My alarm goes off at 2:30 Am. I slowly get out of bed to boil some water. Coffee coffee coffee. It’s the only way to do this. Its only a day trip so I just need to make sure I have my wallet phone and keys. I hear the bus pass. Okay I have at least 20 minutes if not more. I get dressed and pour my coffee into a jar. I go to open the door and hear what I hope I am not hearing…but yes its true, the bus passing by. But it’s only three o’clock. There must be another one. I go outside and sit. Drinking my coffee and taking in the starry night sky. I must admit it’s one of the best features of this country, the night sky. I have never seen anything like it. It feels like the entire world has stopped, even the animals are sleeping.
3:30…4:00…..5:00
Well at this point I know I am not catching the 6am ferry. Cross your fingers to catch the 8 o’clock.
5:15….5:30….5:45…..crap….
Whatever you think a bus sounds like….insert sound here….
6:00 Jackpot! A bus…
We make our way to the wharf. It’s the small boat but I don’t mind because there are not many people. I sit up at the top and feel the boat rock back and forth slowly making its way to Upolu.
9:30 I arrive at the wharf in Upolu and hurry to the only bus waiting to take people to town. I pull the palagi card and grab a seat. 60 people on a 30 person bus, looks like a hour ride with 2 butts in my face, awesome.
Game plan, go to the ATM and take out money for my New Zealand ticket then head to the travel company to pay for the ticket. Then enjoy the only thing Apia is good for, a decent meal.
10:30: At the ATM….no money.
Sidebar…mom transferred money from my US account to my Samoa acct to purchase my New Zealand ticket. The travel company here offers a killer deal, 250 American dollars round trip. Started Monday ends Friday….its Friday
Cue panic now…
Change of plans….Westpac bank it is.
“I’m sorry but there is no record of a transfer in your account. Go ask for Mika and Junior, upstairs”
Waiting for Mika and Junior…11:30….12:00
Mika brings me downstairs where they tell me the same thing the first person told me.
During this time I am waiting for my mom to call me back….she finally does and says she got a confirmation that it went through. She gives me some kind of number.
Stress level is rising.
The teller tells me that number is invalid. Calls some people upstairs…still nothing
1:00
Mom calls, she spoke with a BOA rep, he says it should be there by the next day.
Okay so someone else doesn’t have my money that’s good. Stress going down….
1:30
The bus for the last ferry leaves at 2:00…
I sprint to the travel office. Purchase mine Tevi’s and Olivias tickets.
1:55
Sprint to the bus stop….
I like to go out the same way I came in…Samoan ass in the face all the way to the wharf.
What did you do today?
Peace and Love
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