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A Whale of A Tale – Featuring Spanish Dancers & Gypsies

Nikki Wynn

Jan 19, 2020 — 3 min read

The Kingdom of Tonga. Sounds magnificent doesn’t it, like something straight out of a fantasy novel. Considering we navigated our way through a maze of islands, swam with giants, found Spanish Dancers in the sea and dined with gypsies…I suppose it has lived up to the name.

But, no fantasy here. This whale of a tale is all very real and we have the footage to prove it. We also have a stack of bureaucratic paperwork and an unavoidable boat maintenance list to remind us of just how legitimate this adventure is.

So, grab your beverage of choice (might I suggest something with bubbles) and join us for an unexpected journey through the Kingdom of Tonga.

Whales and a musical performance…I feel like we should stop right now. Drop the mic and walk offstage. Because how could we possibly top all that in one week?!?

People Make The World Go Round

Anthony Bourdain said, “Drink heavily with locals whenever possible.” We try to follow this sage advice and it works out particularly well when we meet other people who follow this mantra. Enter Kjell and Adriana.

kjell and adriana in tonga chambonging with the wynns aboard curiosity

Meeting Kjell and Adriana proved to unleash one gift upon another. They welcomed us into Tonga like age-old friends and made us feel like family within days. For hospitality and friendship alone, we are forever grateful. But, on top of all that, they were the ones who called us about the last min whale opportunity and gathered their eclectic friends for dinner at La Pallea.

new friends gathered at la pallea resturant on tapana island in tonga

Who knew Tonga was the melting pot of Polynesia? So many people from all over the world! We had French, Norwegian, Kiwi, Ecuadorian, Spanish, Tongan, and American all represented under one thatched roof.

My grandmother would say something along the lines of, “people are like stew, it’s the variety that makes it fun to chew.” And other famous people have said, “variety is the spice of life”.

It’s all true. The more people from around the world we meet, the more we fall in love with the places and the people. I like to think that with each of the kind souls we meet, they pass their hospitality to us and we share it with you. So that all these encounters reach a little further and soften our hearts to our neighbors. No matter how far away they might be.

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts.” -Mark Twain

🙏 Made Possible by YOU!

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And a big thanks To Scuba Diver Life for taking us out to swim with the whales. Magical times on even the stormiest of days!