It was totally a last minute decision. My friend and I decided to spend the long weekend in Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa, and officially known as Independent Samoa. It is a completely separate nation from American Samoa. It is composed of two great islands: Upolo and Savai'i. Its capitol is Apia, where I visited for a second time.
I originally went back in August and had soooooo much fun that I really didnt take a lot of pictures. I was just GO GO GO the whole time, and loved/lived every second of it.
Now I realized I had just gone to California in November. I had only been back in American Samoa for two months....but dagnabbit, I was already annoyed and itchy to get off the rock.
All I needed was an excuse...my friend was going back to escort her elderly grandmother. She didn't even ask me. I blurted out, I wanna come! We both smiled and laughed. I immediately booked my ticket. Done!
Now that I knew I had something to look forward to for the weekend, I buried myself in my work.
I didn't want anything hanging over me this weekend!
We ate and chilled and ate and swam and ate and laughed and ate and shopped and ate again.
Yeah...no joke...we did.
If we had one more day, we would have ate and gotten massages and ate and got pedicures/manicures and ate and got haircuts.
Next time.
Our flight took off as planned. On the way to Apia, we were greeted by a rainbow on a cloud right next to the plane. Good omen. (which came true as the weather was gorgeous the whole time we were there!)
Her father is known as the Taro King!
Dinner ready and waiting for us.
Mmmm....homemade Oka....with lots of lime!
And fresh Samoan seaweed....not at all like what we see and eat on the mainland.
It is like caviar....little bursts of salty sea...loved it so much!
Of course...roasted pig! So crispy and tender and the fat just melts!
And because grandma was with us, we got to eat fresh lobster.
The sauce was amazing...creamy coconut with curry spices...all slow cooked with
some of the lobster shells...it was heaven..
I normally dont eat rice but I made many exceptions that night
the rice just soaked up all the sauce to perfection!
There was a ton of other food...taro and plantains cooked in coconut cream and onions..
roasted chicken...fresh pan-fried fish fillets....so much food..
This is my first plate....first of MANY plates...he he he
We were basically in food comas until the morning.
But we got our act together and spent most of the day at Lauli'i.
There are many beach fales there where you can rent by the night...
or just for day.
Gorgeous!
We had packed a good supply of sausage rolls, meat pies, chips, water, and soda!
Mmmm...darn...I really want a sausage roll now!
we ate and swam and ate and tanned and ate and floated...perfect day!
We also decided to visit another swimming hole...
The Piula Cave!
It is a freshwater pool filled with fish...there is a cave and a tunnel
where if you are willing and able
you can dive and pass and come out on the other side of the cave!
I was not willing nor able.
So we swam deep into the cave...
told scary stories and
laughed so hard it echoed
The next day was more eating and shopping... I found a lot of good bargains for stuff I didn't need at all!
Ahh...vacation!
I really needed this weekend. I have been slowly given more responsibilities at work.
I can handle it and I feel honored...but I have less time to do what I want...
I am trying NOT to be a workaholic but sometimes the work needs to be done and I HAVE to do it well
because that is just how I am wired.
And now I feel refreshed and rejuvenated!
Can't wait to go back... her father asked me to cook a Filipino feast next time...I am sooo excited for that!
Hopefully, next time I can visit the other island: Savai'i, where I can swim with the turtles!!!
Now...back to the grind!
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