Monday, September 14, 2009
MY SAMOA EXPERIENCE
Okay so here is my SAMOA JOURNAL entries! finally completed them! I hope you all enjoy! I will add in pictures later, I just have tons of assignments to do lately! Its just a matter of time!
Day One (August 25th)
I’m here!! It’s official! I’m finally in the beautiful, vibrant, lively island of Samoa. I find it funny because I hadn’t even known this place existed until my friend Simone filled me in on her mid-semester break plans. Right now I’m riding in the back of a shuttle van to Taufua aka my home (hut) for the next three days. I can’t tell you how excited I am either! This place is an undiscovered paradise that not even the local, lava-lava (a traditional Samoan skirt) wearing folks have completely figured out. I’m serious! I would be quite content camping on any inch of this country for the rest of my life.
So we have been here less than 24 hours and already managed to be invited to two parties, met some film producers from SURVIVOR (the tv show), had thumb war battles with Samoan alcoholics, entertained Samoan children with our American singing talent and Spencer’s multi-pack of adhesive mustaches! That actually explains my adventures so far in a nutshell. I mean what better way to begin the journey in “Crabbers” and “V”, two of the only bars/night clubs in Apia (the largest city in Samoa). If I’ve learned one thing that Americans, Kiwis, and Samoans have in common, it would be our similar liking to American hit music and alcohol. You could travel to any of the countries right now and I guarantee that Black-eyed Peas “Boom Boom Pow” would be blasting on the radio. As for drinking, I think all cultures enjoy the effects of a cold bottle of beer or a nice glass of wine on a given day. Simone and I also decided that the most convenient toilet that night was over a massive leap over a canal, consisting of a ‘pop-squat’ in a field of tall itchy grass, leaving us with scratches all over our bodies (a questionable case of poison ivy? Haha. Maybe not such a good idea after all.
There is something funny about this place. Can’t quite find the right words yet, but I still have 8 more days here to find out!
Alright, I reckon it’s time for a nap!
Peace,
Jill
So we have been here less than 24 hours and already managed to be invited to two parties, met some film producers from SURVIVOR (the tv show), had thumb war battles with Samoan alcoholics, entertained Samoan children with our American singing talent and Spencer’s multi-pack of adhesive mustaches! That actually explains my adventures so far in a nutshell. I mean what better way to begin the journey in “Crabbers” and “V”, two of the only bars/night clubs in Apia (the largest city in Samoa). If I’ve learned one thing that Americans, Kiwis, and Samoans have in common, it would be our similar liking to American hit music and alcohol. You could travel to any of the countries right now and I guarantee that Black-eyed Peas “Boom Boom Pow” would be blasting on the radio. As for drinking, I think all cultures enjoy the effects of a cold bottle of beer or a nice glass of wine on a given day. Simone and I also decided that the most convenient toilet that night was over a massive leap over a canal, consisting of a ‘pop-squat’ in a field of tall itchy grass, leaving us with scratches all over our bodies (a questionable case of poison ivy? Haha. Maybe not such a good idea after all.
There is something funny about this place. Can’t quite find the right words yet, but I still have 8 more days here to find out!
Alright, I reckon it’s time for a nap!
Peace,
Jill
Day Two (August 26th)
I woke up to a tap on my shoulder from my friend Dan and was surprised to see that we were already here at the Taufua Beach fales (south-east end of Upolu). As soon as we arrived, we were welcomed by two girls named Silia and Balo who introduced us to the area and surroundings while the others quickly made up the hut for us.
Opening up the tarp door to our fale was like releasing my childhood memories. Recollections of forts my friends and I used to construct when we were little and camping adventures with my family streamed through my head. Fales are like spacious tree houses on stilts. Their roofs are thatched with tweed and the sides sectioned by tar (to block the wind and rain). Inside lie 3 single mattresses, a standard overhead light, and mosquito nets to vend off the bugs. One would imagine this place as a prime tourist accommodation, but that’s not the case at all here. These Samoans seem to be truly happy the way they are and very satisfied with the life they live. At least everyone I talked to felt that way. I was interested if they ever got bored of their jobs: seeing, meeting, accommodating new travelers’ every day, however their answer still remained, “no, not at all.” This strikes me as a surprise! I believe it’s that initial exposure to travel and seeing a new beautiful place that ruins our stability. Do not get me wrong; I love this place! Honestly, this place is paradise, but there is no way I could be stationed in Upolu forever.
After dinner, we decided to go on a little night stroll. As we were leaving, I could have sworn I heard a faint stutter of my name in the distance. Then it repeated and I realized I was not actually going bonkers. “ah.. Jill?” Silia replied from out back of the office. “Where are you all going?” she shouted. I quickly recognized her friendly voice and replied, “I’m not sure, exploring?!” Frightened she might persuade us way from our adventure because of certain dangers. This wasn’t the case at all! “Can I come?” “Yeah of course!”
The first night was awesome-as! She gave us the full tour of her village: the church, police department, hospital, her home/fale (even introduced us to her cousins), as well as less expensive markets to buy vodka for 22 tala as opposed to 30 at the market nearest our fale. Silia then traded us off to one of her good friends to walk us back as she left to go home. Never did I feel so safe in the night! It seemed as if we always had people looking out for us and protecting us as one of their own.
