APIA AT LAST 31 MAY 2019
Finally arrived in Western Samoa around 9 am after an overnight sail from Pago Pago, a number of days later than planned due to weather delays and long periods of low winds. Nevertheless, we made it in time to get Mimi (our wonderful and talented crew member and new-found friend) here for her departing flight to Honolulu, and to welcome our friends' arriving flight from Austin, Texas (a journey of over 36 hours and several plane changes)
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Ken and Linda arrived to the marina around 5:30 PM, bearing coveted gifts from home: HEB food treats which we had not had available to us for many months, as well as ample supplies of duty-free wines to enjoy over the next 2 weeks as we explored Samoa together. The boat was a mess after 28 days at sea, but we managed (barely) to clean their guest room with fresh sheets and sanitize their heads before they came aboard -no such luck with the rest of the boat - oh well!

The following day we explored the downtown area along the waterfront and made the mandatory stops for new sim cards to re-connect to family and the outside world via phone and internet, and to identify grocery markets to re-supply our depleted food provisions onboard. It was a national holiday here (Independence Day from New Zealand control) and the streets were packed with parades and party-goers ...we missed the parade which had actually started at 5AM, presumably to avoid the tropical heat later in the day! We exchanged money for Tala's, the local currency, then wandered through crowded marketplaces fill with tropical fruits, coconuts with straws inside for drinking the refreshing milk, many fried treats, including Samoa [Kiwi] meat pies, to Ian's delight. There were crowded booths of handmade basket ware and brightly -colored Samoan fabrics in jewel-toned colors of dramatic geometric designs.

We quickly became fatigued in the intense tropical heat and took a taxi back to the marina (we are told there are over 600 taxis on this small island, a major industry and source of income for the locals who aggressively vie for tourist business as a major source of income). Sleep deprivation (from jet-lag or boat watches) had caught up with all of us and we found ourselves in bed before 9 PM many nights.

The following morning, we attended a beautiful church service with Ken and Linda at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral on the harbor front, again being enchanted with the beautiful harmonies of the Samoan choir, as well as the solemn pageantry of the ancient service as we sat in the open air cathedral with gentle tropical breezes flowing through.

Wandering through the deserted town after church, we learned that the whole town shuts down on Sundays for church and family gatherings, with only a rare market which may be open for a few hours. We found one food truck where we were able to have omelets and mimosas in a lovely outdoor setting.

In the afternoon we took a tour of the Robert Louis Stevenson home and museum, located at the base of Mt Vaea overlooking the harbor and Pacific Ocean. The famous author (Treasure Island and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde) and poet lived out his remaining years there in a beautiful plantation home with lush and manicured tropical grounds, which had been restored to its original furnishings.
He died of tuberculosis in 1884 at the age of 44 and was buried at the crest of the Mt Vaea, a very steep and strenuous 45-minute climb which must have been a difficult task for those individuals charged with taking his casket there. It certain was for us in that heat, but we finally made it to the top and enjoyed the amazing view, as well as a nice conversation with a young Aussie couple who had been on the island for 9 months as visiting missionaries.
For the hike back down, we chose the longer but less steep route which was exhausting but very satisfying after so many sedentary days on the boat during our passage. Needless to say, we were in bed early again that night.
More exploring tomorrow!