The world is my oyster / Svet na dlani - Samoa pt. 1

Finally got a nice dose of the internet, so there you are fellas - report from the last couple of days.

I left NZ on a Thursday morning to take a three-hour flight to my dreamland - the Pacific island of Samoa. Samoa has been on my bucket list ever since I heard lectures of prof. Jaka Repič on Oceania and also since I first realized rugby exists. So that would be quite some time ago.

My love for Polynesia originates most likely from my love of warm climate, tropical fruits, lush green forests, poi spinning, tattoos, and kind people. And Samoa is surely all that and much more.

Faleolo Airport lies around 35km West of the country's capital Apia. When I touch down in Samoa, a sweaty waterfall comes running down my back. 32°C and 100% humidity. And that is all in time when I need to find myself a bus to the capital.

Local children kindly greet me. They are going back from school - it's 2 o'clock. They ask me where I'm going and rush me to the next blue wooden truck that comes passing by. It's the local bus. In Samoa most buses are old Chinese machines with wooden shell, wooden benches and loud Christmas pop music coming out of the speakers. In Samoa you tend to forget Christmas is coming, especially since you're wearing a light skirt, T-shirt and flip-flops. Among the more peculiar things is the Samoan habit of sitting in each other's lap when the bus gets full. Only seniors and foreigner like me are afforded the comfort of their own chair.

Also I would like to particularly emphasize Samoans are among the world's kindest people. Their rules of hospitality are so strong that you will be offered help every single time when walking aimlessly (or cluelessly) down the street. I get help from most likely the only Samoan transvestite/gay person. Not sure about transvestism, because most men wear skirts in Samoa, but he had long nails and high-pitched voice. And, naturally, he was extremely kind and helped me find Dave Parker's shop. Dave Parker is the owner of the lodge I'm staying in and he is giving people a ride back to the lodge once he finishes his work in a music shop.

When we are just about to leave for the lodge, the rain comes falling down hard. Ah yes... it's the rainy season. Anyhow, after a long and bumpy ride to the hills we arrive to the lodge. It's is on top of a hill overlooking the capital. The views are spectacular, the staff friendly and I get my own private room with an en suite bathroom. Sweet.

After dinner I enjoy a well deserved rest in my own little mountain paradise. Hi God, I'm here.

my paradise / moj paradiž

heavenly flora / rajska flora

princess of Samoa / kraljična na Samoi

Končno sem prišla do dobre doze interneta, tako da fantje in dekleta - tukaj je poročilo o zadnjih nekaj dneh.

Novo Zelandijo sem zapustila v četrtek zjutraj, ko sem se vkrcala na tri-urni let do moje sanjske dežele - pacifiškega otooka Samoe. Samoa je bila na mojem spisku vse odkar sem slišala predavanja prof. Jake Repiča o Oceaniji in odkar sem se zavedla obstoja ragbija. Se pravi že nekaj časa bo od tega.

Moja ljubezen do Polinezije izvira najverjetneje iz moje ljubezni do toplega podnebja, tropskega sadja, gostih zelenih gozdov, vrtenja poiev, tatujev in prijaznih ljudi. In Samoa je vse to in še več.

Letališče Faleolo leži približno 35km zahodno od prestolnice Apie. Takoj ob pristanku na Samoi prične teči po mojem hrbtu slap potu. 32°C in 100% vlaga. In vse to v času, ko moram najti bus do glavnega mesta.

Lokalni otroci me prijazno pozdravijo. Ker je ura 2, se vračajo iz šole. Vprašajo me, kam sem namenjena, in me strpajo na prvi lesen moder tovornjak, ki pride mimo. Lokali avtobus. Na Samoi je večina avtobusov starih kitajskih mašin z leseno šasijo, lesenimi klopmi in glasno božično pop glasbo, ki doni iz zvočnikov. Na otoku hitro pozabiš, da se bliža božič, še posebej ker hodiš naokrog v lahnem krilu, majici in japankah. Med večjimi posebnostmi je tudi samoanska navada sedenja v naročju, ko se avtobus napolni. Samo starejši in tujci (jaz) imajo privilegij lastnega stola.

Želela bi tudi poudariti, da so Samoanci eni najbolj prijaznih ljudi na svetu. Njihova pravila gostoljubnosti segajo tako daleč, da ti bodo ljudje ponujali pomoč vsakič, ko boš brezciljno (ali izgubljeno) vandral po ulicah. Meni je pomagal najverjetneje edini samoanski transvestit / gej. Nisem prepričana glede transvestizma, ker večina moških na Samoi nosi krilo, ampak gospod je imel dolge nohte in visok glas. In bil je, seveda, zelo prijazen in mi je pomagal najti trgovino Davea Parkerja. Dave Parker je lastnik mojega prenočišča in običajno ponudi prevoz nazaj do koče, ko konča delo v svoji trgovini z glasbo.

In ravno ko odhajamo proti koči, začne liti kot iz škafa. Oh ja.... deževna doba prihaja. Vseeno pa po dolgi in tresoči poti prispemo do hiše. Razgled je spektakularen, osebje prijazno in končno dobim svojo zasebno sobo z lastno kopalnico. Lepa.

Po večerji uživam v zasluženem počitku sredi mojega malega gorskega raja. Čao bog, prispela sem!