Samoa Trip Feb 23 - March 8 2011

This is the first in a long series of posts documenting our amazing trip to Samoa. When we bought our house last year, we filed for the rebate. We agreed when we got the money that we would buy tickets to visit Samoa first since this was the only way we would be able to afford to go for a long time. We also wanted to go before Leila turned 2 so we didn't have to pay for a full price ticket.

We left our house on Wednesday February 23 at 3:00 pm. After 3 flights, 2 layovers, and driving time, we got to Kuso's parents house 31 hours later. We basically had the same trip home so in a total of 6 flights, Leila seriously only cried a grand total of maybe 30 minutes. Seriously. She is such a rock star when it comes to traveling (most of the time.)

We had originally booked a direct flight from Los Angeles to Apia that would have made the trip much shorter, but the flights were getting full and the airline contacted us to see if we would be willing to travel by way of New Zealand. We accepted the change in itinerary so we could go meet Kuso's younger brother Kimball. I have never met him and Kuso has never met his wife. And of course we needed to show Leila off. Well, we got to New Zealand, went through customs to hear that Leila and I were free to leave, but because Kuso was traveling on a Samoa passport, he needed a visa to leave the secured area. That thought never even crossed our minds because we weren't planning on leaving the airport. We were just going to chat for a few minutes, give some gifts, then get back to our flight. So, needless to say, we did not meet Kimball and we accepted the longer flight for no personal benefit. My passport does say I went to New Zealand though.

This is the first night we were there when Leila met more of her daddy's relatives.

Cousins

Semi (9), Alofa (5), Guga (8), Leila (1)

Leila and Grandpa Voi

Leila and Uncle Crazy aka LeviGrandma and Leila (and Kuso)Leila and Uncle Atonio Her first Samoan Style bath. This night, she kind of liked it. The rest of the trip, she HATED it. She screamed the entire time and for about 15 minutes after. We got to a routine where I would get her out, take her to put her diaper on (she got really bad diaper rash so I had to try and put cream on too) while Kuso was throwing out the water, then rush to the room to help control her enough to get her diaper on, then HE would have to take her outside (she was a massive daddy's girl while we were there) until she calmed down, then we would sneak some bug spray and a t-shirt to sleep in on her. Then she would be fine, but during it, it was quite the ordeal.

After the bath thinking she is as big as the other kids. Kuso, Leila, Alofa, and Uncle Logologo

(the dates that say 05/09/2206 is really 02/24/2011 - I noticed that about 3 days into our trip and fixed it then.)