Actually the switch went OK. There were a lot of people predicting disastrous consequences and even some threats by those opposed to the switch to disrupt things, but in the end common sense prevailed and the changeover was fairly smooth.
Originally we had planned to stay off the roads completely and enjoy our 2 days of holiday chilling out at home, but as the countdown progressed there was a bit of a sense of excitement about the event. There was a surprising interest from overseas media with TVNZ, ABC, BBC, NY Times and various other media from all around the world covering the event. On Friday night before the switch all the TV stations (both of them!) were broadcasting programmes about the switch, how to prepare and what the procedures were for the actual time of the change at 6.00am Monday. After watching all of this there was a feeling that this was going to be a piece of history and we started to think that maybe we should walk up to the main road to watch the events. Then we decided that if we were going to be up and about at that time on Monday morning maybe we should be in our car and ‘be a part of history’!
Much to my surprise Angela was
Anyway, we headed out, driving on the right side of road and were surprised to see quite a few other cars on the road. The road was giving live coverage of events, but some it was in Samoan, so we could understand all of it. The headquarters were at the Fire Station on Beach Road, and all the dignitaries were there. Like all important events it started with a blessing and then speeches from the Prime Minister and others.
As we got closer to town it got busier and before we knew it we found ourselves at the clock tower roundabout, at 5.50 am just when they were making the announcement for everyone to stop driving and pull over. This was probably the most awkward place to try and change over – a roundabout on a four lane road with 5 or 6 approaches – but it was too late to do anything about it.
The instructions were to pull over to the right side of the road at 5.50 and wait for 10 minutes, then at 6.00 move over to the left side of the road and wait another 10 minutes, then at 6.10 start driving on the left side of the road. As we approached the roundabout it was about 5.45, but the announcement to stop had already been made. All the announcements were in Samoan, but we could guess what was going on. Time here is a bit of an abstract concept and I don’t know whose watch they were using but it certainly wasn’t right. Anyway, as I pulled over and prepared to wait for the prescribed 10 minutes all the cars in front of us started to move over to the left side of the road. The policemen at the roundabout were directing them so I thought I better do what I was told. So much for the official procedure! At about 5.55 (or 6.00 on the official watch) another announcement was made on the radio and a siren was sounded. We assumed that this was the signal to move to the left side of the road, but we had already done this so just sat there. Then the police started waving us forward onto the roundabout – again not quite as per the procedure, but who were we to argue. After creeping around the roundabout we had to stop and wait for the official signal to start driving. Again the announcements were in Samoan, but the tooting of horns and sirens going off were a pretty good signal that the time had come.
We ended up doing a lap around town, past the headquarters and TV cameras and headed back home. It was amazing – heaps of people out watching and taking photos and cars driving up and down tooting their horns etc. All of the fire engines and police cars were out, with all the flashing lights and sirens going. All of the intersections and roundabouts were patrolled by policemen, along with the Red Cross armed with their first aid kits and stretchers!
As it turned out it was probably the best time to be out to do a bit of practice on the other side of the road. Everyone was driving carefully and there were plenty of policemen around helping to direct traffic.
After all of the excitement we made it home OK and Angela went back to bed while I watched the replay of the events on TV. I even saw our car driving past the Fire Station!
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