Bamboo Huts, Bravery and the Kindness of Strangers - my first few days

Touch down. After transiting through both San Francisco and Auckland I was EXHAUSTED. 

On my flight departing London i discovered i had a row to myself.. This would've been incredible had I not been so inexplicably nervous. Everyone talks about the good parts of travelling.. And trust me there are many, but being brutally honest it is infact damn hard getting on that first plane on your own - especially with no return ticket. It takes a lot. You quickly learn to trust yourself and use initiative. 

One of the most important things that has helped me along the way is to always ask. Yes, I am saying speak to strangers. But be clever about it, choose who you ask and just be vigilant. Trust your little voice. But I have to say although there are weird and scary people out there.. There are a lot more nice kind ones who are willing to help.

That's one of the good parts of travelling, you see the world a little more for what it really is and each kind person you meet along the way creates a little positive impact on you and bit by bit restores your faith in humanity.

So, back to the plane... 

After swallowing the initial panic my mind wandered on to my next task - navigating San Francisco airport. 

I grabbed one of the plane staff as he was walking past - his name was Peter. 

Peter was the first of many of the kind strangers that have helped me out and reminded me why I started this. I told him I was worried about transiting and explained all of my plans and he sat next to me (on the free seats - ha ha)  and went through what I had to do to get my next flight.. Which involved getting my suitcase and putting it on something else.. Yeah.. I was totally lost. 

Peter then ran off and came back arms brimming with crisps, biscuits and chocolate. I was pretty shocked as he gave them all to me and then preceded to introduce me to a lovely old couple who were getting the same flight as me to New Zealand from San Francisico. 

I moved down the plane and sat with them. This couple literally helped me so much, at one point one member of staff at the airport in San Fran told us we needed to get a taxi (not true!) i would've ended up lost.. So lost. Ha ha.

As a thank you I brought them a drink and then we all eventually got on the plane New Zealand bound (after the lady gave me a packet of very handy sweets for the flight). Then after meeting them on the other side we said goodbye and i went alone to transit to Tonga.

Woah. Landing in Tonga is BEAUTFIUL. 

You glide over the island and you see Palm trees swaying, fields of crops and a picturesque coastline.

Walking out of departures I was faced with hundreds of tongan people waiting for their friends and family.. I walked through the crowds looking shorter than ever. 

Suddenly someone put their hands on my shoulders - I squealed - Oscar had appeared from nowhere! Thank goodness! And so my journey begins!

We jumped into his uncles van and picked up some other Tongans on the way into town, then oscar and I got dropped at the guesthouse i had booked for the night. The girl sitting out the front of this big house showed us to the room and I dumped my suitcase. 

This is when the shock set in. Here I was in this incredibly humid place, they speak another language, im pretty much alone and have limited funds, I didn't feel safe and I was ridiculously overtired and couldn't think straight to save my life.

I didn't know what to do with myself but before I had too much time to think we walked into town to meet Ashley - Ashley is married to Chris and they are whom i was to stay with in Puke, Tonga. 

After grabbing a simcard, meeting Oscars cousin and exploring around i ended up back at the Guest house and couldn't sleep, I woke up every hour - jet lag is a horrible thing. 

The next few days are a bit of a blur. I moved from the guesthouse to Chris' place in the bush. Chris' hut is incredible, I loved it, surrounded by Palm trees, blue sky's and friendly people it was a really cool place to be.

 However my worries were still on the surface. My main worry was just having somewhere to settle, because of a few issues Chris had only managed to get back to his home the day before I arrived and I felt as though I had come too soon as they hadn't had any time to settle in themselves. Although everyone made me feel so welcome and happy I couldn't shake my stupid feelings which were magnified by the jet lag that had engulfed me. More than anything I felt guilty. I knew I loved it there, I knew I loved the people I just couldn't get over the huge shock - going from working in a shop in the centre of a town back in England living at home and having everything there for me to having a tent and no transport in the middle of the bush and being surrounded by everything from fire ants to cockroaches, giant spiders and thousands of flies. Those of you who know me will know about my immense bug fear. I was struggling and I felt like an a**ehole for it because this was exactly what I wanted and it was amazing. Exhaustion is a weird thing.

After a few nights in my tent I ended up in another guesthouse. The other thing was that I couldn't contact anyone back home much, so the contact I did have was limited and difficult to actually explain or discuss anything I felt. I ended up having to decide wether to leave on the 4th December or the 8th January - either very soon or stay for the whole time. 

I didn't know which scared me more - this is my favourite place in the world and I felt like such a coward. Although there were a few other factors influencing my decision both ways I decided to opt for the earlier flight. 

Here.. I will let you into my thought process.. 

If I stayed i wasn't sure if I would be able to do it, I felt mentally unprepared and ridiculously over tired.

I thought at least I now know what to expect and can come back knowing what it will be like and without the jet lag. Also if I go to australia it lets me save more money as I can work sooner and I can see all of my family for Christmas. 

I felt so weak, I knew I could do it.. It suited me so much but I felt as though I had become too used to western society and that lifestyle and I hated myself for that - although it was inevitable. 

Having had the decision made it was taken out of my hands. Although I do regret it and wish I had taken longer to decide and look at my options but it all happened so fast, however looking back it is a lesson learnt. I decided to try make the most of the days I had left and the longer I stayed the more I didn't want to leave. I absoloutely loved Chris and his friends and family, plus I hung out with oscar quite a lot and we walked along the sea front most days. I tried to take in everything; the fresh breeze, the swaying palm trees, the people jumping off the wharf and swimming.

 I also visited Oscars family. They were so lovely and welcoming and said that I was welcome to stay with and visit them if I come back. 

That's one great thing about Tonga - people treat you like part of the family and though they may not have much, they will give you everything they have - and what they lack in material possessions or money they make up in kindness, good humour and wisdom. It's so refreshing and hits home what is really important in life.That is a major part of my appreciation for this beautiful place - it's beautiful people. I was invited to strangers parties, comedy nights with friends, private islands and even a taxi driver I made friends with invited me to meet his family and offered to teach me how to make and cook an umu (tongan underground oven) on a Sunday and show me the plantation with watermelon and root vegetables. Plus Chris and Ashley treated me like part of the family and made me feel at home. What they do is so inspiring.

I felt awful to have to leave. I was so thankful to chris and ashley for understanding. Plus at least I have all of that to look forward to now. However looking back and feeling how I feel now I know I belong there, I will be back. I will be stronger and more prepared and I will follow that dream. For now I move on to the next part of my adventure. And although I am beyond sad to see the island that has taken my heart dissapear into the distance - I am free and I will be back.