Apia, Samoa

Although we still have Auckland this still seemed like our last port.  Maybe because we are spending such a short time there and if it wasn’t for the fact that around 500 passengers are disembarking it seems such a waste to even stop there....

Anyways back to Apia.... we got up early to watch  our sail in..... just like Bora our captain had to manoeuvre his way in through the reef opening. Once in we did a 360 turn and pulled up against the dock.  Our arrival was made even more special by the group of performers singing and dancing for us.

We were sharing a hire car with Ros and Arnold, but as soon as you walk out of the port gates there are heaps of taxis and Vans all vying for your business to take you on tour. 

Once our car arrived and the paperwork complete we were off.... We drove on the road through the middle of the island pass Robert Louis Stevenson’s home stopping at the Papapapai-uta  falls for a quick picture.... As we were up in the mountains we were caught in rain but once again.....

Over the top of the mountain then back down and along the coast road on the other side of the island... We had a quick stop at a little inlet called Paradise Cove. This a little resort that is managed by an  Australian from the Sunshine Coast and was totally destroyed in the  Tsunami and had only just reopened ....

As we drove around this part of the island we saw many remnants of houses that had been destroyed  and those rebuilt.  It seems like the Samoan live in what  you would call alfresco style... Often you would see several buildings grouped together that  just look like square gazebo’s.... One large one with maybe chairs or mats where families would gather and sit... and others with beds that they would sleep on.... some had tarps on the sides that they would pull down in inclement weather.... Another noticeable thing was that families would bury their dead in the front yard..... it is nothing to see a home with a couple of grave stones out the front .... some really elaborate with roofs and others just a concrete block with a small plaque.

We stopped a beach that was recommended to us.  The Beach was lined with Fales that can be hired... these are mini versions of their homes.... a floor raised on stilts with a thatched roof.... for privacy some had tarps drapped around the out edges....

It was so good to finally swim in the ocean.  The water was so refreshing..... we snorkelled a little though the coral didn’t seem to have much colour in it.... we did take along some small packets of crackers from the ship and once you crushed these and dropped them in the water alot of fish came up to feed....

Time was now ticking by so we jumped back in the car and headed back towards Apia.  The road took us back up into the lush mountains were we would pass through more villages.  At this hour school must of finished and we passed lots of school children walking home... all with a lovely smile and a wave as we drove past....

Back in Apia we stopped for a drink at the Famous Aggie Greys  before heading back to the ship.

As usual we were enjoying a liquid sailaway on deck 11 when we notice our ship listing sharply to one side and our wake showed that we doing a u turn....  it was one of those moments (just like a code alpha call) that makes your blood run cold.... Captain Vinnie then made the announcement that we were turning back due to a medical emergency.... We didn’t go all the way back, but were met by the pilot complete with immigration and medical team where a woman and her husband were off loaded. As they headed back to shore we turned and were back on course for our trip to Auckland.