Just an update before we depart Samoa.

We have had a wonderful time here in Samoa on Upolu - though disappointed we do not have enough time to sail to and explore Savaii the larger island.  However, the weather systems are telling us it is time to go.  The wx patterns are growing more intense as the cyclone season approaches.

Our first week in Samoa was full on with activities surrounding the Teuila Festival. At the festival ground we could view all Samoan traditional crafts being worked and displayed.  Carving or course, art done on siapo cloth (made from palm leaves) and tattoos with lots of jewelry and woven items for sale.  We purchased a beautifully carved spear/harpoon carved from iron wood.

Teuila is the red ginger flower which is so stunning and grows in profusion around the island and is the national flower of Samoa, hence the festival name.  We had a series of late nights attending the singing, dancing and fire dancing contests and then we had dinner at Aggie Greys fiafia night and the week celebrations ended with a full on day starting with the Fautasi boat race. These are long boats with 44 rower's, one helmsman and and a drummer.  After 8 miles over the course the two lead boats were neck and neck at the finish line - what excitement!  The singing and dancing here in Samoa is much different from the that of the French Polynesian islands.  The girls dance in their puletasi' the traditional dress and look most elegant as they are covered from neck to toe and their dancing looks almost Geisha like with slow hand movements and gliding foot steps.  While the guys do more Haka like movements and slap themselves in very choreographed movements to the drum beats.

When the boat race was over we watched the street parade with decorated floats for each of the Miss Samoa contestants.  The floats were works of art and were decorated with mostly all natural products shells, platted palm leaves, fresh flowers etc, though one float did have a lot of painted material to form a turtle throne for the contestant.  The police band marched and looked fantastic in their lava lava uniforms.

The parade ended up at the government buildings where the winners of the weeks' competitions were announced.  Then we had a break for lunch and time for some shopping before it was time to go to the evening venue to see the choosing of Miss Samoa.  It was a long evening, which I really enjoyed as we saw and learned lots of traditional features in the girl's presentations.  We both chose the winning contestant early in the evening so were glad when she was crowned.

Once the festival was over we had time to arrange some tourist activities.  We did 2 taxi tours visiting both sides of the island which are quite different (somewhat like Hawaii). One side of Upolu is very volcanic and lush with traditional Samoan villages and food growing areas and the other has beautiful beaches where the tourist resorts are located so we are glad we saw both vistas. On one tour we stopped at a natural spring and swam into a cave and ducked under a pass to surface in a second cave.  All very refreshing and it was strange to be in fresh water surrounded by freshwater fish when we could see and hear the waves lapping on the beach.

We spent a day at the Robert Louis Stevenson museum.  His house has been restored and although there is not many original items remaining, the house is furnished in the style of the era and pieces were chosen to match those in original photographs.  From the house plateau it is about an hours walk up the ridge line to the crest of the hill where he is buried.  The Samoan's loved him so much they fulfilled his dying wish that he be buried on the hill above the house overlooking the harbour.  They spent a whole day cutting a path from the house and then they handed the coffin head over head till they reached the summit where he is interred in a concrete tomb.  Fanny his wife returned to America but when she died her ashes were returned to Samoa so they could be together.  Robert was only 44 when he died and was a prolific author - I think he wrote 44 books in the the 4 years he lived in Samoa.  He was a great activist for Samoa gaining their independence.  Unlike American Samoa, Samoa used to be called Western Samoa and was governed first by Germany then by NZ before they became independent and dropped the name Western so is now called Samoa.

The shopping around town has been wonderful.  Almost everything we needed has been obtained, but we had to search as the shopping district is a hotchpotch of traditional shops and supermarkets, open air produce and flee markets together with internet cafes and street stalls.  So we have done lots of walking but the shopping has been inexpensive compared to French Polynesia.

We have also taken part in a little slice of Samoan history as we were here for the road switch.  The traffic flow has changed from the US right side to the English/Aus left - so now we feel much more at home.  The organisation for this switch has been monumental and despite carnage being predicted the switch has gone smoothly with no accidents reported to date - though there has been a few near misses which the police deal with immediately as they are stationed at every major intersection around the island along with several first aiders.  As I aid the organisation for this road switch has been amazing.

We wrote a letter to the marina authority and got permission to have Hardy (our taxi driver) onboard for an evening (locals are not allowed into the marina).  So we had Panacea, Bert and Agnes from Sweden, Light Heart, Steve and Carolyn from the US and ourselves for a cultural exchange.  It was a lovely evening and we all learnt a lot.  Then Hardy brought his guitar out and sang some Samoan songs for us - what a treat!  Then we went to Sunday service at Hardy's church - we were the only Palangie and we didn't understand a word of the service (all in Samoan) but the singing was divine.

We are carrying out our final chores today and will depart tomorrow on this current weather front.  We plan to sail directly to Vanuatu, but if a storm front cops us we have forwarded our details so we can stop over in Fiji for a few days rest.  We shall leave exploring Fiji for another time.

Now you are up to date so I will get this on the ether. Best wishes from us both - Sue and Mike
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