Tonga to Fiji: Not The Same Business

Fiji Airways Business Class Tonga to Fiji is part of the Bula! Fiji Hub Trip Report.
I left Tonga at 5:40 AM for Nadi, Fiji where I would have my second stay at the Fiji Business Class Lounge (see Fiji Airways Lounge Nadi: Inside & Out) while waiting for my flight to Samoa. The cost was the same in points, 12,500 and the out-of-pocket cost was still a great value, $28 vs. $466, but the hard product was not as lavish (see Fiji Airways Nadi to Tonga: The Best Business 737 Experience). a plane on the tarmac at night a plane on the tarmac at night
a seat in an airplane
What is this old chair?
a glass of orange juice and a glass of liquid on a tray
Still had champagne.
a plate of food on a tray
And a good meal.
a large white airplane on a tarmac
Good AM Fiji!

Guns & Butter: Tonga Travel Guide

Tonga Travel Guide is part of the Bula! Fiji Hub Trip Report.
TPOL’s Guns & Butter Travel Guide is the best way to see as much as you can in as little time as possible. Here’s how it works: A trip is composed of two factors: Labor And Lazy. The opportunity cost (what is given up) for relaxing and being Lazy is gained by being adventurous in the form of Labor and vice versa. The guide includes inefficient activities i.e., tourist traps that should be avoided and aspirational activities that are worth doing but may be impossible to see given the constraints of time and resources.
I only heard of Tonga thanks to the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics and the handsome man, Pita Taufatofua, who participated in my favorite hobby- walking around with no shirt, and he did so on international TV. Abs obsession aside, here’s the game plan should you find yourself there: Getting There  The best way to fly to Tonga is from Fiji on Fiji Airways in business. It only costs 12,500 Avios and $52 versus $466 to fly business (see The Best Business 737 Experience). a group of airplanes parked on a tarmac two chairs in an airplane Where to Stay There are no points properties in Tonga. I picked a hotel because it had great reviews for pizza. The name of the establishment was Little Italy.a white building with arched balconies and stairs
a pepperoni pizza in a box
The pizza was damn delicious!
a bed with pillows and a lamp in a room
And I enjoyed it in my bed.
a white building with arched balconies and a fence While $129/night is a bit steep, the service was awesome. They provided the contact information for the whale swimming (see Whale Swimming Tonga: What Was I Thinking?). They arranged my taxi to the Anahulu Cave (see Tonga Cave Diving, Jumping & Gimping). They arranged a taxi for my 3AM ride to the airport. Getting There, The Hotel Speaking of airports, it costs 70 TOP ($29) to get to the airport, though I was charged 80 TOP ($34) from the airport. Even on a remote island, hustling is required when it comes to airport transfers. TPOL’s TIP: T-Mobile’s international roaming plan did not work in Tonga. I recommend an e-sim. What I Did 
  • Whale Swimming: To summarize the post above, I have done my fair share of adventurous things. Some were riskier (and dumber) than others (see Wild One: TPOL’s Top Daredevil Activities). Swimming with whales in Tonga is officially at the top of the list for the most reckless activity.
a blue ocean with wavesa person swimming in the water Here’s how it looks in calm conditions: Here’s how it looked when I went: Then there was fully immunized, Alex ‘TPOL’ Rodgers gimping his way into the fresh water.
a man standing on a beach
One would never suspect a freshwater cave would be a few paces away from this beach.
What I Didn’t Do What I Would Skip 
  • I was not impressed with the dinner at the Seaview Lodge. The food was not expensive by Western standards but still too much for a casual night out. Lobster and octopus were $60. I should have skipped the $30 wine (see You Don’t Have to Order a Bottle of Wine). a man sitting at a table with a plate of food a plate of food on a table
What You Shouldn’t Skip 
  • Wings and beer at Billfish. It’s the watering hotel for foreigners and locals alike. I was there on a Friday night, and it was getting quite busy by the time I left, a wise choice given my 5:40AM flight (see Tonga to Fiji: Not The Same Business). a stage with signs and a sign on it a plate of food on a table a group of license plates a bottle of beer on a table
What I Was Told to Do Next Time 
  • Heilala Festival & Beauty Pageant which takes place at the end of June and July.
  • A cultural dance and dinner
  • Visit other islands in Tonga. I stayed in Nuku’alofa, the capital.a building with a sign on it
Overall Tonga was a wild experience.  

