Hi everyone...
We three are in Vava'u (Tonga) and all is good... We arrived here safely, even though the plane was tiny as and I was freaking out... :)

I miss everyone like mad... But I am also having such a magnificent time... I have some great stories... The ones I think are quite amusing I will title them below... and if you want to hear one... just ask me... I may look at you stange at first.. but6 hang on in there... hehehe

1. Mean Pinapple Lady
2. Mike and his crew of pure coconuts
3. Elli and the locals (a few short stories)
4. Nee and the Lost Tongias! (A good one!)(Some is written down below)
5. Cafe Tropicana and the shifty guy outside

I guess the list could go on and on.. I have seen some interesting things that I wish I could just blink my eyes and record so that you could see it as I see it... Because sometimes a story, even with a bunch of well used adjectives, just doesn't do it justice.

Anyway... I had an excting day on Saturday... We grabed a taxi and went for a dirve to a look out and it was just gorgeous. I think I could have set up camp there and been quite happy to just stare... Then, on the way back, we decided to stop in Mataika (that's where my family are from) becasue we told the taxi driver that I have family there.. So he decided to stop the taxi at random and ask the locals... "Are there any Tongia's around here? This crazy Palangi says she's related!" (hehehe :P)The people we spoke to told us that there was a family just up the road... So we took a walk up there and proceeded to yell out there names. A guy came out, named Tafini, followed by a lady and his 5 children. The taxi driver explained that we think we might be related and he had a look of surprise.. Like... HUH? I can't be related to this Palangi.. Can I? Most of the time we were there he had a puzzled look on his face... as I tried to explain how we might be related (through my Pop Tongia) whose proper name is Ahotahatolu.. but he's also known as Maele and of course I didn't think to say that... hehehe. So we left and went to the caves. I was feeling a little sheepish and said to Adam... "Oh man.. we are probably not related and I have just totally shamed my self out... I'll take the photos home and show everyone and they will piss out laughing and say "BLUES!!!" Shame..." and he just laughed.

So anyway... I put that behind me. Until Sunday... when I was getting ready to do my washing. I saw some Tongan's walk through the foyer of our accomodation as I was hurrying past.. I waved and went on my way not realising who it was... I went into the room and heard a knock at the door but thought it was coming from outside. Then the reception chick came and said there are some people here to see you... I was like HUH? Me...? and it was Tafini and his family and a guy named John (His uncle he said) who was there to help translate. He said he wanted to sit down and work out how we were related... so we sat out the back and got my little book that had everything written in it from my meeting with Grandma and Aunty Tangi. I showed him the names of my Great Grandparents and it turns out that they are his Grandparents... So my Pop Tongia is his uncle, My Dad was his cousin and I guess that makes us second cousins. He must have been thinking about it all night for him to come and find us. It was such a trip out... They bought us a HUGE plate of FOB food which we had for dinner... YUM!!!! And a delicious water melon...It was sooo good. Tafini took us for a drive and showed me my Great Grandfathers Grave and then my Great Grandmothers grave (both on my Tongan side) and that was extremely emotional for me... It was hard to keep it all in... and I think Tafini was feeling the same... A lot of the Tongia have passed on, or moved to NZ, and even some of them, have passed on... Him and his family are the only Tongia's left in Tonga... But they want to come to Australia... if they do, there will be no Tongia's in Tonga anymore.

I told him about our family in Australia... and I drew a family tree for him and he did the same for me... I can't wait to show my Pop and Grandma! Pop knew he had family in Tonga, but they're not in touch.. So I have their address and they have mine. I had two photos stuck to the outside of ym travel journal. One of Elli with my Tongan grandparents and one of my Dad and my Mum that was taken waaaay back on the day.. And I showed these to Tafini and he was blown away and John said that he was VERY grateful to see those pictures... So I gave them to him... When I get home, I will send him some more photos...

So... that's part of the story... Interesting hey... I have come to Tonga and I have found a part of me.. What more coudl I ask for...? This is really what I wanted to do and I didn't have any expectations, but it's all just happened...

And you wanna know something really spooky...? I had a dream on our last night in Auckland and in my dream, my Dad had told me through a physicic "I will take you home"... and he did! Everytime I think about it... I get goose bumps.. Like now... I am coverd in them!

So V.. if you're reading this and you haven't already got Pop's side of the family tree... I think I may have some missing pieces.

OK... I think I had better give Adz a turn on the net. Today we are heading off to Mala Island in Vava's and we'll prolly do a bit of snorkeling and maybe even go sailing... Such a hard life... :)

Peace Out!

Nee x x x