HMAS WARRAMUNGA Visit

After months of preparation HMAS WARRAMUNGA finally arrived for her port visit in TONGA. Yes, it was a short stop over for the crew and they left under sad circumstances. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the drowned sailor, a very sad day.

While the crew was in town though, they opened the boat up to the Expats and Ozzy High Comm staff for a look around a real war ship. The kids and Jodie had the arvo off to take the guided tour. The helicopter and five inch gun were a hit, as always. The crew even managed a game of cricket, Captains (CO) twelve V's The Executive Officers (XO) twelve. The CO's team got up in the end but had a local hand from Sione, the Tongan cricket rep. Sione was my Tongan connection who helped me organise the pitch. After the offical game Sione also gathered his local boys who gave the sailors a lesson or two supposedly? Pitch conditions were some what questionable, myself and a local sailor mowed it the day before inbetween the two rugby fields at a local school ground. A good day was had by all.

On the second night in we managed to get out to the local bar to watch the State of Origin but as you will see in the shots below crowds were low as it is the wrong code here. So we watched the Mighty Maroons get up in style. On a 50cm TV across the dance floor as the DJ belted out tunes and the sailors flopped all over the dance floor.

WARRAMUNGA with some local fishermen in the foreground and PANGIMOTU Is in the background.

Lyndon catching up with some old HMAS BRISBANE shipmates.

Soupy remember what this is? Dylan all smiles in the pilots seat of the ships helicopter.

The local cricket pitch (During school hours)
Some of the crew watching the entertainment.

Can you see the big screen?

Yep that's it behind the DJ.

Sal and Lyndon enjoying the extra room in the bar towards full time as the Blues supporters bailed early.

Tonga Tourism Forum

Thursdays and Friday mornings Jodie volunteers at the Ministry of Tourism (MOT), which also includes the Tonga Visitors Bureau. Starting in May she has been working in the Education and Training Department. This department is starting to deliver non accredited workplace training to local businesses, with the first big session of the year for Tonga Airport Limited.

One of her first jobs was to attend meetings for the newly formed National Coordinating Tourism Training Committee. The Ministry of Training, Education, Youth and Sport (MOTEYS), is re-structuring the entire Technical Vocational Educational Training system (TVET) in Tonga. The re-structure will review and upgrade current curriculum, facilities, trainers and qualifications to ensure training courses will meet the new national qualification standards so they can become internationally recognised. (My TAA quals will come in handy after all - who knew??)

To that end, Tonga held its first national tourism forum for all interested parties on May 10-11. Our working group - Human Resource Development, Training and Education, along with 5 other working groups made presentations throughout the forum to help develop a ten year vision plan for tourism in Tonga. With over 90 delegates many good ideas were presented which are now being collated into a plan of action for participants to review and make comment on. Definitely something very exciting to be a part of - Penny and Cate this is definitely up your alley!!!

Two days of hard work was rewarded with a Cocktail party ( jokingly referred too as the 9th information session) at the New Zealand High Commissioner's residence at sunset.

Inside Fa'onelua Convention Centre

Some of the MOT team L-R Sandra- Marketing Manager, me, Sibbi - Marketing, Tapu - Training, Kapreen - Admin
Me

The evenings entertainment

Opening of Parliment

This last week saw the opening of the local Parliment, yes we can hear you think ............ well it is a huge thing here as we now know. For the opening every high school band participates and has been practicing around the clock 0530 starts some days and 2300 finishes for the last month or so. Well we live near two high schools so Jodie loves the sound of the bass drum as much as the roosters at present...NOT! But on the big day all the schools marched from their respective school grounds through all the streets criss crossing along the way to finally meet up at parliment house. The kids had half the day off school to see it. I also got caught in the traffic jams and got to catch some too. The TDS soliders even made up the offical guard. It was very entertaining! We also found out that the primary schools do the closing ceremony. Can't wait.

It was a busy weekend with more sleep overs and filming for one of EM's dance troops (On the Spot) which will be shown on local TV next month some time. The girls even wear their new shirts to mufty day at school (free dress Wednesday so the local kids can wash their uniforms). They had a ball and all love the instructors.

On the spot dance troop.

The dancing Queens! (Em,Tootsie and Moo)

Sunday saw a break in the weather so we nipped out in the boat between other bookings for a quick biscuit and knee board. The monkies thought it was so much better than being dragged around by the old tinnie. Hmm not hard 15 Hp versus 230Hp? Mum kicked back and played spotter/sunbaker. Emily informed us after that she felt like shark bait being dragged behind the boat in the open water. Then promptly asked to go out on the knee board. Kids have no fear.......faster.faster.fasterrrrrrr......

The kids have now named it - The Quirky Chookeria!!! Just waiting for a lick of paint.

Picture Perfect!

Here she is, Jodie and her Baby Q. (Toyota CAMI Q) Little Miss zippy about town but she does get lost in some of our larger pot holes about town.

The weeks have been flying along. Em has taken up two lots of dance classes (Tongan and modern) and is loving them both. Dyl on the other hand has taken up the Tennis racket with his mates Ulalala and Zayne who both stayed for a sleep over Friday night and made good use of the tree house.

The flying fox getting yet another work out.

Dylan has taken to pool like a true shark. Our favourite family game is Kelly pool and it has been a hit with all the guests too. Pool, drinks, dinner and back to pool. Only problem is the kids know our numbers from the shape of the paper that they are written on so they just sink mum and dad's balls first and we are out. But... we are on to them now!

The chook houses are coming along and we have now begun construction on the frames.

The long weekend bought another picture perfect Tongan opportunity so with the boat in hot demand we booked it out for Monday arvo and headed out to Malinoa Is for some R&R. This included a walk around the Island, of course swimming, shell collecting, throw in some snorkeling and then we were ready for a fish a little further out to sea. It was just too easy and too flat. We even had a big sea turtle pop up next to the boat!

Anchor party closed up, also keeping an eye out for the shallow sections.

Homie Dylan with the Is behind him!

Emily with her little treasure, a perfect cowrey shell.

Go team Q, minus mum this time round as it was just too nice on the beach.

Where the bloody hell are Yah!!!

Ah relaxing in paradise between bites and replacing everyone elses sinkers!

Dyl reckons it's so easy - here they even jump in the boat by themselves!!

Dyl and his first Coral cod. He was yummy too!


Home time - Tongan style. Throw it all in the back including the kids. You can tell they hate it by the smiles on their faces!

Home in time for sunset. Our friend Semisi was Officer of the Day. He was glad to see us though as we left him some fish for dinner!