Tonga Cave Diving, Jumping & Gimping

Anahulu Cave Tonga is part of the Bula! Fiji Hub Trip Report.


Don’t stop the recklessness. That was my theme when I was in Tonga. First, I went swimming with whales (see What Was I Thinking?). Then I thought I would push my luck by checking out an underground cave full of fresh water. Getting There I hired a taxi to take me to my hotel, wait for me, and take me back. Entrance The place reminded me of The Goonies, I’m not sure who found this place, but entrance is not free. a sign on a corrugated metal walla stone stairs leading up to a hill
a stone structure in the woods
Go right?
a palm trees and a beach
Go left?
a metal gate in a cave
Go in.
The Cave  Careful walking through the limestone. The floor is slippery when wet. a cave with rocks and a path a cave with stalactites and stalagmites The Swimmers I didn’t expect that music would be blasting and that there would be a small party here. a cave with stalactites and stalagmites a cave with water and rocks The Divers There were crazy locals jumping, diving, and hanging off of the rocks. The Gimp  The crazy jumpers thought that out of fear was the reason I was hesitant to jump. They did not know that I had ruptured my Achilles in 2022 (see TPOL Is Down). A year and a half later, I still don’t have my Durant lift. Moving On It’s worth checking out the cave for a few minutes. a water in a cave a cave with water and stalactites The Beach Before heading out, I took a stroll on the remote beach. a path leading to a beach a path leading to a beacha beach with waves crashing on the shorea beach with waves crashing on the shorea beach with sand and water and blue sky The Earthquake On the way back, we heard there was an earthquake on the other side of the island. Like a scene from Baywatch, it would not be fun to be stuck in a cave waiting for Mitch to arrive.
a light shining through a cave
I’m happy the lights stayed on.
Overall  Enough hazardous behavior for one day.a man standing on a beach

Simply The Best: TPOL Is Ten And #MasterOfWon

Typically, on my blog anniversary, I write a post highlighting the best of years past (see Simply The Best). This time, I want to commemorate the event by looking forward. That way I will see if in ten years I have reached the goals that I have set for myself. Here is what you can look forward to in the upcoming years:
  1. Alexander The Author: I published my first book ten years ago, Everyone’s Advice Is Wrong . . . Including Mine. I am in the early stages of writing my first novel which will win an Oscar for best adapted screenplay.
  2. IQKhameleon: I had early success in developing this idea, especially during the World Cup. I have had a few setbacks, but I am not ready to give up on what will be a global sports brand.
  3. TPOL: What can you expect from TPOL as a blogger? First, you won’t see me on TikTok. That experiment, like YouTube, did not last long (see The End of Days: TPOL Joins TikTok & TPOL’s Way Out of Poverty Is Not Vlogging). Just because I won’t be dancing doesn’t mean I won’t be creating videos. Look for more drone videos to support the IQ idea (see VIDEO: SkyDio 2 Inaugural Flight: Rio Mar, Puerto Rico). Finally, you will see a new website from scratch which will be easier to navigate. I am also building in automation features which will allow me to post more frequently.
My goal is to expand my readership beyond those who are interested in points to those who are interested in Alexander Bachuwa, the #MasterOfWon. For that reason, I am spending much more time on LinkedIn promoting not only the projects above but also my other entrepreneurial pursuits. As far as travel goes, I have only been to 54% of the world for those that count UN figures (see Is Hawaii a Country?). While I still have so many places to go (see Where I’ve Been), I am going to be enjoying more residencies (see TPOL in Madrid: Why A Second Residency? & 2024 Residencies Announced! Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Cape Town). The blog turned 10 today and I turn 42 in May. The time is now to do anything and everything.
a person in a kayak in the water
Looking forward to another 10 years.
   

