Our First Trip Off the Island

When you live on an island, you get to know all the areas and places.  We are very comfortable with our knowledge of Upolu and now it was time to discover other lands.  We left the large island and traveled to a smaller island, Manono.  Manono is very much a part of Samoa's life, it was from this island that the great warriors of the 1600-1800s came.  When the Germans occupied Upolu, the people living on Manono would not obey the German laws.  Today, this is a beautiful island with about 2000 people living there, no cars, no roads, no dogs and all the pigs must be kept in pens.  There is a grass, dirt, rock, and sand, path that goes all around the island and it takes about 3 hours to walk around Manono.

We traveled across in small outboard motor boats with a limit of 10 people per boat.  We went with Tom and Katryna Youd and Kat's two sisters and an uncle and some of their children.  Great company and great experience because the adults spoke Samoan.

On the way over, Theron held the fishing line and did get a pretty big one close to the boat before it excaped.  Collin, eat your heart out, this is great fishing equipment.

When we landed, a woman with her wheelbarrow cafe is waiting with fried chicken, boiled bananas and nius (coconuts).  The older lady standing with her hand out is literally waiting for a handout.  We bought her a piece of chicken and boiled banana.





Starting our walk, we passed this long boat and then a little further a woman was drying leaves to weave into mats.  We were able to watch her do her weaving.  These mats are incredible.  You see the drying leaves out in most villages.

As late afternoon approached, the tide went out, so the boats couldn't land where they dropped us off; word was sent around the island (don't know how, there is no communication) that they would come over to the far side and pick us up at the old wharf.  That they did, what service.

We stopped at one of the beaches and a fellow was just bringing in his boat from fishing.  The kids were fascinated with the puffer, the blue fish and several other fish in his basket.  Theron was fascinated by the boat, an out-rigger.  This was a hand hollowed log boat in the Samoan style.  For a few tala, I took a ride and Theron got to take the boat.  Cross that off the bucket list!!  How fun is that.

This week, we are leaving the island again.  We will be in Savai'i all week!  Can't wait.  We are staying at Viaola, the LDS school there.  There are no amenities in the guest house except a bed and a bathroom, so our first Samoan camping trip.  We are leaving in about an hour to catch the ferry over.  Wait for further Samoa adventures to be posted next week.

Welcome back Brittney and kids from Las Vegas; have fun Adrian, family and Curt boating on Pineview.