Opening up the tarp door to our fale was like releasing my childhood memories. Recollections of forts my friends and I used to construct when we were little and camping adventures with my family streamed through my head. Fales are like spacious tree houses on stilts. Their roofs are thatched with tweed and the sides sectioned by tar (to block the wind and rain). Inside lie 3 single mattresses, a standard overhead light, and mosquito nets to vend off the bugs. One would imagine this place as a prime tourist accommodation, but that’s not the case at all here. These Samoans seem to be truly happy the way they are and very satisfied with the life they live. At least everyone I talked to felt that way. I was interested if they ever got bored of their jobs: seeing, meeting, accommodating new travelers’ every day, however their answer still remained, “no, not at all.” This strikes me as a surprise! I believe it’s that initial exposure to travel and seeing a new beautiful place that ruins our stability. Do not get me wrong; I love this place! Honestly, this place is paradise, but there is no way I could be stationed in Upolu forever.
After dinner, we decided to go on a little night stroll. As we were leaving, I could have sworn I heard a faint stutter of my name in the distance. Then it repeated and I realized I was not actually going bonkers. “ah.. Jill?” Silia replied from out back of the office. “Where are you all going?” she shouted. I quickly recognized her friendly voice and replied, “I’m not sure, exploring?!” Frightened she might persuade us way from our adventure because of certain dangers. This wasn’t the case at all! “Can I come?” “Yeah of course!”
The first night was awesome-as! She gave us the full tour of her village: the church, police department, hospital, her home/fale (even introduced us to her cousins), as well as less expensive markets to buy vodka for 22 tala as opposed to 30 at the market nearest our fale. Silia then traded us off to one of her good friends to walk us back as she left to go home. Never did I feel so safe in the night! It seemed as if we always had people looking out for us and protecting us as one of their own.
Day Three (August 27th)
We woke up in the morning to heaven. Or at least I hope mine would look similar anyway! Just like the postcards and online photo galleries. Blue skies, clear aquamarine water, white sand, light foamy waves, islands in the distance, and a quiet shore. Not many people were awake yet because it was early. We had a delicious potluck breakfast of crispy toast, poached eggs, oatmeal, papaya slices, hotcake stacks, as well as bacon to fill our waking bellies. Later we took naps on the beach and did a little snorkeling. The reef was beautiful, very vivid and alive. I’ve been fortunate enough to see many in my lifetime, however this was one of my favorites; I must say! Blue starfish, large lazy sea cucumbers, and frolicking schools of fish filled my goggle frames! There were fish covered in stripes, animal print, fluro (neon) patterns, and even ones that looked as if they were wearing makeup. Later that night, we watched a Fia Fia (the tribal Samoan dancing) as well as the fire show and even had the opportunity to test some of the moves ourselves towards the end of the show. The girls’ dancing is much similar to the hula; very buoyant and smooth, whereas the men’s is much bumpier and hip. The Fia Fia was awesome! Kids apparently learn to twirl the fire batons in school. Imagine that for a sport. The rest of the night we drank and hung out with the melting pot crew on the outer deck.
Day Four (August 28th)
Thursday?! Must be on island time, aye. When you are in a beautiful place like this, it is difficult to keep track of days and pay attention to clock dials. Today was a day of rest and recovery from the past few. We were awoken by a shake and holler from outside our fale telling us it was breakfast time. Although it is a sweet-as deal when both breakfast and dinner are included in fale tees, it is kind of annoying that we have designated times for them (8am and 7pm). Dan, Kristi, and I mumbled “thanks” (fa fa tai) to the Taufua dude and rolled back over. We were a tad-bit late for breakfast, but they had already pre-loaded plates for us. We followed the typical mealtime routines of 21 questions with stranger and new faces at the tables and headed straight back to our fale to nap! Ah, it was so good! We spent the whole day relaxing with the tarp pulled up in our hut. Mid-afternoon, we did manage to grab a pina coloda and wader down past the jetty. ON the way, we made a cute little friend named Rupert. Rupert was a dime sized hermit crab enclosed in a pearl white shell. The little crustacean was so adorable that not after long, Kristi decide to adopt it. We continued through the crystal clear shallow water and up the jetty another 30 meters or so to get some sweet pictures in front of the far off island. The rest of the day we spent relaxing in the shade and taking cover from the cancering sun. As much as I wanted to absorb the sunshine that we rarely receive in Hamilton, I knew I would be on my death bed soon if I beach bummed it any longer. We are much closer to the equator, where the sun’s rays are at their peak. Later on, we discussed plans for the following day and decided to make the leap to the upper island of Savaii! The rest of the night we took it pretty easy knowing that we would have a long journey awaiting us in the am. After supper we sat on the bench outside the office and hung out with the Taufua crew for the last time. We watched new comers pay their numerous visits to and from the bar adding line after line to their fale tabs. It was nice being sober for a change, gaining entertainment from the quirky vacationers raving and mumbling about wars, their alternate careers (broadway and basketball) as they struggled to gain balance on the stairs.
Day Five (August 29th)
Well I’m exhausted from today. Dan, Kristi, and I decided to take the hike to the island off of Savaii. This included a two hour bus ride from Taufua to Apia, a taxi from Apia to the wharf and then another 1 and a half hour taxi ride from the wharf in Savaii to our next three day home at Tanu Beach. We decided to take the bus first of all because our tight budgets, but also because it looked like an experience for sure. We’ve watched the buses transport herds of villagers from place to place in these N framed buses each with their personalized touch. I would guess there are over 100 of these buses across the island that consistently haul people around for no more than 4 tala (about $1.75 USD) a way. The buses have creative names such as “Drop it like it’s hot”, “man-eater”, etc, each representing their proud drivers’ tastes. They are all also pimped out with Addidas signs, Nike swooshes, cow print, fluro tail-lights, and colorful graffiti. It was quite funny. Inside the bus is a completely different story. There must have been about 20 rows of hard upright benches and track plexi-glass windows. When we first hopped on the bus, it was practically empty, but that didn’t last very long at all. We made stop after stop at local villages, picking up work commuters, Samoan parents embracing their little ones in their laps, and postal parcels to be delivered to the city. It was interesting to watch the courtesy of the towns’ people. Men and young ones giving up their seats for the elderly, children, and women. You would generally expect this from all bodies of people and cultures, but sadly it isn’t a routine gesture from much of my American and New Zealand experience.
