Tongatapu - South Pacific Island 15
When we originally decided to add Tonga to our list of countries we knew we were visiting a place where we really didn't know what to expect. We knew things would be different out here, but what we certainly didn't expect was to find out that half the capital had been burnt down at the end of last year in some political riots! Most businesses were burnt to a crisp, leaving the place a bit like of a ghost town!
Having said that, what remained really was pretty good. The market, banks and some shops were still around, or had been relocated to the remaining buildings. We soon found though that the pacific way of life was certainly evident. To book one flight and accommodation took a whole two days! People don't usually bother to answer their phones, especially on the remote outer islands and, when they do, they usually just rattle on in Tongan to you! Great!
That said, we did manage to book a flight to a place called Uoleva Island in the Hapa'ai group in Tonga. It's said to be one of the worlds most amazing islands...or at least that's what we're told! We have heard that one before many times so we'll hold judgement on that! Also, it's one of the few places in the world that you can snorkel with hump-back whales! Unfortunately the damn things haven't arrived yet, but we're hoping that while we're there they'll show up!
During the week we hired a car to check out the other parts of Tongatapu island. Other than doing the usual tourist things, taking snaps of anything that looks worthy of a snap we took a visit to one of the biggest caves on the island. We took the advice and took a torch, but really you need a bit more than that since it was so big inside. It was also so so eerie, not being able to see much and just hearing bats flying around! One even flew into the wall just next to my head!
On our tour of the island we found that driving out here wasn't a case of avoiding other cars and pedestrians, it was a case of avoiding the wild pigs! Seriously, there's probably more wild pigs on the island than humans!
Left: The King's Royal Palace; Right: A local Tongan house
Left: Our local cornershop!; Right: Another local supermarket!
Left: Cave entrance through a small hole; Right: View inside with camera flash on (couldn't see any of it without flash - not even with a torch!)
Last night we decided to do the cultural thing and go to an island night Tongan style, complete with a Tongan feast. There was loads of food and at the end of the table was an entire pig on a skewer that they'd cooked earlier in the day! It didn't look that good with it's head still in tact, but tasted pretty good!! Also at the island night we found that because it was their opening night, they'd invited the Princesses of Tonga to join us for dinner! It was pretty mad really having dinner just a few tables down from Royalty!
Left: Some Tongan dancing; Right: Sneaky shot of the Tongan Princesses, taken shortly before armed guards escorted us off the premises (just kidding!)
Left: Pig by day; Right: Pig by night!!! (yum yum!)
Having said that, what remained really was pretty good. The market, banks and some shops were still around, or had been relocated to the remaining buildings. We soon found though that the pacific way of life was certainly evident. To book one flight and accommodation took a whole two days! People don't usually bother to answer their phones, especially on the remote outer islands and, when they do, they usually just rattle on in Tongan to you! Great!
That said, we did manage to book a flight to a place called Uoleva Island in the Hapa'ai group in Tonga. It's said to be one of the worlds most amazing islands...or at least that's what we're told! We have heard that one before many times so we'll hold judgement on that! Also, it's one of the few places in the world that you can snorkel with hump-back whales! Unfortunately the damn things haven't arrived yet, but we're hoping that while we're there they'll show up!
During the week we hired a car to check out the other parts of Tongatapu island. Other than doing the usual tourist things, taking snaps of anything that looks worthy of a snap we took a visit to one of the biggest caves on the island. We took the advice and took a torch, but really you need a bit more than that since it was so big inside. It was also so so eerie, not being able to see much and just hearing bats flying around! One even flew into the wall just next to my head!
On our tour of the island we found that driving out here wasn't a case of avoiding other cars and pedestrians, it was a case of avoiding the wild pigs! Seriously, there's probably more wild pigs on the island than humans!
Left: The King's Royal Palace; Right: A local Tongan house
Left: Our local cornershop!; Right: Another local supermarket!
Left: Cave entrance through a small hole; Right: View inside with camera flash on (couldn't see any of it without flash - not even with a torch!)
Last night we decided to do the cultural thing and go to an island night Tongan style, complete with a Tongan feast. There was loads of food and at the end of the table was an entire pig on a skewer that they'd cooked earlier in the day! It didn't look that good with it's head still in tact, but tasted pretty good!! Also at the island night we found that because it was their opening night, they'd invited the Princesses of Tonga to join us for dinner! It was pretty mad really having dinner just a few tables down from Royalty!
Left: Some Tongan dancing; Right: Sneaky shot of the Tongan Princesses, taken shortly before armed guards escorted us off the premises (just kidding!)
Left: Pig by day; Right: Pig by night!!! (yum yum!)
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