Wed Feb 7.......Anchored off the Pacific island of Tonga, and tendered ashore to the town (the only one) of Nuku'alofa. You pronounce it, I can't. Not really much of a place, but the people are extraordinarily friendly and nice even though they had had a bit of a revolution recently. We were walking back to the ship, about a mile, and decided to stop for a drink in a nice hotel. We were enjoying our drinks when a receptionist came up and asked us very nic...

Friday Feb 2......Arrived in Papeete, the largest town in Tahiti. I suppose one is expecting to see dusky maidens in grass skirts living in grass huts. Not anymore! Oh there are plenty of dusky maidens all right, but they are all wearing shorts and tee shirts and there is not a grass hut to be seen anywhere. This former French Colony still retains its European style architecture and has a somewhat shabby but charming style. We wandered around a large colorful mar...