Saturday, March 28, 2009
Gardening
After Christmas I managed to import back into Samoa (having been waved through the security check at the airport) 6 packets of seeds which I have been growing. We now have tomatoes, broccoli, thyme, basil, lettuce and celery. Adam has dutifully built me a raised garden and while I'm at work today he is dutifully shovelling sh*t (whoops I mean dirt!) through a sievve (to weed out the rocks, rubbish and bits of plastic pipe) into the garden. Very exciting. We had to have a load of dirt delivered as around the property it is very rocky and hard. Apparently the truck pulled up, they brough the biggest truck they could find for our little 1m3 of dirt so had to do a 3 point turn to get in the gate. The clowns then had fun backing around the house and dumped the dirt as close as possible without bowling over the clothes line! These guys are about to help out on one of Adam's bridge projects so now he is seriously wondering how the project is going to go!! Photos on flickr soon of our progress - once my email is back up and running. We had a power cut and it's still down.
Samoa Touch
WHOO HOO
My women's touch rugby team just won the tournament we have been playing in recently! Just goes to show that having a palagi on your team is not all bad - even if she does miss vital touches at times. I think I redeemed myself though with an intercept and a run half the length of the field then an offload to a team mate plus a run at the try line from the wing and a flick back into a team mate on the inside (pity that got called a touch pass as she was in). I am really enjoying this game and am learning heaps off our coach George. They are about to divide us up into the girls trialling for the team for the Mini Games in the Cook Islands in September and the rest of us. The Business House competition starts on the 13th April (hey that's Easter I'm not sure they realise this - bet it will get postponed for a week!) I hope someone is keen to have my little white legs play on their team. This game is certainly good for the fitness anyway...
My women's touch rugby team just won the tournament we have been playing in recently! Just goes to show that having a palagi on your team is not all bad - even if she does miss vital touches at times. I think I redeemed myself though with an intercept and a run half the length of the field then an offload to a team mate plus a run at the try line from the wing and a flick back into a team mate on the inside (pity that got called a touch pass as she was in). I am really enjoying this game and am learning heaps off our coach George. They are about to divide us up into the girls trialling for the team for the Mini Games in the Cook Islands in September and the rest of us. The Business House competition starts on the 13th April (hey that's Easter I'm not sure they realise this - bet it will get postponed for a week!) I hope someone is keen to have my little white legs play on their team. This game is certainly good for the fitness anyway...
The "Big" Island of Savaii
Today (Thursday 26th March) I went to Savaii on a mission to deliver 10 boxes of children’s books to a needy school. After having got up at 5.30am I was eventually picked up by the USP van and a couple of other colleagues who were coming to Savaii with me. They were late! But the drama unfolded. Someone left behind the tickets to get the van onto the ferry across to the “Big” island of Savaii. A mercy dash had to be made back to campus where they apparently proceeded to break into the administrator’s office using, in lieu of the keys, a kitchen knife! I’m glad I wasn’t an accomplice to that!
We drove out near the airport where the ferry goes from and pulled the van up at quarantine where we were meant to get the wheels washed to ensure no African Snails (a big pest) were imported into Savaii. We promptly got waved through, no washing took place, so, so much for quarantine regulations! What a hard job that guy has.
The 2 story ferry as an old but purposeful boat. All cars were parked underneath and passengers had to make their way upstairs to the seating area. We got going right on the dot of 8.00am (Palagi timing - impressive!) with the sun shining and the sea looking like glass (well almost). After pulling out of the shallow waters of Upolu we passed Manono Island and Apolima Island before cruising past the Tafua Peninsula and into the port of Salelologa, Savaii. Even though the water was glassy the boat had a distinctive sway about it so I spent the 1 ½ hour journey standing outside by the rail with the wind in my face.
Upon arriving at Salelologa we jumped back in the van and headed for the Public Library where I met the Librarian who shares her time between public and USP library services. Along the way we stopped at a bakery for some fresh loaves of bread, tinned spaghetti and spam and the essentials for a nice cup of tea. I was introduced to the USP Centre Office which is the main enrolments and support office for any USP students from Savaii. Ruby (my colleague who arranged and made this whole trip happen) has worked very hard to set up the Centre with furniture and computers of which one is connected to dial up internet. Don’t groan - it actually works better than my satellite broadband connection back on the main campus!!
After morning tea, where they tried to tell me I had to eat everything on the table in front of me (Samoan custom!), we headed off to the Sasa’ai Primary School with our 10 boxes of books to help them start up their school library. I met the principal and was delighted to see the children willing and eager to help carry the boxes of books upstairs to their library room. Upon entering the ‘library’ I noticed it was not much more than a small room with 2 shelving units, 1 of which was empty. There were piles of books on the floor but these were donated adult titles and not very appropriate for a primary school. I was pleased the books we were bringing were going to make a difference, help to start up a new school library and were suited to the ages of the children in the school.
