Off On A Lark!

When we sailed through Ava Pulepulekai passage into Vava'u we knew this was going to be a very different cruising experience. Indeed it is. It's not as much about the beautiful anchorages, beaches and sailing experiences here. It's about life, on what often seems like another planet.

How many people dream of escaping their fast paced, crazy life and living on a tropical island? Evidently a lot and a good deal of them are here in the sleepy town of Neiafu. Some sailed in and never left and others just packed up and moved here. We're told that businesses change hands a lot or just close their doors. Lot's of dreams gone out with the tide and some long faces as they watch it happen.

It's got to be tough to make a living here. The Chinese seem to own the grocery shops ($$,you have to eat) and white palangi seem to dominate the restaurant and yachtie (stressful) type businesses. Isn't that what they came here to get away from? We're told that the average annual Tongan income is 5000.00 pa'anga (about $3500 US dollars) and it's a safe bet that there is only one income per household if that. Remittances from family living abroad is the lifeline for many, but that's not keeping the country afloat. Yesterday when we asked a well educated local villager what their biggest export is her answer was 'Tongans'!

We see the haves and the have nots, especially when you walk by the churches here on Sunday. Many of what I'll call 'the more worldly and educated' Tongans find international funding and oversee the implementation of basic projects to raise the standard of living in their villages. One that we passed through yesterday finally has electricity after 5 years of negotiations with the power company. That's tenacity!

So ... no plans to buy a business and settle here. The rest of the South Pacific beckons.