Tuesday 10th June
It’s grey, dreich and drizzling – who told us there was a heat wave in Scotland?! Stewy and Brian head ashore 1st thing to try and get Brian’s flight sorted. Ian and Annie stay aboard to do a few jobs and the great ship ship shape. Brian and Stewy are soon back, flight this afternoon is fully booked – Brain has half an hour to get back to the airport. He grabs his bags and he’s gone! We’re sorry to see him go, he’s been great company .Afterwards, Stewy is on and off-shore getting his phone and internet sorted, delivering laundry, handing the gas bottles in for refilling and delivering the diving kit for servicing and air. Afterwards it’s a late lunch in the Bounty Bar and a pleasant afternoon meeting the locals and getting a feel for the place. Neiafu is a very pretty little town with an odd assortment of buildings scattered around the bay There’s a daily market down at the dock where most of the locals are in traditional dress and selling a variety of crops and crafts. Annie meets a local man, Mr Tui, who has carved little sail shapes out of mother of pearl especially for all the yachts coming in. He gives one to Annie to show to other people and she agrees to be his advertising director. There’s some very basic shops, a couple of banks, a laundry, diving centres and enough bars and restaurants to keep us going for a while - if we are going to be weathered in for a few days this looks like a good place to be! At night there’s an Arc do on at the Paradise Hotel. The Minister of Tourism is there to welcome all the boats and present us with “Certificates of Appreciation”. Later, when Norfy’s chatting to him about the weather he tells him no-one in Tonga minds the rain because they just all stay home and make love. There’s some traditional dancing, then we’re dancing, then we’re off to The Bounty Bar for more dancing! There’s guitarists and singers and the bar is jam packed . A night to remember – the whole place is rocking, there’s dancing on the tables and everyone is dancing – even these ones who never dance – a riot! Not home until 4am………