16 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Back in my fale at night, with some clothing and snorkelling gear drying. The plastic sheets were loud in the wind, but the view of the moon and the ocean made up for it.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-34.html

16 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

After the fiafia, everyone was hanging out. It was good to see everyone having a genuinely happy time together.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-34.html

16 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

And of course, another fire dance. I wonder if the wood floor ever catches on fire.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-34.html

16 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

The men dancing. The lead dancer did not look so well, I was concerned for a while that he was having a heart attack! Hopefully he was just out of shape, and the dances do look pretty intense.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-34.html

16 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Picture of then dancing.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-34.html

16 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Another fiafia, my third one in Samoa! It felt a bit sad thinking about their friends and family who lost their lives to the tsunami not so long ago, and how they have to try to keep happy.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-34.html

16 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Dinner! It was less tasty than it looked, but still good. Lalomanu was more expensive, at 90 tala per night, including breakfast and dinner.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-34.html

16 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

As we drank, it got darker, and night came. The ocean was quite loud. Apparently, before the tsunami, it was much quieter, as the sand had a shallower slope to it.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-34.html

16 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Hanging out at the "bar fale," the fale of a group of Kiwis who come here every year and are now friends with the family owners. They told me about the effect of the tsunami, and how it took away nearly half of the family. Apparently one of them sleepwalks, and woke up in the water last night!

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-34.html

16 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Some pretty clouds over the ocean seen from my fale.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-34.html

16 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

View of the almost-sunset time from my fale.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-34.html

16 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Putting down the road-side plastic sheets, is was quite a cozy hangout! Since the sheets were pretty cumbersome, I developed a habit of jumping off the seaward side of the fale whenever I exited.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-34.html

16 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

There were some scheduling issues, and after discussions, I was reluctantly placed in a fale in the adjacent resort owned by relatives, but was still to eat at the original place, for the same price. There was obvious animosity between the two resorts. However, I now have my own seaside fale!

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-34.html

16 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Went for a snorkel and tried to look for turtles. Sadly, no turtles were to be found, and the snorkelling was only OK. There is a good amount of rubble and many overturned and dead coral from the tsunami two years ago.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-34.html

16 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Back at the beach after To Sua.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-34.html

16 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Another lava arch bridge. At this point, my feet are pretty adapted to walking barefoot, but these sharp lava rocks were still a bit too rough. Nonetheless, I was surprised I could walk on these, and the rough gravel road near where I was staying, with minimal problems. I guess the human body is just too pampered in most of the world.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-34.html

16 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

The lava flows made natural lava bridges, with plenty of coral below.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-34.html

16 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

A close-up of the coral in the water. You can see them surprisingly clearly from here.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-34.html

16 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

The supposed blowhole. Our guide demonstrating that it's not working at low tide by standing in it. There are whooshes of air, but no water. Notice the coral in the water in the background.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-34.html

16 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

The uneven rocks in the water are coral.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-34.html

16 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

View down the coast in the other direction. Lots of lava rocks, forming interesting pockets and bays along the coast.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-34.html

16 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

The landscape. Looks like there is a string of beaches along the coast. There is also a lot of coral in the water.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-34.html

16 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

A short walk along a trail from To Sua is the coast.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-34.html

16 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

The ladder leading down to the swimming hole. A small cave with the spring is right behind the ladder.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-34.html

16 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Down in the sinkhole. The tunnel leads to another sinkhole filled with ferns. There is a clear current from the opposite end that causes the water to rise and fall periodically, probably from the wave action. I followed the current for a while with snorkelling gear looking for the opening, but didn't find it as I didn't want to get too close and risk being sucked in.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-34.html

16 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

To Sua is a sinkhole that is connected to the ocean via an underground passage of some sort, and makes for a great swimming spot. There is also a small freshwater spring down there.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-34.html

16 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

After some talking, I found a family to go to To Sua Ocean Trench with me to split the cost.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-34.html

16 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

A view of one of the openings of the reef. Apparently there are turtles near the openings, but you have to be very careful not to get sucked out.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-34.html

16 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

View from the top of a hill where the owners are building a new house and resort. A good portion of the family lost their lives in the tsunami, so it makes sense that they would want to move to high ground. There is nowhere to run on the beach, as the beach is pinned between the ocean and the cliffs.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-34.html

16 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

The resort I stayed in, with their meal area in the right side of the photo.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-34.html

16 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

A fancier resort beside us. There seems to be a lot of animosity among the resorts in the area, even though the resorts are mostly run by relatives. I was told that this resort will kick us off their beach sometimes.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-34.html

16 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

The beach in Lalomanu in the morning.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-34.html