By the time we arrived at the bus stop in the own center (near the new market), I ‘m pretty sure I had no feeling in my rear end because of the plank seats. Hey, but I was more than greatful to catch the bus and avoid sitting on a strangers lap deal. Anyways, we walked through the market again and grabbed a quick snack at the grocery store before taking the next leg of our journey. I also was glad to be able to find some familiar pepto bismol on the shelf because I have been cringing from the hurricane that has been roaming about my stomach for the past three days. Samoans must have extremely tolerant bellies because I lasted nearly a day drinking their water and eating their curried and fried meals. Remembering Dan’s 22nd birthday, Kristi and went on a successful mission to find cake and candles for later.
Not long after, Dan, Kristi, Tim & Annetta (2 international friends), and I caught a taxi to the wharf with a man named Tasi. One thing I have noticed about the taxi drivers here is that almost all of them have been to New Zealand or originated there. This gives us lots to talk about, especially now that I am very familiar with the country. Tasi is a rugby player in New Zealand who has done a surprising amount of traveling in his career. His family is in New Zealand, however he is helping them out until Christmas by taxi-ing in the Samoan islands. When we arrived at the wharf, we thanked Tasi and quickly grabbed out belongings and headed to the terminal. The wharf was much smaller than I ahd expected with flat-rectangular benches occupied by napping victims, playful children, and potato chip vendors. One distinct memory was of a particular surfer dude sleeping on one of the benches, wearing a straw hat to block the sun from his eyes and his boardbag resting at his feel. This instantly triggered my mind back to Wilmington and all of my beach bum friends. They would love it here! There’s no doubt about it! WE boarded the ferry at 2pm and each grabbed a patch of ground toward the back of the ship, where we could dangle our feet over the edge. Haha and I’m never going to forget a Savaiian woman’s response to Kristi’s question, “How long is this ferry ride?” “MAYBE, HOURS?!” she replied. What does that actually mean, haha. That’s Samoa again for you. Anyways, I wish we had a warning for the next part of our journey.
As soon as we stepped foot off of the ship, we were instantly mobbed by taxi show furs. It reminded me of the seagulls from Finding Nemo that constantly repeated “MINE. MINE. MINE.” Drivers held up signs labeling local fale resorts, ascting as if they were sent directly from the accommodations. It was so confusing. They were everywhere, yelling a mixture of tattered English and Samoan slang. “75 tala, market? 60 tala, where to?, Tanu?” Ahh. I couldn’t take it any longer and you could tell the rest of the gang was having trouble as well, so I finally yelled out “60 tala to Tanu beach?”
Without response, a man grabbed Kristi’s luggage and began carrying it to the boot of his vehicle. This marks the start of our journey with Lo Lani, our soon to be, first real Samoan friend! We loaded up our belongings and situated ourselves in his small hatchback vehicle. I ended up sitting in the trunk the whole ride, but it wasn’t so bad. We made a quick stop to the famous market place and headed to our new home! It was another ‘maybe, hours’ til our destination, however, our fascination in external environment makes it feel like 15 minutes. The unfamiliar lifestyles of these ancient people are so interesting! Never in my life have I received so many friendly waves as we drove through kilometers of farmland, beach, and villages. Pigs, roosters, and dogs ran wild in yards, whereas, horses were leashed up on the properties. Graves lay as shrines in front of owners’ fales and locals walk barefoot along the roads carrying baskets of coconuts, papaya, and other produce. Remixes of popular American pop songs fill the car and add to the local beach aura.
When we arrived at the beach fales, we exchanged thanks and information to our friendly driver for options to explore the natural wonders of Savaii the following day. Tanu welcomed us with coconuts and showed us to our “ocean front” hut, very similar to the previous one. Not long after, we grabbed beers at the office and walked to the beach to chill and watch the sunset. After our delicious dinner we continued Dan’s birthday celebration down the road at another fales’ bar staging live music. We decided to splurge in a combined 50 tala for a bottle of Australian white wine. Good choice I must add! Shortly after, all three of us were escorted onto the dance floor by local Samoans.
After the music ended and we finished our drinks, we headed back home via the beach. We heard some familiar voices in the distance that led us to another hide-away bar on stilts. Of course we decided to check it out. We were surprised to find that it was the rest of the Norwegians from Waikato. There was also another little hut atop the stairs. Inside were three Samoan men seated around a table covered in Vailima bottles. Happy hour, I’m guessing! I decided to peek my head in and say hello (malo).
One thing led to another and the within a minute I was a guest at the kings table with another drink in my hand. These old men were hilarious. A lot of the stuff they talked about was difficult to understand, but I started to pick up on their gibberish. I listened as they told me about their lives as farmers, fishermen, as well as their outward travel experiences. It was awesome; almost as if I bundled myself up in a blanket of the Samoan culture.
By the time we arrived at the bus stop in the own center (near the new market), I ‘m pretty sure I had no feeling in my rear end because of the plank seats. Hey, but I was more than greatful to catch the bus and avoid sitting on a strangers lap deal. Anyways, we walked through the market again and grabbed a quick snack at the grocery store before taking the next leg of our journey. I also was glad to be able to find some familiar pepto bismol on the shelf because I have been cringing from the hurricane that has been roaming about my stomach for the past three days. Samoans must have extremely tolerant bellies because I lasted nearly a day drinking their water and eating their curried and fried meals. Remembering Dan’s 22nd birthday, Kristi and went on a successful mission to find cake and candles for later.
