We got up after a rough night of tossing and turning and freezing (air conditioning!). We then had a tour of the Western side of the Island. We saw Captain Cooks landing spot, we saw the Ha'amonga (the Tongan Stonehenge). There were a few Tongans selling their carvings.
We were taken to Oholei Beach and Hina Cave for lunch. We had to go down lots of very steep stairs to get down to the beach where they are located. We were told if there are people who can't do steep stairs that if they know in advance they can ask their neighbours for permission to use their driveway down to beach. We saw the traditional Tongan oven in use cooking our lunch, and saw them take it all apart when it had finished cooking. We saw the man turning the roast pig by hand over the fire. We had traditional buffet complete with the roasted pig for lunch. The band sang and dancers performed for us.
We then got to go back to town and wander a bit more. The main part of Nuku'alofa is a small street with some shops on it about 2 blocks long.
Later, we checked in with Air New Zealand, homeward bound, again with a touchdown in Apia.
Here's a 'in their own time' funny: The captain announced that they were going to open the front door on the plane as well as the back, which was great because I was seated in the very back. So the flight attendant stood at the back door waiting for the airport staff to wheel over the stairs. We waited, and we waited. He called the captain to tell him they were not opening the back door as there are no stairs. The captain assured him that they are supposed to be opening the back door and letting passengers out. And we waited. We were all laughing that by the time the stairs come (if they ever do) that it would have been faster just to go out the front. Then the flight attendant said the stairs are finally coming, so we did end up going out the back of the plane.
In Apia and had to go through the security scanner once again, and wait for 1hr 35mins. I was in a middle aisle seat a row up from the last row on the plane. There was an empty middle seat, and another agent in the other aisle seat. It was just fine, the flight was pretty full.
We got off the plane in LA, transferred terminals, went through the necessary lineups. My bags were tagged through to Vancouver, so I just dropped them in the right area. I brought a vanilla bean back, and I declared it. (Better to be safe than sorry!) I was expecting a big 'to do' from customs, but all I had to do was put my bags through an extra scanner, and there was no line-up.
Went up to Alaska's desk, and checked myself in using the self serve kiosk. It took a while as I had to punch in all my passport details because it wouldn't pick up my details when I swiped my passport. There was hardly a line-up for Sammy, as he needed an agent to check him in. But, it took at 45 mins to wait in line and get checked in. It was ridiculous. Luckily there were no major line-ups at security. Got on the flight and made it home in one piece.
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