This Is TPOL BREAKING NEWS: Ladyboy Fight in Bangkok

I once wrote Ladyboy, Ping Pong Show, Pad Thai? Vote Now for Bangkok. Since that time, I celebrated My Last Binge in Bangkok by moving from Sukhumvit 11 in 2016 to the Beverly Hills of Bangkok in 2023, Thong Lor (see Bangkok Residency Booked! BKK-SIN-JFK SQ Return). While I am no longer #1 in Thai Ping Pong Diplomacy, I enjoyed the peace and tranquility of being away from the filth of Nana Plaza (see One Night in Bangkok: A Marathon Party Guide). While I have found my zen in the city that swallows men whole, others have not. In the ultimate, big dick competition, “Officers were called on Monday night when more than 100 local sex workers converged on a hotel being used by sex workers from the Philippines on the city’s Sukhumvit Road, part of a sprawling area of gogo bars, street workers and massage parlours.

Footage shows how the first sex worker was dragged from the Citin Sukhumvit 11 hotel, accused of being part of a group that clashed with the locals and stole their customers the night before.

However, the local ladyboys erupted in fury when they saw their alleged attackers – sparking chaotic scenes that escalated into a mass brawl.

In the video, stilettos fly as local transgender women are seen hitting police, climbing on buildings, stamping on other girls, throwing objects, and even having their clothes torn off.

a group of women in garments outside a bar
I miss Bangkok.
Read the full article here.  

No TPOL March Madness Bracket. And No One Cares

I’m taking an indefinite break from my annual March Madness competition. First, the competition winners do not show up anyway (see Steven Wins TPOL’S March Madness Bracket!First Class Queen: Come on Down!). Second, and more importantly, who cares about March Madness? I have not watched one game this year and do not know any of these players. NIL and the transfer portal have killed college sports. Players have no allegiance to universities and go wherever money or playing time takes them. While players should be paid for their services, no one appreciates the unintended consequences of this free-for-all system. March Madness wants to expand to 72 teams, the college football playoffs want to go to 14. Tradition made college sports great. The jersey meant something to the university, the coaches, and especially the fans. Now, it means nothing. Take Colorado football as an example. It is no longer a university team. Instead, it is a group of mercenaries playing for Deion Sanders. Where he goes, they go. It’s bad enough that the NFL and NBA have turned into the WWE, but those are professional teams. While it sounds naive, the point of college sports is that amateur athletes played because they loved the game and because they wanted to represent their university. The crazed fans followed suit because they believed that the competition was based on something more than a paycheck. How else can you explain the relief and elation I felt after Michigan finally won the national championship (see Michigan Wolverines National Champions! I Can Die in Peace)? Sadly, that’s all over. The marquee match-up of the future will be Prigozhin Wagners playing the Hyped Harbaughs. I hope somewhere Kordell Stewart is saying a Hail Mary that I’m wrong.
a man standing in a parking lot with his hand up
Buck the Fuckeyes? Or will no one care?

