Tourism Delegates comes to Tonga

The first ever 'Eva Mai Tonga Tourism Exchange was officially opened on 2nd March by the Prime Minister of Tonga - Hon. Dr. Feleti V. Sevele and the Hon. Minister of Tourism - Fineasi Funaki. The week long famil for 30 travel agents and wholesalers from USA/NZ/AUST was initiated by the Tonga Tourist Association in conjunction with the Tonga Tourist Visitor Bureau. Local tour operators, hotels and restaurants, Air Pacific and Pacific Blue hosted the delegates over the 5 day period show casing what Tonga has to offer travellers to this region. The famil included dinners at local restaurants, day trips to the outer islands, cultural dance shows and a traditional kava ceremony.

An exciting occasion for Jodie as she got to catch up on some of her Tourism skills! How I hear you ask?? WELL... it just so happened that while dropping off Dylan's new mate Looalala after a play date, we got talking with his parents who run a dive company here in Tongatapu - Deep Blue Diving. As Toukia mentioned the tourism trade show, Jodie's face lit up and she was invited to come along for the day and give a helping hand on their booth at the show. It was a good experience for Jodie to be on the other side for a change i.e. attending, instead of organising one.

Toukia and her husband Sam (Ex Tongan Navy) with the Tongan P.M.


Some Tongan art on display!

Toukia and Nettie at the Deep Blue Diving booth.

One of our weekly routines is participating in the Hash House Harrier run/walks on a Thursday afternoon. During this week we celebrated the Hash masters 400th run/walk. Yep a while to go for the Q tribe as we are only on 9. It's a great way to see the town and meet new people, we have however, been lashed to be the drinks people so each week we bring along the beer and other refreshments. They have a great motto "A drinking club with a running problem!" The BBQ celebration below was at the ANZ house which is right on the fore shore!

Hash House Harriers BBQ for our Hash Masters (he's in green t-shirt) 400th! This particular week there were 53 in attendance.

The weekend saw the wind drop down so the boys dropped a line in Saturday arvo but spent more time trying to fix the GPS. Dylan caught a beauty at the Base (See below!) Then Sunday the wind dropped off even more, so we took a few friends out in "Satisfaction" and visited Fafa and Pangaimotu Islands and a few reefs in between, the kids had a ball. Poor Nemo and his mates will be very fit before we leave Tonga as they are always being chased by the Q's!!!

Fafa Island resort and Satisfaction in the background! We walked around the entire Island.

Just a few of the locals! No monsters yet?????


Dylan and his monster from the deep. The boys loved it! Dinner, yum!!

Stay tuned as prep's have begun for Jodie's big FOUR "O" party, this Saturday, we can't wait but wish you were all here with us to celebrate!!!!!!! She is missing you all terribly.