Today I'm supposed to be flyin back to Auckland from the main island. The ferry we had hoped would take us down to Tongatapu was now 4 days late. There is a real danger of getting stranded in Tonga for a few more days, of missing the flight and being forced to pay top dollar for the next flight to New Zealand on Thursday. This morning we had to get up early to go to the airport. As the ferry to Tongatapu would not arrive until mid-morning it was becoming likely we would not get back to the main island in time. It is a 10hr journey by ferry between Tongatapu and the Ha'appai. We weren't fully sure if there was an early flight from Lifuka. Also even if there was we didn't know if there were any available seats. Myself Karri and Kathryn were up at 6am to find a taxi to take us over to the airport. We had booked pnre the previous night but when after, 20mins of waiting for him on the street, he didn't show, Kathryn phoned his number, woke him up and 10 mins later we were loading our rucksacks into the boot.
The tiny airport was empty when we arrived. We weren't even sure if there was a flight going out this morning such is the level of rumour and intrigue that seems to hang over the operation of public transport here. The front door was open so we went in and sat down in the main hall. There nothing else we could do at this time. It was 6.30am, there weren't any staff around and there was no plane to be seen. 40 mins later two men showed up. They seemed to be janitors or groundsmen and when we asked them if there was a flight due to leave for Tongatapu they shrugged and said they didn't know. Very soon more staff began to arrive and open up the airport. A lady at the check-in desk confirmed there was a flight coming up from the main island which had taken off 5mins ago and would be with us in half an hour. It was due to fly back around 8am. However, the plane was an 8-seater and it was fully booked. We could wait to see if everyone showed up. We explained our position, that the ferry some days late and that we had to meet a flight to New Zealand later this evening and what it would cost us if all three were left stranded. We reckoned it would cost over eu1,500 between the three of us as Karri and Kathryn would also miss onward flights from Auckland some hours after landing there. We didn't have a hope of getting on. We sat and waited. Watching as, one by one, the passengers arrived and checked in. All 8 showed and the check-in lady confirmed this for us. She told us to come back in the afternoon. There was a flight due out at 2pm and we could come out to try then. I asked how many people were booked on this flight. She replied '8'. I almost laughed. There wasn't a hope we'd get on then. The three of us looked at each other. We'd have to hope the ferry came in by 9am otherwise we'd have to start looking for new tickets on the internet.
We stayed on to watch the tiny plane land, swap its passengers for the new set and then buzz down the runway to start its return journey south to Tongatapu.
We stayed on to watch the tiny plane land, swap its passengers for the new set and then buzz down the runway to start its return journey south to Tongatapu.
A family kindly gave us a lift from the airport back into town. We had breakfast in the guesthouse and pondered what we would do. What could we do? I went down to the wharf and got donfirmation at the ticket office that the ferry wouldn't arrive until this afternoon at 4pm. That was our last realistic hope gone so, basing ourselves in the Mariners cafe for the morning we trawled the internet to try for cheap tickets. It would cost us over 430 dollars each for the next flight to Auckland on Thurdsday. It would mean an extra 3 days on Tongatapu, and so I would lose three days in New Zealand. But there was nothing we could do.
Dave and Ruth were up and about. They didn't have to worry as their flight was booked for Thursday. They were sympathetic to our situation. We decided, for what it was worth to go back out to the airport at 2pm and would hold off booking new tickets until we returned. In the meantime for the next few hours we lazed around at the Mariners. Dave and Ruth got a DVD and I settled in to a hammock to watch that. We booked a taxi for 1.30pm. It arrived on time and we joked with everyone that we'd see them again in an hour. At the airport we went straight to the chek-in lady to remind her we were back intimating that thsi was our last chance and said how much it would cost us if we couldn't get on this flight.
We sat down and looked out onto the runway, waiting for the afternoon flight to arrive. We noted the passengers as they checked-in and as passenger number 8 deposited his luggage we felt our fate was sealed. A couple whom Karri and Kathryn had met up in Vavau came over and said hello and we began to chat. The guy, an aussie chatted away. We explained our predicament but he seemed optimistic. The flight was on its way up. He was here to collect some carg and had phoned up to get confirmation the flight had left before coming to the airport. He said "At least they're sending up a 19-seater". "A 19-seater........!!??" I bolted upright. "A 19-seater....!!!" Suddenly the odds of us actually getting on this flight jumped back in our favour. Now we began to get nervous. It was hard to sit still. We might actually make this flight.
THe plane landed and, sure enough, it was a good dela larger than the one this morning. The wait became agonising as the plane taxied to the terminal, the passengers disembarked and the luggage was unloaded. The check-in lady smiled at us but we had to wait for the pilots to come over. The decision to take us on board lay with them. The lady went in to an office to talk to the pilots. Hopes rose and fell as the discussions dragged on for 5 mins. The lady came out and told us to get our bags. We were elated. We couldn't believe we were going to get onto this flight. We almost ran to bring our bags over. THey were weighed and then left in a heap as further negotiations ensued. By now my heart was beating but I had the money in my hand to pay for the ticket. Doubts still lingered as these discussions were taking too long. Something wasn't quite right. The lady came over and said she could only take two. My heart sank as that meant I would be left behind. Karri and Kathryn couldn't be split si I would lose out. The plane was hitting the maximum weight it could carry. The runway on Lifuka was very short and so in order to be able to take off it could only carry a certain amount of weight. I was gutted. I pleaded with the lady. I'd sit anywhwere. More discussions followed. A lady was called from the waiting passengers. A conversation in Tonga followed so we didn't know what was being said. We had heard that sometimes when people have international connections to meet then locals have been dropped from the passenger list. Karri and myself were asked to stand on the scales and our weights were noted. One of the pilots came over and said that the Tongan lady had kindly allowed her luggage to be taken off. Oer combined weights came in just under the maximum allowance so we could all get on the flight. I went over and thanked the lady. Her luggage would follow tomorrow. Relief. We couldn't believe it. If we'd been gamblers we'd have made a killing on the odds. It had been a long shot but our luck was in today. Our luggage was taken away. Moments later the gate was open and we were allowed through to board.
This was the most satisfying flight I think I've ever taken. We sttled into our seats. THere was one moment of anxiety as we sped along the runway to take off. I did think it would be ironic if we crashed now. But we didn't and the plane jumped into the air. Very quickly we were looking down on Lifuka and then Uoleva. We had a beautiful birds eye view over the Ha'appai. It was a mixture of sadness and relief to be looking down over the the islands. The flight tokk 30 mins over green seas and small, coral, islands. We touched down, spent a few hours looking around Nuku'alofa and were out in good time to check-in for our flight to Auckland. The Tongan adventure was over.
No comments:
Post a Comment