Not long after, Dan, Kristi, Tim & Annetta (2 international friends), and I caught a taxi to the wharf with a man named Tasi. One thing I have noticed about the taxi drivers here is that almost all of them have been to New Zealand or originated there. This gives us lots to talk about, especially now that I am very familiar with the country. Tasi is a rugby player in New Zealand who has done a surprising amount of traveling in his career. His family is in New Zealand, however he is helping them out until Christmas by taxi-ing in the Samoan islands. When we arrived at the wharf, we thanked Tasi and quickly grabbed out belongings and headed to the terminal. The wharf was much smaller than I ahd expected with flat-rectangular benches occupied by napping victims, playful children, and potato chip vendors. One distinct memory was of a particular surfer dude sleeping on one of the benches, wearing a straw hat to block the sun from his eyes and his boardbag resting at his feel. This instantly triggered my mind back to Wilmington and all of my beach bum friends. They would love it here! There’s no doubt about it! WE boarded the ferry at 2pm and each grabbed a patch of ground toward the back of the ship, where we could dangle our feet over the edge. Haha and I’m never going to forget a Savaiian woman’s response to Kristi’s question, “How long is this ferry ride?” “MAYBE, HOURS?!” she replied. What does that actually mean, haha. That’s Samoa again for you. Anyways, I wish we had a warning for the next part of our journey.
As soon as we stepped foot off of the ship, we were instantly mobbed by taxi show furs. It reminded me of the seagulls from Finding Nemo that constantly repeated “MINE. MINE. MINE.” Drivers held up signs labeling local fale resorts, ascting as if they were sent directly from the accommodations. It was so confusing. They were everywhere, yelling a mixture of tattered English and Samoan slang. “75 tala, market? 60 tala, where to?, Tanu?” Ahh. I couldn’t take it any longer and you could tell the rest of the gang was having trouble as well, so I finally yelled out “60 tala to Tanu beach?”
Without response, a man grabbed Kristi’s luggage and began carrying it to the boot of his vehicle. This marks the start of our journey with Lo Lani, our soon to be, first real Samoan friend! We loaded up our belongings and situated ourselves in his small hatchback vehicle. I ended up sitting in the trunk the whole ride, but it wasn’t so bad. We made a quick stop to the famous market place and headed to our new home! It was another ‘maybe, hours’ til our destination, however, our fascination in external environment makes it feel like 15 minutes. The unfamiliar lifestyles of these ancient people are so interesting! Never in my life have I received so many friendly waves as we drove through kilometers of farmland, beach, and villages. Pigs, roosters, and dogs ran wild in yards, whereas, horses were leashed up on the properties. Graves lay as shrines in front of owners’ fales and locals walk barefoot along the roads carrying baskets of coconuts, papaya, and other produce. Remixes of popular American pop songs fill the car and add to the local beach aura.
When we arrived at the beach fales, we exchanged thanks and information to our friendly driver for options to explore the natural wonders of Savaii the following day. Tanu welcomed us with coconuts and showed us to our “ocean front” hut, very similar to the previous one. Not long after, we grabbed beers at the office and walked to the beach to chill and watch the sunset. After our delicious dinner we continued Dan’s birthday celebration down the road at another fales’ bar staging live music. We decided to splurge in a combined 50 tala for a bottle of Australian white wine. Good choice I must add! Shortly after, all three of us were escorted onto the dance floor by local Samoans.
After the music ended and we finished our drinks, we headed back home via the beach. We heard some familiar voices in the distance that led us to another hide-away bar on stilts. Of course we decided to check it out. We were surprised to find that it was the rest of the Norwegians from Waikato. There was also another little hut atop the stairs. Inside were three Samoan men seated around a table covered in Vailima bottles. Happy hour, I’m guessing! I decided to peek my head in and say hello (malo).
One thing led to another and the within a minute I was a guest at the kings table with another drink in my hand. These old men were hilarious. A lot of the stuff they talked about was difficult to understand, but I started to pick up on their gibberish. I listened as they told me about their lives as farmers, fishermen, as well as their outward travel experiences. It was awesome; almost as if I bundled myself up in a blanket of the Samoan culture.
Day Six (August 30th)
At breakfast, we met a very outgoing Italian man named Luca. I know you are thinking…what is he doing in Samoa? Most travelers are from New Zealand and Australia. He has actually been living in Samoa for a few months with his girlfriend and working at Tanu as an activities organizer. Each day he leads four activities for the guests to get involved in such as: stretching, yoga, coco baton (bocce ball with coconuts), etc. Unfortunately, we had to turn his invitation down because we decided we were going to call Lo Lani back for a day full of touring Savaii. Our driver picked us up about an hour after breakfast and we began our journey to the south of the beautiful island.
Our first stop was the rainforest. I was excited! I’ve never been to a rainforest before. We took a short two mile hike through farm and up to the top of this canyon. Lo Lani went with us, pointing out various landmarks like the wharf in the distance and cool plants and geckos. After the rainforest, we headed to the blow holes. I had no idea what to expect as far as these go, but it sounded pretty neat! The blowholes are located a little over the halfway mark on the southern part of Savaii. Just before approaching their landmark, we asked our driver to pull over to the side for pictures. Just over the cliffs was one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen. Waves, real massive, perfect swell! Just like the movies. The waves were huge and breaking ever so gently. I could see the green room eager for a surfer to step into. Definitely not a beginner like me, perhaps the dude back at the wharf! I wish DLo and Jarrod were here. I know they would go for sure!
