Our very own Mepa ... a lawyer in the making!

To those who have been following Mepa's application to Auckland University, you will be ecstatic to know (as we are) that Mepz has been accepted to do LLB next year, 2010. She is over the moon!

We are so proud of her too. And that means she'll be here for four years so I get to see her lots and lots! This is the best Christmas present ever. Well done uso - you will be fabulous!!

Alofa tele
Tina x

Updated THANK YOU list :o)

The attempt to rebuild the beach restaurant, beach ablution block and Taufua Mountain View fales would not have been possible without the generous help of those named below.

Alofa tele, and we wish you a safe and Happy Christmas :o)


Aart & Constance from Holland
Adriana Banana
Alex Benavides
Alex Turner
Allie Stanton
Amanda (friend of Ombi)
Amie Godek
Amy Watterson Flygare & family
Andey Salek & CL
Andrea & Steve Lewis
Andreas, Mathilde, Mikkel and Karina
Andrew Davidson & family
Andy & Niamh Kelly
Angie Kemp
Anja Robel
Ann Warnecke
Annabelle Fitzsimons
Anne Abernethy
Anne Karine Helbo
Anne Mette Jørgensen
Anneliese Grau-Kummetz
Annette Roehrig
Annie Fuller
Ann-Marie Bricon
Antonie Hutter
Arjan van Gameren
Arwell Williams
Ashley Spencer
Austin Parker & Shaun
Barbara Murphy
Barbara Phillips
Bas Smith & Francesca King
Baz Develiotis
Ben Doy
Beth - GYC
Beverley Newsome
Brendon De Suza & family
Brent & Lisa
Brett Sly
Brett Stephenson
Brigid Lowry and Paul
Bruce Roberts
Caitlin Gibson
Caroline Imrie & Paul
Carolyn & Keith Newey
Carolyn Constable
Carolyn Michelle
Cat Lane
Catherine Briscoe
Cathy West
Charlie Bill
Chelsea Langman
Chris & Bruce
Christian Fluegel
Christina Cotti
Christine Thompson
Christine Turner
Christopher Hall
Cindy & Steve Fales
Clive & Lynda Burnett
Coco Warnecke
Colin & Irene Evans
Connie & Heinz
Craig Reid
D C Lucas
D J Tapper
D M Fenn
D Taniora
Dale Trethewey
Dan & Nicky Robinson & Zef
Danielle Hansen
Dave Foster
Dean & Sheridan Lauchlan
Debbie Kehoe
Debby Rawlings
Deborah Warren
Debs Clark & Rolf Lechti
Delwyn Hyslop
Dianne Moffatt
Dominie Ackroyd
Dominik Ernst
Don & Gloria Smith
Donna & Dale Vickery
Doris Nicol
Dorothea Sara Galdo
Dorothee Heue
Dr Brigitte Schoe
Duncan MacWalter
Dwayne & Kelly
Eapeisi T
Eckart Wohlers
Elaine & Nikita Hackett
Eleanor & Isobel Johnston
Elin Persson
Elizabeth Paulo-Me
Emmerson Smith
Erin Flanigan
F Greatings
F Z Neumann
Fay Family
Fiona Ross
Fleur Ramsay
G P Sheehan
Gabriela Rzepecka
Gary & Tree
Gary Wagner
Gemma & Paul Irvine
Georgie Newton & Baz McGuinn
Gerald Linck
Gernot Conrad
Gisa Holsten
Glenn Williams & Family
Glenys & Kevin De Suza
Gordon & Hilary Lewis
Gordon Nicol
Graham & Lorraine De Suza
Grant Collier
Greg & Andrea Skipworth
Hayden Nash
Hazel Davis & Simon Fletcher
Helen Linane & Gareth Johnston
Holger Bialek
House of Travel - Auckland
Howard Zingel
Hunter & Alex Crossan
Iain Colburn
Irene & Robb Marr
Isabelle Bourassa
James Highsted
Jane Scott
Janet Gootjes
Janine Paul
Jasmin Wills
Jen & Bruce Bayliss
Jenny Whibley
Jessica Rowe
Jill Ryan
Jillian Jardine
Jim Mooney
JM & KM Conroy
John & Shirley Highsted
John Simmons
John Smart
Jonathan Skeels
Jonaye Griffin
Joy Claridge
Judith & Ross MacKenzie
Julez
Julia Deodato
Justin Allen Davies
Karen & Steven Whyte
Karen Pauga
Karen Stuart & Chris Cochrane
Katrina Kahlil
Kelly Badland
Kelly Barker
Kelly Flanigan
Kelly Jones
Kent Johns
Keren Fraser
Kerianne Ogden
Kerryn & Hippi Russell
Kim Bell
Kirsty Jensen
Kit Houghton
KJ Jennings & Carmen Hagen
Kristel Peet
Kylee De Suza
Leigh Hillman
Leigh Thornett
Leon De Suza
Lesley Farrell
Lis Cotter
Lois & Ralph Hunt
Lornz Lorenzen & Caro Knoefel
Lynette Satchell
Maddie Mackenzie
Maggie Hanson
Marc Bade
Marcia Fraser
Maren Dudziak
Margaret Borden
Mark Bol
Mark Eller
Mark Thompson
Markus Lohenstein
Martin Gardiner
Martin Japs
Maureen Fairey
Meaghan Oxley
Melanie De Suza & Jono Hadfield
Melinda McPherson
Melissa Anderson
Melissa Paddock
Melody Newton
Merel Tuhuteru
Merran Brockie
Michael Morrow
Michelle
Michelle Cranston
Michelle Ericson
Michelle Ross
Michelle Sheehan
Mick Nu'u
Mike & Vicki Burnett
Mike & Zana Whitakker
Miriama Betham
Moka Stone
MS & RM Richards
Muriel Concy
Nancy Sly
Naomi Syred
Natascha
Neville and Kerrie Veitch
Nick Kemplen
Nick Zegel
Nicole Thomas
Norbert Bialek
Norbert Bialek
Ole Langniss & Gaby Baur
Ombi Zanetti
P G Nally
Paul Stuart
Paula & Warwick Denby
Pete & Jude Johnston
Peter Butler & Anna Hickman
Peter Newman
Peter Reynolds
Phil & Becky Wilde
Pip Davis
PJ & VM Johns
Priscilla & Ben
R D Armstrong
R J Lee
Rainer Schwab
Renate & Peter Kellendonk
Rich & Mich Wynyard
Richard & Michelle
Riz and Leonie
Robert Zimmermann
Robin Speedy
Robyn Allen-Raven
Robyn Cowan
Rod Topperwien
Roy & Ros Price
Roy Linane
RW & VE Forgie
S J Sonntag
Sabine & Rainer Addicks
Sally McOscar & Ray
Sam, Brent, Maggie and Ruby Fairns
Sara Trafford & baby Jai
Sarah Hutchinson
Scott Fraser
Shane McAnulty
Sharon Bird
Sharon McIntyre
Shay Egan
Shazza Johnston
Shellie Highsted
Sherie Hammond
Shyam Yadav
Simon & Ineke Bol
Simon and Jo Penfold
Simon Dickinson
Stefan Zimmermann
Stephanie Squire
Stephen Matheson
Stephie Platt
Stu & Kelly Pedley
Sunita Misra
Sylvia Grindlay
Sylvia Kelly
Tamara and Alex Zampa Smith
Tammie Burton
Tanisha & Uili
Tanja Goedecke
Tatjana Bialek & Thomas Stampa
Ted and Gretchen Fitch
Terry Dunn
Thad Rose
Tim & Suzie Hunt
Tim J Shields
Timmo (Timothy Ward)
Tina & Greg De Suza
Tina Stiffe
Todd Kamisugi
Tom & Lee
Tonnie van Lieshout
Tony & Joseph
Tony Palmer
Trish & Matt Nicol
Tules at DTs, Melbourne
Tyler & Bonnie Christie
Uwe Fassnacht
Vicky & Jon May & family
Viola Sommi
Waltraut & Sieghart Berkner
Wayne & Tracy Ashton
Wayne Pellett
Wendy Paton
William Steele

