We have enjoyed spending the last week catching up with cruising friends, exploring the small town of Neiafu and watching the Rugby World Cup – not nearly as much fun now that England are out, however.

The weather has been pretty grim with very high winds, overcast skies and quite a lot of rain, so we’ve been in no rush to leave this protected harbour, but with the weather now improving we’re looking forward to exploring a few of the anchorages of the Vava’u Group of islands this coming week.

Neiafu is a small, funky town with an excellent produce market; super fresh fruit and veggies and herbs too – home-made rosemary focaccia bread back on the menu for the first time in ages. 

It’s great to see the locals wearing the ta’ovala which is a mat wrapped around the waist.  This traditional garment is made of woven pandanus and in Tongan society is the equivalent of a coat and tie.  Apparently the wearing of a ta’ovala is a sign of respect to ‘God, King and Country’.

You can’t wander far here before you come across pigs and piglets roaming freely and no collage of the sites of Neiafu would be complete without them.