We next approached the blowholes! They were awesome! These huge holes in the hardened magma that would push water over 100m into the air as waves broke underneath the surface. Lo Lani told us to try to find a coconut to throw in the blowhole and we did. It was sweet as! The fruit shot nearly 200ft in the air! After the blow holes, we headed to a nearby swimming hole and waterfall. This was probably my most favorite stop of all. It was ten times better than any movie set. You could even climb up a nearby 35 foot ledge and jump off (of course we did and of course). Drops scare the heck out of me and I normally attack this by closing my eyes. Yeah, I wouldn’t suggest that! In turn, I landed “smackkk” on my side and bruised my whole upper right leg. Haha, I’m a retard. The falls were sweet though. We swam up to them and were able to climb the rock and enter the cave behind the waterfall. This is one of my favorite things to do, watch the rushing water crash down right in front of you.
After the falls and the bonding time we had with our driver, he asked if we would like to stop by his home and meet his 2 (lua) year old daughter and wife. Now this may not seem exciting to most, but these peoples lives are so interesting. Imagine permanently living in a completely open hut with no walls or privacy. Try and picture living without an oven, merely a stove top and a miniature refrigeration to keep meat preserved for a day or two. Also imagine always taking cold showers and sleeping under mosquito nets on the floor. We eagerly jumped on this opportunity and were excited that he wanted us to meet his family. We also used the opportunity to get some instruction on making kava, a very traditional male drink, usually prepared by the women of the village. Kava comes directly from roots in the ground and is ground into a sand-like gray powder. With that, you are to run it through a filter with running water. The product, a cloudy gray liquid is supposed to be scooped out and swallowed very quickly after a long day of work. It sends a numbness throughout your body and deeply relaxes you. We watched Lo Lani fix it and took it with us to our final destination, the lava fields. We finished out the pot of kava within no time and started experiencing its numbing effect. I don’t see how people could drink it all the time. Tastes pretty gross, but it does feel kind of nice. Haha, no worries, its not an illegal drug or anything. Apparently they sell it in tea form at GNC’s in America. I guess it’s just not very popular in the states or really expensive. The lava fields were pretty cool, but no way did they top the other sites. Lo Lani dropped us back off at Tanu Beach as we exchanged thanks and goodbyes once again, not knowing if we were going to see him again.
Our first stop was the rainforest. I was excited! I’ve never been to a rainforest before. We took a short two mile hike through farm and up to the top of this canyon. Lo Lani went with us, pointing out various landmarks like the wharf in the distance and cool plants and geckos. After the rainforest, we headed to the blow holes. I had no idea what to expect as far as these go, but it sounded pretty neat! The blowholes are located a little over the halfway mark on the southern part of Savaii. Just before approaching their landmark, we asked our driver to pull over to the side for pictures. Just over the cliffs was one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen. Waves, real massive, perfect swell! Just like the movies. The waves were huge and breaking ever so gently. I could see the green room eager for a surfer to step into. Definitely not a beginner like me, perhaps the dude back at the wharf! I wish DLo and Jarrod were here. I know they would go for sure!
We next approached the blowholes! They were awesome! These huge holes in the hardened magma that would push water over 100m into the air as waves broke underneath the surface. Lo Lani told us to try to find a coconut to throw in the blowhole and we did. It was sweet as! The fruit shot nearly 200ft in the air! After the blow holes, we headed to a nearby swimming hole and waterfall. This was probably my most favorite stop of all. It was ten times better than any movie set. You could even climb up a nearby 35 foot ledge and jump off (of course we did and of course). Drops scare the heck out of me and I normally attack this by closing my eyes. Yeah, I wouldn’t suggest that! In turn, I landed “smackkk” on my side and bruised my whole upper right leg. Haha, I’m a retard. The falls were sweet though. We swam up to them and were able to climb the rock and enter the cave behind the waterfall. This is one of my favorite things to do, watch the rushing water crash down right in front of you.
After the falls and the bonding time we had with our driver, he asked if we would like to stop by his home and meet his 2 (lua) year old daughter and wife. Now this may not seem exciting to most, but these peoples lives are so interesting. Imagine permanently living in a completely open hut with no walls or privacy. Try and picture living without an oven, merely a stove top and a miniature refrigeration to keep meat preserved for a day or two. Also imagine always taking cold showers and sleeping under mosquito nets on the floor. We eagerly jumped on this opportunity and were excited that he wanted us to meet his family. We also used the opportunity to get some instruction on making kava, a very traditional male drink, usually prepared by the women of the village. Kava comes directly from roots in the ground and is ground into a sand-like gray powder. With that, you are to run it through a filter with running water. The product, a cloudy gray liquid is supposed to be scooped out and swallowed very quickly after a long day of work. It sends a numbness throughout your body and deeply relaxes you. We watched Lo Lani fix it and took it with us to our final destination, the lava fields. We finished out the pot of kava within no time and started experiencing its numbing effect. I don’t see how people could drink it all the time. Tastes pretty gross, but it does feel kind of nice. Haha, no worries, its not an illegal drug or anything. Apparently they sell it in tea form at GNC’s in America. I guess it’s just not very popular in the states or really expensive. The lava fields were pretty cool, but no way did they top the other sites. Lo Lani dropped us back off at Tanu Beach as we exchanged thanks and goodbyes once again, not knowing if we were going to see him again.
