Talofa Samoa!

From Christchurch we flew over Auckland in the South Seas, Samoa not. Samoa consists of several islands, the two largest are Upolu and Savaii. Wir landeten in Fitiuta (auf Upolu), 40.000 Inhabitants, the largest city and also the capital of Samoa. When we got out of the air-conditioned plane blew us right moist, warm air around the nose. This high humidity, we were no longer used. At the airport we were greeted with typical South Seas sounds, a band played live next to baggage. A shuttle took us from the airport to one hours away Gästehaus Anivas. Here we spent the next two days and of course also looked at Apia. Apia but is not particularly beautiful, and therefore the South Seas feeling did not stand still with us a.
On Sunday we drove to the neighboring island, Savaii not. We had planned to take a bus to the ferry, but it was either gone or it drove none at all. Sunday is a day of rest namely for the Samoans and all shops are closed. The majority of Samoans are Christians and go Sunday morning in their best clothes to church. There are countless churches in Samoa. As we sat in the taxi to the ferry, we saw the many people on the way to church, most dressed in white. The traditional garment is the Lava Lava, a large square piece of cloth, that is like a rock tied around the waist. Both women and men wear lava lavas. Sogar Polizisten tragen auf Samoa einen Rock 🙂
Over an hour took the ferry from Upolu to Savaii and then it went for us by bus further to Manase. The buses in Samoa are all painted in bright colors and always crowded. People often sit on the lap of the other passengers or just in transition. We were able to get a seat on the hard wooden benches and drove with loud music in the South Seas Style 1,5h until we at Regina’s Beach Fales arrived. We had a beach fale on the beach. Fales are simple open wooden huts with curtains made of woven palm leaves. There are the traditional houses of the Samoans.
Lina, the daughter of the owner, brought us to welcome fresh coconut and pineapple. For this, the view of the sea of ​​the Pacific right under our noses… was will man mehr? After cooling off in the sea, our dinner was served up. There were typical Samoan dishes such as breadfruit (tastes similar to potato), Taroblätter (such as spinach) filled with coconut cream and cooked in the oven, Pig from the Uomo (the traditional oven of hot stones) and freshly caught fish. It tasted delicious.
The waves at night were pretty loud, so we unfortunately could not sleep so well. For breakfast the next morning there was fresh fruit from the garden: Papaya, Guave, Kokosnüsse, Bananas…
In the water, rather close to the beach, you can watch turtles. They eat seaweed and there you see again and again, when they show up and stretch her head out of the water to breathe. On our arrival evening a fishing net was designed in the water, but unfortunately also a turtle has gone into the net. Fishermen have freed them to happiness and put them on the lawn to show them to us. Seppel has the turtle but again returned to the water. This morning, Lina wanted to take us back towards the ferry, because we wanted to rent a car near us there. We waited on the beach at them and saw, as again a turtle had caught in the web. Frankie, Lina's 13-year-old nephew, who spent his holidays here and just was bored, save immediately jumped into the water to the turtle. She had but unfortunately so much already caught, that he was not alone on the net. Therefore Seppel rushed to his aid and together they managed, to free the young turtle from the network.
In the afternoon we picked up our rental car and started the exploration of Savaii. In the car rental we have seen the first Fafafine. Fafafine are men, who like to be women, therefore dress like women, their faces painted and behave Female. Although Samoa is very Catholic, Fafafine are accepted here by the Company. For us it was a bit strange but a “Woman” seen with stubble.
