Picture of our tree house style Fale at Matafonua Lodge –

A very early start from Auckland – 3.30 am alarm for a 6.20 am flight . Arrived Tonga about 10 am then a metro liner ” pencil airplane” flight out to the Ha’apai group. Matafonua is a type of ecolodge resort – has power and Internet but fairly basic facilities. Hot water is solar so with the cloudy conditions we have seen since we arrived the water will be less than warm if you wait too long into the evening. Owners Nina and Darren run a friendly operation here – they have a Boat for the diving and the whale watching that makes this time of year the busiest. Plenty of whale sighting stories from guests and the divers can all hear the whale songs that make scuba a musical experience thru July and August.

All the pretty flowers

Faleloa – village very close to the lodge

We had a sunday walk up to the closest village – Faleloa – and had a chance to see competitive Christianity in action. There were three churches in action and the singing arising from each building can be heard for miles and one could not help suspect that the reputation of each branch of the faith may in part depend on how loud they sing. While there is little doubt that Tongan church singing is amazing in appears that they have no systems of removing the small percentage of tone deaf screetchers that somehow spoil the musical impression.