Samoa

Our next stop was on the laid back island of Upolu in Samoa. We arrived at about 2am local time on a flight from Australia, with a few hours layover in Fiji en route. We discovered later that there were plenty of direct flights from Sydney – our travel agent omitted to tell us this.

Anyway, a very rapid transfer out of the tiny but tidy airport to our hotel, The Sheraton Beach Resort, and we were in our beds before 3am.

Waking up the next morning, it looked like the hotel was either neglected, or had suffered a catastrophe. The landing from Fiji the previous night had been rough, and it was raining hard when we got in. This turned out to be the edge of a cyclone which had recently battered Fiji, and was now on its way to Tonga. The rains continued through the next day, as we watched the local hotel staff persistently clear fallen debris and rake the endless tide of leaves from the grounds.

We headed to the dive centre, located next to our hotel to check in for the next day. However, the weather was going to be too poor and they’d had to lift the boat onto dry(ish) land, as it was getting damaged by the rough seas on its mooring. No diving on this bit of our trip.

This rain and wind continued for our 4 days in Samoa, only breaking on the morning of our departure, when the sun came out and the humidity shot through the roof. However, we managed to fill our time and enjoyed the laid back lifestyle of the Samoans (pronounced SAMoan, locally).

As diving was off, we took a taxi into Apia, picked up by Tala (of “welcome to Tala Taxi Services!”). Tala, like most Samoans we met, was a big lad. A very big lad. Growth in height and girth has not been stunted on these tropical islands. Unfortunately, the rise of fast food has impacted the diet of this country, and its clear that health is taking a hit.

However, while size is one marker of this culture, there are many others. Wandering around the markets and the town of Apia, we were struck by colour of clothing; Hawaiian shirts and Lava-Lava, a sarong worn by both men and women, men tending to wear it as part of a uniform. And Tattoos; traditional for both men and women here – they are abundant and geometrical in design. It’s nice to see tattoos with meaning.

Samoa was a very friendly place, big people with big personalities; gappy smiles and happy to help. The architecture was consistent; wooden houses with wrap-around verandas; often with additional painted wooden-pillared structures out front, open all round and used for gathering during the day, allowing air to blow straight through under the corrugated iron roofs. Many roofs were domed; crafted in the shape of an upturned hull, giving them the look of capsized vessels. Carving is also abundant, with wood and bone used extensively.

The locals embraced the rain, enjoying the cooler air and watering their gardens, in which they take great pride. It’s lovely to find a tropical paradise which utilises their natural flora so well. It was also a very green contrast to the arid landscapes of Australia.

The seas around our hotel were true azure blue, reflecting the shallow shelf of white sand beneath. In the sunshine, this place would be a tropical paradise. In the rain, it was a nice spot to while away a few days going to the gym, reading, and swimming in the rain.