Once I was in Fiji Twice😳

The past month has been quite a roller coaster, with more flights than I care to count and countless hours spent crossing oceans and continents. From getting to Tonga, to travelling all the way from Vava’u to Italy via New Zealand and Australia, it has been a month filled with contrasts, wonderful memories, and a few unexpected adventures.

The highlight, without a doubt, was my daughter’s wedding in Tuscany. It was simply magnificent. The venue was a charming little castle, built in the early 1200s and surrounded by the vineyards of the Chianti region. Thirty-five guests gathered there, half travelling from Canada and the other half from the UK. Having everyone together in such a beautiful and historic setting made the occasion feel almost magical. It was one of those moments you know you will carry with you for the rest of your life.

Then came the journey home.

Travelling back from Italy was a bit of a trek, and somehow I found myself flying from Fiji to Tonga not once, but twice. The first flight left Fiji in good weather, but as we approached Tonga, everything changed. Strong westerly winds and heavy rain made the landing too difficult. After two attempts, the pilot pulled the plane back above the clouds and made the decision to return to Fiji.

Safety first.

At the time, of course, it was frustrating. But looking back, perhaps things do happen for a reason.

About 30 of us ended up at a small motel in Fiji, where Fiji Airways arranged a late dinner. What could have been a rather disappointing evening turned into something quite memorable. I found myself sitting around a table with people from different parts of Europe, all of us sharing the same unexpected adventure. There was something comforting about being amongst strangers who, for one night, were all in the same boat—or, perhaps more appropriately, the same plane!

The following morning, we were taken back to the airport and set off for Tonga once again. This time, the landing was smooth and uneventful.

Home sweet home.

After so much travelling, it felt especially good to be back. There is something about returning to the boat and to the familiar rhythm of island life that makes all the miles suddenly worthwhile.

The past few days have been spent getting the boat ready for the next chapter. She has been hauled up, the bottom painted, and all the little jobs and odds and ends that somehow accumulate have been taken care of. Now the focus is shifting once again to sailing.

The plan is to spend some time cruising through the Tongan island groups before heading towards Minerva Reef. There, we’ll take a little time to rest, snorkel and enjoy the solitude before setting off on the final crossing to New Zealand.

After the whirlwind of the past month, I’m looking forward to slowing down again—to the sea, the wind, the islands and the simple pleasure of being back where I feel most at home.