Roxie writes: April 21 the 2nd time

Roxie Writes: April 21^st the second time.

We crossed the International Datline from West to East just about midnight, so we get two Sundays this week.  When we crossed it from East to west, we completely lost a whole day.  One 14 hour red eye flight took us three days.  It’s bewildering, but I think we got a good deal. Two days in Samoa! 

There was a marketplace set up at the cruise dock (as there is at most of the ports. ) We had an afternoon tour scheduled, so we wandered the marketplace in the morning.  Kyle absolutely blew my mind when he purchased and wore a lavalava!  He’s got the legs for it, and when he found out that they have pockets, he jumped for it.  Lots of people from the ship commented with approval, and he may have sold a few guys on wearing them.  “It’s got pockets!” seems to be the convincing factor.  I look forward to seeing lavalavas on board.  He may even wear it at home on the way to and from the hot tub or during barbecues.

So we set out for a short walk through the town.  Kyle doesn’t suffer from the humidity the way I do.  I sweat so heavily that I dehydrate in no time.  We stopped at a small store to grab some water.  And , oh bliss, it had bolts and bolts of fabric stacked up to the ceiling!  I found a bolts of 20 yards of 35” wide “shirting fabric” for $9.99 for the whole bolt.  I bought purple.  It’s from the Chinese “Laughing Fish” fabric company.

The bottle of chilled water we also got was wonderful, but didn’t last me long.  Luckily we found the National Park of Western Samoa with an air-conditioned visitor’s center.    Visit them on facebook @National Park of American Samoa and check out their blog @PacificIslandParks.com.  They also have a Twitter feed @PacificNPS.  The more people that visit and like their pages, the more likely they are to get further funding in the straightened economy.  The dear young man on duty was delighted to see Kyle in a Lavalava and remarked that Kyle was the first tourist he had ever seen to wear one.

We stopped at a McDonalds on the way back, and the ladies there all complimented Kyle!  Me, they gave several thick wads of paper napkins to mop up the sweat I was dripping all over.  I sucked down a bottle of chilled water and a large iced coke in record time. Kyle had a coke and a hamburger. We got back to the ship with 20 minutes to spare before our afternoon tour, so we made a quick swing past the buffet line and I grabbed a sandwich to eat on the run.  And on the way down the stairs, I caught the toe of my shoe on the carpet, tripped, threw my weight back, and came down on my foot to the sound of multiplel cracks and pops. 

Why is it, when we do a thing like that, we apologize and say, “I’m fine.  I’m sorry.  I’m fine. I’m sorry!” The doctor assured me that it is completely normal, but neither of us can figure out why we do it.  (I also said, “OH shit!  Oh shit!”” amidst the “I’m fine.” And “I’m sorry.”)  The kind young man doing housekeeping service on the next floor immediately ran and got a wheelchair.  A kind couple from Canada who came up the stairs a moment later helped me down the remaining steps, While Kyle dealt with our multiple bags and knapsacks.. The nice lady even picked up the sandwich I had flung all down the stairs, and took it back to the buffet trash bin Noble Kyle shoved my heavy self in the wheelchair into the elevator and took me down to the infirmary.  We met many interesting people then.  There was a young man doing a residency and serving as medic, nurse, x-ray tech, and supplies dispenser.   The regular ship’s doctor was a kindly, competent guy with very strong, confident hands.  “Does this hurt?  Does this hurt? “  By my yelps and gasps he diagnosed either broken bones or torn tendons.  The x-rays didn’t show anything egregious, but the bones are so layerd and complicated in the foot that I could have a break that doesn’t show.  Anyhow, I have a very sore foot that won’t bear my weight, and a walker to help me get around.  I’m pretty much confined to the room for the next few days.  Luckily the next five days are sea days, so I won’t miss too much Island time.  We did miss the tour in American Samoa, though.  Kyle waits on me hand and foot, and the only time I need to leave the bed is to go to the bathroom.  Ow, ow!  Wince, whine, whimper.  I’m ok as long as I keep my foot up.

  

 The main town in American Samoa is PagoPago.  (Pronounced PongoPongo)  It’s a very steep, volcanic Island with a Starkist Tuna cannery.  Tuna comes from American Samoa!  Charlie Tuna is Samoan!  Who knew?