Reading on vacation | Ofu Photo Journal

Jan 12, 2019 | Lifestyle, Travel

I love feeling like I have all the time in the world on vacations.

Reading is one of those things that I love to do but can be difficult to make time for in between a full day at work, social life, and (let’s be honest) eating and pooping. In fact, I used to do a lot of reading whilst sitting on that throne hahaha – but I digress.

I’m a slow reader so it took me all of 2 weeks to read “Coming of Age in Samoa” by Margaret Mead. I love it for its account of Samoan daily life in Manu’a, American Samoa back in the 1920s. She paints a vivid picture that I (having grown up in American Samoa in the 90s) can actually sort of relate to. Here we are lounging and reading in hammocks at To’aga beach on New Years Day.

Passing through Olosega

Jan 8, 2019 | Lifestyle, Travel

Olosega is another island that is part of the Manu’a group, and is separated from Ofu island by the Asaga Bridge. We biked from Vaoto Lodge to the Asaga Bridge, and decided to walk the sandy roads Olosega village on foot because I was weary of dogs. It was still Christmas break and the small village seemed pretty quiet. I made note of Mati’s store which is the only one in Olosega. We waved to few people and avoided the barking dogs. By the time we got to the Oge Trail, it was just past noon and we were almost out of water. We kept going for a little bit and admired the view of Ofu-Olosega and their unique landscape before heading back to into the village towards Mati’s store for water.

Coconuts and Jenga – Ofu Evenings

Jan 6, 2019 | Lifestyle

My days in Ofu are usually spent on the beach, or biking through To’aga, or killing my legs hiking Mt. Tumu. But the evenings are lax – usually spent around the table with kindred spirits.

This particular evening involved fresh coconuts and Jenga towers. We were getting really good (or so we thought) and attempted the world record with a 41 stack, but we could only get to 34 max. We had a blast though!

Coconut Crab for NYE Dinner

Jan 6, 2019 | Lifestyle, Sustainable Living, Travel

The guys went out the night before New Year’s Eve and caught two coconut crabs for our NYE dinner.

I asked why they only caught two and they said it was because they wanted to hunt responsibly. Good point.

Coconut crabs are suuuuper delicious, and it’s true that there aren’t many crabs just roving the land these days. Even though there are a bunch of coconut crabs in Ofu – doesn’t mean that we should be taking more than we need.

We sat down to eat on New Year’s Eve with family and friends and shared yum food. We also ate baby rack ribs that Ian made but lo – we’re going to be cutting out red meat from our diet in 2019! So we’re making steps towards more sustainable eating habits.

Tui Ofu Well

Jan 6, 2019 | Culture, Travel

Not far from the beach is an ancient historic village that’s spanned over three millenniums. And there, you’ll find the sacred Tui Ofu water well, where the high chiefs of Ofu convened/bathed.

From To’aga Road to Asaga Strait | Ofu Photo Journal

Dec 31, 2018 | Lifestyle, Travel

After nearly falling over a bunch of times, I finally get the hang of bike riding again. Deb and Ben at Vaoto Lodge were super kind to let us borrow their beach cruisers, and Ian and I rode along the length of the stretch and walked our bikes up a couple of little hills until we got to the Asaga Strait where a bridge connects the islands of Ofu and Olosega.

Rick and Polly took the scenic stroll from the lodge and met us there. Ian checked out the bridge with his dad, and inspect the traffic cone marking the site that government cars accidentally powered through on two different occasions earlier this year and plummeted into the ocean. I can’t help but be distracted by the aqua hues all around and empty sandy beaches. We hung out for a little while and all take gulps from Ian’s flask (oops we all forgot our water bottles), and take a few pics on the bridge. Rick and Polly make their way back to To’aga and Ian and I continued on to Olosega village.

Bike Riding at To’aga + Sunu’itao Peak | Ofu Photo Journal

Dec 31, 2018 | Lifestyle, Travel

By far the best way to get around Ofu is by bike.
To’aga stretches only a couple of miles but riding around on a cruiser—
wind in your hair
pavement under your wheels
next to this hunk of a babe
at the best beach in the world
—surely this can’t be beat.

There’s this one stretch of road that is my favorite because as you come up to it, the lush greens on both sides of the path clear up to reveal the dramatic Sunu`itao Peak and to me, it’s just absolutely iconic. I am awestruck again and again.

PS… I’m a horrific bike rider, as in I’m not good at it. And my excuse is that I’m short, making virtually all adult bikes too big for me. So yeah, me saying all this means bike riding in Ofu is legit legit.

Visit with a Kingfisher | Ofu Photo Journal

Dec 30, 2018 | Lifestyle, Travel

Just a few minutes after landing at Ofu, we meet Jamie and Holly from the Institute of Bird Populations (IBP). They’re surveying bird populations on Ofu and just so happened to be at the lodge to pick up a parcel that our neighbor asked us to bring over from Tutuila. They invited us over to check out a kingfisher with an eye injury that they were rehabilitating back to health. The little airplane that carried us to Ofu had already flown away, and we drove down the sandy road beside the airstrip to Ofu village where the girls were living for the past few months. I snapped admiringly at the the view of Ofu from the backseat of the truck. The kingfisher was in their care for just the last 24 hours and it was making steady improvements but after taking him outside, it was decided he needed more TLC and wasn’t ready to take off back into the wild just yet.

Thanks Jamie and Holly for showing us your awesome work!

How I learned to be a better tourist

Nov 10, 2016 | Travel

Pack smarter and lighter

This could be another ‘how to’ all on its own, but this is important. Pack only the essentials and you’l already feel like a well-seasoned traveler. Here’s my checklist of what to pack.

Do a little research before the trip

What are the people like? What are some local sites not mentioned in a typical guide book? What’s the weather forecast going to be like? This can parlay in to your essentials-only packing list. Knowing these little tidbits beforehand will allow you to better experience the culture and lifestyle, and you won’t be constantly stressed about what to do and what to order.

Know when and when not to take photos

You’re on holiday. You want to take in as much as you can and enjoy yourself. So do that. You’re probably really hip and want to show the world your adventures with your phoneography and sunset filters, but be mindful that there is a time and place for self-gratification, and you should pick and choose with that in mind. Take advantage of the moment and get the full experience. You can blog about it later too! I sure do.

Treat this place like home

When you’re home, you’ve got to clean up after yourself and tend to the laundry, and while you don’t necessarily have to do those things on vacation, if you’re traveling, you’re visiting other peoples’ homes. Show your appreciation for the people and the culture by being polite, present, and responsible for yourself. They’ll love you and may even share some great stories and more secret spots to check out!

Palolo

Nov 2, 2016 | Culture

2

NOV 2016

Culture

Palolo harvest was good this year! Ian brought back a medium sized tupperware full and we sold it the very next day for $50.