Island exploration

We woke to the buzzing of the alarm at 8am. We had booked a day trip to explore Atata Island- a boat trip out, a few hours lazing on beaches and snorkelling, lunch and home in time for tea. Two hours seemed like planty of time to get ready and make the drive into Nuku'alofa (a half hour journey). Then Tonga time struck.

01 The boat to Fafa

By 9am, our coffees still hadn't appeared, and I was starting to worry. By 9.15, we were sat waiting for our omlettes. By 9.30, we were climbing into the car, becoming increasingly aware that we'd be cutting things fine, and hoping that our boat operated on Tonga time too. By 9.55 we had discovered that Tonga is possibly the only country in the world where people rountinely drive at 10km/p/h below the speed limit (which is 40km/p/h through residential areas). By 10.10 we were at a very empty wharf. So it was back into the car, back into town, and lots of sweet smiles for the ladies at Friends Tourist Office. Luckily people here are so used to everything going wrong that problems can be solved quite smoothly, and by 11 we were at the wharf again, waiting to sail to the island of Fafa.

02 Rick

At 11.10, we were still hanging around on the wharf next to the boat.

Murphy's law in action once again.

When we finally did get going, the boat trip across the lagoon, past islands lush with vegetation, was beautiful. Rick was very restrained in complaining about our poorly-rigged yacht, and the crew pulled out the gyb so we could pretend we were sailing (with the motor huffing away in the background). Fafa soon appeared before us, a vision of pale gold sand rising out of the turquoise reef. We soon donned masks and fins, and jumped in to explore the pretty coral gardens, populated by colourful fish and the occasional anemone.

Lunch was beautiful, and we accompained it with a cocktail in a coconut. After toasting on the each for a while as we digested, we hopped back into the water. The second area of reef we swam round far surpassed the first, with lots of colour and fish life.

03 Fafa Island

All too soon, it was time to return to Tongatapu. We took back our rental car- and traded it down for a rather battered small black number, which looked well and truly Tonganised (cracked windscreen, no buttons to control the fan, no handle to close my door, an annoying locking system and snazzy leopard print decals). Was it worth saving the $25? Hmmm....

04 Rick relaxing

05 Cocktail in a coconut

06 Fafa island

07 humbug damselfish