18/2/2026 Auckland to Tonga

This morning I am questioning my sanity in choosing a 9am flight.  It sounded reasonable at the time of booking, but what I hadn’t taken into consideration was the getting to the airport 3 hours ahead, add to that the bus ride to the airport and then getting myself into the actual airport. Insert a shit load of eye rolls here. I have regrets!

So the alarm went off at 0430. I had a shower to wake myself up before throwing the toilet bag back in the sturdy one and managed to throw a ‘quick’ 3 coffees down my neck to assist in the waking up process, which was only marginally successful.  However, that consumed, I quickly washed up my cup, did a Si sweep and went to check out in reception. Overall I’m impressed with the motel and will definitely use it on my return from Tonga, it feels very safe, it's clean and comfortable and It also has a restaurant and bar which is no bad thing. Although this time I had no time to take advantage of it.  

I handed back my key and in exchange received a paper ticket for the transport bus to the airport.  The sturdy one was already on my back so rather than faff about with getting it on and back off again I left it on, it did make sitting down something of a problem but you gotta do what you gotta do. I was joined 5 minutes later by an elderly gentleman, who is trying to get home to Christchurch. His flight from Wellington to Christchurch had been cancelled 3 times due to bad weather so he'd driven up to Auckland to fly home from there. Bizarre, but I guess if you need to get home you'll do whatever you need to do. We chatted all the way to the airport, his wife is Scottish and we discussed the state of Welsh rugby. It seems everyone wants to talk about that, and we also discussed the Scotland- England victory, which i haven't seen but have seen enough on social media to know that Scotland won. I did advise him of this, and with great delight he filled me in on the game. Seems his wife is very passionate about rugby and particularly when Scotland are playing England. It's a world phenomenon, everyone wants  to beat England. He got off the bus at the domestic terminal and I continued on to the international one which is 5 minutes away. 

This part of the adventure made me more than a bit anxious, but I gave myself a wedgie when I pulled up my big girl pants and got off the bus. The drop off is the furthest away from the terminal, but I had looked online and there was supposed to be a golf buggy that circles the airport and gives lifts to passengers who need them. Luck wasn't particularly on my side … for a change, and there were no assistant staff anywhere near me so I slowly trudged my way towards the airport loaded up like a pack horse. Thankfully there were benches placed at regular intervals and I used each and every one of them. Just trying to put one foot in front of the other was a monumental effort today, definitely a walking through molasses day. I know it's just tiredness, stress and anxiety but I could do without it today, I really could. I did not even make it half way and I saw some men in the hi viz and thought marvelous i’ll ask them if they can help me locate the buggy. They only turned their back on me and walked off in another direction. What a splendid start to my day, with such helpful people. twats. Two bench rests later, and like an oasis mirage in the desert here comes a golf buggy, little orange light spinning on the top of it, and a man with the biggest smile I've ever seen. He loaded the sturdy one into the back of the cart and I got in the front next to him. Never have I felt so happy to see a golf buggy. He then told me what i have to do for next time, basically approach someone in hi viz and ask them to radio for assistance. The same assistance is available from outside the special assistance entrance to the terminal. I just need to remember to ask the wheeler to take me to the pick up point and radio for it to come and pick me up. It runs all night which is good because my flight gets in form Tonga at 0100hours and yes, i will probably be a bit grumpy and miserable by that time of the night. The other hope is that there is a really nice wheeler pushing me and I get taken to the bus stop I need. We can but hope. 

Having been dropped off right outside, I loaded the sturdy one back on my back. Note to self, take less stuff with you on the next trip, although I had thought I'd taken a lot less in my bag this time, it's the bloody toiletries, I need to learn to cut back on them. Although mosquito spray is not considered toiletries, it is a distinct necessity in the islands. No one wants a dose of Dengue fever and its risk in the islands at this time of year as it is the wet season. Also the camera case for the water is pretty heavy as is the snorkel. Although the snorkel is more bulky than heavy. Either way I will need to reduce the amount of stuff I'm taking. In my defence being away for 3 weeks and only hand washing facilities i needed a little more than usual. Also resorts are generally a bit posh and I needed a few tidy clothes for that. Not so much for Tonga as it's  a completely different type of trip. 