Day Seven (August 31st)
I crawled out of the fale this morning just before breakfast and took a stroll on the shore. It was silent and peaceful, as always. Almost every 24 hour day here is pretty quiet once you leave the busy life in Apia. The only sounds you hear are the honks from cars driving by (either saying hello or warning you that they are approaching for behind), the roosters caca-doodle-doodling, or the Samoans hollering a friendly hello from inside their fale. Another funky sound we hear at night is the gecko. Believe it or not, these little fellows are quite loud.
We ate our free breakfast consisting of 2 pieces of toast, with another two pieces combined forming a traditional American grilled cheese (yum), a slice of papaya (which smell bothers me), mango, coconut, and starfruit. Meals were important to load up on because lunch is not included. Since we have put ourselves on a tight budget, we have scavenged any way possible to get around paying tala at lunch hour. In fact as I have done the past two days, a Snickers bar and a piece of fruit has done the job. Lets see its got your calcium, protein, carbs, etc. Haha, I would just rather eat something I know is from America because I am honestly tired of gulping Pepto Bismol after every meal.
After breaky, we showered and scattered off to church. Sunday in Samoa is traditionally a day of rest. Villagers attend mass at 8am-9am (depending on their ministry) and head back to their homes for a large family meal. Shops and markets do not open till the evenings, if even at all. Church was an experience, even though we showed up a little late. The ceremony was conducted in Samoan, but they did have an English translator reciting verses. It was hard to understand at points, but definitely cool comparing it to services I have been to. Women were dressed in all white and work matching hats with veils and ribbon. When researching what to pack for Samoa, they did mention a white garment for Sunday, so luckily I did bring one to wear over my dress. We didn’t realized till afterwards however that it is forbidden for a woman to have bare shoulders and Kristi has worn a tube top dress. Whatever, how were we to know? Whoops!
After church, we took an hour trek up the road to swim with the turtles. Again, you follow beaten up signs down a dirt road with charging pigs (haha) to the head of the village fales and pay the standard five tala. We followed the locals’ directions and headed across handmade bridges. It is an ‘escort-yourself’ service fee, but once you pay you basically can do whatever you’d like on their property. As a matter of fact, I don’t even think they would care if you went skinny dipping with the turtles. I’m not saying I did, come on now! Haha. When we walked out into the natural reservoir, there was very little movement or signs of these ‘so called’ turtles. This didn’t last long, however. Almost instantly after stepping into the waist high pond with an apple in hand, they seemed to pop up everywhere. These turtles were pretty dang big! Dan and Kristi picked them up by their shells as I took pictures, but of course I was slow at making the approach. Those little rascals aren’t as slow as you think once they know they are being chases. I finally grabbed a hold of one but definitely underestimated its size from above because I could barely lift the thing.
We spent about a half an hour with the turtles and then headed back to Tanu. When we arrived back it was still early so we decided to do what the old men do and relax by making jungle juice or a similar concoction with Absolut Mango from the duty free store, pineapple-orange juice, and Sprite. We borrowed a bowl from the kitchen, stirred, and dished out cocktails. As if those drinks weren’t enough, we cleaned the bowl and made some kava. Afternoon activities consisted of a nice little walk up the beach, collecting shells and treasures. I’d say it was a lovely restful Sunday after all!
We ate our free breakfast consisting of 2 pieces of toast, with another two pieces combined forming a traditional American grilled cheese (yum), a slice of papaya (which smell bothers me), mango, coconut, and starfruit. Meals were important to load up on because lunch is not included. Since we have put ourselves on a tight budget, we have scavenged any way possible to get around paying tala at lunch hour. In fact as I have done the past two days, a Snickers bar and a piece of fruit has done the job. Lets see its got your calcium, protein, carbs, etc. Haha, I would just rather eat something I know is from America because I am honestly tired of gulping Pepto Bismol after every meal.
After breaky, we showered and scattered off to church. Sunday in Samoa is traditionally a day of rest. Villagers attend mass at 8am-9am (depending on their ministry) and head back to their homes for a large family meal. Shops and markets do not open till the evenings, if even at all. Church was an experience, even though we showed up a little late. The ceremony was conducted in Samoan, but they did have an English translator reciting verses. It was hard to understand at points, but definitely cool comparing it to services I have been to. Women were dressed in all white and work matching hats with veils and ribbon. When researching what to pack for Samoa, they did mention a white garment for Sunday, so luckily I did bring one to wear over my dress. We didn’t realized till afterwards however that it is forbidden for a woman to have bare shoulders and Kristi has worn a tube top dress. Whatever, how were we to know? Whoops!
After church, we took an hour trek up the road to swim with the turtles. Again, you follow beaten up signs down a dirt road with charging pigs (haha) to the head of the village fales and pay the standard five tala. We followed the locals’ directions and headed across handmade bridges. It is an ‘escort-yourself’ service fee, but once you pay you basically can do whatever you’d like on their property. As a matter of fact, I don’t even think they would care if you went skinny dipping with the turtles. I’m not saying I did, come on now! Haha. When we walked out into the natural reservoir, there was very little movement or signs of these ‘so called’ turtles. This didn’t last long, however. Almost instantly after stepping into the waist high pond with an apple in hand, they seemed to pop up everywhere. These turtles were pretty dang big! Dan and Kristi picked them up by their shells as I took pictures, but of course I was slow at making the approach. Those little rascals aren’t as slow as you think once they know they are being chases. I finally grabbed a hold of one but definitely underestimated its size from above because I could barely lift the thing.
