The Day That Never Was!

Sunday, August 25, 2013 was a day we will not remember; this was the day that was completely omitted when we crossed the International Date Line. So we went straight from Saturday to Monday and although it was a pity to lose a day, no one really noticed as one day seems just like another on board ship.

Seas are calm and the weather has been wonderful – we have hardly seen any rain at all. Our vacation is coming to an end …. and we don’t want to go home!

Postcard from Pago Pago – American Samoa

Fri, August 23

I woke up early this morning, looking forward to our arrival in Pago Pago, interestingly pronounced Pango Pango! When I walked out on the promenade deck, it was magic. The sun was just rising and the ship was silently making her way into a beautiful sheltered harbour where jungle clad mountains rise abruptly out of the seas. The only sounds to be heard were the waves gently lapping against the sides of the ship and some crowing roosters announcing the start of another beautiful day.

American Samoa is made up of five volcanic islands, located halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand, and when the seaward wall of a great volcano collapsed it created one of the best, most spectacular natural harbours in the South Pacific.

We had no plans for the day, other than to have a swim, so after breakfast we set off and immediately got caught up in the vast expanse of market stalls next to the ship. Promising ourselves that we would explore them later, we only had a 5 minute walk to the downtown area. After a brief check of the local shops, we continued on our way and were immediately picked up by one of the local buses (and I use the term “bus“ loosely) to be taken to the $2 Beach for a fare of $2!

Many of the island villages are situated on small, quiet bays and coves along the coast. There are many inviting beaches to be seen, but the lands belongs to the families and so are privately owned, which is why the beach we went to is called $2 Beach – that is how much it costs to use it. There was a bar next to the beach, so with a cold drink in hand we spent the next few hours swimming in the crystal clear waters and relaxing on deck chairs in the shade of palm trees. There are many dogs on the island and one slept in the shade nearby, whilst children played ball behind us or frolicked in the water.

Back up on the road again, another bus came along in a matter of minutes and for a fare of $5, took us halfway around the island and then back to the ship. There is nothing like riding on one of the local buses – timber bench seat and air conditioned – meaning no windows! The driver gave us an interesting trip, even stopping so that we could take photos, completely ignoring the double yellow lines by weaving back and forth on to the wrong side of the road so we had the best views of the coast. Hey, we were in laid-back Samoa – no problem!

Along the way, we noticed houses grouped together around a central open sided meeting place – the culture of the extended family is very strong here. There are no cemeteries – graves are placed in front yards, some under shelters with the washing hanging overhead, and I saw several graves that were situated on the front verandahs of some houses.

Back at the markets, there were many beautiful sarongs, clothing and a vast array of local crafts, such as woven baskets, bags and mats made from the leaves of the Pandanus tree. Also nicely carved wooden items and jewellery. Duty-free shopping was an added attraction.

My impression – you will find no five-star hotels or fancy name retail outlets here; but if you just want to give yourself up to the beauty of this island, you will not be disappointed. If we come back again we’d only change one thing. Next time we will go up-market, and instead of the $2 Beach, we will go the $5 Beach, where there is a restaurant as well as a bar!

A living tree – beautifully carved

A grave in the front yard

Sea Princess Samoa (Pago Pago) 029 (800x530)

$2 Beach

The “bus”

Kauai

Sat, August 17

This morning we entered the sheltered waters of Nawiliwili harbour. The island of Kauai was unknown to us and as we have discovered many times on our journey around the world, yet another place to discover and enjoy.

Our driver/guide, Sam, whisked us off in his coach after a quick Hawaiian song accompanying himself on his ukalele. A fun and friendly guide, he moved to Kauai 25 years ago from the mainland and very proud of his island home.

We began with a long, slowly ascending scenic drive all the way to the rim of Waimea Canyon, the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific “according to Mark Twain. It is 10 miles long, one mile wide and over 3,600 feet deep. At 3,400 feet above sea level, we had spectacular views of the crater on one side and the ocean on the other.

After leaving the canyon, it was interesting to see how the landscape changed as we drove through dense green forest. The scenery was incredible and at one point we stopped to look down into a valley so far below where people were rowing their kayaks down the river. So different to any terrain I have seen before. It was amazing. Our next stop was to admire the coastline and take photos of Poipu’s Spouting Horn, an active blowhole.

Along the way we saw the lagoon at the resort used in Blue Hawaii with Elvis. It looked so familiar but so sad, as the area was destroyed in a hurricane and the resort next to the lagoon was in a state of disrepair. Apparently the property has been sold and resold four times over the years, and it is hoped that the new owners will rebuild the resort to its former beauty.

Next stop was lunch in one of their many top class restaurants – delicious Hawaiian inspired food of fish, chicken and pork cooked in the traditional way followed by a dessert of fresh fruit and a type of coconut slice.

We then made our way to the Wailua River for the next part of our excursion – a riverboat tour cruise to the Fern Grotto which is a traditional wedding venue with Hawaiian music and dancing along the way and a live performance of the “Hawaiian Wedding Song” at the site. Then back down the river to pick up the coach and a quick stop to admire the coastline once more before making our way back to the ship right on our 4.30pm deadline for sailing at 5.00pm.

Lush rainforests, an arid multi-coloured canyon, cliffs that plunge into the Pacific, dramatic waterfalls and spectacular shoreline make this a very beautiful island and so worth visiting. No wonder it was the site for many movies which include Blue Hawaii Jurassic Park, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Pirates of the Caribbean to name just a few. However, all this beauty comes at a price. Houses vary from around $200,000 for a fixer-upper to over $1M for a very nice one. Expect to spend $5-8M if you want beach access.

This small island is known as the “Garden Island “and the variety of its landscape is incredible from the mighty Waimea Canyon to the stunning beaches of white and golden sand in contrast to its rich red soil. It has world class shopping and dining and we enjoyed our visit so much.