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More on Tonga

Following on from the Tongatapu Island tour, it was time to visit some of the other islands. First was a day trip to an island only 15mins boat ride away called Pangimotu. This is a quaint little island that you can stay on in somewhat budget accommodation but is largely set up for the day trippers like us. A wonderful little restaurant is set up over the water where we had lunch whilst looking out over the turquoise water. It was then onto one of the deck chairs for sunbathing and reading. At the end of the day it was back home to the mainland in time to grab a local “feed” - a mixed plate of taro, meat, egg and veg. We had one between the two of us as they are that big. But mostly we have been enjoying the fabulous fish dishes that are available on Tonga. We have had outstanding snapper, tuna and swordfish meals not to mention the marinated fish also. It is so fresh and cooked to perfection by the locals.

Following on from out Pangimotu visit was a trip to Fafa Island some 40 mins boat ride away and where we will stay two nights. Well this place really has that wow factor. Our fale was built of local materials (thatched roof and walls etc) and right on the beach. But best of all it is nestled in the bush and is totally private as are the other fales spread around the island. It is only a 2 minute walk to the restaurant/bar and the library, and water equipment. All that you hear and see is the wildlife of which there is plenty including bats!– but the solitude is amazing. Check out the hammock infront of our fale, the outside bathroom and the amazing bed and mozzie net. We were in heaven and to top it off the staff bring us a coconut with a straw in it for us to drink that wonderful drink – cold coconut milk.

We kayaked around the island in waters that were more like a mill pond than a sea. Mark snorkelled around the coral reefs. The sun shone and shone. We had a truly amazing time and would recommend it to anyone looking for a complete break. The staff are friendly and cheerful.

As with the main island of Tonga, it is so great to hear the laughter of the locals and be part of their cheerful banter. You realise we don’t hear enough laughter back home. Our stay is all too short and we are back on the mainland. It is a Saturday and the scene that greets us is amazing. All along the waterfront kids and bigger kids are diving into the sea and swimming and having fun. Laughter and hooting is everywhere. Parents are buying up produce from the myriad of stalls along the roadside as they prepare for their Sunday feast. People are soooo friendly, always saying hello to us obvious out of towners and even offering us lifts as we stroll along with our luggage in tow. WHY WOULD PEOPLE LEAVE THIS PLACE TO COME TO NZ.

Further down on the lagoon side older people are out collecting shellfish and octopus and emptying their ingenious fish traps that are set up all along the lagoon. These people are very self sufficient, growing food all over the island and obviously fish is in plentiful supply.

In summary – we will be back.

Tonga - an island in the sun (and wind)

Wecome to Mark and Jocelyn in Tonga. One great thing here - it is warm!!. We have a lovely room in a nearly new hotel called "Little Italy" in Tonga since 1996. We wake up to a see the sea for miles. We have finally got to the rested stage and are relaxing with absolutely nothing to do but wander and eat.

We have enjoyed some lovely fish here - tuna, sword fish and snapper to name a few and cooked by a great chef. We are so happy to have found a good coffee place in Nuku'alofa. So we are set. We did an around the island tour and were so thankful we had a driver as a lot of the places are really hard to find. However we did see where Captain Cook and Abel Tasman landed. We obviously have some things in common. But that is where the similarity ends. One highlight was seeing kids being kids. We passed and took a photo of two girls on one bike (see above). They were so busy laughing and giggling at us taking the photo, they fell off the bike.

This is a third world country in so many respects. An untidy and dirty city greets you. What is obvious is the big gap between the haves and the have nots. Some fenced mansions exist between very average accomodation. Young people roam with little to do and others can be seen just hanging around at the beach or in front of their houses. Those that have work are lucky but wages are low. Most of the money to keep families afloat comes from relatives working overseas sending money home. A stark reminder of the way religions prey on the poor is seen in ostentacious churches and church complexes and schools that take large amounts of money from families. Religion plays a major part in lives and sunday is testament to this with no-one to be seen except at church.

