Friday morning we arrived at the airport as a swarm of seven; Taylor, Scott, John, Cynthia, Rosemary, Thanh and I (Julia went the day before). Ryan was at the airport with us, and we were trying to get him on our flight so that he could come to Manu’a with us, but sadly the flight was all full up. We all got weighed and checked in, said goodbye to Ryan, and went to relax in the air conditioned terminal until it was time to board. It was extremely pleasant to know that we had a long weekend ahead of us in which we were going to relax in the beautiful Manu’a and get to see KC and Courtney.
Finally the time came and the seven of us boarded the twelve person plane to Manu’a. One of the best parts of the trip to Manu’a is the beautiful view you get of the central and eastern areas of the island. That day the sky was clear and blue, and the view was awesome. It’s strange that we can see our whole little world from that plane – it really puts it in perspective.
The entrance to Pago Pago Harbor
Olesega and Ofu
T&S
After equally beautiful views of Ofu, Olosega and Ta’u – the Manu’a Islands, we landed on the runway on Ta’u. We were greeted as we disembarked the plane by the smiling faces of KC and Courtney and we all enjoyed the reunion moment. As soon as we got our luggage we climbed into the back of a few trucks and took the half hour ride to the village of Faleasao. The ride is indescribably gorgeous as you ride along the coast and then up into higher ground for a beautiful view. I was in Saunoa’s truck which has a steel frame which allows you to stand up in the back of the truck, and leaning out over the top of the cab flying down the winding roads is one of the most exhilarating experiences that I know of.
Packin' in to Saunoa's truck.
Presenting the view of Olesega.
Once we dropped our stuff and KC’s house and lunched a bit we decided to do some swimming and relaxing. The afternoon was a delicious blur of swimming, talking, lying under trees napping, reading old magazines, and sipping some sweet coke zero. Paradise.
Arrival and lunch.
Me and Taylor
KC's front yard.
As the sun was getting ready to set we headed to the trail on the east side of the village to reach a ridge between coves that is a great spot to watch the sunset. On the way we stopped by the Zach, Dan, and Josiah’s house to check it out and invite them to come with us. As we were waiting for Josiah one of Courtney’s students, Sabrina, came up to me with her closed fists pressed together, looking expectantly. For a moment I was totally baffled, but then I remembered: I had taught her class the super nova pound when I was there at Thanksgiving! Laughing, I put my fist together and on the count of three we pounded fists and screamed “BOOM!” loudly as we threw our hands apart. I collapsed into giggles, so impressed that she had remembered and then we proceeded to try it about ten more times.
Finally we continued on our little hike to the ridge and arrived with plenty of time to relax and look around. There was an area when the rock face bottlenecks and as the wave came in there was a crashing tower of water. It was invigorating to lay and hang our head out over the fall and feel the spray. Everyone took the time to catch up with each other and take some sweet pics, and as the sun set behind Ofu and Olosega we walked back to the village and went in a fantastic Seder meal whipped up by Julia and help from Courtney.
Bam.
Watching the awesome crashing waves.
Catching up.
Ofu and Olesega in the distance.
Scenic rubbish fire.
Yes, we had most likely the first Seder meal that the Manu’a Island have ever seen. It was pretty cool as it was a feminist Seder and was among friends, in addition to the no traditional foods since Julia couldn’t get most of the ingredients on Tutuila. All in all it was a truly unique, educational and savory experience.
Lots of matzo.
After recovering from our food comas we just hung out until it was time to get some sleep and then the great debate began. Who would sleep in KC’s bed? Who wants the couch cushions on the floor? Should people who brought hammocks sleep outside or in the house? Eventually after much debate everyone decided where they were going to sleep, and as John and Cyntia decided to sleep inside they let me borrow their hammock so that I could sleep outside in the open fale and was joined by Taylor and Scott with their hammock. I hung mine up between two poles and climbed in, draping a mosquito net over myself. I drifted to sleep with the sound of the crashing waves, but was woken up by the blinding flash of lightning and a cold breeze as rain started to pour. Since I was under the fale I stayed nice and dry and had that comforting ability to lie in the hammock and watch the light show and the refreshing breeze.
Saturday Sauno’a offered to take any of us who wanted out to the National Park land where the original settlements were found. I’m going to take a minute to tell you exactly who Sauno’a is, because he is an interesting dude. He was born on Manu’a, adopted and raised in Tutuila and Hawaii and joined the navy and served in Vietnam. After the war he traveled all around the states and eventually had a dream that signified to him that it was time for him to return to Manu’a and meet his biological family for the first time. When he arrived on Manu’a he was walking on a road toward his family’s village when he saw a woman walking in the opposite direction. As they drew closer they realized that they were mother and son and ran to embrace. Sounds fairy tale like, but I hope it happened just like that. Anyways, today Sau’s kids are all grown up and he has retired back to Manu’a to live as a a subsistence farmer and promote local agriculture.
Saunoa showing us his garden and landscaping.
Back to the point, he is a cool dude who always give KC and Courtney vegetables and has a pretty awesome garden at this house. And a bad ass sign on his property that says “You shoot Lupe here, I shoot YOU!” Lupe are the local doves that have seen a drastic decline in numbers. So Sau offered to take us to the National Park land and who would say no to that? We piled into the truck and headed back past the village with the airport, Fiti’uta. The ride was beautiful again, and some of us stood up and fully embraced the beauty of our location.
We entered the National Park road and after dodging branches and being covered in spiders we reached the end of the road and took a little beach time to chill out and collect shells. Once we had collected our fill (yes I know this is against park rules, but believe me no one else ever takes stuff cause no one goes there) we jumped back in the truck and headed out. On the way I had the extreme pleasure of locating up in the trees a colony of nesting brown noddys, which was something I had not witnessed before.
The road into the National Park.
The beach at the NP.
After we relaxed for a while on the beach we jumped back into the the truck and headed back to Faleasao, making a quick pit stop at Sau's house to get a snack and some vegetables.
Hot, hot, hot.
I found a cucumber!
Group pic.
Once we were back at base-camp we hit the beaches for some more swimming until it was time for dinner. We had a delicious dinner cooked by our own John, Taylor, and Julia and took some time to just relax after we ate. Later we headed to the wharf to do a little late night fishing, but soon after we arrived I was feeling introspective and decided to go for a hike my myself. After returning to the house briefly to grab a flashlight and a ton of bug spray I took the trail we took the night before to head over to the next cove. Soon I found myself in the pitch blackness of the cove with only the light of the stars, and as I laid down to look up, I realized that I was having the best star gazing of my life. In the middle of the South Pacific, on a sparsely inhabited island, laying on a beach in a remote cove. This is why I came here.
Eventually I headed back around bed time and joined up with the others and we were tuckered out so we headed to bed. The next day it was sadly time to go home, and after some confusion where I wasn't on the passenger list (Déjà vu?) we all made it on the plane and back to reality.
Adios, Manu'a.
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