Jodie's Birthday Celebrations - The After Party

With everything in town closing at midnight due to church the next day, it was off to Chateau de Quirke (as usual) for the late night entertainment. Lucky for us Tonga does not have any laws on overloading vehicles or seat belts, so all 9 of us piled into the Tongan limo, aka NZ 007 and Hannah took us for a hoon down the main strip of town then back to our place. Dom and Lyndon loved hanging out the sun roof doing their best Richard Gere (in the final scene of Pretty Woman) impersonation, whilst the rest of us tried not to wear the left over cake as it was sliding around in the back seat.

In we all go - squeeze up, we can do it !?!?!

A birds eye view down Vuna Rd for Dom and Lyndon.

Playing the numbers game, i.e. seeing whose turn it was next to go out the sun roof.

Ah, home safe and sound ready for some pool.

Dom and Sal were obcessed with THOSE boots and couldn't keep their hands off them all night, I have promised to loan them out to their wives if they behaved themselves...

Dom praying to the wine God to help improve his pool playing skills.

As we are all children at heart, the competitions started as to who could stay up the longest on the Rip Stick, who could spin the hoola hoop the most, who was the best at diving through the rolling hoola hoop, who could skip the longest, who did the best air guitar.... the competiton went on and on and on!!!!!!

Jen showing off her fabulous skipping legs.

Hannah diving through the rolling hoola hoop.

Rochelle swinging those hips.

John doing his best air guitar.

And me.. well my pool playing improved dramatically thoughtout the night with more wine.

A huge thank you to my fabulous friends for a fantastic 41st birthday celebration.

The French Return to TONGA!!

March 17 was a busy afternoon as we completed a snappy 3km Hash walk around our village and a beer for our Irish friend Jennifer (aka O'DD) for St Patricks Day, then Jodie had 15 minutes to get ready for a cocktail function on the visiting French Frigate "La Moqueuse". Lyndon had 5 min as it was his 50th Hash. No photos from his down down as Jodie was in front of the mirror. The dress code was Bula or island style so casual attire was all the go. It is amazing just how many people are willing to squeeze into such a small area but when there's French sailors and free drinks who cares. What other incentive is required? As usual, the French made very strong cocktails and had lovely food, with the French bubbles only coming out at dessert time when most of the crowd had left (all the more for us really). With experience comes the spoils, hey Jodie? French Bubbles!

Viva la France - Baby!!!

The boys in Bula - Shayne, Mal (our neighbour who is new to Tonga - he hasn't found an appropriate shirt - yet!), Lyndon (in his Tapanu too) and Tiny.

Jodie and Karen (our new neighbour) with the ships captain Lt.Cdr Francois Nevejans. Karen spent half the night trying out her high school French on the crew - what she could remember of it anyway.


The quarterdeck where the function was held, looks large from the outside...

but not when it is this jam packed!

Then when you thought there was no more room you throw in Tauolunga time, Tongan band and traditional dancer for the French crew. Then it becomes friendly.

Time depart and finish the St Pat's drinks with O'DD. Ohh yah and pick up the kids.

Jodie's Birthday Celebrations - The Dinner Party

Well - 41 - here I come. A quiet dinner with friends turned into a fabulous night out with some wonderful memories (thanks to some great photos - many of which can not be shown here). I booked the outside deck at one of our best restaurants Cottage Breeze, bought along 9 friends and 9 bottles of wine, and, the rest as they say is history. After a wonderful meal, dancing and lots of fun stories, we apologised to the other diners and the restaurant owner as we all giggled our way out at closing at 11pm. Fabulous was the word of the night and everything was exactly that!

The start of the Fabulous 40's

The FAB 5 - Annie, Hannah, Jennifer, Jodie and Rochelle

Poor Jen was without a husband that night so we all lent her ours.

After Dom gave a fabulous speech about friendship and plenty of here, heres it was time for...

The cake.. and a kiss from my fabulous husband...and

..yep, you guessed it dancing!!!

Tsunami Warning Week

This week we had big plans for the Saturday but that all changed early Friday night with phone calls from our Boss in Auckland and from the Australian High Comm about the Japan earth quake and following Tsunami. No high ground here so we stay safe and sound in our concrete two story house. We did get a small wave but all was good though. This weeks activities has seen a few big ones for Jodie with her 50th Hash walk and not to mention another mile stone not so close or far away from fifty!