Tonga is not set up as a tourist resort and as such we are finding it hard to have the same affinity for this place as other islands, as although the people are friendly, the place itself does not offer a lot of walking, Kayaking, biking etc opportunities. Bikes if you can get them are literally put together in front of you from bits lying around the yard and do not offer any satisfaction in riding. So we are just chilling really. Have read 2 books and so has Mark. We have unlimited wireless internet so have had fun with that.(obviously we have our computers with us).

Interesting things that we have seen include:

An incredible natural set of blowholes that go for miles along the South western coast. The set up an incredible display as the swells roll in and the water blow out through a myriad of holes in the rocks along the coast line. An impressive site. Then there were the bats - not just any bats - these are big and they hang upside down in trees. They are a delicacy here but are Tapu to all but the king. However this does not alway stop the locals having the odd feed apparently.

We went to Tonga's version of stone - henge. An interesting place where huge pieces of coral , 3 - 4 m high(above the ground that is) and 1m x 1m square stand in the middle of a field close to the coast. We do not really know the reason for their existence but the feat of getting them there is worth recognising.

Another wonder was this large underground cave only metres from the sea but which had a freshwater underground lake that locals would swim in. Stalagmites and stalegtites are a bit warn but subtle lighting allow for some great viewing of the unusual forms. We also saw the only coconut tree in Tonga with two branches.

Today we are going to an Island for lunch only 15 mins by boat and to lie on the beach- hopefully a good swimming beach. Apparently you can get good views of the coral reef from there. Will let you know in due course.

Off Again

We are off to Tonga in less than two weeks. After nearly 3 months back at work, we are both in need of a break. We are also looking forward to some warmer weather!

Rome and Home

Getting back to Rome we decided to do what we did in Cinque Terra, a take a boat to view the Amalfi coast from the sea; a great decision and we had a relaxing trip to Naples. From here it was train to Rome. Once in Rome we got a pleasant surprise in our Hotel which put us into a lovely quiet apartment from which we could roam.

There are a lot of old buildings in Rome (understatement). But nevertheless these need to be visited as the history of the Roman empire is quite major really in world terms. We visited the usual, the Coloseum, Pantheon, Vatican and Trevi fountain (whilst passing a myriad of others), Plazza Venezia just to name a few. They are all magnificent pieces of art to be visited whist enduring (and enjoying) 30 plus degrees heat.

The Vatican is amazing in terms of history, size and extravagance. Marks comment was that the artworks and construction in St Peters alone would pay for feeding all the starving in the world for some considerable time. Mark had to say a prayer for his mum as he couldn’t light a candle as they don’t do that there.

For all its artistic and historic flare, Rome and in fact Italy was found wanting in terms of technology and transport. We endured so many RETARDO trains and buses (if you could find the bus or a timetable). The clincher was after visiting the Vatican when we decided to get the Metro only to be told it was out of action and that buses were working to take passengers instead. A quick look outside confirmed that if there were buses there weren’t enough as hordes of people fought to get onto the few buses that arrived. In 30 plus degree heat we did not feel like sharing the same spot in an airless bus with 100 other passengers for any time. So like us tourists wandered, shaking their heads, not knowing how to get to the next place on their agenda.

The air port was no different. The check in queues were miles long as none of the passport readers were working and check ins were taking ages. Then at the gate the sound system was so poor that static and muffled voices meant messages were incomprehensible.

Then there is the internet. Whereas Netherlands, Belgium, France and Spain had easy free WIFI internet access at Hotels and other random places, in Italy there is nothing. We have struggled to find any WIFI only managing fixed line pay connections in Amalfi and Cinque Terra. Even more bizarrely, we went to use the Internet Kiosk at the airport and it would not let us unless we held our passport in front of a camera to identify ourselves!!!!!!.

By comparison we are now sitting in Incheon Seoul airport having checked our emails using free wifi and now finishing our blog. They even supply computers free of charge. The airport experience is far better than Italy also. In Italy we had to sit on cold metal mesh seats that dug into your rear whereas here you can lie across the comfortably upholstered wooden chairs.

Home is where we are headed and not looking forward to the weather so we are enjoying the last rays of sunshine in Seoul before we board the plan for the last journey home. Looking forward to catching up with everyone having missed you all terribly.

