ISLAND LIFE: Ofu

The weekend after the Pacific Arts Festival ended, Tim, Lisa and I headed off for a weekend on Ofu. I had had a crap-tastic week and needed to get the heck out of dodge. Ofu is one of the Manu'a Islands (along with Olosega & Ta'u), which is part of American Samoa. It's about a 20 minute plane ride from our island of Tutuila. You get off the plane and walk about 20 yards and you're at the Lodge, which is owned by our friend Jim's family. This place is awesome! About 50 yards from your room is the beach and it has sandy white beaches with some of the softest sand you've ever felt and water that is an unreal crystal clear turquoise color. It was exactly what I needed. I just sat on the beach all day, reading a book, playing in the water, soaking up the sun, and enjoying the beauty of it all. I went snorkling the second day we were there and even saw a red octopus. It is officially one of my favorite places on earth.

A picture is worth a thousand words...this place is heaven on earth:

At the airport, you have to get weighed so they can balance the plane.

From Tutuila to Ofu, you stand on the platform between the check-in counters that you usually put your baggage on. At least there, the scale is visible only to the airline staff. But from Ofu to Tutuila, you step up on this free-standing veterinary-type-scale that has a HUGE digital display so everyone can see how much you weigh! It's awesome. Not embarassing at all.

Here, you can see all 3 islands--Ofu (left), Olosega (middle) and Ta'u (right).

Nick, LTM, me & Tim after alot of alcohol & 40 versions of this shot...

Playing cards at the Lodge...me, LTM & Nick.
Tim didn't really play well with others.

Hermie...

Hermie likes beer...

This is the day I fried myself.
The sun wasn't out, it was cloudy, and I forgot my sunscreen.
I know, I know...you can still get burned even when it's cloudy out.
I get it. I got it so bad that I spent the next day by myself at the Lodge because it hurt too much to even walk. I was peeling for weeks.