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My Medical Adventure
Well I have another fun packed diary entry to make you all very jelous!!! I arrived in Vava'u, the northern most island group that makes up Tonga, last Saturday. I love it here, the weather is gorgeous, we are staying in a backpackers hostel right on the water front, the views are stunning and there are loads if activites to do. It is slightly more expensive than the main island but that is too be expected as it is very tourist orientated here!!
We did have very good intentions of going to work in the hospital in Vava'u, we brought our clinic clothes and everything!!! however, the hospital is really small and there are very few patients, for example 9 in one day!! so we made an executive decision to spend our days more productively exploring the island.!!!!!
We used the weekend to settle in and find our feet, which is not hard as everthing is located along one main road along the harbour. Sunday we took a boat out to a beautiful private island (Mala beach Resort) and spent the day soaking up the rays, it was paradise, the sun was really warm but not too uncomfortable as there was a nice breeze keeping you cool!. The japanese gardens, a really good snorkeling site was also located just off the island however the currents were quite strong!!! The sun set just as we took the boat back to the main land, breath taking !!
Monday we went on a walk to a fresh water cave, very hot and sweaty!! the cave was cool but very dark and scarey so I didn't swim. The cave was cut into the side of a steep slope at the edge of the sea. You could not actually see the surface of the water as you peered in but despite this Matt, as boys do, jumped in to test out the water, luckily it was actually fairly deep and he managed to find a way out up the rocks!!. Vava'u is much more beautiful than the mainland, it is alot more hilly and there are many small islands scattered around the coast, making it one of the best sailing spots in the world. As you can imagine there are some amazing yauchts in the harbour and lots of yauchties about. I have found the boat I am aspiring to own when I am a rich doctor!!!!!!
Monday we decided to go on a guided sea kayaking tour of the islands. Sounds fun hey but you do not realise how much hard work it is until you have been paddling for 6hrs with only an hour stop for lunch and you are still not back. I am definately in need of a serious back and shoulder massage. Saying that is was a brilliant day, we got a spectacular views of the islands, when I actually remebered to look around , we stopped on a little beach resort for lunch did some snorkelling then went Swallows cave, a big cave eroded into the the edge of an island by sea. It was quite spookey inside as it was covered by acient graffiti. Rynn and I in our double kayak also keep bumping into the walls as our sterring wasn't too hot. woops!!!
Tuesday was one of the highlights of my trip. We went Whale watching!! It is the mating season for hump back whale in Tonga. The Humpbacks from the antartic swin up to Tonga to mate in the warm waters from August - November. They are beautiful creatures and sooo big, I was in awe. We spent the morning spotting whales from our boat. We watch these four beautiful males for about two hours, they were spy hopping (putting their noses out of the water, their noses are covered in hair so making them there main sense organ) breaching (jumping out of the water) Blowing, fin slapping and diving. They can dive for up to 45mins so it turned into quite a game spotting where they would surface!! Once we hit open water however the groupof whales speeded up, on mission somewhere, so we left them. Later in the afternoon we found a mother and her 3 month old calf, it was soo cute, apparently she was giving him diving and breaching lessons. After an hour of watching whale school it was break time, they stopped moving a stayed around the boat. We all then had the opportunity, 4 at a time, to go into the water and swim with the whales. It was AMAZING!!!. I swam along side them on one swim, I was about 2m away from their side and they just stayed there floating happily. I could even see the barnicles and sucker fish cleaning the underside of Mum, just like in 'a shark tale'!! The second swim the whales were alot deeper but I could see them very clearly from above!!
On the way home we stopped at Mariners cave. A cave in the side of an island where the only two entrances one 2m and the other 16m below sea level. I was very nervous at first as I did not know if I could hold my breath for long enough and it was dark in the cave so it was hard to tell if you cleared the entrance before surfacing!!! I went for it though, after the guide so I could aim for her feet, I just about had enough breath and once inside I wondered what all my nerves were about. There was an air pocket in the cave so you could not equalise your ears properly and as the waves came in, increasing the pressure a mist filled in the cave, it was so magical!! Exiting the cave was easier as you could aim for the sunlight. I made it out no problem!!
What a day. I love Vava'u.
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