Samoan Bus Ride

Hello All,
The last few days have been pretty uneventful.I got my engine parts on yesterday and it went basically with out a hitch.This is suppose to be a fix for the seawater that I was finding in my engine several times.I will have to go out sailing to see if it works so I will keeps my fingers crossed.I am expecting more parts coming in the mail so I can get this boat ready to go for the next port.
I thought I would take the time today to tell you about the Samoan bus service here.Your probably asking your self,this guy must be really board to write about a bus service.It is extremely unique to all of the Islands I have seen so far.I will explain,Each bus is owned by the driver.He takes a truck chassis,usually a dual axle truck,chops the roof off only leaving the windshield in most cases,stripes everything off to the framerails and then goes to the lumber yard and builds the coach all out of wood.They are very careful to make all of the corners rounded and then they cover the whole coach they have just constructed with what looks like ,airplane tin.they put a custom paint job on it and outfit a stereo with at least 400 watts of amps,sub woofers and all.Some I have been on even have TVs mounted with the driver chooseing some kind of DVD,usually a sports game of some kind.Now with all of that sound power your probably wondering what kind of music is played at 10,000 decibels.Most of it is some kind of dance music and some sounds like local polynesian artists.I think there is a competition between drivers as to who has the coolest and the loudest bus and after all of that work and all of that stereo gear they will drive you all over the Island for 1 dollar.On request they will leave the main route and drop you at home or at a business.For 2 bucks I can go 10 miles into the next town to shop or whatever and return.It is an awesome system and I have met and talked to a few of the drivers and they are very proud of there business and are always willing to help out if you dont know where to go for something.There are lots of them to,i dont know how many but you only stand at the bus station for about a minute and if your not at the bus station and see one coming you just flag him down and he will stop in the middle of the road and pick you up.
This place has lots of flaws for a visiting sailor but the public transportation and the people are the greatest.



PEACE