Since the island is not so big, they can be relaxed drive around in two days and look at all the sights in peace. We stopped Afu Aau Waterfall at first and then we drove on Mu Pagoa waterfall past. Unfortunately we have not found the way to Mu Pagoa waterfall, but also by a small bridge we had a good view from the top of the waterfall and the river, bathed in the cows and humans. Is so special about the Mu Pagoa waterfall, dass you directly ins Meer felled. Everywhere us the locals waved and very friendly welcome. We actually drove around waving all the time. Imagine the times in Germany… people would think, wir sind nicht ganz normal 😉
Next we came to the Alofaaga Blowholes. Here the sea water sprayed through crevices up to 30m in height. A friendly Samoan has thrown together with Seppel coconut shells in the holes, were then centrifuged by the pressure of the waves in the air. But before she evokes the waves, so that they are extra large and Seppel is particularly wet. That was quite funny to watch. In the late afternoon we arrived at the Satuiatua Beach Resort and rented there for a night, a fale on the beach. After breakfast the next day we went a round of snorkeling and then continued our exploration of the island. By palm tree woods and jungle we drove along the coast past small villages and beautiful, secluded beaches. Our next destination was Mount Matavanu crater. We had extra rented a four-wheel car, because you can not drive right up to the crater with a normal car. First, the road led through a village, then it went through a kind of dirt road through extensive gardens, past cows, over boulders and stone slopes to the lodge of the so-called crater man “Da Craterman”. We needed four attempts to reach the hut, since that last piece of road was quite slippery by the rain of recent days. But eventually we made it but then. The crater husband lives here with his dog ca. 2h walk from the village alone between plantations and gardens. Since it is not so often lost tourists here (were the last week and a half ago here) he was pleased with our visit and expressed the same to me first a kiss on the cheek. He told us, that he is supplied with its own garden, Collects rainwater and every Saturday night to the village runs to Sunday morning to go to church. In the evening he then runs back. First we thought, that it is not far more to the crater, but there were still almost 3km long way to go. The road became steeper and the large lava stones, Holes and the wet grass made the drive up to the crater is not easily. Two times we almost did not get further, but with several attempts we managed to almost all the way up. Seppel has made driving a lot of fun, I had sometimes been a little afraid. 500m before the finish we had the car but then leave and walk the rest on foot, since we do not progressed. “Da Craterman” has set up along the way many wooden signs with entries from his book, also consisting of Germany and Switzerland. After a Fußmarch in flip flops on a slippery forest path we finally arrived at the giant crater. It is completely overgrown with forest and big trees and we were right on the edge of the nearly vertical drop of the crater wall. The way back down towards the village was much easier and we got on well again at Regina's Beach Fales. Here is the birthday celebration of Lina's 81 years old father was already in full swing. We should also take the same place at the big table and serve us at the buffet. After a lot of food and even more birthday cake the dance floor was opened and Lina's niece led a traditional Samoan dance on. Also they brought us in the special dance moves and everyone was dancing with.
Before breakfast the next morning showed us Lina her parents' house, the garden and the open kitchen with oven Uomo. Small piglets and chickens were running back and forth through the garden. Even a one-legged chicken, we have seen. Lina explained to us the different fruits and how they are used in the Samoan cuisine. After that we went along with her nephew Frankie and Randy on family plantation. There they build among other pineapple, Papaya, Bananas, Brotfrucht, Samoan peanuts (with red bowl) und Kakao. They also harvested fresh coconuts for us and showed us how to peel and then opens with a big knife. Fresh coconuts are so delicious! Lina also how to weave the curtains for the Fales made of palm leaves and I tried it actually even told us of.
After over 2 hours on the plantation we got our well deserved breakfast and then we jumped first into the sea. In the late afternoon, after we had returned the rental car, then we tried a traditional canoe from somoanisches.
The next day we drove back to Upolu. On the way to the ferry we made a stopover at the Saleaula lava fields. The volcano Mt. Matavanu broke out in 1905 and the lava flowed for 6 years and destroyed on the way to the coast several villages. Today, a road leads across the lava.
We arrived in the evening at 7 o'clock against in Apia at Aniva, because this time we caught the slow ferry and taxi drivers in Samoa are extremely slow road.
