traveldiary.stracke.us

We spent the last 6 weeks south of the Equator and had some interesting encounters with the “animal kingdom”, above and below the surface.
The “Hitchcock birds” at the Aggie Grey Resort in Apia, Samoa:
Gabi and I were sitting on our balcony at dusk when suddenly hundreds of chirping birds descended into a huge Banyan tree, about 6 feet away from us. The commotion lasted for a good half hour, with the first birds getting the best sleeping spaces, until everybody settled in for the night. Fortunately, the birds kept the noise down during the night.
Cats, centipedes and roosters at the Hotel Kitano, Samoa:
The cats were surrounding our table at the poolside restaurant, jumping up on the diners’ laps and trying to reach the food on the plates. The centipedes were only outdoors on the walkways and easily circumnavigated. The roosters were living on the hotel grounds, welcoming us to Polynesia every morning around 5 AM!
(more…)

We are “on holiday” and don’t have “to throw a sicky” (call in sick) in these islands. It is a different English down under.
The New Zealand weather report is mostly one word long. It is “fine”!
In Auckland we had “cool Southerlies”, but otherwise it was “fine”.
In Bora Bora the forecast was: “Beautiful Breaks and Scattered Downpours”. The first day at the Club Med those downpours were pretty much continuous, and we only saw the next island, “Raiatea”, the following day.
The Samoa government was “shouting a dinner” (paying for dinner) for a New Zealand couple, who had all their belongings stolen from their beach Fale.
Road signs in Samoa: “Do Not Overspeed”, or if that is not obeyed: “Do Not Speed, Heaven Is Full”.
” How you’re walking, Mate?” is Aussie for “How are you”.
In Brisbane airport : “as you shoot through…” and they offer a “Tax Free Scheme” here!
According to an opinion poll, the Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, is “past his use-by date”.
When I asked in Australia, where I could recycle a coke can, the answer was: “Just bin it, mate!”
Back at the Auckland Airport, we heard a familiar( and not very politically correct) announcement at the departure gate:
“Mr., Mrs. Smith, please go to your gate immediately. Your flight is ready for departure, all the other passengers are on board and are waiting for you”.
It is nice when you can say what you really feel!!

To continue the cliffhanger….
After disembarking the ferry in Vaitape on Bora Bora, we figured we’d have to somehow manage our way to the other end of the island, where the Club Med was located. As we were searching for taxis or some other mode of transport, like trucks, which they often use for this purpose on many islands, we saw a man holding a lovely blue and white Club Med emblemed sign. They were there to pick us up, even though, the US office said there would not be a transfer. Since the taxis on the islands have monopolies and they only allowed the people with package deals to Club Med, including ALL transfers, meaning flights, to be picked up by the GO’s(Gentile Organisator, as the Club Med employees are called). We didn’t care how or why it worked for us, we were just happy it did.
(more…)

….or it must seem so to our readership.
It’s been 10 days since our last post and so much and so little has happened. No this is not an oxymoron. After leaving Samoa, we were off to the beautiful Isles of French Polynesia, the first being Bora Bora. We arrived on the isle after dark and were disappointed that our first views of the lush green island would not occur until morning. Arriving on Bora Bora is an experience in itself, since the airport is on its own separate Motu(island) and the plane ticket actually comes with a catamaran ferry transport ride through the only sea opening of the lagoon to the actual island of Bora Bora.
(more…)