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The bus in tropical paradise vol.2


My impression is most of Samoan family own a car. Roads are well paved. Nevertheless, people take the classic bus. Maybe it's cheaper than driving a car. On the other hand, the bus is inconvenient for tourists. Must be better to hire a rent-a-car or scooter if you want to save time for sightseeing.


Even so if you take the bus, you'll find a lot of things about Samoa and the people. In the cabin, church like wooden benches are lined. Just thin cushions cover the bench. The truck's suspension isn't comfortable to ride. Rough road surface knocks my buttocks.
There is an open gate on the rear end. Lengthy cargo and luggage can be placed from there. No grass window on the bus. But transparent acrylic plates is placed bottom of the window frame in stead. You lift up the plate in case of hard rain.
It's quite primitive design. However you can see Samoan craftsmanship here and there. The ceiling, for example. Strip-woods are nailed by wooden beams to make a beautiful arch ceiling. Must be skill for building a wooden boat, I guess. I see a same structure also on interior of Samoan church. Two ropes are lined piercing the wooden beams from rear to front. The front end is tied above the driver's seat and switching the getting-off buzzer. As closely looking, I find the whole interior is made by woods.


It's not so crowded in the daytime. In the late morning and early afternoon, school students take it. In the early morning and late afternoon, the bus is filled up with commuters. A passenger sit on another passenger's knees. That's manners. It looks like scrum formation of rugby. Now I got the reason why Samoa is a rugby powerhouse. As I mentioned, tourist's travel direction, leaving town in the morning and come back in the afternoon, is opposite to the commuters. So I've not joined the scrum. But I should have tried it even if I would not be able to come back to the town. LoL


One more thing about the Samoa's classic bus. The bus doesn't run on Sunday. Stores neither. In Samoa, pious Christian country, Sunday is the day for rest and going to a church.



Apr. 2019


Today's piece
" Wooden bus "  Samoa  2019




fumikatz osada photographie