the evening we enjoyed a Tongan feast,
with dancing and music - we're not sure, but feel eating with
fingers is an acquired art!
The next day we moved to another anchorage - A real
"Robinson Crusoe" beach, what we've been looking for! Unspoilt beach of
soft sand and coral on a little island with a few palm trees, absolutely
deserted except when the BWR landed! A BBQ followed and then back to the
main anchorage for the evening - we did manage to find time to visit "Swallows
Cave" on the way back with the"Spectras" - only accessible by dinghy and
good weather - a few minutes diversion whilst the boats "hovered"
outside.
Peters has now returned and we're back to 4 with
Ellie repatriated from Miss Styx! We've fuelled up now, clearing customs
and immigration and able to purchase fuel duty free. We're leaving
tomorrow, perhaps for another anchorage, but then on our way to Fiji, about 4
days sailing away. We'll miss Tonga.
Anyway I'll close now, the next Blog from Peter I
expect
Signing off for now
Alan
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