The No Ringgit Traveler

THE FIRST MORNING OF THE WORLD

I woke up early. My body still having the ‘working-hour clock’ but I forced myself to sleep again. No point of waking up too soon as I got days- I mean a week to kill. Might as well I enjoy the beauty sleep (of which never makes me prettier!) while I still can.

Ahhhhh...my first day in Tonga. Stretched myself like a cat to loosen up my muscle when I was fully awake.

Speaking of first day, did you know that Tonga is the first country in the world to start a new day? Or in other words the first country in the world to get sunlight. Yes, they are. Tonga is the closest country to International Date Line. Let’s think it this way, if I pick my nose right at 12:00am (GMT +12) I will be the first person in the world to have my nose cleanse! Isn’t it amazing?

Samoa, the neighbouring country on the hand has 24-hour time different to Tonga. They are geographical near just hundreds miles apart, yet so far left behind in time. If I were to fly to Samoa I will get 24 hours saving. Take this scenario for an example, I take a flight on 12 January from Tonga to Samoa on 2200/ 10pm and say the flying time is 2 hours, therefore I will reach Samoa on 0000/ 12am of 12 January. I short I will live in 12 January time dimension again, twice. WOW. This whole thing is simple but I’m just amazed.

BREAKFAST

The mirror was covered with mist must be from the hot shower I took. I wiped it with my bare hand then I could see myself better. Still the same face that I saw from last night. How I wish one day I wake up looking at the mirror it was Justin Timberlake face on the reflection and not this same old face I’ve seen for the past 25 years (Oops...I mean 18. Ohh-kay how about 21?).

I got dress quickly. This time I don’t spend much time on my normal beauty regime – cleanse, tone, and moisturise. No need to look good by the way. No one is seeing me here. I walked on a nicely manicured lawn with green grass and pass through a tree with a signboard read ‘Heailala.’ Instantly I know what this resort was named after. Also written there, Heilala is Tonga national flower.

The sun refused to kiss my skin. It has been covered by dark grey-color cloud hanging over my head.

Bad weather, I said. Well I knew that going to happen even when I was in Auckland. From earlier homework I done, this period of time is the wet season. Expect shower and rain throughout this particularly time of the year. Wet Season is also off peak or low season for tourism industry, it means not many people (tourist) around and most off all is cheap airline fare. But don’t ever imagine double-digit price, that’s never going to happen.

One-way ticket from Auckland with Air New Zealand set me back about NZD265 but (with the capital B) flying out of Nuku’alofa back to Auckland cost me double the price- NZD536.60! Good pricing strategy, they make you fly cheap but later leave you with no option than to pay more if you want to go out which you have to by the way unless you are willing to take cargo ship!

“Good Morning.” Sven, the owner greets me when I reached the restaurant. From my initial contact with him in email, my housemate saw his name and he said Sven didn’t sound like Tongan name. In fact he’s not. Sven was a German and has been living in Tonga for more than a decade and married to a Tongan lady.

I spotted a nice seat by the window with a garden view. Anyhow there were only two views to choose for in the restaurant, either facing decorated wooden wall or overlooking the garden. I pulled out my laptop from my backpack and switched it on and took me awhile before I can do anything. Sven gave me the password to get connected with Heilala network. I’m glad the management provide free internet service 24-hour. At least I can read news on Barrack Obama presidential campaign.

Minutes later Sven came with tray of breakfast for me with two slices of bread, a plate of tropical fruit and a cup. I put the bread on the toaster located at the front and poured the hot water on my cup.

Herm, coffee or tea? I chose the later, Ceylon tea. When the bread popping up I walked back to my seat. On the tray there was a sea shell and filled with something but I just leave it as it was. Decoration maybe, I thought. I spread the butter and indulge myself with my reading.

After breakfast I went to Sven, “I haven’t paid (the room) yet.” I said.

“Don’t worry about it. We are not a big hostel. So far we have never have guest ran away.” Now I got the picture how the payment method like- pay when I check-out. Indeed Heilala Holiday Lodge isn’t that big with only 6 Tonga traditional fale and 5 bedrooms at the main house but this place can offer me real privacy and intimacy.

Sven asked what my itinerary like. I wasn’t sure at first because I haven’t give it a thought what I would like to do and how I would spend my holiday here. You see I’m a spontaneous person if an idea coming out then I would just do it and give a little thought about it. I think that more fun rather than have myself scheduled. Hey, this is holiday.

“If you like water sport, going for day trip to some of outer islands will be a good option.” He suggested. But I think not on my first day here. Then I saw a medium size board written with chalk- an advertisement for Island tour. Looks like a good deal, T$40 to explore Tongatapu Island tourist spots in 6-7 hours tour.

Interesting. That should be on my mental to-do list.

TOUR DE NUKU’ALOFA

“I think my wife told you last night that she will take you guys (me and the Germans) to town?” Sven asked me.

“Yes she did.”

“So just be ready at 10ish.”

“10ish?”

“Yeah, in Tonga every time is ‘ish’”

Nothing different than Malaysia.

I went back to my room to get some stuff and when I returned to the restaurant Sven handed me and drew the route where his wife will take me to. On the map listed some of the places of interest.

“It’s only 3 kilometres from here.” He added. Pointing at Heilala on the map and stretched it to Nuku’alofa town.

When his wife was ready I jumped on the van. The van moved and it wasn’t a smooth ride. The road was bumpy and pot holes were every few feet and one big pool of muddy water just before we got on the main street. It reminded me of the road going to my house in Tanjong Karang 20 years ago.

Along the way, his wife gave us commentary. She told us, in the village area there was no bus stop and the bus can just drop us anywhere by the road. Nothing different than Tanjong Karang too.

According to Sven, the Queen Salote Memorial Hall marks the beginning of the town. Few metres drive from the hall was the royal tomb – the final resting place for the member of the royal family once they died. It was huge and multi layered but unfortunately we are not allowed to go in. Anyway it’s not my thing to visit graveyard. When we were finally in town she showed us the bank, bus station, market, wharf and some other places. It was a quick tour yet it does help giving us (guests of Heilala) the idea where to go and what to do and the service were free off charge. Then she was asking us whether we have any question to ask.

“Do they (Tongan) speak English?” I asked her when we passed the fish market.

“Some of us do (speak English) and some aren’t. If they do speak, whatever your question may be they will answer either yes or no.”

Yes and no, the universally understandable way to disagree or agree.

She dropped us at the shops area and I just stood for few minutes thinking of where to go. Few metres away from me was a market. Earlier she told me the market open everyday except Sunday so I guess why not checking it out. Walking there initially I feel scared, many people at the market and I’m a foreign visitor. But when I came closer some were smiling at me.

“Malo e lelei,” a woman merchant greeted me in Tongan which means hello.

“Hi.” My simple reply.

The outer part of the market, I saw people selling clothes and garments and on the side of the market laid many types agricultural products which is so familiar to me similar Malaysian vegetation like Ubi Kayu, Ubi Keledek, Ubi Gajah, coconuts, watermelons , and etc. From one seller to another I saw most of them selling the same things.

These could be their agricultural commodity, I think.

I went inside the market, it was different from outside not in term of architectural but the merchandise they sell. Most items sold inside were locally made handicraft. From coral necklace to carved bone pendant to woven mat to sculpture and to name a few. I browsed around and I quite fancy the seashell yet I can’t buy it. New Zealand Custom forbids the traveller to bring in plant, coral and seashell, and even fruit for biosecurity reason. So I didn’t buy anything.