Day 1 November 22nd
My time in Auckland was fine, I slept decently at the airport (can't say the same for the Christchurch airport, bastards...). Got up around 4am to be down and in line for 5am, which seems like it would be alright, but then you must remember that everybody else is also going to be there two hours before, and it really doesn't help when you're standing in the wrong queue. In my defence, the day previous the Airport Information guy had told me to stand in that particular queue. But all is well that ends well. I had to book it to the gate, sans breakfast or an opportunity to buy a camera charger, but I made it in time to exchange a bit of currency and buy a sandwhich before boarding the plane, of which I was one of about four super white people.
There was only one other guy in my row of seats, a Samoan guy, Paulo was his name, who pretty much offered me a place to stay before we got off the ground; I've heard about how legendary Samoan hospitality is, but really? Awesome! He's a pastor in one of the villages inbetween the airport and Apia. We chatted a bit, though I slept for a majority of the flight. And then we were there!
I was all smiles disembarking the aircraft: I made it to the South Pacific! Woot Woot! (It always kinda seemed like something older, more established people do). I cleared customs and claimed my bag, said goodbye to Paulo as I had arranged to meet somebody from Couchsurfing already though I hoped to get in touch and do a homestay, and headed out into the heat (sidenote: I was wearing my Canadian rugby jersey, yoga pants, and my runners...it was supposed to be raining) to hop on a local bus, bogged down with all my crap, politely declining the multitudes of "You need a taxi?". It just so happened that the bus was pulling up as I got there, which is fortunate because, well, Samoa is an island, and according to Lonely Planet, it's quite comfortable running on island time, so I could have waited for a long time for the next one. I hopped on and the locals made room for me, Dude, and Little Dude (my packs).
The local bus is such an experience! First of all it's like a wooden school bus with out galss in the windows and they BLAST redone-in-polynesian-songs! Everybody was staring at me, obviously as I'm kind of alien like to them, the little kids on the bus, giving me smiles and laughing with me. A fellow, hilariously named Paradise (seriously!), started chatting me up and asked me if I was married and if I wanted a Samoan boyfriend or husband! hahaha! Even just walking down the street I get smiles and "Hello!"s. It's a bit bizarre, and all I can do is laugh.
I got into town, to the bus station/flea market and was super confused and disoriented. I was supposed to go to the Clocktower for 2pm to meet Calixto, so I just hopped on another bus that the locals assured would get me to my destination (turns out I probably could've just walked to it). I ended up getting off by the police station and then grabbing a taxi to the Tourist Information Center so I could take a breather, figuratively and literally speaking; it had air conditioning, bless it's little inanimate soul, and I have never experienced heat/humidity quite like that before.
The girl at the desk was pretty concerned that I didn't know where I was staying that night (still to be confirmed for sure if I could stay with Calixto's host), so she kindly let me leave my bag there whilst I went to the clocktower to meet Cali. I stopped in at a supermarket, maybe one of the only ones in Apia, so therefore the country, for a "refridgerated" Coke (thankfully the bars have operating coolers) and an icecream, before continuing to the corner to wait for Cali. I felt a bit pressured, maybe it was the heat, so I bought a lava-lava, or basically a cotton sheet with tropical floral design on it, for WST$10 (Western Samoan Tala), which was fine because I knew I would want one anyways as it's still pretty traditional in the villages for women to be covered up. Men also wear them too. Anywho, so I waited, then Cali rode up on a bike, thinking he was late, though because my iPhone was still set to NZ time, I thought he was early. He confirmed that yes, I could stay with his host tonight, but that we were supposed to wait for a German Couchsurfer. So we did, and we did...and we did. I got a Samoan SIM card in the meantime as Cali had said it was worth it, which I'd say it was. This girl didn't show up though, so we said screw it, I went and got my bag, and I took a taxi to Supy's, where we chilled out, then we went to a bar and met up with Supy and his friends Blakey and Troy. They were all very nice people, we had a good time enjoying the local brew, Vailima, over some good conversation. Supy and Blakey are in their third and final year with the Peace Corps, an American volunteer organization, and Troy is 4 months into his 1 year stay in Samoa with an Australian NGO. We hopped bars to a newly opened one, enjoyed the sunset and played chicken with the rain. During one of the forays inside, I met Tony and Catherine, a kiwi couple contracted by the Samoan Finance department for 4 months. They had ordered a huge platter of battered fish, fresh tuna I think it was, and kindly shared with us as we exchanged stories. As everything closed at 12, we headed home shortly after, but not before getting some drunk Micky D's, which I can assure you, even in a developing country, still tastes the same as it does back home. I PTFO'd, unfortunately not before I was able to get the mosquito net untangled, waking up in the middle of the night with a bad tummy to the sound of a terrential downpour....man when it rains in Samoa, it POURS!
