Full Noise Traveller – Tonga
Kia ora team,
So this is a potentially controversial first update … but let’s show some love to our Judoka friends
The first stop on this trip took me to the beautiful Tonga (‘Eua and Nuku’alofa) and while there are no BJJ gyms on the islands I did find a Judo club! I was absolutely stoked with this because
- 3 months without a scrap is a long time
- My stand up game sucks
The team at the Tonga Judo Association were so welcoming and very quickly humbled me with some out the gate gymnastics and some serious speed.
I was surprised to learn how different Judo rules are and how little my BJJ take downs were going to help me (particularly given that most are illegal in Judo).
Overall, while my few months with the team here only gave me an intro into the Judo world it has given me so much more confidence on my feet and I will definitely be including some of the drills they taught me into my training! I am so grateful to the team, I loved being part of Tonga Judo for a little while!
Big Ups to the team – Mālō lahi! Malie Timi Tonga!!
On the travel front, while I was here for work I did managed to squeeze in some sight-seeing and more importantly some fishing!
If you’re into game fishing this is THE SPOT! I was so grateful to get out a few times with my mate Tevita who taught me how to hand-line, such an epic experience!
Getting out from ‘Eua was particularly cool beacause one of the local fishermen lent us his boat so I got to use the rig they use for handlining, basically a bungee cord that you tie off to so that when they first bite it gives an inital snap back before you start hauling the line in – definitely a highlight of the trip!
Overall Tonga is jsut beautiful! While the mainland Tonga-tapu is pretty cool, I think for view and a bit of good bush bashing ‘Eua is where it’s at – that said don’t be passing up a night at the Bill Fish!
The Big Ovava trees – said to be the inspo for Avatar
To be clear I am deadly serious about the Billfish
(You and your eardrums will never be the same)
Tsunami Rock – a massive rock in the middle of a flat field on the coast, said to have been thrown by Maui when he was chasing chickens betwene the islands – some cool theories around it and a sick view from the top!
Not long now until I head off for the big Europe adventure so stand-by!
So let’s go full noise!
Stats
Month – 0
Gyms Visited – 11
Current location – New Zealand
Thesis Progress – 40%
Danger Level Gain – 10%
Percentage of Trip planned – 10%
The gym list (in order of visit):
- Art of Combat (Palmerston North, NZ) [HOME]
- Albury Wodonga Brazillian Jiujitsu (Albury, Australia)
- Viti Blacktip Jiujitsu (Nadi, Fiji)
- Axis (Rolleston, NZ)
- WahiBJJ (Fielding, NZ)
- East side (Auckland, NZ)
- Upper Hutt BJJ (Upper Hutt, NZ)
- Workshop (Wellington, NZ)
- Alliance (Auckland, NZ)
- Coast BJJ (Albany, NZ)
- Tonga Judo Association (Tongatapu, Tonga)
