some photos...

1

On the first day of our trip to Beautiful Samoa,

we saw this …

just like a postcard…

but of course, better!

2

On the second day,

we lounged around the hotel pool,

a pool I swam in as a child,

which used to have a real live palm tree on an island in its middle

but

doesn't any more.

Where'd my tree go?

The kids

were served smoothies …

and felt like royalty.

We went to the markets,

where women sat mostly on chairs

(not on woven mats like my memory)

and we didn't buy mangos

(like we used to)

but we did buy bananas and taro and starfruit and avocado and

everyone we spoke to smiled.

3

On the third day, we went with an old family friend

to the cave pool I loved

and swam in its clean, clear water

to the back of the cave

where the water

still lit up

with light

when you jumped in.

Then we crossed the mountain pass to

the other side

of the island

where the children of our friend's family's village

took us to

their beach,

where we all swam

and

played

and watched the fish

together.

4

On the fourth day,

we went to Lefaga

(pronounced LefaNGa),

a stunning beach I swam at

often as a child.

And my most favourite rockpool was still there—

amazing how it hadn't moved or disappeared,

even though thirty whole years had passed!

(Because solid rock has a tendency to disappear,

don't you know; it just likes to mess with you that way)

As kids,

my sister and I

would grip onto the rocks at the narrowest end

of this pool

and, when the waves came tumbling in,

we'd be sent

shrieking and laughing into the pool beyond.

My sister and I did it again,

this time

with my son between us.

Our laughter mingled with the echo of my laughter from long

ago…

and it was beautiful.

Stay tuned… more photos and memories coming soon!