How it all began...

Flying to the Ha'apai archipelago, Tonga

I always wanted to travel, when I was 4 years old and you would ask me: “What would you like to do when you grow up?” I would answer that I wanted to see every single country in the world. At one point I even calculated that if I visited at least four countries a year my job would be over in forty-three years. I already visited few countries but of course the political world map was a bit different back then.

On the boat to Uoleva

I started to travel at a very young age, following my father who worked abroad, studying and then backpacking: the more I traveled, the more I loved it. My dream man was a person that would come with me around the globe with his backpack, living the adventure every day. I didn’t think I would get even luckier than that.
In 2006, while I was traveling in New Zealand I met Francesco in a bar. We started talking and I loved right away how passionate he was while talking about the boat he just bought, he was going to sail out from there and start his cruise around the world. The more I talked to him and more I liked him. We ended up spending the night together, it was the first time I felt in love at first sight. You can think whatever about me, but it was the best decision of my life.

Our private beach in Uoleva

We spent two days together, and then like every other traveler I had to move on to the next destination. I took a flight to Tonga. From Nuku’alofa I board a flight to the Ha’apai Islands and then a boat to Pangi Island.  It was paradise for me. I had the island all for myself; meanwhile I kept on thinking about Francesco, how much I liked him and how much I admired his choice, his courage, and determination. Everything about him made me think that he was the perfect man for me. As soon as I went away from my perfect paradise I started writing to him. 
I had changed all my plans, New Zealand wasn’t making me happy, I didn’t like the unfriendly weather, they kept on saying that the summer would arrive but at the beginning of December was snowing in Christchurch. I still had enough money to keep on traveling so I booked a flight back to Asia. That night I wrote to Francesco telling him that I was leaving New Zealand and I wanted to wish him good luck and told him that he had all my admiration. In a matter of minutes he wrote back telling me to change my plan and sail with him to Fiji.  It didn’t take me long to change again my plans: I really did like him and the idea to be again in my paradise island made it even easier to make up my mind.
The day after I was on my way. It took me forty hours, three buses, one ferry, and a dinghy ride to join him aboard the Keturah.

Our hosts in Uoleva