Wednesday, 13 August (in USA) Thursday, 14 August (in TONGA) I saw nine whales today, but they were not in a "friendly " mood - mostly moving or singing. Neither is conducive to interacting with humans.

Thursday, 14 August (in USA) Friday, 15 August (in TONGA) Got the printed ticket from Janine on Wednesday; looks like nothing was as planned. She told me I'd leave Vava'u Monday at 2:30 and have to overnight in Nukalofa, She booked a room for me for Monday Night. Sounds OK so far. Got the printed ticket on the boat yesterday, and it said leaving 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday the 19th, traveling Nukalofa to Niafu (TBU_VAV) . . . I am in Niafu VAV! Don't get yourself upset; I'll work it out and hey, what's the worst that could happen? I spend another day in Tonga. Last dive today (laying off Saturday & Sunday so I can fly Monday). It's a combo whale watch and dive. Seems like a nice day. Yesterday was a bust, saw two whales but didn't get a chance to swim all day. Later the same day: And another day of whale watching. Observed some spectacular courting behavior; at one time there were seven whales next to the boat. All the Breaching & Tail Splashing precluded swimming (if you get hit on the head by a 40-ton tail, you'd have quite a headache!). More whale swimming from now on. When I'm actually leaving for home is yet to be determined. I'll get it sorted out by Monday, though. (At one point there was NO Tuesday a.m. flight, so I had to go late Monday and overnight in Nukulofa; then I received a Tuesday 7:30 a.m. ticket, but it was COMING FROM, not GOING TO Nukulofa.) Oh, well, "Hey, Ho, go with the flow!"

Sunday, 17 August (in USA) Monday, 18 August (in TONGA) As you have probably surmised, the internet has been down on Mala Island for three days. Not be outdone, the water went on strike day before yesterday (Saturday) evening. "Here I sit, completely surrounded by NO WATER!" Actually, it was survivable as Sean went into town and came back with several cases of bottled water, but we had to have cold (well, room-temperature, about 80ºF) pour-the-water-over-your-head showers. I am in Nukalofa now, at a nice hotel that Janine arranged. It has running water and is clean; I'm going out for a tour with Vaea Tu'\akoi ,the cab driver who put me up at his house overnight on my way out to Vava'u. Will not try to send more pictures at this time. I have had an exciting three days since I last wrote, and on the last day out (yesterday), the boat played with a pod of Spinner Dolphins (or maybe it was the other way around) for about 30 minutes. AND I had ONE LAST SWIM with a mother & calf Humpback Whale. Came back to a beautiful sunset and a "Tongan Feast" and bonfire on the beach. A rather fitting end to the vacation I've dreamt about for 30 years. I'll sign off now for a while . . . Vaea is picking me up at 2:00. It's pouring rain here at the moment, which is good for Tonga; there's been no rain to speak of for four weeks, I guess I'll see what kind of tour can be done in the rain. I'm heading out to the airport tomorrow at 8 a.m. for a 10:30 a.m. flight to Suva, Nani, Los Angeles and then Chicago.

Monday, 18 August (in USA) Tuesday, 19 August (in TONGA) I had a nice tour of the main Island of Tongatapu yesterday with Vaea and his son Bishop. Going into Form 1 - about middle school age. Went from the West side clear around the East side; saw Blowholes (geysers on the shoreline); the Palace (Queen is still in residence); royal grave sites; the Langi Tombs, some 28 royal burial sites named for their terrace-style construction; and the King's Residence. Saw flying foxes, drank some coconut milk, visited where Captain Cook came ashore, watched some fishermen using nets and ended up at the Ha'¹amonga structure which has impressive statistics and has been compared to Stonehenge in England. It is made up of two vertical stones with a horizontal stone connecting and morticed into them. The upright portions are said to each weigh between 30 and 40 tons. Breakfast at 7:30 today and then I'm on my way. Neal made it home safe & sound at 11:30 p.m., Tuesday, 19 August (in USA). He has already booked his next trip, in January 2009, to Cayman Brac, with one of the local dive shops, Manta Divers. To see eight videos that Neal has on YouTube, click HERE

AVOID THE SNOW! GO TO LITTLE CAYMAN
WITH NEAL (2009) HERE

VISIT HONDURAS WITH
NEAL & ANDREA HERE

VISIT AUSTRALIA WITH
NEAL & ANDREA HERE

VISIT ENGLAND WITH
LIZZIE HURTT HERE

VISIT AUSTRALIA WITH
LIBBY KARIER & GARRY LOW (2005) HERE

TRAVEL THROUGH USA & CANADA WITH
LIZZIE HURTT HERE

VISIT GRENADA WITH
NEAL HERE

TRAVEL FROM CZECH REPUBLIC
TO AUSTRALIA WITH ENZO HERE

CRUISIN' THE MED 1 WITH
JACKIE & TOM HERE

COMING IN 2009:
CRUISIN' THE MED 2 WITH
JACKIE & TOM HERE

INTRODUCING MISHA (@RB) & APRIL (@RB)
CARI, RICO, ROSIEVI & DAISY2LEGS

Remember to bring along your virtual pooper-scooper!