We spent about a half an hour with the turtles and then headed back to Tanu. When we arrived back it was still early so we decided to do what the old men do and relax by making jungle juice or a similar concoction with Absolut Mango from the duty free store, pineapple-orange juice, and Sprite. We borrowed a bowl from the kitchen, stirred, and dished out cocktails. As if those drinks weren’t enough, we cleaned the bowl and made some kava. Afternoon activities consisted of a nice little walk up the beach, collecting shells and treasures. I’d say it was a lovely restful Sunday after all!
Day Eight (September 1st)
The next day we woke up and followed the regular breakfast routine, gathered our belongings, and headed to the main office to take care of our tab. After the girl behind the counter spent ages calculating our tab, we slapped our credit/debit cards on the counter for the swipe. Who would have known they don’t accept card payment of any type for payments that could easily top the hundreds. Nervously, we scrambled up all the tala we had and threw it down… $305.20. Not quite the $460 or so we needed. We stood there dumbfounded for about two minutes until finally one of the villagers said he was heading into town in about an hour anyways in an hour and he could drop us off at the ATM and later onto the ferry. Phew! “Fa Fa Ti (Thank You). That sounds wonderful I replied.” It actually worked out for the best! This transportation meant we didn’t have to pay for a taxi ride to the wharf. The Tanu beach employee dropped by the ATM machine in town and unloaded us at the ferry station. We paid the man and decided to head up the road for some grub because we were starving. We found a local market a few kilometers up the road and took turns guarding our luggage as the others rummaged about the store to find some appetizing snacks. All of a sudden I hear a beep and an familiar voice. “Kristi... Kristi?” Who would have known? It was Lo Lani, our cab driver friend from a couple days earlier! He asked us how the rest of our trip has been going and what our next plans were. We explained to him that we were heading out on the 2pm ferry back to Upolu and were unsure of our next step, in regards to where we planned on staying and what we were going to be doing. He nodded his head for a moment and then quickly began typing numbers into his cell phone. I had thought maybe he had forgotten about a taxi appointment or something he had to do that day which would explain this random outgoing call, so Kristi, Dan, and I started discussing what we wanted to do next. About one minute later, Lo Lani broke up our conversation to announce that we could stay with his family in Apia!
I thought to myself… His family?! This ridiculous; but how cool would that be! I looked over at Dan and Kristi and noticed that all of us were carrying glowing smiles upon our faces. “That would be awesome!” Dan replied. And within seconds, we began loading our bags into the car. Lo Lani dropped us back off at the ferry and instructed us to meet up with his brother as soon as we arrived off the ferry in Upolu and explained that he would drive us to his sister’s work in Apia. I was kind of confused about how everything was flattening out, but I was used to the unpredictableness of this country and just decided to ‘smile and nod,’ knowing that things would work out fine.
The ocean was choppy and the ferry bounced around quite a bit, but we still managed to make it over to the mother island in an hour and a half. Just as Lolani said, his brother was waiting for us on the other side with a hand to assist us with our bags. We hopped in the hatchback vehicle and were on the move AGAIN. On the way to their sisters work, we stopped by their other siblings lava lava shop as he showed us around. I really didn’t have much casual money to spend, but Kristi and I did split the cost of ¼ yard of a cool material to make headbands out of. When we arrived in the city, Lo Lani’s brother lead us into modernized corner café and introduced us to his sister Tex. Tex pretty young, about 23 and was wearing a black ruffly dress, that still didn’t seem to cover her developing pregnant belly. Haha. I’m not very good with predicting this kind of stuff, but it was pretty obvious. She was also absurdly nice and offered us any sort of drink on the menu. As we sipped on our fruit smoothies and Vailimas on the patio, we discussed our excitement. We were jumping into things with no expectations or plans and it was awesome! After Tex got off work, we walked back through the familiar town of Apia to their home. I was shocked that their fale was located directly behind the bar strip that we had attended on our first night! Here we were being invited to stay in a local family’s household, watch tv, sleep on the floor, and eat meals with a true Samoan family. What better way to experience the Samoan lifestyle. Before we walked in, we slipped off our shoes outside the door. We were introduced to their mother, father, Tex’s husband, and her adorable two children who were two and 6 months of age. Her mum gave us the tour and showed us to the room in which we would be staying for the night. We dropped our stuff and took seats on the floor as we went listened music and got to know the family. Lola, the two year old, entertained us with her dancing/flying skills. She was so funny. I was still in shock of the opportunity we had swallowed ourselves in. This was so cool! Later that night we grabbed a Hawaiian pizza around the corner and shuffled to and from the bars with Tex and her husband later in the night.
I thought to myself… His family?! This ridiculous; but how cool would that be! I looked over at Dan and Kristi and noticed that all of us were carrying glowing smiles upon our faces. “That would be awesome!” Dan replied. And within seconds, we began loading our bags into the car. Lo Lani dropped us back off at the ferry and instructed us to meet up with his brother as soon as we arrived off the ferry in Upolu and explained that he would drive us to his sister’s work in Apia. I was kind of confused about how everything was flattening out, but I was used to the unpredictableness of this country and just decided to ‘smile and nod,’ knowing that things would work out fine.
