Week Three begins: Cyclone closes school

The school celebrates its 152nd birthday this weekend. The Queen of Tonga is the official guest so we have to learn and put in place many protocols.

However, a cyclone is approaching Tonga and has changed everything. After a glorious weekend staying at the Dateline Hotel for a bit of R & R, cyclone Gita has decided it has Tongtapu (the main island of Tonga) in its sights. Due here at 7pm tonight, Monday Feb 12th.

I'll share the hotel images and although we had access to TV we watched a very limited selection of the Winter Olympics; for obvious reasons.

More interesting is the addition to Tonga of a giant warehouse shop called CostLow, yep quite similar, albeit a local owned and operated version, of another big retail bulk store. No doubt prices are very dissimilar, see below, lucky we don't need litres of mayo!! BUT the $8 Timtams are beyond the pale. But, the fruit at roadside stalls and the markets in Nuka'Alofa is terrific, everything is $3 (that's pa'anga) and usually a sizeable bunch bananas, paw paw, avocados, onions, tomatoes, capsicum, beans, coriander, cucumber, sweet potato etc. very cooperative living as the bunches are too big for us, so need sharing. Looking forward to mango season. Have registered the scooter, images next post!!



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