September 11 was due to be my long waited flight to Niuafo'ou. It is the most northern of the islands in the Tonga group. All u stamp collectors know that there are separate stamps for Niuafo'ou issued by Tonga post. Flights are due to go every two weeks or you can go by ship 4 times per year !! However it was not to be. I had previously paid and got my ticket for this expensive flight. But when I arrived at the airport the flight was not on the departure board. In fact there has not been flight to Niuafo'ou for at least two months. Here u see the complaint box. Real Tonga airlines or as I call it "Not real Tonga Airlines" don't have enough aircraft to operate the routes they sell. So I ended up being very good friends with the staff at the check in. They were amazed I had come all the way from Ireland to fly to Niuafo'ou. So here u see one of my postcards for Niuafo'ou on their notice board at the airport. The maybe good news is that I have left a number of cards with Niuafo'ou stamps to be sent to Niuafo'ou by plane or ship when there is one !! I have befriended the staff and the key manager of the airline. So it is likely that real postcards sent from there will come back at some time. However my future goal is to get there by ship or plane in the future. I guess I am now the famous guy from Ireland who wants to go to Niuafo'ou. So Real Tonga Airlines know me well. Anna in Tonga post offered to stamp my postcards with Niuafo'ou postmark but I said no. Anna informed me that first day covers for Niuafo'ou are in fact sent from Nuku'alofa. So another time to visit Niuafo'ou. 
I'm sorry to read about your cancelled trip..but I'm sure you will go there one day!
ReplyDeleteFor a postcard and stamplover it is so nice to see the local postoffices and staff, places you don't normally see on a travelblog! Thanks for sharing!:D
Good for you for taking it all in stride! Your trip looks incredible in any case, and I'm sure having new reasons to visit the South Pacific isn't too much of hardship. :-)
ReplyDeleteI too love seeing the post offices and all the people involved in your journeys. Really a side of travel not seen elsewhere on the Internet. Look forward to seeing more.
Hello ;)
ReplyDeleteI thought that mine postcard (and keychain) collection is really great but now I'm here... Well I'm IMPRESSED! And also a bit sad because some of this countries are really 'hard to get'. But I really hope that someday I'll be able to also add them to my collection.
Best wishes from Poland,
Ola (Souvenirmaniac) :)
Wow.. this is an amazing collection... that you have travelled to all these places and post offices. I started to collect a postcard sent to me from every country since 2006. But you actually travel to these place!!! Cheers from Penang island, SL Liew :)
ReplyDeletehttp://smspostcard.blogspot.com/