Samoa’s airport scanners must be on the older side. Had to remove shoes, and even my watch. Meanwhile the plane is delayed 45 minutes, so now we wait. There’s a big array of solar panels right next door too. 🇼🇸
Today we leave Sinalei Resort in Samoa and make our way home. That involves about 5.5 hours in the air, a couple of hours driving, and of course lots of waiting around in airports. 🇼🇸
Sometimes members of staff entertain us with singing at breakfast.
Samoa today: 24–28C; home 3–11C. Brrr.
Just had the best lunch ever at a surprising cafe in Apia called Rivaiv. It was like a Wellington cafe. Utterly delicious Teriyaki bowl with chicken. 🇼🇸
There are worse places to sit and read. 🇼🇸
That earthquake I felt this morning was listed at M 5.9 - Tonga. It was some distance away and moderately deep, so for me, sitting in bed, it was just a gentle shake. Deb was standing up and didn't even feel it. 〰️ 🇼🇸
Pretty happy with this handheld shot on my iPhone of the Milky Way just by the tail of Scorpius. 🇼🇸
Stellarium screenshot.
This 10 minute video will interest many I think: This town banned cars (except tiny electric ones):
Zermatt, in Switzerland, bans all private cars and all gasoline cars. But if you run a business, you might be able to buy one of the special, tiny ones that are built right there.
It seems there's a Fish Reserve by the Piula Theological College in Samoa. There are quite a few rules about ways not to fish. I liked number 2: No fishing with dynamite or poison
. 🇼🇸
Cows, owned by families in villages, roam around the nearby countryside in Samoa. I don't think either this cow, or the Myna Birds would find anything much to eat among the discarded plastic bottles. 🇼🇸
On Monday we went for a drive around the island of Upolo in Samoa. I've been welcomed to websites before now, hotels, houses, conferences… but never a bridge! 🇼🇸
I see Joy Ellis as an author I enjoy but this book just didn't sit right with me. In The River's Edge (Jackman & Evans Book 10) we sometimes see things from the point of view of the baddies who used veiled language to talk about things like The Target
or Phase 2
.
Meanwhile the cops can't find out much but sometimes gasp when they see a photo, but the reader doesn't necessarily know what's going on.
By the end the detectives rely on a mystery source to reveal things to them. The most astute reader would not have been able to solve this series of crimes because the info just wasn't there.
All a bit frustrating really. 📚
So far today major events haven’t included photos. Very small earthquake this morning. I spotted a Humpback whale playing offshore. Then I saw a Frigate Bird high overhead. ✅ 〰️ 🇼🇸
Apparently the Sopoaga Falls are about 54 metres. They’re on private land, and the owners have set up a lovely garden (with named plants) on the extremely brief track to a viewing point. 🇼🇸
Nice moves, pigeon! 🇼🇸
A joke I heard today:
Q: What do you call a pair of crows?
A: Attempted murder.
🤣
Here we have the dining fale at Sinalei Resort, the desk at reception and looking up into the ceiling at reception. Very distinctive Samoan architecture. 🇼🇸
Between glasses with an old prescription, the snorkel mask, the water, and not really being able to see the screen on my Sony TG-80 camera I was sure my trip to Palolo Deep near Apia today would only produce loads of blurry nothingness.
Instead, a few of the cool fish I saw are in focus! 🇼🇸
At Amanaki Bar and Restaurant in Apia, Samoa for lunch. I’ve ordered lemon cheesecake. The harbour is just across the road. 🇼🇸
Coconut palms (without coconuts). 🇼🇸
There are quite a few Red-vented Bulbul around the resort. They behave like sparrows, popping into the dining fale to check for crumbs. 🐦 🇼🇸
