Samoa: 2 days, 1 broken plane, 6 lost suitcases, 1 angry crab and a partridge in a palm tree.

I had to make my way home from American Samoa to London. A journey that included 4 flights, one broken prop plane, one grumpy crab, 6 lost suitcases, a pit stop in New Zealand and a stunning hotel in Apia.

We arrived in Pago Pago, American Samoa, early in the morning and travelled straight to airport to catch our early plane to Apia. As if things ran so smoothly!

The tiny plane to take us across the pacific to the island of Samoa sat broken on the runway. There was someone who could fix it… but they were in Apia… our destination. Without a plane. After 8 hours sitting on the tarmac, the crowd of people waiting board the 12 seat plane grew to over 50 including the Samoan rugby team and their families! We decided to hop on the bus (a bus strangely named Titanic for some reason!) to the local MacDonalds and grab some food as the time stretched on. As we dozed on piles of bags… dodging the odd stowaway red crab or two… a plane landed… and took off again…. Well at least the mechanic was there at last.

Local ‘titanic’ bus!

Our plane!

A very angry stowaway!

We suddenly realised that the crowds were all jostling to be on the first plane out! We needed to be on that plane! Brilliantly, the classical flautist travelling with us, Anne, had an entrepreneurial idea… She grabbed myself and the wonderful ‘Two on Tap’, taking us to the security office where one security guard sat eating a burger (Anne had popped to MacDonalds earlier to get in their good-books! What a gal!).

“We’re all acts” she cheekily said to the guard. “ We just got off a ship. She sings, [Pointing at me!], they dance [pointing at Two on Tap] and I play the flute. If we do a little show for you now, can we please get on the first plane out of here?”

He laughed. “Go on then!”

Right there in that tiny room, tired and desperate, I sang Gershwin songs whilst Ron and Melissa tapped and Anne played the middle eights!! It was the most bizarre part of the day so far. So far….!

Pleased with our efforts, we went back to waiting. And waiting. We killed time sharing dirty jokes with one of the island chiefs (also waiting for our plane) and getting to know each other. I have to say, if I was going to be stranded, I was glad it was with these guys. We laughed and talked until our flight was called.

Chief showing off his tattoos!

After another wait with the chief in the lounge, we walked out into the hot evening to the seemingly fixed plane. As we started to board the five of us were told o stay by the door… the ceiling of the plane had fallen into the cabin and they were appearing to be gaffer taping it and hitting it very hard back into place.

Just then… the heavens opened.

And so, sheltering under the wing of a tiny prop plane we passed the last few moments in American Samoa and watched the ship we had all left at early that morning sailing away into the pacific mist.

When the plane roof was taped back together, and pilot was convinced that the earlier broken propeller was starting to turn again, we set off for Apia!

Manically terrified before take off!!

Storm rolling in… before take off!

My seat was pretty much in the cockpit. Huge levers and buttons close enough to touch had me sitting on my hands. As we taxied the lady next to me gripped my hand. Our whitening knuckles locked together we laughed all the way across the international dateline to Samoa. An hour later… we arrived. 25 hours after we had taken off. As we taxied to the teeny tiny terminal, the pilot and co-pilot turned around to face us, their thumbs up. We’d made it. Our bags…? They didn’t.

Me and the Pilot … my seat….!

Good luck!

Video taken of us mid air!!!

Mostly bagless, but with whatever we could find, we headed to the hotel. We needed food… and I needed a cocktail! Our waiter for the evening heard we were dancers, singers and musicians and came over to sing us a fantastic local song! Just brilliant! The rum was flowing and the journey was on a break… I started to relax.

A fire show, a great meal and a couple of cocktails later, exhausted, I slept the sleep of the dead.

The Tanoa Tusitala hotel in Apia is beautiful, if you ever have reason to travel to Apia, its a fabulous place to stay, http://www.tanoatusitala.com/ . After a great breakfast and a morning in the pool, the errant suitcases arrived at the hotel, and we took a breath set off for our next stop… New Zealand!