For the next 3 days we were planning the exploration of Upolu and therefore rented a car again. Along a narrow and winding road we headed towards Fagaloa Bay, where we wanted to stay. While on the road map, a fortified road was drawn, the road became worse and finally ended at the end of a village. So we had to turn back and make a detour to go to the Fagaloa Bay. At the Fagaloa Bay we stayed again in a Fale. The Akoi Beach Fales are but quite far from the nearest village and we were the only ones who stayed there. In the evening brought us Tino dinner over and we have been telling us a little bit with Lui. Lui has only one arm and came down the road angehumpelt to us. He told us, that he had a bad accident on the Sliding Rocks near Apia a few years ago. He was followed for 2 years in bed and had to learn to walk again. Every day he runs the route from the village to the Akoi Beach Fales to train. We were very shocked when he told us about his sad story, but he was happy with his life and happy about how everything had happened. His meinte, that God wanted to tell him something.
Since it started to rain heavily in the evening and swarmed by mosquitoes even as, we had a pretty restless night. In the morning, picked us up and took us Tino to his home. His wife had already prepared our breakfast there. After that we made our first on the way to the Piula Cave pools and then we wanted to meet at To Sua Trench with Lina. To Sua Trench is a kind of lagoon. An extremely steep staircase leads down to the crystal clear water. Since it was raining a little, we had the whole lagoon to ourselves. Later still came to Lina and we drove over Lalomanu, on the southeast tip of the island, to Lina's relationship. Lina's niece Edaly lives with her husband and seven children in a lovely little house, near a lake. They had just slaughtered a cow in the afternoon and Edaly brewed a super delicious dinner for us with fresh meat, Kochbananen, Brotfrucht, Noodles and fresh coconut. Then we wanted to go even to a small shop to buy water. Sorry, but we did not get far. As soon as we were on the road, came a car on the middle of the road opposite and drove further and further over on our side of the street. Seppel already drove as far as possible to the left, but the other car crashed into our right side and just drove on. Luckily no one has something happened in our car. We turned around immediately and drove the 100m back to Edaly's house. Her husband jumped into the car and drove to find the other car with Seppel the street. 2km further was the cause of accidents with a broken tire on the roadside. He was pretty drunk and also had several people in the car. Since no one had a phone with me, came Seppel and Edaly's brother back, and we called the police. After over an hour finally arrived 3 policemen and took our statements on. Then she wanted to go to the cause of accidents and arrest him. The next morning we should get to the police after Lalomanu to get the police report. Here we learned, that they had not arrested him, he should sleep it off! The Samoan police is really incredible. Especially since they had not even checked our identity and also made no alcohol test at the other. Since our car was quite damaged, we brought it right on Sunday afternoon back to Apia. According lease but we had to pay a deductible of converted 1000 EUR.
The last 5 days we wanted to spend a relaxed and drove to the Le Vasa Resort. From there, we tried repeatedly to call the police, because we wanted our money back. We also went to the Central Police Station in Apia and met Matiu, the cause of accidents. Although he works as a teacher at the National University, but apparently not enough money to pay for the damage. Matiu has also not even apologized to us. The police have told us, that they are not responsible for financial matters, but has not yet given us a few tips on what we could do. After many more calls and emails we have received a message from the lawyer of Matiu. He was willing to pay for the damage and we signed a contract to, in which he promised to pay off the cost in installments. The financial part although we had clarified, but we still wanted, Matiu that still gets an appropriate punishment by the police. For we have heard, that happen in Samoa repeatedly accidents due to drunk driving and the police do not mind. Therefore, we have informed the university and also want to contact the newspaper in Samoa. Maybe we can use it to still make a difference.
After all the trouble we were looking forward to the Underwater World, because we had booked here also 4 dives. Our expectations were pretty high, but unfortunately it was under water not so lively and colorful. Maybe it was because, that we were already at the best places to dive. The evenings we spent at Le Vasa Resort. Since we were almost the only guests to have Susan, Soraya and Natasha looked after especially dear to us.