Simply The Best: February 2024

My quest for automation in blogging has not gone according to schedule. It’s time to get back on track and stay true to my blogging hours (see TPOL Opens M-F at 9:07AM EST). Here are the great but limited posts from February 2024.
  1. Whale Swimming Tonga: What Was I Thinking?
    a blue ocean with waves
    Swimming with whales in Tonga is officially at the top of the list for the most reckless activity
  2. 2024 Residencies Announced! Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Cape Town
    a man standing on a platform with a city in the background
    The plan is to spend 6 weeks in each city living, eating, drinking, and enjoying my life as a local.
  3. Pho 39: Choice #2 in NYC
    a bowl of soup with meat and sprouts
    If you don’t want to go downtown because of the weather or because you dread the subway, go to Pho 39.
  4. Grayson NYC: Stay for the Revival Bedding
    a statue of a dog on a desk
    When I checked out, I had to stop by and ask the front desk where they bought their bedding. The pillows were remarkable and the comforter was much better than the one at home.
  5. Capital One Venture X Business: Send Help, I’m Approved
    a close up of a credit card
    When I saw the offer for the Capital One Business Venture X, I told myself to let it go. I don’t need to spend 20k in 3 months. I don’t need another 150k points. But then I looked at the business expenses that are coming up and rationalized that pre-paying them would not be reckless.
  6. Avianca’s LifeMiles Chat Sucks: Are You Surprised?
    a screenshot of a chat
    Instead of cyber-bullying Mia the moron, I called Lifemiles by phone.
  7. Death Penalty for Opening an Emergency Door?
    a glass of champagne on a table in a plane
    People do dumb things.

Capital One Venture X Business: Send Help, I’m Approved

This year I wrote Am I Losing the Points Game? The premise for that post was that I was spending too much on annual fees. I also will admit that I spend too much because I churn too much leaving me with minimum spends that convert want to do’s to need to do’s. I’m not buying things just to meet the mins, but I am buying them all at once to hit the mins. When I saw the offer for the Capital One Business Venture X, I told myself to let it go. I don’t need to spend 20k in 3 months. I don’t need another 150k points. But then I looked at the business expenses that are coming up and rationalized that pre-paying them would not be reckless. As far as the $395 annual fee, it will not help my desire to see the total balance decline (see 2023 What I Spent (And Received) in Annual Fees). But, the card does come with a $300 travel credit which, combined with the points, more than offsets the introductory fee. The only question is whether I will keep the personal card (see Keep vs. Cancel (Proactive Edition): Capital One Venture X).
a close up of a credit card
Send help, I’m addicted to churning.

Whale Swimming Tonga: What Was I Thinking?

