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Tonga tied in Nuku'lofa

Spot the mistake

Events seem to be conspiring against us. First Dingo arilines cocked up Jackie's flight, marooning us till she (hopfully) arrives tonight, then we can sail off to the loverly Ha'apai Group (know on board as the happy islands - mostly cos we can't prounounce it).

Shaggy

Calls a Taxi

Oh no we're not, just got a weather forcast, 2 systems are going to roll over us between now and friday bringing winds from north, north east north west and west. We can't go to our ha'apai place with nor'westerlies at 30kns as were exposed on the western side of the islands. We'd be safe and sheletered in the norhtern Tongan islands, the Vava'u Group. But in a northerly that would take ages to get too, we'd have to beat, posibly into 30 knots*. Tonight is North East. North tommorow then north west then west. In short we can't make it that far up wind before the nasty stuff hits. Even if we could check out now and leave asap, which we can't. Guess were staying here till it blows over. We even thought of going back to Nuie, but Alofi is wide open to the West and Norht too, even Rarotoga's harbour is untennable in a Norhterly.

On the bright side it is cheap here, the Tourist office has a huge billboard in front of it, with a map of the island. Well I say a map of the Island, actually is a mirror image of the island, conciencioulsly labled. Don't belive me look it up on google maps. So at least the map we were using was the right way round.

Also Thursday the islands got a gig, Shaggy's comming to town. That bloke's following me arround, last time I was in Antigua, another Shaggy Gig.

* this is no fun.

Patience is a virtue

Ok the last gallery I uploaded doesn't work yet, nor does the video. The reason. Tongan internet (formally the best in the Pacific) is absolutly dreadful. Now a modem can theoreticaly do 56000 Bps. Entry level broadband is (in theory) 521000. My upload speed yesterday when trying to update this was in the range 300-500 Bps.

It takes a long time and many re-connections to get it done. The main cause of the trouble is Beebo. Tongan school kids on beebo. The nice internet cafe in the Reserve bank of Tonga is no more. Which is a shame. There's no wifi here, or not at the boat. I'm going to carry on blooging off line and uploading when I can, but if images etc are missing then you'll have to check back later. MUCH later.

Jackie was suposed to arrive last night. But due to a Koala on the runway in Port McQuaire. She's missed her connecting flight to Tonga. She'll be comming monday now. Their right bastards those Koalas.The net reuslt was we got trashed. Beer here is cheap as is "Rumski" the local un labled Rum. Actually quite drinkable.

Alchohol consumed in quantity can lead to stupididity. Principally pushing of people into harbour. Al and Chrisian were determied not to be the first to go in. Al came a close second. The boat, which we speant most of yesterday meticuliously cleaning. Is now liberally dribbed with harbour water. Butter from late night apocolyps snacking. I'm lucky me nice clean bedding is still that way. I had the presnece of mind while Al and Christian were wrestling to clamber round the side of the boat without getting chucked in.

Unfortunatly Chrisian's wallet is missing, presumed sunk. Incuding his card and Cook Islands Driving Licence, the only licence he's got at present.

Leaving pictures out of the post, can't deal with the stress of uploading.