Thankfully no one had given prior warning of our visit. I say thankfully as Samoan tradition also dictates that when gifts are received, you give something in return. This can be food or other presents. I would have been extremely embarrassed to have had an official ceremony and been presented with anything. I had to assure the principal not to feel bad that she didn’t know I was coming but to allow me to make the gift this time!
The children were great. Dressed in their bright orange shirts and cobat blue dresses and shorts they looked very smart. When invited to, they pounced on the books and promptly started to read them aloud. After the formalities, I had to make a speech (so I just told them where the books came from) the children sang their thank you (faafetai) song which had me grinning from ear to ear.
All in all it was a brilliant day. Savaii seemed fresher, newer and cleaner than Upolu. We drove by the newly opened food and craft market which looked very swish and I was shown where the new town centre is meant to be built, one day soon when someone has the money and the inkling to do it! The trip home on the boat was a bit rougher than in the morning but survived that OK propped up again by the railing with the wind in my face. I spotted some flying fish. I’m serious. I was not hallucinating! They would pop up out of the water and fly just above the surface for a fair distance before diving back under. I also thought I had spotted a turtle and proceeded to announce this to the strangers in the near vicinity, while frantically reaching for my camera, only to find it was just a bit of seaweed or something. I wondered why it kept its head up for so long.
So looking forward to taking Mum and Dad back to Savaii with more time to explore in 2 weeks time when they are over on holiday - providing Air New Zealand do not mess up our plans with their current scheduled strike action.
PS books were also donated to St Mary’s College and Solosolo Study Centre in Upolu. There were not enough to go round. I need more!
We drove out near the airport where the ferry goes from and pulled the van up at quarantine where we were meant to get the wheels washed to ensure no African Snails (a big pest) were imported into Savaii. We promptly got waved through, no washing took place, so, so much for quarantine regulations! What a hard job that guy has.
The 2 story ferry as an old but purposeful boat. All cars were parked underneath and passengers had to make their way upstairs to the seating area. We got going right on the dot of 8.00am (Palagi timing - impressive!) with the sun shining and the sea looking like glass (well almost). After pulling out of the shallow waters of Upolu we passed Manono Island and Apolima Island before cruising past the Tafua Peninsula and into the port of Salelologa, Savaii. Even though the water was glassy the boat had a distinctive sway about it so I spent the 1 ½ hour journey standing outside by the rail with the wind in my face.
Upon arriving at Salelologa we jumped back in the van and headed for the Public Library where I met the Librarian who shares her time between public and USP library services. Along the way we stopped at a bakery for some fresh loaves of bread, tinned spaghetti and spam and the essentials for a nice cup of tea. I was introduced to the USP Centre Office which is the main enrolments and support office for any USP students from Savaii. Ruby (my colleague who arranged and made this whole trip happen) has worked very hard to set up the Centre with furniture and computers of which one is connected to dial up internet. Don’t groan - it actually works better than my satellite broadband connection back on the main campus!!
After morning tea, where they tried to tell me I had to eat everything on the table in front of me (Samoan custom!), we headed off to the Sasa’ai Primary School with our 10 boxes of books to help them start up their school library. I met the principal and was delighted to see the children willing and eager to help carry the boxes of books upstairs to their library room. Upon entering the ‘library’ I noticed it was not much more than a small room with 2 shelving units, 1 of which was empty. There were piles of books on the floor but these were donated adult titles and not very appropriate for a primary school. I was pleased the books we were bringing were going to make a difference, help to start up a new school library and were suited to the ages of the children in the school.
Thankfully no one had given prior warning of our visit. I say thankfully as Samoan tradition also dictates that when gifts are received, you give something in return. This can be food or other presents. I would have been extremely embarrassed to have had an official ceremony and been presented with anything. I had to assure the principal not to feel bad that she didn’t know I was coming but to allow me to make the gift this time!
The children were great. Dressed in their bright orange shirts and cobat blue dresses and shorts they looked very smart. When invited to, they pounced on the books and promptly started to read them aloud. After the formalities, I had to make a speech (so I just told them where the books came from) the children sang their thank you (faafetai) song which had me grinning from ear to ear.
All in all it was a brilliant day. Savaii seemed fresher, newer and cleaner than Upolu. We drove by the newly opened food and craft market which looked very swish and I was shown where the new town centre is meant to be built, one day soon when someone has the money and the inkling to do it! The trip home on the boat was a bit rougher than in the morning but survived that OK propped up again by the railing with the wind in my face. I spotted some flying fish. I’m serious. I was not hallucinating! They would pop up out of the water and fly just above the surface for a fair distance before diving back under. I also thought I had spotted a turtle and proceeded to announce this to the strangers in the near vicinity, while frantically reaching for my camera, only to find it was just a bit of seaweed or something. I wondered why it kept its head up for so long.
