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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Apr 26, 2004 02:00 PM Polish "pierogi" on Niue Island
Can you imagine? I found my countryman on the remote Niue Island in the middle of the South Pacific! Everybody here knows Henry (Henryk) and everybody needs him - he is handyman specialised in the construction works... master in carpentery. It was lovely moment when I saw for the first time his smiling face! Then I have been invited to his elegant house for delicious pierogi (polish traditional dumplings) he makes. What a taste in the South Pacific!!!
The only local bank is cheating: the official rate for 100 AUD is 117 NZD - local currency, but here they pay only 97 and say "we dont charge any comission !!!" Tfu!!!
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Apr 25, 2004 02:00 PM Niue - the Rock of Polynesia...
Apia - Samoa... The check in time for the flight was at 2 am! Horrible! Then - after the take-off they Polynesian flight attendends announced that no breakfast will be served due to expected turbulences. Finally we landed on the island of Niue - badly damaged by the cyclone Heta on January 5th... The main "Niue Hotel" and the hospital - both built on the 30m cliff do not exist any more. A lot of another buildings stay still partly damaged. I found a room in the cosy Peleni Guest House (40 NZD) who survived... Niue is coral, rocky island rising from the ocean, so far I did not see any beaches but a saw a lot of mosquitoes... It is good to have here mosquito net with you... (Yes, I have!). No fresh bread today! Locals said that the bakery is off fluor... The supply ship is expected in 4 days... Appreciate your fresh breakfast rolls in Poland or elsewhere!
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Apr 23, 2004 02:00 PM Blowholes and cliffs of Savaii Island - Samoa
Thanks to all of you who sent me via e-mail wishes in the ocassion of my nameday!...
Today I took a tour of the Savaii - the bigger island of Samoa. The island is very attractive - it has the vast fields of volcanic lava. Can you imagine the ruins of the church with lava inside? There are also high and picturesque cliffs in the south... But the highlight of Savaii is the huge blowhole - I did not see similar one around the world! The water was blowing as high as 20-25 m - over the tops of palm trees... local boys put coconuts into the hole before the blow and next they fly high into the sky... I tried to take good pictures and... to protect my camera from the salt spray...
And here is something strange: - local groundowners charge entry fees (like 5 tala for the blowhole or 2 tala for the cliff) it is not so much but if you visit 10 such sites during one day... Anyway Samoans are very nice and friendly people and I like very much my stay on both islands...
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Apr 22, 2004 02:00 PM Imieniny under the palm trees...
The sun was rising over the navy blue ocean and I heard the sound of little waves approaching the beach when I opened my eyes... I layed naked in the small, open, tatched house ("beach fale"). Through the mosquito net I enjoyed the view of white, sandy and empty beach fringed by palm trees... -It is my nameday today! -I recognized in my still-sleepy brain... In Poland most of the people still celebrate his saint patron day instead of birthday. So am I... On Samoa, on the sunny island of Savaii... It will be worth to open the large bottle of the local VAILIMA beer in the evening...
Beach fales cost here 50 tala per day including meals in local style...
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Apr 21, 2004 02:00 PM Malawi visa - not so easy...
Believe or not: herd of elephants /12 or more -withe babies/ said Godbye to me at the reception building of Flatdogs Camp when we were departing at 6 am....
I met in the camp nice couple from Switzerland theveling with own car and they offered me a ride back to the world... It was important because it is very difficult to find bublic transpart from Mwfue back to Chipata. Thanks a lot - Anrdea and Richard!!
Passing by Chipata after 5 hours we reached the border point of Malawi... Surprise... Most african countries issue tourist visas at the border... - But Poland and Switzerland are not on the list!! - said black officer... What should we do?
Finally he gave us temporary 2-days permit on the yellow piece of paper. With this paper we raported to the immigration office in the capital city of Lilongwe, we paid 3000 malawi kwacha /1 USD is worth 120 MKwacha/ and we got our visas. Ask for the yellow paper!
Welcome to Malawi!
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Apr 20, 2004 02:00 PM Having a rest in Seaside Inn...
The Tokelau odyssey is over! Can you imagine? During 7-days journey to Tokelau and back we met only one little fishing boat! Only empty Pacific Ocean around! Disembarked from m/v "Tokelau" in Apia I walked only 400 m with my 20k bacpack to Seaside Inn - cosy backpackers guesthouse just near the port. They offer fan rooms from 60 tala with breakfast included - and that is what I need to rest, make the laundry, and enjoy the food other then rice-and-meat served aboard (and included in the price of the ticket). The ground under my feets is still swinging... I plan to move tomorrow for 3 days to Savai - the biggest island of Samoa - it is still unknown to me - travellers say it is even more interesting then capital island of Upolu. Soon we will see!
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Apr 17, 2004 02:00 PM Atafu - Nukunonu - Fakaofo...
Tokelau - former Union Islands consists of only 3 little atolls. The ocean was stormy, but I was still lucky to land on all of them and even to spend the nights ashore. On Nukunonu there is only guesthouse you can use if staying for few days (50 NZD full board and full of ants). Luciano - the owner took me with small boat across the emerald lagoon to the little motus - palm-covered, empty islands... Tokelau... The place is wonderful! Isoloated from the rest of the world, with old customs preserved, nice people and unspoiled nature. No airstrip, no port - every landing was a new adventure! I took a lot of pictures, met many interesting people and... during the last hour of my stay taking a boat trip between small motus I broked down my video camera... - it was sprayed by salt water... But it was still worth...
Now again we have two nights on a deck sailing to Apia. Thanks God the weather is improoving!
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Apr 14, 2004 02:00 PM Fakaofo on the horizon...
Sailing to Tokelau - one of most unusual destinations... My dream comes true...
Do you expect South Seas story about deep-blue ocean, romantic sunsets and singing sailors...
It was like this on the first day only... There were only two of us - the travellers on board surrounded by smiling, lovely Tokelauans...
During the night we got heave wind and rain -
I was forced to escape from the deck...
After 29 hours of sailing on the second day we saw first atoll of Tokelau - Fakaofo...
On the high waves small boats unloaded passengers jumping over the reef and we sailed onward - to Nukunonu...
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Apr 12, 2004 02:00 PM Tokelau - ahoy!
It was early morning when I found Tokeleu Office in Apia... The supply boat in sailing tomorrow! Do you have a space for me?
Fortunately the answer was: yes! They made me really happy...
The ship carries up to 60 passengers in one cabin (usually occupied by officials) and on the deck. The deck fare is 286 NZD for round-trip.
It usually takes around 7 days... If you want to stay on Tokelau longer (until the next sailing) you have to apply in advice for visa and book limited accommodation through Apia Office.
I got my ticket in the afternoon and started to look for the suitable mat (seven days on a deck!)
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Apr 10, 2004 02:00 PM Talofa from Samoa!
Easter on Upolu Island... I found here very nice hosts from Servas organization. Maria-Ines and Marco gave me very interesting introduction to the island of green cloud-caped mountains, waterfalls, emerald lagoons and beach huts. They live close to the nature in the middle of the lush forest - far from the noise of the capital. Yes, I have been to Samoa before but it still excite me: ladies with flowers in their hairs, policemen in lava-lava skirts marching every morning along the boulevard in Apia...
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