Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 I arrived in heaven on the 20th - the Cinque terre. Financially, this is not so heavenly - accommodation prices... read more

Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Well here I am the first significant breather in 1.5 years, since rubbing the smoothest rock on Easter island for divine knowledge of the next destination, if there ... read more

My travel blog has officially been reignited by time to think and something to report after a year away! Travel experience poor for a year until now, I managed to arrange a long weekend in The Kingdom of Tonga. Arriving at Nuku'alofa airport was a standard Polynesian affair - don't expect efficiency, but do expect a sudden head-lift-come-nod, as in 'Malo e lei lei' to Tonga. Vichi, a Fijian born resident and our driver, graced me with a leis of flowers and we waited out another 30 minutes until the remaining 4 arrived, 25C and fine. The trip from the airport to Ha'atafu takes about an hour, but we quickly turned that into 2.5 hours with stops at ATMs, a mini supermarket and the less elaborate weekday market. Almost everywhere you look in Tonga is evidence ... read more

Our jaunt to the highlands after leaving Rio was short lived. After deciding we were both too stuffed and bus weary to figure a side trip to nearby Petropolis, we headed back to Rio in heavy traffic on a morning bus, connecting with incredible efficiency and genuine service, to the surf capital, Saquarema. Evidently this place heaves at carnival time and hosts surf carnivals and competitions of international standards. And testament to this, the long stretches of white sand extended from Jacone, our first coastal glimpse on the bus, to Saquarema about 30 more minutes away. Deciding 15 Reals was a rip off for our midday hike to the hostel, we made the walk there in little time, hot 33C and bothered but with the choice of 3 rooms of different prices. This was despite being ... read more

The morning in Quilitoa dawned magnificently, and with several phone calls to change a private transfer and decision made to tackle the public bus service. As the road is is terrible shape, schedules mean nothing and so the 9am bus arrived at 9.45am with the rush of potato sacks, feathered-hatted women and 3 gringos who happened to be from Auckland, NZ! As chance had it, we mused about Ecuador and costs whilst a local sussed us out or maybe our packs out before moving on disinterested that we had not given him change no doubt. And what a trip it was. Sprayed with water projectile though window from roadside vagrant kids. And was bumpy as hell up to Quilitoa with my large and small packs wedged beneath my knees up against my belly, to top it ... read more