So looking forward to taking Mum and Dad back to Savaii with more time to explore in 2 weeks time when they are over on holiday - providing Air New Zealand do not mess up our plans with their current scheduled strike action.
PS books were also donated to St Mary’s College and Solosolo Study Centre in Upolu. There were not enough to go round. I need more!
Friday, March 6, 2009
Snorkelling on YouTube
Talofa
Just wanted to point out that Adam has managed to finish loading some snorkelling videos up on YouTube for your viewing pleasure! Please see links to the Right or follow this link to see them all >http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=jackyz2004&aq=f
Just wanted to point out that Adam has managed to finish loading some snorkelling videos up on YouTube for your viewing pleasure! Please see links to the Right or follow this link to see them all >http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=jackyz2004&aq=f
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Sa'Moana Resort
We have just returned from a lovely relaxing long weekend at Sa'Moana resort on the southern coast of Upolu http://www.samoanaresort.com/ Yes very sorry to rub it in!! It was a great weekend and one of the best spots we have found in Samoa yet.
Firstly we were staying in "Frangipani 2" a fale with inbuilt toilet and fridge (for the Jack and Coke) and an outdoor shower surrounded by tropical garden and succlulents growing over the rocks. All quite private I can assure you and it's quite nice to have a shower outside when it's so hot. Saves that "steamy" feeling ;-)
We divided our time between lazing in the lounger chairs or swinging in the "air chair" hammock reading, snorkelling, swimming, practicing some rugby passing or eating and drinking!
The snorkelling was fabulous. Even compared to Lalomanu this place was pretty good. We saw some excellent fish and coral that we hadn't seen before. This was also a great spot for "Nemo's" as there were many anemonies around. There was a bit of a swell and a few waves washing over the reef at times which made staying still for photos difficult but still managed to get some good ones.
The pool also has to be mentioned. I've always wanted to swim in one of those pools where the water cascades over the edge and you look out to sea - and this weekend I got to! The pool was full of sea water and the view out to sea was magical. Aqua blue water .... You get the picture! I was fast not wanting to leave this place.
In addition to relaxing, Sa'Moana also has activities you can do to keep yourself amused. I saved up hiring the jet ski until next time and also you can go out fishing if you want to. Sunday's you can observe the preparation of the Umu and then eat it for dinner and the other good thing is they have local rates for those of us who live here!!
It was difficult to drag ourselves away and head home back over Cross Island Road. In comparison to the weather at the beach, which was brilliantly fine and sunny, we found it to be pouring down with rain at the top of the hill and torrents running down each side of the road. No matter though as by the time we reached Apia it was sunny again.
It was McDonalds 13th Birthday so as a treat (don't make a habit of going to the golden arches) we had a Happy Meal and gifted the toy to a passing Samoan child.
And when we drove down our street home we found that the house next door had burnt down in our absence!!!!! This was in the paper but with no clue as to what caused it but we missed 4-5 fire engines who turned up to put the fire out.
Firstly we were staying in "Frangipani 2" a fale with inbuilt toilet and fridge (for the Jack and Coke) and an outdoor shower surrounded by tropical garden and succlulents growing over the rocks. All quite private I can assure you and it's quite nice to have a shower outside when it's so hot. Saves that "steamy" feeling ;-)
We divided our time between lazing in the lounger chairs or swinging in the "air chair" hammock reading, snorkelling, swimming, practicing some rugby passing or eating and drinking!
The snorkelling was fabulous. Even compared to Lalomanu this place was pretty good. We saw some excellent fish and coral that we hadn't seen before. This was also a great spot for "Nemo's" as there were many anemonies around. There was a bit of a swell and a few waves washing over the reef at times which made staying still for photos difficult but still managed to get some good ones.
The pool also has to be mentioned. I've always wanted to swim in one of those pools where the water cascades over the edge and you look out to sea - and this weekend I got to! The pool was full of sea water and the view out to sea was magical. Aqua blue water .... You get the picture! I was fast not wanting to leave this place.
In addition to relaxing, Sa'Moana also has activities you can do to keep yourself amused. I saved up hiring the jet ski until next time and also you can go out fishing if you want to. Sunday's you can observe the preparation of the Umu and then eat it for dinner and the other good thing is they have local rates for those of us who live here!!
It was difficult to drag ourselves away and head home back over Cross Island Road. In comparison to the weather at the beach, which was brilliantly fine and sunny, we found it to be pouring down with rain at the top of the hill and torrents running down each side of the road. No matter though as by the time we reached Apia it was sunny again.
It was McDonalds 13th Birthday so as a treat (don't make a habit of going to the golden arches) we had a Happy Meal and gifted the toy to a passing Samoan child.
And when we drove down our street home we found that the house next door had burnt down in our absence!!!!! This was in the paper but with no clue as to what caused it but we missed 4-5 fire engines who turned up to put the fire out.
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