December 2008

Island paradise.

Tonga is a small, little-visited island paradise in the South Pacific. I knew little about this nation when I flew here from Auckland, but quickly fell in love with it.

Over the course of a week here, I explored the island of Tongatapu by bicycle, staying in a thatch-roof hut with geckos on the wall.

There are stunning sunsets, verdant gree vegetation, and plenty of barefoot soccer in the humid evenings. The locals are some of the friendliest people anywhere.

I've thought about returning someday, as there are many more islands in this country to explore. There are constant talks of 'developing' the island for tourism - building ugly, giant resorts on pristine beaches with profits sent back to the first world - so the future is grim.