9/2/2026 a very rainy day and a traumatic welcome to Taumeasina evening

Bloody hell is it ever raining!!  I was up and at breakfast by 0700hrs, which is preferable to later in the morning. It's because most people are not about and that works perfectly for me. Tomorrow I aim to be up at 0630 hopefully no fucker will be around at all except the staff!!.

There was a similar selection to yesterday, a slight variation on the cooked buffet and different fruits. I had an omelet today and it was really light and fluffy, perfectly seasoned and not too greasy. Bloody hell I enjoyed it!! I added a large plate of salad to it and tucked in. 

When I was getting my second coffee there was a woman there wearing a New Zealand police force uniform so I asked her what she was doing in Samoa. She is heading off on a two year secondment to Vavua and is catching the navy ship out tomorrow morning. Up until 3 days ago she was in Nuie, and I asked her what it was like, and she advised against it due to the fact there are only once weekly flights at the moment and there isn't much to do for a week. Unfortunately the ocean isn't easily accessible either, very steep steps down to it and obviously just as steep as climbing back up. Nah not doing that! A definite rethink on that little Island which has led to it being scrubbed off my list. It wasn't on “our list” anyway just on mine so it isn't important I get it ticked off.   

The rain has fallen most of the day so after breakfast I gathered up my laptop and set about booking some trips to the things I want to see and that I can get to. It took a while as using the online booking forms, you can only book for a minimum of two people, which is a royal pain in the arse. And really unfair. In the end I emailed a company that had the best reviews and asked them if there was any way I could tag along with some of their tours. They very kindly got back to me and agreed that I could do that and booked me in for everything I wanted to do. As the owner was in town he called by and picked up my deposit from me and gave me my receipt. Cash is definitely king here and is the preferred choice when booking any trips. That's fine as there is a cash point at the resort so I can top up my cash supply should I need to. Although I need to try my card first as it's another Island bank and I'm not sure my card will work in it given the problems I had in the Cook Islands banks. There is an ANZ bank in Apia anyway if it doesn't work but im hoping the one at the resort will!!

Once I’d booked my trips I went to the activities desk and took the basket weaving class with Ufu. To start with we made a headband, I think that was to see what my capabilities were. The head band turned out ok, and he decided I would be able to manage a basket.  The basket was a vastly different beast to the headband but I managed with a bit of help to make two that will actually hold something without the bottom dropping out. Ufu said if I soaked it in water it would keep it flexible and stop it drying out. I've emailed the New Zealand Ministry of primary industries  to see if I am able to take them back with me, that's how proud I am of them. I asked him how long it took him to learn how to make them and he told me he started making his first baskets at 5, and he was told by his father to watch him and then do it himself. That way he learned  how to correct his mistakes. As children he said he and his brothers and sisters made their school bags, hats and fans as well as baskets for the family. The small ones are really fiddly, but the bigger ones are more complicated as there are so many more pieces to hold on to. In a nutshell they're hard to make if you want them to work. There is a definite knack of how hard you bend the palm frond, if you over bend them like I did twice on my headband it weakens the structure of the basket so it won't last as long. I won't be using my basket for massively heavy stuff , maybe a little plant or something similar or perhaps some sewing stuff if I am able to bring it home! 

I meant to take photos of my finished creations but I’ll do them tomorrow in all their glory!

Feeling a bit smug, I loaded my baskets into my rucksack and went back to the room because it was still pouring with rain. I did think I would get my swimmers on and spend an hour in the pool doing my exercises, but then massive forks of lightning lit up the sky so I changed my mind and had a nap instead. 

When I got back to the room there was a note from reception on the bed inviting me to a manager's “Welcome to Taumesina” cocktail reception and a get to know the staff thing, from 1800 -1900hrs. I decided I'd go in case there were solo travelers I could perhaps join up with. It proved to be a hideous mistake and I wish I hadn't gone. As I was going out the door I was greeted by the front of house staff delivering tomorrow's activities list and more snacks, not chocolates, but the cheesy crisps. I'll save them and take them back for Morg. I also discovered if I'm out of the room they let themselves in and leave the list and the snacks, because that's what they did next door. Result! 

