NZSS 2013

Umpiring the 3rd/4th play off at the NZSS tournament in Auckland between Baradene an Wellington East.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_YW2EZvVbE&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Need Information on Moving to Samoa?

Then contact this person for advice:-

Marion Williamson
Ph Home Samoa: +685 21185
Mob: Samoa: +685 779-1166
Mob: NZ: +64 21049-8583

marion@williamson.gen.nz

Marion has started a small business offering orientation programmes for newcomers to Samoa.  She will provide a tour of Apia including supermarkets, restaurants, coffee shops, school, gym etc.  Help set up bank accounts, drivers licence, phone accounts etc.  She can also assist in finding suitable accommodation if needed.  A starter pack will include a phone list with a few important phone numbers and some useful ones too, a map and some useful local info.

Bookmarks from Spain

I recently received an email at work from a person in the Canary Islands, Tenerife, Spain who collects book marks and asked if I could send some from Samoa for her collection.  I received these back in the post.  The handcrafted one is particularly beautiful.

Samoa's Christmas/New Year Races

Every year over the Christmas/New Year period, Samoa hosts horse races over a two day period at the Faleata race course.  This was our first time at the races.  Although not too successful in terms of making our millions, we did enjoy some time in the sun and the excitement of seeing "our" horses run, even if they did come last and second to last.  I guess that is what you get for betting on the "palagi" coloured horse and the one named "kiwi"!!  Perhaps next time we can consider better odds than the colour and name of the horse?!!  It was also interesting to see the Presidents 700m dash bareback race!

Placing our bet

Corona (the Palagi horse) looking good before the race while checking out what the finish line looks like!

Bareback

"Kiwi"

 Budding race horses?  Maybe a few too many ribs showing at the moment though!

 What a winner looks like

New Samoa National Provident Fund building

The new Samoa National Provident Fund (SNPF) building is now open is downtown Apia.  Looking rather flash it houses a few shops and cafes on the ground floor and has 2 floors of office buildings above.  So far Frankie's Supermarket, Tapa (Mena), Pacific Jewel, Bean Central (Coffee Bean Cafe) and Revive are in the plaza and there is room for a Bar/Cafe as well.  There is also a shop called "Farmers" however this is more like the local Coin Save than the Farmer's we know and love from NZ.  Perhaps this person has a point. 

This plaza is a Samoan first and demonstrates the "progress" going on here.  Here is an article in the Samoa Observer about the opening Samoa's $52 million Plaza

Yonana!!

Discovered the invention of this amazing machine while in NZ for Christmas and consequently received one as a present as we were so taken with it.  Since returning to Samoa we are finding it great.  The Yonana produces "icecream" from frozen fruit.  Yes only frozen fruit, no other additives or dairy products.  Our favourite combination is papaya (paw paw), pineapple and mango however as the name suggests bananas are also a good base.  Here we have the small misiluki bananas (like lady finger bananas) which are flavoursome so another good combination is banana, papaya and a hand full of frozen red berries.

Yummy and refreshing!

Here is the frozen fruit ready to go in

And this is what the Yonana produces

Post Cyclone Evan stripped trees

 It won't take long to regenerate but things are currently looking a bit stripped bare ... 

Le Mafa Pass and Dam

We drove across to the south side of Upolu for New Year.  Things certainly look a lot more barren now that so much vegetation came down during Cyclone Evan.  We can now see things we didn't know were there!  Here are some pictures of the Le Mafa pass and jagged hills plus the hydro dam which you used to catch a glimpse of.

Post Cyclone Spirit

This is the spirit, down but not out!!

Colin & Marcy's Wedding

On the 1st December 2012 we attended my cousins wedding on Herald Island in Auckland, NZ.  It was a beautiful sunny day, just a few days prior to the tornado that hit Henderson!!

House Gecko Eggs

According to Google, House Geckos lay 1-2 eggs in a cluster and then leave them. They need to be kept at a temperature of 88 degrees fahrenheit which is about 31 degrees celcius and need to be humid.

We have been cleaning out the outside laundry since the cyclone and found these eggs. 4 were in a puddle so not sure they will have survived but the other 3 were just on a plastic bin lid. Its not as if we need more geckos but Im watching over these now to see if any hatch. Only a potential 60-120 days to wait! Im letting the climate with regard to temperature and humidity take care of itself, after all we are in Samoa!

Merry Christmas Shortbread Trees

After much battling with yet another ant invasion and forgetting that in the climate of Samoa, chocolate melts naturally rather than sets! I managed to produce these christmas trees as gifts for our friends, oh and maybe some left overs for us as well! Thanks to Adam for finding the dowling and using some kiwi ingenuity to produce the holders for me.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

Bluesky Samoa Christmas Fireworks 2012

Thank you to Bluesky Samoa for providing these fireworks and giving everyone something to look forward to as they continue their cleanup efforts. The fireworks looked great reflecting in the Apia harbourwaters and were received with squeels from the excited crowd. The "Fair Ground" rides for the kids also looked like fun with zorb like inflated balls on water and dodgem cars!

New Samoan Beer

Samoa is now producing 2 new Beers brewed here. The Taula (lager) and the Pure Sama (like Corona). They have tough competition with Vailima which is a long standing favourite with the locals and tourists alike but Adam gave the Taula a go!

Cyclone vegetation recovery

Amazingly enough tropical plants have a great ability to regenerate. Banana plantations that I thought decimated, begun to sprout new leaves after only 2 days so maybe all is not lost afterall! Palm trees that were stripped of leaves have also already put up new fronds.

1 day after Cyclone Evan



1 week later

Samoa Perimeter Relay 2012

September 1st was the forth running of the Samoa Perimeter Relay. Once again I joined Daryll in the NPI Flyers team.

Like last year we had a few issues getting our team to the start line. Apart from the 2 of us, none of the rest of last years team was able (or willing?) to join us again this year. We then had a couple of late withdrawals due to injury - someone did suggest that maybe we are getting a bit old for this!

Anyway, we did manage to round up 6 runners for our team and just like the previous 3 years we had a great day on the roads.


The NPI Flyers reach the finish line

posted from Bloggeroid

After a long hard run, a Pineapple and Mango frappe is just what you need!

Tamaligi (Flame Trees) at Mulinuu, Apia, Samoa November 2012

Nana's 90th

Nana was 90 on the 10th November 2012.  Here is the quilt I made for her in "all of her lovely colours"!  We had a high tea in the Johnsonville Hall with family and some of her close friends.