2011 - NZ To SF - Day 26

Day 26: (8 June 2011 (-1 in Samoa)):
- Land 20 min early @ 4:25. Wait & go to domestic terminal at 5am for Internet (free).
- Back to international, as see shuttle when exit. Drinking fountain.
- Get on bus: 6:40-7:30 to town. BK breakfast.
- 8:30 try to find Logan at school. No one in GD either. See some ppl @ school & on way to work.
- 9:00 doctors, call in @ 9:15. Poked lump with needle. Nothing came out. Say just a solid cyst as is smooth & not attached to skin. Waterproof dressing.
- Logan says OK to go his place. Go: Internet, cut nails, etc. Forgot to refill toothpaste. Felix say will try to book tickets.
- Lunch. Bad traffic & late start: get to airport 1.5 hrs before take-off. Standard carry-on tricks. Pat-down search again.
- Read LP on flight. Arrive a bit early.
- Exit: immediately accosted by taxi drivers. Find shuttle for 25. ATM. down to 990 (?). 1680 then 1280. Afraid will eat card.
- Airport remind me India. Busy, hot, open, humid, dark skin. Accosted by people. Seems like Samoa will be very different - like a real 3rd world country. One taxi tell me Seaside Hotel closed.
- Ask about dogs: "Dogs like white legs."
- Shuttle back: Driver talk a lot. Say he's the head of some kind of tourism committee. Slowed to point out his house in the dark. Talk about how Samoa in the cleanest of islands. "Samoans love to paint rocks" evenly spaced rocks in white along road. He try to get them to do something more "natural." like gardens. Only white, because Samoans "love bright colours." Tell me Seaside closed, so recommend Tatiana's. Guess taxi driver was not lying after all!
- See lots of traditional wall-less fales. Houses were also very open. Surprised.
- Mix of steering wheel sides due to recent change.
- People walking around shirtless, shoeless. Disproportionately large churches.
- Motel like hostel. Room with 2 beds. 70 for 2 or 50 for just me.
- Meet Peter(?): from Samoa, but living with wife in Niue. Invite me stay with him in Niue. Drive me to find food. Chinese takeaway: taro, banana, some beef thing, ribs that are mostly strips of fat. Back: offered BBQ (burnt) & Samoan coco.
- Family here for surprise party & others visiting. Sit & try Vailima beer. Sleep.
- Use beer bottle to store boiled water.
- Loud outside.

Photos available at: http://mandarinmanmarktravelbriefs.blogspot.com/