Beach restaurant progress pics

Hey all - these pics were taken on Sat 19 December. The restaurant on the beach will be open on 25 December. If you're in the area - do drop in!!

The new restaurant - Sat 19 December

Closer view ... with Alan (architect) and Mana (engineer) in the foreground.

Taufua Mountain View ... taking bookings now!

Hey all! Bookings are being accepted now for Taufua Mountain View fales ... starting 01 February 2010. This is good news for Hazel and Simon - and I'm sure for many others too!

Please email your bookings to siliapelu@taufuabeachfales.ws


Alofa tele!!

Thanks for all the gorgeous Christmas wishes :o)

Thanks to everyone for all the gorgeous Christmas wishes that have been flooding into my inbox for Tai, Sili and the family. Much appreciated!! You guys all rock :o)

As we get ready to celebrate with our nearest and dearest on Christmas day, I know that your thoughts are with our Pacific friends who will have empty spaces at their Christmas tables this year. It's been a hard few months for many, but the wonderful spirit of our Pacific sisters and brothers will prevail.

Thanks so much for your thoughts and prayers for them. Please everyone, have a wonderful and safe Christmas, and enjoy your time with your loved ones.

Alofa tele xxx

Sili and the kids in Auckland next week :o)

Sili and the kids will be in Auckland this coming week, staying mainly out in the South Auckland area with family. We'll meet up with them at some stage, and will do our best to get Otele down to Raglan to meet up with some people he helped on the day of the tsunami. He is very keen to see them, and the feeling is mutual!

Tai is staying in Samoa to take care of the opening of the beach restaurant at Lalomanu. Hopefully that will happen right around Christmas time.

So all up I *think* there will be 15 of them coming to Auckland, including Sili and Otele. Will confirm that once I hear from Sili again. It's been quite difficult for him with very patchy dial-up internet access down at Lalomanu.

OK! That's all the news for now. Will update as I hear more.

Alofa tele, ma manuia le Kilisimasi!

More beach pics ... Taufua, Lalomanu

These just in from Sili ... taken today, 17 December Samoa time.

Side of the restaurant on the beach - with the boys playing football in the background. Just like old times :o)

A truck arrives with more poles and other building materials

A close up of progress on the ablution block - taken 17 December

Vai takes a tackle!! Good to see the kids having fun on the beach and in the water again.

Will post more as Sili gets them through to me. It's hard when he's on dial up.

Alofa tele!