The ocean was choppy and the ferry bounced around quite a bit, but we still managed to make it over to the mother island in an hour and a half. Just as Lolani said, his brother was waiting for us on the other side with a hand to assist us with our bags. We hopped in the hatchback vehicle and were on the move AGAIN. On the way to their sisters work, we stopped by their other siblings lava lava shop as he showed us around. I really didn’t have much casual money to spend, but Kristi and I did split the cost of ¼ yard of a cool material to make headbands out of. When we arrived in the city, Lo Lani’s brother lead us into modernized corner café and introduced us to his sister Tex. Tex pretty young, about 23 and was wearing a black ruffly dress, that still didn’t seem to cover her developing pregnant belly. Haha. I’m not very good with predicting this kind of stuff, but it was pretty obvious. She was also absurdly nice and offered us any sort of drink on the menu. As we sipped on our fruit smoothies and Vailimas on the patio, we discussed our excitement. We were jumping into things with no expectations or plans and it was awesome! After Tex got off work, we walked back through the familiar town of Apia to their home. I was shocked that their fale was located directly behind the bar strip that we had attended on our first night! Here we were being invited to stay in a local family’s household, watch tv, sleep on the floor, and eat meals with a true Samoan family. What better way to experience the Samoan lifestyle. Before we walked in, we slipped off our shoes outside the door. We were introduced to their mother, father, Tex’s husband, and her adorable two children who were two and 6 months of age. Her mum gave us the tour and showed us to the room in which we would be staying for the night. We dropped our stuff and took seats on the floor as we went listened music and got to know the family. Lola, the two year old, entertained us with her dancing/flying skills. She was so funny. I was still in shock of the opportunity we had swallowed ourselves in. This was so cool! Later that night we grabbed a Hawaiian pizza around the corner and shuffled to and from the bars with Tex and her husband later in the night.
Day Nine (September 2nd)
We woke up to sounds of Samoa. The roosters yodeling from yards, Tex and her husband getting ready for work, and Lola’s footsteps in the other room. It was nice! No longer did I feel like a tourist/vacationer. We were experiencing everything with this family. We were sleeping on the floor under mosquito nets, eating meals with one set of silverware to share amongst the table, bathing in cold showers, and entertaining the neighborhood kids with our unfamiliar language and accents.
We spent the day roaming about Apia for the final time, exploring about the annual flower festival that took place on the green. Here there were rows of tents set up, with traditional tattooists, wood carvers, painters, florists, and street vendors. One of our major intentions for the day was to find a gift to show our appreciation to Lo Lani’s family. We wandered about the back part of the city and stopped off at a stationary shop to pick up a card and decided that a bouquet of flowers would fit accordingly. We asked a local store owner where we could find a flower shop and he pointed us to another main market down the way. This one was much cooler than the other one we had been too because it was less of a tourist seen and much more lively. There were stands with heaps of fruit, vegetables, flowers, bottle cooking oils filling awnings. Old men filled up corners positioning themselves around 3 foot bowls of kava. I could hear the wood slaps of domino and checker pieces colliding with the game tables. Aromas of and smoke from fryers swarmed the air. School children gathered around the food stands dishing out tala for refill glasses of their favorite soft drinks. This is where the life was. This was their culture. It was cool as! A local townswoman whipped up a beautiful bouquet of flowers for us for in less than three minutes and as we continued to soak up the energy surrounding us and then we were off again. This time, towards home.
We spent the rest of the day hanging out with the Lo Lani’s family. We watched TV, played with the children, and carried on conversations, intrigued with each other’s lives. We had dinner for the last time (another curry/rice meal), taking our shifts at the table, and then went for a walk around the harbor with Tex, her husband, and some of the local kids. It was another gorgeous night here in Samoa. I didn’t want to leave. Seems to be that way wherever I go! We were just getting accustomed too. It was time to leave this lovely place though. When we returned from our walk, we said our goodbyes and took a group photo. Lo Lani’s father ended up driving us to the airport to catch our one a.m. flight. I guess this marks the final leg of my journey in Samoa. I don’t think I could have had a more INCREDIBLE break! We met so many wonderful, interesting people, and you couldn’t offer me one million dollars to take back any of the experiences! I’m serious! Tofa Samoa!
We spent the day roaming about Apia for the final time, exploring about the annual flower festival that took place on the green. Here there were rows of tents set up, with traditional tattooists, wood carvers, painters, florists, and street vendors. One of our major intentions for the day was to find a gift to show our appreciation to Lo Lani’s family. We wandered about the back part of the city and stopped off at a stationary shop to pick up a card and decided that a bouquet of flowers would fit accordingly. We asked a local store owner where we could find a flower shop and he pointed us to another main market down the way. This one was much cooler than the other one we had been too because it was less of a tourist seen and much more lively. There were stands with heaps of fruit, vegetables, flowers, bottle cooking oils filling awnings. Old men filled up corners positioning themselves around 3 foot bowls of kava. I could hear the wood slaps of domino and checker pieces colliding with the game tables. Aromas of and smoke from fryers swarmed the air. School children gathered around the food stands dishing out tala for refill glasses of their favorite soft drinks. This is where the life was. This was their culture. It was cool as! A local townswoman whipped up a beautiful bouquet of flowers for us for in less than three minutes and as we continued to soak up the energy surrounding us and then we were off again. This time, towards home.
We spent the rest of the day hanging out with the Lo Lani’s family. We watched TV, played with the children, and carried on conversations, intrigued with each other’s lives. We had dinner for the last time (another curry/rice meal), taking our shifts at the table, and then went for a walk around the harbor with Tex, her husband, and some of the local kids. It was another gorgeous night here in Samoa. I didn’t want to leave. Seems to be that way wherever I go! We were just getting accustomed too. It was time to leave this lovely place though. When we returned from our walk, we said our goodbyes and took a group photo. Lo Lani’s father ended up driving us to the airport to catch our one a.m. flight. I guess this marks the final leg of my journey in Samoa. I don’t think I could have had a more INCREDIBLE break! We met so many wonderful, interesting people, and you couldn’t offer me one million dollars to take back any of the experiences! I’m serious! Tofa Samoa!
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