Southern Italy

We have added the pictures to our last blog if anyone wants to see the canal and boat. Couldn't do it on the poor internet connection at the time.

Being carless now we have to join the thousands of people who rely on the train networks of France to get them to and from their destination. So far our experiences of trains in France had been limited to a trip from Lyon to Dijon which went to time. However Sheree had alerted us to the fact that all was not sweet with trains having been held up for an hour in the middle of nowhere on her way to Albi from Lyon. However we were feeling positive that a night train from Rome from Paris across country boundaries would surely run to time. WRONG!!!

Waiting in Dijon Gare we see the train is to be an HOUR late. Not too bad as we find a comfortable seat in the Gare coffee shop and read and eat. But then the lights dim as to alert us to the fact that they are about to close. So it is onto the hard seating with the other people waiting for this train that is now expected to come in at quarter to 11 at night. It does arrive and we stumble onto this train with our luggage into rooms that already have sleeping people who had set off in Paris. We finally get ourselves settled for the night and let our fellow travellers get back to an uninterrupted sleep until our first stop in Italy – Milan.

I woke up for a loo stop at some ungodly hour but first had to negotiate a ladder from my top bunk. Doing this in the dark without waking everybody up was a real challenge. As it happened the train was slowing for a station and it was Lausanne – I had no ideas we were going through Switzerland but that was interesting. This might be why we were singled out by the guard for our passports which he held for the entire trip.

By the time I woke we were in Bologna but things were not good. We were now two hours behind schedule. We were to finally get to Rome two and a half hours late. Then it was onto a train again for two and a half hours to Naples – not air-conditioned. By the time we arrived we were so pleased we had booked a hotel before we left France so we could flop into air-conditioned bliss.

This bliss was about to be challenged when we got outside because although we had found heat and sunshine we had also found Naples. It is chaotic, filthy, drab and unkempt, reminiscent of a third world city. We did roam through the underfoot rubbish to see if there were any parts of Naples which had that edge that we thought Naples should have. We came across some interesting buildings, a huge waterfront and an interesting metro which had funiculars (lovely way to negotiate the hills in Naples) and underground metro (although this was filthy, tagged in a less than salubrious underground) that got us there and back.

The traffic was another challenge. We were so pleased that we weren’t driving here as there seems to be no rules and people beeped their horns all the time. Crossing the road is a real adrenaline rush – like playing chicken. You actually just claim the road and go – he who hesitates will be left waiting for ever. Once in the middle of the road, the cars and motorbikes simply swerve and adapt speed to avoid you. We are now confident road runners.

The morning we prepared to leave we encountered a large market. What we were surprised to see people selling cheap imitations of clothes, handbags and shoes, pirated DVDs and we even got offered a laptop for 150 euro(yeah right). We felt that we could have been back in Bali or Thailand with the traffic and markets and rubbish lined streets.

From Naples we were off to the Amalfi coast where we had booked four days R & R before heading back to Roma for 2 days and then home. The boutique hotel we booked called LA PERGOLA was set on a hillside amongst lemon groves and when we arrived were pleasantly surprised to be upgraded to a huge room and our own patio – not bad really. Our own loungers and outside area at a private end of the hotel; what a great way to finish off the trip.

Amalfi coast is not unlike the Cinque terra except that the villages are spread over a larger area of coast. This is a pretty coast with houses and fences draped in bougainvillea and roadsides lined with cream and pink oleander. Here the terraced hills do not have grape wines instead lemon trees are hung up on pergolas on the terraces. They grow incredible lemons here (both in size and flavour) and are exquisitely used to make a wicked liqueur called Limoncello; a must have at the end of an evening meal.

Having no car means we are reliant on public transport now and this means we have to think about what we are doing and plan more. First thing is that we need to catch a bus from our Hotel to go anywhere but the stop is right at the door. Second thing is to sus out connections that may be needed after that. First day was a 1 hr 40 min trip by bus to Sorrento, a lovely place to roam around but very touristy beach spot. With no natural beaches of its own it has made them by putting a load of rocks out from the lands edge and connecting these with a platform that is then lined with seats and umbrellas(which you have to pay to use). You go for a swim by climbing down a ladder from the platform into the sea.

