Feb 3, 2011, Day 29 at sea
We went to sleep on Feb 1 and woke up in Tonga on Feb. 3.
Tonga is nearly flat—no lava domes or high peaks. The Island is lush and fertile allowing for the growth of those wonderful tropical plants.
Ron had a tour this morning and I was on my own. I hooked up with Diane the pianist, but since she didn’t want to take the free bus into the market place, we parted ways. I didn’t do any shopping, but hooked up with two other couples to hire Peror who charged us each $20 to give us a two hour tour. We had a nice time but wished Diane could have come with me. She ended up finding Ella, a taxi cab driver and wished I had come with her. Next time. J
Saw a bunch of blow holes on the rocky shore; Huge bats that hang from the trees in daylight and fly at night. Saw spiders with inch long bodies and very long legs—non-poisonous. Went past a wedding and a funeral—lots of cemeteries since they cannot bury their dead, but must build tombs in graveyards or in their yards.
Tonga used to export primarily coconuts, but now their main crop is pumpkins which they sell to Japanese. The beautiful plants and trees are cleared for pumpkins and the farmers use pesticides. Sad. But it brings in money. Many of the Tongans go overseas for jobs and send money home to the family.
It’s very hot and humid, but often we have a breeze to cool us down. I’m loving it. The islands are great to see, but I’m always happy to get back to the boat and into the pool. J
Last night we had a Dutch dinner and celebrated the Chinese New Year and our loss of a day.
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