Whale Swimming Tonga is part of the Bula! Fiji Hub Trip Report.
I have done my fair share of adventurous things. Some were riskier (and dumber) than others (see Wild One: TPOL’s Top Daredevil Activities). Swimming with whales in Tonga is officially at the top of the list for the most reckless activity. It almost did not happen thanks to my irresponsible way of not planning anything in advance. Booking I arrived in Tonga in style (see Fiji Airways Nadi to Tonga: The Best Business 737 Experience) with no plans on what to do while I was there. I had read somewhere that tourists could swim with whales. I started searching for it on my phone. I quickly found out that this is the main attraction in Tonga as it is one of the few places in the world where it is allowed. With only one full day remaining, anxiety took over as I tried to find a company that would take me on this excursion. Many of the websites said that they did not do single-day tours. Many said they were sold out. Many had been shut down because they had their license revoked. On TripAdvisor, I read that one company had ‘lost’ a tourist. Too busy trying to secure a reservation, I did not take the time to think about what that meant. With no leads, I went down to the front desk of my Little Italy Hotel (see Guns & Butter Travel Guide: Tonga) to see if they had any referrals. The woman called someone on the phone and despite not speaking Tongan, I could tell that the news would not be good. She hung up the call and told me that the operator was in the hospital and that he could not take me out. She then gave me a phone number for another operator called Deep Blue Tonga. Armed with only a phone number, I didn’t have much hope that I would connect with someone. Luckily, the number was connected to a WhatsApp account. Within minutes, I received a reply that there was availability for the next day but that the weather might not be ideal. The operator wrote, “Please be aware that the weather forecast is stating that the wind will be strong. Just need you to be aware as boat ride will be rough.” With no hesitation, I wrote, “I can handle it!” TPOL’s TIP: Contact Deep Blue Tonga via Instagram or WhatsApp at +676 7716268. Cost The cost was TOP550 per person ($232). I was told to be ready at 6:20 am and was told to bring a jacket and a towel. Lost Tourist With the booking complete, I now had time to do more research on the lost tourist. I was unable to find any information, but suffice it to say I don’t think the tourist went AWOL on purpose. I did not sleep comfortably that night. Disclaimer I woke up the next morning anxious about embarking on this adventure. I was not reassured when I read the disclaimer provided by the company: I, Alexander Bachuwa, hereby affirm that I have been advised and thoroughly informed of the inherent hazards of snorkeling/whale swimming. I understand that neither my instructor, Deep Blue Diving Tonga, nor any of its respective employees, officers or agents may be held liable or responsible in any way of injury, death or other damages to me or my family as a result of my participation in this activity, or as a result of the negligence of any part whether active or passive. Legal Analysis I had a similar disclaimer in my bungee jump experience in Victoria Falls (see 3,2,1 Bungee! Bungee Jumping Victoria Falls) where, incidentally, the rope did snap on a jumper (watch Woman survives terrifying bungee failure). I knew, understood, and appreciated the risks that came from jumping off a platform. I did not know, understand, or appreciate the risk that comes with swimming with whales the size of Greyhound busses in the middle of the ocean. It was also off-putting to read that the outfitter could disclaim negligence whether it be active or passive. My thoughts went back to wondering what happened to the lost tourist. Small Boat vs. Little Boat  We were supposed to go out in a small boat. Luckily, there was a change of plans and we went on a bigger one. a boat on the water A Millonaire’s Yacht Before setting off in search of whales, we were informed that we would have to make a stop at a mega yacht to pick up a few more passengers. Nothing says disposable income like a mega yacht. I asked the owner how much it costs to have a yacht such as that. He said the price of a car. He did not elaborate. I assume he didn’t mean a Toyota Yaris. a sailboat in the watera sailboat in the water Safety Instructions All aboard, we were told to pay attention to the safety briefing. We were told to avoid contact with the whales. In the past, curious whales approached swimmers and did not practice social distancing. If, for some reason, the whale came too close, we were told to get away as quickly as possible. We were also told to wave our hands in the air should we have a panic attack in the open sea. Procedure for Swimming The swims would go as follows: the spotter would yell “whale starboard” or “whale port.” The group would then jump into the water and follow the guide while trying not to splash. Whale Fact Do you know that whales can hold their breath for one hour underwater? Their calves cannot and must come up every five minutes. Keep that in mind for later. Whale Season Whale season begins in July and ends on October 31st. I was there on October 27th. I was also told that since it was so late in the whale season that most outfitters had closed up shop for the year. Those guides typically only go out a few miles from shore to spot whales, finding it cost-inefficient to spend money on fuel to venture further. In addition to the legal disclaimer, I was also informed that it was not guaranteed that we would see whales. This reminded me of the