Sunday - Fathers day in Samoa - Happy Fathers day

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Have had a wonderful last two days - have ended up so tired haven't hat the energy to post anything.

After we had been to the cultural centre we met a man touting for business to take us around the Island, while we are often sceptical of people touting for business, our decision to take him up turned out to be a very good one. To put a plug in for him his name is Tusi Junior Tautua, he took us to the highlights on Upolo the first day, we had as long as we wanted at all the places we stopped.

First stop was the Robert Louis Stephenson Museum - This was his house kept in it original form with reproductions of anything that was no longer there, i.e. furniture etc. (So much for being a poor writer) His tomb is also on the property it will be an hours walk, so we plan to do this later this week. Then to a great view of Apia from a large catholic church on the hill. The churches are all very large and numerous. Then to the highest waterfall in Samoa including the story of its name - Papapapatai. Moving on through one of the resorts with its beach, to a swimming waterfall then to To Sua ocean trench for another dip in the water once you get down the ladder. After this we stop for a late lunch at a great white sand beach before heading off to the Piula cave pool (apparently used in one of the James Bond movies) then back to the motel - very tired and happy. Yes this could have been done cheaper but we wouldn't have seen this all in one day with the commentary, now we know what we might go back to to see again. We certainly feel we got good value for money and decided that we would do a second day with Tusi to take us to Savai'i.

Getting to Savai'i involved an very early morning start to get to the Ferry - on the day before Fathers day when at least 1200 Samoans were also trying to get to Savai'i on the same Ferry, an experience similar to getting up the Empire State building on a clear day. Once at Savai'i it was a trip to the market, then a long trip to the blowholes which made the trip well worth while followed by another long drive to the other side of the Island to swim with Turtles. Then we were on to see the ruins of a church engulfed in lava and a look at the lava field before heading back to have a very late lunch at Salelologa before catching the square barge type ferry that had the car gangplank at the bow causing the boat to shudder with every wave. I had an escape plan inlace that did not involve the 21year old life rafts. However we made it back safely and Tusi got us back to our hotel after a hours drive back from the Ferry we arrived back almost 12 hours after we left - again very tired, but happy.

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