An Update
I have recently contracted a man .... Vaha .... to build a fale and water catchment area for one of the properties that I have in Cocomo Village. He is to bring me pictures today on the completion of this as I do not have the $200 that it costs to have a private boat to Hunga Island and back. There is a local ferry that will take you back and forth for only $5 but I do not have a place to stay for the night as the ferry leaves Neiafu in the afternoon and returns in the morning. I have been told that you can stay in the Clinic for the night if you choose this route but I chose not to do that being a single woman alone.
Anyway.... now that the water catchment is complete there is really no reason for me to stay in Tonga until the rainy season is finished so I am going back to Canada to work for a couple of months to fill in the time.
I did get an email from someone asking about what to bring and not to bring so I will be answering that in my next post.
Til next time
Char
Hi Char! Thanks for the updates! I look forward to any more pictures and video you may have once you are safe and sound back in canada!
ReplyDeletewow...you are really a pioneer! We are thinking of doing the same but are getting worried by all the bad press on the web about tongan real estate. You have not posted for a while...is everything still going ok? What advice would you give us in joining the wagon west?
ReplyDeleteSo, I hope you fire this blog back up soon! Candice and I have been really exited reading it and have even started our own since we made the decision just this past Sunday to officially move to Tonga! Here is ours. movingtotonga.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteHi Char,
ReplyDeleteExcellent blog by the way, really useful!
Could I ask if the Fale you've had built is temporary, and what you had to pay to get it built with water catchment (and the tank size/ capacity) please?
We have ideas for our lots in area B in the village (or jungle!), but think it may be sensible to put up one Fale first to use as storage and shelter for workers with safe drinking water.
Any info on this and pics of yours are hugely appreciated!
Best,
Nav
streamrapp AT gmail DOT com
Hi Char,
ReplyDeleteExcellent blog by the way, really useful!
Could I ask if the Fale you've had built is temporary, and what you had to pay to get it built with water catchment (and the tank size/ capacity) please?
We have ideas for our lots in area B in the village (or jungle!), but think it may be sensible to put up one Fale first to use as storage and shelter for workers with safe drinking water.
Any info on this and pics of yours are hugely appreciated!
Best,
Nav
streamrapp AT gmail DOT com
Hi Nav,
DeleteYes the Fale that we put up is temporary and should last about 2-3 years without anything else done to it. I have not yet put the tank up because of unforeseen circumstances I will not be spending much time up there as of yet however the tanks available here are from 1,000 - 10,000 litres or you can have a custom one made for you.
The cost for materials to build the water catchment was about $1,000top for nails, roofing, gutters, spouts, block, cement, etc and another $1,000 top for transportation to the island, transportation to the property, clearing the land, building the 12 x 12 foot fale and building the pad to put the tank on.
The setup will hold a 5,000 litre tank easily.
I have found that a good rainstorm with a 12x12 area it does not take long to fill up a 5,000 litre tank and the fale can work as storage and/or temporary housing. When we are ready to build on Hunga we know that all we have to do is get that water tank to the property and we are good to go.
Any other questions?
Char
Hi Charlett, you should be in Tonga since July 10th now. Give me some news please. Hope everything is going well.
ReplyDelete"We are choosing the island life to escape the modern buzz of our current culture. No longer can we handle such hatred, greed, and harm to our fellow humans. We want to establish our own life, filled with joy, pure sustainability, and a stress-free agenda."
ReplyDeleteDONATE TO HELP ME ACHIEVE MY GOAL OF MOVING TO TONGA www.gofundme.com/movingtotonga
By the way, I'd love to talk to you about my move coming this Summer! I also have a blog, documenting the stages leading up to my move - and hopefully get some great advice to note from you and others! Cheers!
ReplyDeleteshoutbecca@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteHi Char,
ReplyDeleteI just got back from Tonga, and Vava'u is as beautiful as ever.
I spent a few days in Nukn'alofa and sorted out some business, namely the Foreign Investment Registration Certificate, and Company Registration, and although it went well in the end, it did take awhile longer than expected.
Tonga really does run on island time, and you can never get frustrated. Just smile and shrug, and say, "That's OK, we'll do it tomorrow" , and everything works out fine. :)
( If anyone needs any advice regarding the FIRC and company Reg, please feel free to email me at kawcreation@optusnet.com.au )
Since that has gone through, I am able to apply for a business visa, which ( fingers crossed ) should enable me to put in a pop-up restaurant for the season and we'll take it from there.
Good luck to those who are considering moving to Tonga, and I hope to catch up with the "Huunga clan", whoever may be there, sometime after April.
regards, Geoff and Deb, Sydney
Hopefully an update soon!
ReplyDeleteSO what happened? Did you move to Tonga? Did you go somewhere else?
ReplyDeleteHi Char,
ReplyDeleteI read your blog with great interest as I am a land leaser too in Cocoma Village Lot #75.
I am trying to convince my husband and friends that this is a legit land lease and before we arrive, I am hoping that you could provide resources to point me in that direction.
My email address is angello001@att.net and I thank you for any assistance you can provide.
Kind regards, Jim
Hi All,
ReplyDeleteI did not realise until now that my replies to emailed comments did not make it onto the comments section where they are posted.
I will make sure from now on to post on the comments as well as be email in the future.
Thank you all for commenting and reading my posts.
Char