great white shark experience in Cape Town (see Ripoff Alert! Great White Cage Diving in South Africa with SharkLady Adventures). Egocentric TPOL We were out at sea for hours. I was losing hope that we would encounter whales, and I was growing bored. I started to think that the universe was against me. First the great whites in Cape Town, the rabbit in Malta (see Guns & Butter: Malta Travel Guide), and now the humpbacks in Tonga! As we sailed on, I wondered why they didn’t rely on technology like the dude from Ace Ventura. You see those blips? That’s a Norwegian whaling fleet. I’m sending them new directional coordinates. They’ll find Jimmy Hoffa…before they find any whales. Then I recalled how my guides in Kenya were able to spot animals with nothing more than their bare eyes, something that I would struggle to do in a gym (see Maasai Mara: Day 1 of SafariAmboseli National Park: My Second Beautiful Safari). As we drifted further and further away from land, I began to accept that we may not see whales today.
a group of men on a boat
The captain and lookout crew.
Group 1 Ready! All of a sudden, the guide yelled “Group 1 Ready! Starboard!” Group 1, of course, were the millionaires. They scrambled to the back of the boat with their fancy snorkels and fancy wet suits and prepared to disembark.
people on a boat with people on the water
Group 1
I went to the starboard side and took a photo of the gigantic whale. I have seen humpbacks in Maui but never this close. Words, photos, and videos cannot describe these creatures.
a blue ocean with waves
Can you see her?
Group 2 Ready! The guide then said, “Group 2 Get Ready!” As I was rushing to the back of the boat, I was told to hold off. The whales had disappeared again. Gloom took over once again.a whale swimming in the ocean Group 2 Ready! (Again) The whales were spotted again and once again we were told to get ready. I jumped in the water. It was shockingly ice cold. I began to follow my guide. The other members of group 2 were hastily doing the same. I was kicked in the head by a flipper and was struggling to keep up with the guide. I was out of breath and exhausted. Meanwhile, waves were crashing down on top of me filling my snorkel with water. It was at that moment I came close to removing my snorkel, coming to the surf, and waving my hands in desperation. It was at that moment that it dawned on me that I was in the middle of the freezing cold ocean with relentless unyielding waves attacking me from all angles. And it was at that moment that I questioned why none of us were wearing life jackets. Instead of continuing to hyperventilate through my snorkel, I removed it from my mouth, reminded myself that I knew how to swim, and ignored how out of control this situation was. a person swimming in the water I got about fifty-feet out and then suddenly the great beast appeared before me. I tell ya he was ten stories high if he was a foot. As if sensing my presence he gave out a big bellow. I said, “Easy big fella!” . . .  I could see directly into the eye of the great fish! [interruption] Mammal. Whatever. Greyhound Bus While I was no longer scared of becoming the next lost tourist, it did occur to me that this animal the size of a Greyhound bus was going to have to come up for air soon. It was probably not the best idea to hover much longer. My guide then ushered everyone back to the boat. It was quite a sight to see a bunch of humans fluttering around trying to get back on the boat while nature had its way with us.people swimming in the oceana person swimming in the oceana person swimming in the ocean The Adventure Continues We went out a few more times after that. Each time the waves seemed bigger and bigger and the danger ever more clear and present. Within that chaos, I found calm, focusing only on getting more quality time with the humpbacks. a group of people in scuba gear in the water Time to Head Back We were supposed to take one more swim with the whales but the guide said the water was too rough. You can imagine how bad it must be if, in my opinion, the waters were already treacherous. I asked the guide how far out we went. She said 30 miles.a boat with waves in the water Videos Our guide had a GoPro and captured videos of the adventure. I also purchased videos that she had taken in what I presume were more calm times. Versus my swim: Overall When I wrote, Wild One: TPOL’s Top Daredevil Activities, I was looking for thrills that were not artificial, manufactured, or man-made. This was it. Nothing will compare to this experience. It was everything wrapped into one: thrilling, death-defying, stupid, holistic, sadistic, and, dare I say, optimistic. Can you believe that these whales come back every year to Tonga to have their calves? Nature is still in business. Swimming with whales was incredible, even if it meant putting myself in harm’s way.
a man sitting on a boat
Happy to be alive.
 

Terrible Targeted Offer: AA Gold for 200k Points

I have no airline status. The closest I have to anything resembling status is Spirit Saver$ Club (see Why I Joined Spirit Saver$ Club). And that’s not status. That’s a discount program. Today, I received this offer from AA: a screenshot of a credit card Who would sign up for such a lousy offer? What benefit would I receive from being gold? For 80k miles, I was able to book a flight from Saudi Arabia to Puerto Rico (see How to Book the Best Itinerary: AA, Avios, Aeroplan, Miles & Smiles, Flying Blue, LifeMiles, Capital One). I’m not going to burn 199k miles in the hopes that I receive an upgrade from Detroit to Chicago. Please comment on why I’m making such a terrible mistake by not signing up. And then send me $2,000.