My first stop, also right inside the door, was a currency exchange to get Tongan currency out. My accommodation has requested cash as they don't have card facilities for taking payment, i much prefer cash as it makes it much easier to keep an eye on the funds doesn't it? I'd already scoped out some potential tours for the trip and wanted to make sure I had enough currency with me for that too. The girl on  the currency exchange desk was really helpful, and it was all going well until the passport scanner wouldn't scan my passport. It wouldn't have been a problem except that a small queue had formed behind me. For the first time I fought the urge to apologize for holding everyone up, it was not my fault but that wouldn't normally stop me from apologising! Idiot. No more apologising for shit that is not my fault. In general no more apologies full stop. 

The girl called her supervisor, and she came down to assist, so it was not too bad. It just needed the old turn it off and turn it back on again trick. Soon it was all sorted ,and in my purse was a large wad of notes that was so big I couldn't actually close my purse. Once I got it into my purse and safely back in my bag I made my way to the special assistance desk and was so pleased that it was only a few steps away. I must have looked ropey at best because I was assisted straight into a chair, my backpack removed and put on a scale, and quickly dealt with by an assistant. My last experience with the desk hadn't been one of the best I've encountered and I was pleasantly surprised this morning. I was actually impressed, I was checked in at the desk and she also took the sturdy one to the Air New Zealand desk to get it checked in for me. So much more simple than struggling to get it there myself. The lady came back with a baggage number and my boarding card and called for someone to wheel me through security and customs to wait airside to be boarded. 

The process was straightforward and I sat in a holding area with a few other people waiting for the gate to be announced for my flight. I needed the loo, and weirdly, there is no toilet anywhere near the assistance holding area. Given that people using the service are mobility impaired in some shape or form you would think they'd have a set of toilets right there. But no, as is standard in airports, the toilets were miles away from where I was sitting so I asked for some help because I was out of spoons and had nothing left in the tank to get to the loo. Ffs. 

A lady very kindly wheeled me and what do you know, the disabled toilets were out of order as were the parent and child ones. Even the assistant was pissed off at it. There was a que in the ladies but eventually I was sorted and I was pushed back to the holding area. 

I'd only been there 5 minutes and a different assistant came about and asked if I could walk down the stairs because the lift was broken. Actually no my dear I cannot , not today Satan. Then she asked if I could manage an escalator. Not with my balance sunshine, you need to come up with a plan c rather quickly! it blows my mind that there is just one lift on the whole floor to transport mobility impaired passengers. Someone finally came back to me and told me that they had requested security to come and escort us out of the airport back through the arrivals area, and into the departure lounge from the ground floor. They had to have a plan in place because these things are bound to happen . When I finally went to the gate, I could see why they wanted as many people to walk as possible. There were 26 people requiring wheelchairs for my flight to Tonga. 26!!! 

They were, in the main elderly but despite that, they were still trying to get them out of the chairs and into the aircraft under their own steam. None of them budged and as a result the pre-boarding was the longest it has ever taken . 

I had booked my seat with the extra leg room but it was the middle seat of three and my neighbours on either side were spilling over from their seats. I was a Mrs Leonard sandwich, I have also never felt so thin. I'll just put that one out there and leave it!

