Made it to Tonga somehow!

Wow, I made it to Tonga!

 3 hours of broken sleep, a bus at 215 am to Auckland and arriving at Tonga at 1130am. The plane trip was awful cause the head rest wasn't able to move for you to rest against. So I was constantly falling asleep then waking up from falling off my chair for 3 hours, among some very noisy and obnoxious Mauri girls.

I am certainly feeling the island life here, I really feel like I am off the map, which is great! People here continue to ask me why I came to Tonga and are surprised that I am here on my own.

I'm the only backpacker at the guest house right now, but this is a true blessing tonight as I am exhausted and needing a good nights sleep. I spent the afternoon sleeping too!

I bought some food from an super market that appeared to be run by a Chinese family that didnt speak a word (of any language) to you and sold nothing fresh but apples. I have seen some fresh food at stalls randomly along the way which I might buy as I go. Fridges are a rarity (my hostel has one that doesn't feel cold). Electricity in Tonga in general is a bit scarce.

The infrastructure here all looks pretty primitive. I don't have a key to the hostel, you just walk in.

I saw some foreigners on my plane ( a couple) but I do feel like the only white person on this island! Aside from Toni, the guy who runs this hostel. Toni saw an ad for Tonga in the readers digest 25 years ago, he wanted to escape the English winters, so he has lived in Tonga ever since, married with children.

The climate here is fantastic,  right now is a low of 18 and top of 24 degrees. I love the smell of this place,  breathing in all of the island plants and trees, and what people are making for dinner. Island doggies wander around as well as people on motorbikes that look well overdue for servicing.

I went for a walk after my nap and I felt like I had accidentally paraded the white girl for the islander boys, everyone was honking their horns, yelling stuff out and whistling.  I stick out like a sore thumb!

I was talking to the nice young islander boy who works at the hostel, I told him about my experience walking today. I asked him if he felt I needed to wear more clothes, he said 'yes'. Ill have to keep my eyes peeled for a long Tongan dress. The young boy said that I should be careful walking by the bushes on my own , as some.people are dangerous.

I had to end up asking for a lighter from a household of Tongan guys. They gave me one but they stared at me like I was very strange!

We have a gas stove top here but the family next door use up all of the matches for cigarettes. :p

One of the Tongan women 'Lena' who works at the hostel, has been very sweet to me. We spent time talking about Tongan cultures and traditions as we drank kava together as I bought some from a family near by. It is my first time drinking it. It is fun to prepare, it has an earthy taste and makes your tongue and throat feel like you have drunk anesthetic. I like it. :)

It is a public holiday today as it is the Kings Coronation today. so everything is shut but all night I have heard people singing Tongan church hymns among the sound of crickets?  Some dogs barking and the breeze,  its fantastic.

Toni told me about a Canberra student nursing group that has done some nursing placements in Tonga. Naturally I knew both of the course convenors that run the group. I am starting not to be surprised that I find Canberra connections no matter where you are in the world.

Tomorrow I might hire a bike and go for a swim. Tomorrow night I will go to a traditional dinner with dancing.

Love Rasa