Then we caught the train to Pompei. Pompei is a truly amazing find. We felt that archeologists must have thought it a sacrilege to have people walking round their precious find but nevertheless like all things it probably comes down to money for upkeep and restoration work. A find like this showing civilisation 2000 years back is really interesting. Mark and I enjoyed wandering around and looking at the architecture, paintings and tiling patterns of the time as well as the primitive plumbing. We endured 30 plus degree heat to do this but promised ourselves a huge beer at the end.

The bus trips along the Amalfi coast road are an adrenalin rush on their own. Apart from the amazing scenery as these towns and roads are built on the hillsides high above the sea, we watch our extremely skilful drivers negotiate our large bus down a two laned road that is barely more than one lane in size and has incredibly tight corners. The buses make an incredible racket as at each corner they sound their air horns to let approaching coming vehicles know they are coming.

Next day Mark was determined to have a swim. Now this is not a short trot down to the beach. But instead there were 372 steps to be negotiated before getting to a tiny rocky and stoney beach. Once there the water was beautifully clean and blue but the chore of climbing back up meant that you were sweating harder when you got back. But a quiet day was intended and under the huge heat of mid-day we cowered in shady places checking out more local beers, pastas and pizza for a long and leisurely lunch in Amalfi itself.

Amalfi is a lovely town, once again full of tourist shops and eating places but quaintly nested between rock and sea with an amazing cathedral at its centre as well as the obligatory fountain where people took water for drinking and washed themselves to cooloff. Amalfi has the privilege of going from beach level up so it has a readily accessible beach if you can find it under the umbrellas.

On the canal boat in Burgundy

With only 10 days to go we are relishing the last two days on the boat as it has truly been a chance to unwind and relax away from the rigors of hotel rooms and daily travel. It took me two days to get out of my comatose state and get into the swing of canal boating. Mark is obviously more resilient and has relished the challenge of being boat assistant from day one.

Being on a canal is a great way to experience rural France away from the crowds of tourists and bustling lifestyles. We have stopped in small villages and biked around them only seeing only one or two people. But these are very rural communities in full harvest mode as load after load of grain can be seen going along roads and into huge granaries that we have passed along the way. We are in the heart of a cropping region with most of the animals we have seen being in barns.

The rural villages have some truly beautiful homes with amazing court yards. The flower pots are out and in full bloom and the gardens are looking stunning. The flower pots add a different dimension to these places as without them the monotonous house exterior colours would been quiet unappealing.

I think I said to someone that we could do with a couple of overcast days and that has happened. And it has allowed us to see the many different moods of the canal. We have gone from sunshine, to thunderstorm, to brilliant sunsets, and steaming canals in the space of 30 minutes. We see pecheurs (fishermen) all along the canal as this appears to be a really popular pastime for mainly men and sometimes children.

The canal locks (ecluses) have been mastered by Mark as he has ably assisted the eclusiers to open and close gates (when they are not electronic). We have got ourselves into quite a good rhythm, with Jeanette driving the boat, Mark and Catherine manning either side of the boat and me, well I am cook. We boat till lunch time by which time I have lunch ready (our main meal) and then hold up for a couple of hours. To work off lunch we investigate the local village and then return to do a couple more hours boating before tying up for the night. There is one more daily routine that is not to be overlooked, the continuing desire of Mark’s to find the best bread in France. This means that every morning he is off on his bike to find a Boulanger, having gone as far as 10km on one day, to get bread. We should have kept a diary of Boulangeries I reckon.

The canals are largely beautifully tree lined and serene to motor along with fields of crops rising away into the distance. But best of all, this is a truly great way for us to wind down as we think about heading to Amalfi coast and home. We did not realise how much we needed to do this until we got here. But now we have to psyche ourselves up for an overnight train trip to Rome and them down to Naples and Amalfi. An overnight train was one of the other things that we wanted to do on our trip. We are a little concerned however because our sleepers seem to be along way apart although we are in the same carriage. But we will sort it out when we get on the train. Meanwhile two more days of boating and then it is farewell, au revoir to Catherine and Jeanette and onto our last adventures in Europe.