The flight was just 2 hours 45 and no sooner had we been served breakfast, we were preparing to land. My one neighbour, who was clutching a very full, and extremely large paper Burger King bag in her hands, fell asleep almost as soon as she sat down, and I initially thought she was a bit rude as she was really short with the flight crew. When she had woken up we got chatting and she was flying back to Tonga to get married next week. She's ground staff at the airport and had been in work until 0200 hours, gone home to bed and been up at 5 for the flight. No wonder she slept the majority of the trip and was a bit cranky. I was asking her about the wedding and where it was going to be and she was saying her reception was at the cultural village next thursday. She asked me if I'd like to attend and much as I would, I wont be still there so i had to decline. Then she tried to fix me up with a trip to one of the outer islands that her mother lives on, but we didn't have time for that either. I don't know if her offer was genuine or not, but it was a kind offer nevertheless.  She gave me her business card and told me to ring her if I needed anything. Which considering she's getting married next thursday and has a lot to arrange was really kind. What I did find interesting was that the Tongan culture bans couples living together before marriage, another indication of the highly religious element to the islands.  Her fiance lives in Tonga and she was born and lives in New Zealand. For the last 18 months they've been going through the visa process to get him into the country. She's hoping now that once she's sent off marriage certificate that he will be able to come over. The questions asked on the forms  were in depth to say the least and the amount of evidence she had to supply was crazy and it is all a bit frustrating for them understandably. So within 3 hours I've been made into a sandwich, invited to a wedding and offered a trip to another island. I am a bit gutted to have missed the wedding because that would have been something else, if indeed it was a genuine invitation!  I mean in honesty it's just as well, because what would I wear, what is on the gift list, I would have only known the bride after half hour of conversation. The more I think about it, it was definitely a passing comment!  Bless her. Oh yeah, the Burger King bag, full of burgers for her husband to be, Tonga has no fast food restaurants or chains on any of the islands. She did give me some advice, Tonga is safe enough in the daytime, but she told me not under any circumstances to go out alone at night. I will heed her advice.

As soon as we'd landed she leapt up and got my backpack and sticks down from the overhead locker for me, then helped the old lady sitting on the other side of me before heading off the plane. I was surprised that so many of the special assistance were still needing it. Usually they use it to get through security and onto the plane then once they are in the home straight they are like Sebastian Coe and running for  passport control!

Due to the considerable numbers it took a really long time to disembark  but finally we were all off the plane onto the ambulift. We had to wait for available pushers to wheel us into the airport and the beautiful sunshine turned to torrential rain. My pusher must have feared the dreaded frizz as he had an umbrella to keep us dry. 

My little passport was stamped Kingdom of Tonga, and I was wheeled out to the arrivals. A young lad from my hotel was waiting with a sign with the hotel name on and went to get the car from the car park. I was loaded in and we left the airport. The ride to the hotel was lovely, admittedly it was pouring with rain, but it was lush, green and very flat. My first surprise of the trip was the housing, it seems far more modern than Samoa and not so traditional, however that was just my impression from the trip to the hotel, once I've seen a bit more of the Island I will have a truer impression of it obviously. The roads aren't as good as Samoa, and there are no traffic lights. Despite not being as good as Samoa they are significantly better than the uk roads, not a pot hole in site anywhere.

The hotel is right across the road from the ocean, very modern and two stories. My driver had spoken to the owner and requested that I have the downstairs apartment even though I'd only booked an ensuite room with a shared kitchen and lounge area. The apartment was lovely but was downstairs and I couldn't see the ocean from the windows and I was really going to rattle in there. I asked him if I could have a look at  the room upstairs, and he took me straight up, I'd have to go upstairs for breakfast anyway every morning so it means I'd have to climb the stairs anyway. He took me up and the room was perfect. A huge bed the same size as ours at home, heavy wooden furniture, light wood flooring with a colorful rug. The bathroom was the icing on the cake, it has a free standing bath. It was in that exact minute that I realised the listing on the booking site said, it’s one of the few properties in Tonga that has a hot tub. Hot tub=bath, not an actual hot tub with the bubbles. I was mildly surprised to be honest at the listing, because its 30 degrees and hot tub seems a tad excessive!. There are lovely toiletries in the bathroom and even a plug in mosquito deterrent.

Even though it was early, 3pm by the time I finally got to the room, I had a shower in the huge and powerful shower and went to bed. Before falling asleep I messaged a guy about an island tour sometime in the next day or so. I am making a conscious decision to try and pace myself better because I'm already struggling somewhat. I found the tour on trip advisor and the reviews and photos on there, Viator and on his facebook are fantastic. When I woke up a few hours later I had a reply and a whats app message. I am booked on a full island tour tomorrow morning and the best thing is I'm getting picked up at 0900hours.  I’ll even have time to enjoy my breakfast.

Much Love

Mrs Leonard

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