Tonga

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We crossed the International Dateline so we are now (I think) 18 hours ahead of you at home. We lost Tuesday completely, but are making it up one hour at a time as we move westward around the globe. Always nice to get that extra hour a couple of times a week.

Yesterday we were in Tonga, the first flat island we have visited. Unlike the others which were volcanic and, therefore, mountainous, Tonga is a huge coral reef and flat as a pancake. It is extremely lush and beautiful, but a terrible mess. Rusted out cars all over the place as well as rusted out boats littering the bay. Garbage everywhere and almost every house looked like it was ready to fall down. It is more of a case of not caring than being poor. Quite a dismal place to visit. One bright spot were the kids walking home from school in their bright red jumpers (girls) and black SKIRTS (boys.) Very cute. And, for the two hours before our departure, a big brass band dressed in native attire serenaded us from between two rows of shipping containers on the dock. They were terrific. Before long many of the passengers were out dancing with the beautifully dressed Tongan women. Even our Captain showed off what a smooth dancer he is! The band leader must have weighed 400 lbs., a sign of importance in this country. (Maybe I shoudl stay here?) So, we left Tonga with a good feeling, having many smiling faces waving goodbye to us as we sailed away.

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