Where the Heck is Tonga?

It's in the middle of nowhere.

It's in the South Pacific Ocean.

It's a group of 176 islands.

Its closest neighbor is Fiji.

It has a king.

The language has a lot of vowels and not enough consonants.

The flag looks like the Swiss Army and the Red Cross got together and decided to form a country.

It is unbelievably beautiful.

The first thing I noticed when I stepped off the plane is that all the men look like super heroes from another planet. Here in Tonga, Arnold Schwarznegger would be a girly man. The national sport is rugby, which makes American football look about as macho as riding a pink tricycle. The Tongans do very well in rugby, largely due to the fact that when they walk onto the field, their opponents huddle together and cry like little girls.

For the first leg of my around the world odyssey, I spent a week on a sailboat meandering around the exquisite islands of Tonga. Each day our "to do" list looked exactly the same:

1. Wake up

2. Apply suntan lotion.

3. Visit yet another pristine beach with turquoise waters and coral reefs.

4. Take a nap

5. Drink rum punch

6. Repeat as necessary

Needless to say, this hectic schedule has taken atoll, so I'm off to Fiji for some rest and relaxation.