Samoa continues to surprise. It starts off being a bit dinky but grows on you quickly and thats just because of the people. Any eye contact with anyone results in a big smile and when I say big I'm thinking Texas big. They don't hold back. The whole face lights up and their eyes gleam. A bit unnerving at first but you quickly grow to like it. In most other countries young girls especially look away coyly and most people don't make eye contact. Here the reverse applies. Children and teenagers love to wave at you and driving around you keep one arm at the ready to wave as its rude not to respond. Speaking of driving, thats a bit confused here. They changed to the Oz side of the road last year. Imagine that. The older cars and most buses have the steering wheel on the left and the newer ones have it on the right. All the road signs were changed and there is still massive confusion at roundabouts. It pays to be very careful even as a pedestrian as anything can and does happen.

It's been very humid here. Thankfully I'm not sailing as there has been no wind to clear the air but I'm not complaining after seeing the weather report for Melbourne.

I drove around the east of the island yesterday with Zulu and Mary, the Israeli couple on the boat next door. We went past a long stretch of coastline that was wiped out by a tsunami 2 years ago and the devastation is still quite obvious. Apparently hundreds died and that is not suprising when you see the wreckage. Concrete structures have been levelled in a way that to a builder defies logic. It looks like they have been crushed by gigantic force. The recovery is strong but it will still take years more and many here talk of lost relatives. Another point of interest. They bury their dead in the front yard. Most have at least two graves in front of them as even in death they remain close to their families. Again disturbing at first but rather lovely when you get used to it.

The vegetation is spectacular and they are great gardeners making sure that their houses, although generally humble have beautiful gardens. The colours of the foliage and flowers is as vibrant as their clothing.

The other thing that stands out to a westerner is that the men wear skirts. Funny that but they look more masculine than John Wayne ever did so there is no inclination to make fun of that. Especially when they are as big as they are. You can see why they can produce great rugby players.