Hello from Samoa (via Fiji)

We've arrived in Fiji from Samoa - we weren't able to find internet access in Samoa hence no updates for a while - sorry!

We really loved Samoa - it's a beautiful country with amazing beaches and very lush. We went to both main islands, Upolu and Savai'i. We saw waterfalls and blowholes which send water 100ft into the air. We visited one of the many volcanoes and walked across lava fields with Warren Jopling, a retired geologist who's passionate about lava. We're now experts on the various types of lava and formations (hmmmm).

While the sites were great, accommodation wasn't. We shared our room with dead spiders, cockroaches etc (although at least the resident lizards (geckos) ate some of them... When we finally got a good room, it was in the middle of nowhere and they could only provide a pot noodle for lunch. Then they messed up our airport transfer and we almost missed our flight to Fiji. Food in general is not exciting - lots of root vegetables that taste like potatoes (but it explains the size of most of the population).

Life in Samoa is still very rural - lots of farming villages still run by chiefs. All their money goes on building giant churches for 20 people but they don't have any running water. We watched a game of kirikiti (like cricket with a triangular bat) which they play in the village across the main road.

When we left Tonga for Samoa we had to pay an airport tax - Sharon almost got away with not paying as they thought she was under 12 and that Craig was her father...

We'll try to update more often but it's proving difficult to find affordable internet access (and putting up photos is seeming almost impossible).