Warm, wet and exactly like we like: people, people, talking with people!

So we landed in one of the Pacific islands: The Kingdom of Tonga! Out of the plane, still in our New Zealandish outfits, we were melting. Warm, very warm and very wet!

Polar jackets off, we are dreaming about putting our flip-flops on our feet. But… One of our two backpacks didn’t arrive to Tonga. It stayed at the airport in Auckland, because the airport security didn’t like our petrol (empty!) bottle, which is a part of our cooker. Shit shit shit, not only about the flip-flops during the first days in hot Tonga, but we won’t be able to cook on our own! For some days (until the next plane from New Zealand will come), we don’t have our tent, most of the clothes and whatever is in the other backpack.

So we cannot sleep in the tent and have to find some other options. We are getting to a little taxi in the capital Nukuʻalofa and first thing, which happens is… the road is closing because the King of Tonga, in his black car, is crossing our way!

Tonga, the last kingdom on the Pacific, which has never lost its sovereignty to a foreign power. Strong and very friendly people. Here we go with few very first impressions we have after few first days here:

 

1. People: smiling, “malo leleing” (“malo e lelei” – good morning in Tongan), making hundreds of pictures of/with our girls. Girls are happy.

 

2. Clothes: traditional clothes and school uniforms of different colours are creating a beautiful mixture on the roads. Still a lot to learn: who is who, why and how to recognise the details.

 

3. Music: everywhere and so different! People are sitting in the corner of the house, or in the garden, or just on the street and making music together, small, big, families and friends. Nice! We are already loving it!

 

4. Pigs: on all of the streets, running freely. Peppa Pigs and little Georges and dozens more, wherever you look. Great motivation for our girls to walk longer and faster.

 

5. Waters: bluuuuueeeee and greeeeeen. Like on the posters!

 

6. Church: very important, not only on Sundays. Free Methodist Wesleyan Church (and 4 other Methodists churches we saw), Roman Catholic Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Seventh-day Adventist Church, Anglicans and few more, are active and visible. People like to talk about the church, do things for the church, some attending the messes even few times during one day.

 

7. Rain: still a lot of it every day. But it’s good! People are dependent on the rain water: to wash, to drink, to take a shower. Big tanks are standing next to every house and I’m still wondering why this water can stay clean and our stomachs don’t have any problems.

 

8. The time: times has stopped for us! Everything is slow, “maybe today, maybe not”, “who knows when”, “when the rain will stop” and stuff like this. We are getting into the mood. Nothing is going on? Have a nap! You are stuck for next few hours in one place? Make the best of it and talk to everyone. No hurry, no worries. We are on holidays, we will still learn it! ;)

And here we are.

We will tell you soon more about our Tonga adventures.

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Our first book is out!

We have published our first book (for now just in Polish:) about our Central America Trip.
See, read and order here »