September 2018 - In the Steps of Stevenson - Samoa

Judy: Apart from being back in the tropics and being hit by the damp heat and the familiar smells, the highlights were: climbing Mount Vaea to see the tomb (nearly collapsing from the heat and exertion, and realising why we had met so many people who owned to visiting the Museum but not the tomb – it was a hard hike up to just 472 metres visiting the Museum on three separate days, first to take the tour and learn from the local managers their view of RLS; gaining (we thought) some respect for the show and the possibility of taking it there again meeting the chair of the Trust that runs the Museum a former missionary from Utah, who was very welcoming and warmly offered to help us with our tour to RLS haunts in the US performing in the house (for the camera) and on the verandah (for a good audience of locals and tourists) and feeling a real shiver to be there driving around the eastern half of Upolu island to see beaches, swim in sink holes, visit villages and marvel at the churches, the colour and the general pace of life which means kids and families are all out playing or gardening in the afternoon, and kids and families are wandering about at night seemingly completely safe travelling with our hilarious friends who were determined to do everything to remember the trip – including two firsts for them – going to the Catholic cathedral at 5.45am to hear the service and witness the singing and going to McDonalds for a coffee – neither to my knowledge had ever entered either type of establishment before!