Jodie doing her Down Down for her 50th Hash.

The proud owner of a 50th shirt and now only Lyndon has to get one!

Tina our House lady has now retired last year and we have been lucky enough to have Maria take over. Emily thought she'd give a hand but instead buried Dad!

The planned Saturday bike ride was canceled due to the Tsunami so the Q tribe and Brookers (minus Sam and Jodie) decided to do some exploring locally.

Em and Dyl where all smiles as they came home covered in mud.

The veggie patch is looking a little bare but it was time to check Dylan's carrots.

Monster greenery but not much down under! Em was happy though because she's not to keen on carrots lately.

The kids tennis has come along in leaps and bounds this year thanks to Neeto, the Tongan wonder coach.

Em has stepped it up a notch and now even dresses the part. Yep an actual dress Jodie was over the moon and in matching colours too.

Emily's Tongan earth quake detector! We've had a few lately in the Tongan trench only two that we have felt though.

We thought we were in trouble as we were only getting one egg a day for the last few days???? But Jodie heard the chooks laying and her and Timoti discovered this stash in one of our pot plants down stairs. Bingo scrambled eggs are back on the menu.

'Eua Eco Challenge - Boat ride over

Our BIG adventure to 'Eua was for the 1st ever 'Eua Eco Challenge was put together by the organisers of F.I.T. - Friendly Islands Triathalon (Tricia and Arlo). Our 4 day adventure to 'Eua Island started in true Tongan style 2hrs late as the scheduled ferry was removed from service due to poor maintenance. So.. an alternative was arranged (one of Tricia's fishing boats) and we were on our way only after a special dispensation from the Ministry of Transport was tracked down and signed for. The journey took 3hrs (it's only 8mins on a plane though) the kids had a sleep and kept themselves amused. There were 23 of us but only11 actual competitors in the Eco Challenge which consisted of a 400m swim, 7km bike, 4km run and 7km return bike ride.

Our ride over with all the bikes in the back cage.

Passengers, luggage, bikes, fishing gear.....Check....Lets go!

When travelling on a fishing boat one MUST fish..... so are the words of Lyndon.

Tom (Captain, my Captain) with his catch.


Finally at the 'Eua wharf we unloaded the important stuff.

The truck took all of the food and luggage and the remainder of us rode our bikes to the Hideaway Lodge. The roads where not as smooth as Jodie was expecting.

'Eua Eco Challenge - The BIG event

After a late night of discussing tactics (and drinking beer) Lyndon awoke at 5am for a fishing trip with mate Tony that they organised the night before over more beers. A good race warm up too? Whilst the remainder had enough common sense to enjoy a sleep in (possibly needed) and breakfast before we had to all ride the bikes down to the wharf for registration and safety checks. The support crew, officials, film crew and kids hitched a ride in the truck (Tongan Taxi).

Lyndon and Dylan heading to the wharf.

The competitors and a few support crew. (Dyl and Tomasi supported Lisa for the ride.)

The swim leg under way. Lyndon piked this on this leg. Too many fish in the morning and his arms were aching - so he said.

The bikes all ready to go at the first transition with Tongatapu in the background.

The biggest attraction was the fact we got to actually go up and DOWN some hills. Not so attractive while we were flogging up them though. Lyndon clocked 54.1kms on the way down overtaking local traffic.

At the brief they said there was a little surprise! Mud puddles!!!! The ride was half on road and half bush tracks.

We think Sal took a short cut as he doesn't look dirty enough. His nickname has now been changed from the "Inhaler" to "The Hoff" after a wonderful swim leg with no shirt and his daughters beautiful purple swim cap!!!

To ensure minimum traction and maximum mud action for the run section the support vehicle took the camera team to the top of the running track.

Lyndon and Sione find some more mud (Sione ran the entire race in one plugger).

Done and dusted! Title won "Muddiest competitor!"

Seeing Lyndon wasn't blazing a trail he decided to make sure he hit every mud puddle on the way down.

Everyone jumped into the harbour to either cool off or simply clean up in Lyndon's case.

In any other country they are called tractor's and trucks, in 'Eua they are also Taxi's. How else do you get your family to the bush patch?