Tonga Times

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Malo e leilei from Tonga!

We arrived last week and have been settling in. Much cooler than Darwin - particularly at night. Our first week was induction - lots of information and practical bits and pieces involving driving around Nukualofa in a mini bus! The place is really small but until I walked it I had no idea!

Tonga is (at first glance) friendly, developing slowly and very much a church going nation. Sundays nothing - really nothing - happens. No shops or cafes are open as people go to church and stay home. However, there is one notable exception: the bakery! You don't have to know where it is as you just follow the cars and pedestrians! So Sunday is about church and cream buns.

I am volunteering in swimming development. The Tonga Swimming and Aquatics Association is the peak body looking to develop swimming for both safety and sport. There is also the public health side as Tonga like everywhere is battling increasing obesity and diabetes. Introduced food (cream buns, spam and colas) don't help.

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Comments

[Marg]

Tiny Tonga
Hi Leslie and Jan, glad to hear all is going well so far over there in Tonga. I could get used to church and cream buns every Sunday!!! Don't imbibe too much or you might become one of their obesity stats!! Have a wonderful experience. Lots of love, Marg and Bonnie Bonster xx

[Jo]

Hello from Darwin
Hello Lesley & Jan, your settling in sounds comfy, and it's great to hear from you. Over last weekend I attended a few video-linked sessions to Darwin from Sydney Writers' Festival, the best attended and most inspiring was on Sunday with Bob Brown. Along his journey of life he told us of his latest book, called 'Green Nomads', describing his journey up the east coast of oz. he plans next year to tell us about the west coast. Cheers to you both Jo

[Liz]

Hello from wimbledon
Dear Les and Jan Great to know you are settled in Tonga. Will look forward to lots of photos. We are settling into flat life and seeing a light at the end of the unpacking tunnel. Have fun. Love Liz & Michael xx

[Vivien]

Thanks for looking after us in Darwin. We made good use of your bus passes. The train was wonderful and of course we ate too much. Glad to hear you are settling in. Don't eat too many of the cream buns.

[Tomas Dedek]

Malo e leilei from Melbourne
Hey L&J, Good to see you're back in the swing of things. Looks like some of those big boys have enjoyed a cream bun or two :-) I would too if I lived there! Anyway, I'm sure a good cream bun while reading the Bible can't hurt?! Keep the updates coming ..

[Linda]

Swimming in the blue
Looks very inticing. How wonderful to be able to swim in the sea...mind you i have had several dips here in the sea just recently

[maria henderson]

great stuff
fantastic pics glad to hear people go to church but not so great about health great work Lesley and Jan