I got to the hotel bar a bit early, and sat at a table. One of the staff introduced themselves to me and brought me a glass of sangria which was lovely. No sooner had I been served the sangria, the waiting staff started bringing around food. Which I wasn't expecting at all. Firstly I was given a small bowl of Oka which is raw tuna macerated in coconut cream. Now I wasn't expecting to like it at all, as I was anticipating the tuna would be slimy, so I was really surprised to find it had a texture that was a bit like potato and didn't taste fishy at all. Si would have absolutely loved it and I could hear him saying “good girl” to me as I ate it with my cocktail stick. Then they bought another bowl that was fresh tuna poke, which was tuna in chili garlic, ginger wasabi sugar and soy and that was delicious too. Dear god, who am I? It's like I'm possessed by Simon and I'm enjoying all the food he loved, and I mean really enjoying it. They bought out chicken kebab, sausage rolls and offered calamari rings which I declined because I know I really don't like them! Along with all the food the sangria was topped up 4 times too. No complaints on that because the fuckin music was simply horrific as far as im concerned. 4 songs on the bounce that Si used to sing to me when they came on his playlist. FFS, sitting at the table on my own like billy fukin no mates was bad enough, but to add those particular songs in to the mix as well was a head fuck quite frankly. Predictably I started to cry and produce snot bubbles and I could feel people looking at me. One of the waiters just topped my glass up and moved on , probably a wise move on his part. I couldn't even escape because they'd blocked all the exits as well and the manager started his speech and introduced the staff. Once that was done, the staff came around and introduced themselves. The head of housekeeping asked if there was anything I needed for my room and what would be the best time to clean it for me. I don't mind what time they come in, just whenever is best for them, I asked her how long she had been working at the resort and she'd been there since it opened 10 years ago and lives in the village so it's perfect for her.  The manager is a Kiwi but has been there so long he has been bestowed with a samoan name and lives in the same village as Hana the head of housekeeping.  

The staff are a mixture of Samoan, Fijian, Indian and Papua New Guinea. One of the ladies, Cecelia, is half samoan and half Fijian and she came and sat at the table to talk with me. She asked where I was from and was surprised when I said the UK, and went on to tell me about when King Charles and Queen Camilla visited the Island in 2024. The King stayed on the other side of the Island with the Chief but Camilla stayed in the resort for three days and did a lot of work with the coral planting. Cecelia said she had avoided talking to her because she was half Fijian and not full Samaoan, until eventually Camilla noticed and asked why she was hiding from her. When she was told the reason, she gave Cecilia a hug and said that she didn't care if she was Fijian or Samoan and invited her to sit down and tell her about her family. Cecilia was seriously impressed with her saying how down to earth she was, and just a really lovely person. I don't think I'm in the same room, but I'm in the same resort the Queen has stayed in and that's good enough for me! As I’d told her about the kids, she gave me her business card in case one of them wanted to get married in Samoa, I mean I can think of worse places to tie the knot, it's unlikely to ever happen but hey she had a job to do and that's to get people back to the resort. 

The food was delicious, the staff lovely and all happy and smiling. The hour was the longest hour ever and I kept looking at my watch to see how much longer I had before I could get the hell out of there. Finally 1900 came around, but the torture wasnt over yet because the karaoke kicked off with the manager electing to sing Hotel California, can you fukin believe it?  Hotel bloody California my fat arse.  Between trying to wipe my eyes and nose discreetly and failing epically I noticed a woman get up and go outside for a cigarette. There was a gap that I could escape through and it was the shortest distance out of that bloody bar. So I got up and left as fast as I possibly could, which STILL wasn’t quick enough for my liking.

It's an error I wont make again, I shall keep to myself in the room in the evenings from now on, it's much better for all concerned, particularly me, because I really bloody hate ugly crying in public and the goddam music triggers me more often than not. I never expected the music Si loved would be so popular in Samoa, and It hits really hard. Once again I find myself wishing we watched TV!! Also it's really unpleasant being sat at a table on your own amongst tables of happy couples. They’re all laughing and enjoying themselves while I'm sitting there just trying to hold it together wanting to punch something. It's not quite so bad during the day as it's only breakfast time I really notice it the most, but evenings are the pits. 

To top it off it started to absolutely piss down with rain and I was soaked to the skin by the time I got back. Outstanding. I'll be glad to see the back of today, but as always I have a tiny glimmer of joy in the fact I’m now closer to joining Si by making it through the day.

Much Love

Mrs Leonard

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