November 23: Woke up with a million little red bites from mysterious and unknown critter, took bus to Matautu, almost didn't get to, but snorkelled and saw giant clams (they really are giant), stayed at Jenny's, had an interesting supper of hot dogs, bread, salad w/watercress, potatoes, all girls slept in one room, boys in the other as per Samoan tradition.November 24: Did Waterfall Hike at Jane and Olsen's, adventure as no safety ropes, warm rain, refreshing water to swim in that got cooler the farther upstream we went, fresh coconut+banana+pinapple=yum!, jumping off waterfalls, feet cramped up about 3 times, I pansied out of the bigger waterfalls and jumps, but so did Cali, so it was okay.
November 25: Stayed in Apia, went to help volunteer at sports complex, but arrived too late, picked up some garbage instead and then enjoyed a delicous orange snowcone, met Juanita. Went to Fiesta later that night, got reasonably drunk, home and sleeping in a hammock by about 11:30/12am.
November 26: Rented car and drove to Lalomanu beach, did Piula Cave Pools on the way, Cali was unsure if we should pay for two nights, so we just booked one (silly man), was surprised in a bad way to see we shared a matress, but it worked out, he was a gentleman, met part of the crew ie. Michelle, Josh, Rob and Rachelle, then Sonja and Axel (all excellent people). Fia fia night. Some good looking Polynesian boys.
November 27: Did To Sua Ocean trench, stayed Lalomanu Beach. Took Michelle, Josh, and Katherine with us, met Ben With a Pen, enjoyed some drinks, watched the Kiwi school group do their cultural performance, the middle 3 school boys were especially into it.
November 28: Did a Turtle Cruise to Lamau Island, saw one on the way out to the island, snorkelled and saw some amazingly beautiful sea life and coral, lost camera in the reef :(, sunburned back, hiked the hill, very muddy and not worth it, slipped on the way down and got dirty.
November 29: Took the ferry to Savai'i, chatted with Rob, used tarp, rogue wave splashed Michelle, stayed at Tanu Beach Fales, Peter the taxi driver: super nice guy, amazing stars and moon out, free bananas, free coconut upon arrival, self serve at the store; honesty system, staff played Polynesian tunes and sung well into the night.
November 30: Hung out on the beach, went for a walk, sunburned my legs and stomach...so I matched all over?, ate at the fale place next door, which took forever, green salad=red cabbage and some carrots...?, that night I sang and played the guitar, was nervous, didn't sound my best, but they liked it anyway. The Samoans are so happy and funny.
December 1: Peter drove us around Savai'i. Stopped at Canopy Forest, Lover's Leap: saw a shark and turtles swimming, Afago Blow holes: tried and failed several times to get a coconut to shoot up, Afa'a Afa waterfall: authentic jungle vine swing, refreshing dip, a VERY large shrimp, then back to Saleopologo: market, bought cocao beans and souvenirs. Fia fia night at Tanu, then dance, then beach party and midnight dip in the sea.
December 2: Got up around 6 am and took some amazing photos of the sunrise, also some artsy ones. Packed up after breakfast, and took local bus to ferry. Cute kids selling banana chips. I bought some, and juice, and a fan. Ferry back to Upolu, got a ride to Supy's from some randoms. Spent a couple hours at Supy's, then partied with Juanita and her sister.
December 3: Up around 7:30, into town to get a Vailima tshirt, then back 'home' to Supy's to shower and pack and get a shuttle at Aggie Gray's Hotel to the airport. Had to have proof of onward ticket out of NZ, trouble connecting to the internet, thought I might miss my flight, but got it all figured out, refreshing coconut afterwards... they're always refreshing! Sorted Little Dude while waited to board. Good bye Samoa...I never will for-ge-et you...
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