The Samoans really are a friendly bunch of people, and are always quick to greet you with talofa, which is the island’s version of hello. The official language is Samoan, but many also speak English. Whilst we always make an effort to learn at least a small array of words in the language of the country we are going to, we had no trouble at all using English in Samoa. Like any place in the world, responding in someone’s native language shows respect and that you are showing interest in their culture. The advantage of this is that people will then often go out of their way to help you, as you have also gone “out of your way”. Also immediately obvious was how laid-back and relaxed they are as a people. Despite the fact that it was only a few days before Christmas in this an almost 100% Christian country, nobody seemed too frantic or stressed out. We (or certainly I!) could take a few leaves out of their book! We walked past lots of monuments and memorials, as well as lots of people laying down in the shade, on the grass, under the copious amounts of coconut trees (we should have taken our cue from them!). The flea market was very interesting, more so for the people that worked there than for what was actually sold. The usual suspects abounded – thongs, rip-offs of crocs (which have almost joined Heineken beer and Pringles in the “products taking over the world” stakes), lava-lavas (traditional skirt-like article of clothing worn by people in many Polynesian countries), and jewellery made with coconut shell. The exception was the various beautifully carved hardwood bowls and plates available. We eyed off a few, and decided that we would buy one before leaving the country.

Food? On vegetarians and vegans, the Lonely Planet guide simply states, “It’s tough”. Having read this before I left, my expectations weren’t all that high, and we did bring a range of snacks (such as nuts and muesli bars) along with us. I am a fairly “liberal” vegetarian, and whilst I don’t do the meat thing, I do consider myself a “meat flicker”. I believe that people who really travel off the beaten track and love to backpack have to be a tad more flexible. Hard -core anything can lead to problems! Having said that, they just LOVE mutton in Samoa, and many places reeked of mutton fat, which to be blunt, I found rather repulsive. Not because it was meat (I am not “one of those” types of vegetarians), but because it smelt old and of urine. Even Alex agreed, and (drum roll) even HE knocked it back on more than one occasion. For those of you who don’t know Alex that well, he rarely, if ever knocks back any food! They are also very much into taro, which is a root vegetable and an excellent source of carbohydrate. It’s not bad really, but they seem to simply serve it up plain, and with other foods such as rice and fuata (breadfruit). So, it’s a bit like carbs, carbs and more carbs! The liquid version would be a bottle each of Coca-Cola, Fanta and Pepsi. A bit of overkill really! But I did find something that I really loved, and was able to readily get at the market -palusami, which is basically young taro leaves and coconut cream – yum! There was also a fresh fruit and veggie market, Maketi Fou, near our hotel, and here we had no trouble finding things such as mangoes, papayas, delectable bananas and other fresh produce. Like any country, its markets are its backbone, and no matter how big or small, you are sure to walk away with some understanding of the way in which people live. As I have mentioned many times before, I love markets, as for me they are the soul of its country!

We got home quite tired on our first night, as we had walked a lot in the heat, and had (surprise, surprise) actually gotten quite burnt. Despite the fact that we were tired we made our way to a fiafia, at a venue not too far from where we were staying. A fiafia is a Samoan feast that includes dancing, singing and the famous fire-dancing. We had read and heard about it and so wanted to check out on one or two. The other bonus is that it is usually preceded or followed by a buffet. Alex’s dream come true! The venue where we saw our first fiafia was called Laumei Faiaga (in English, and very aptly named, Turtle Take It Easy). In this instance, the buffet came first, and is really the place where I first tried and fell in love with palusami. We were then treated to both traditional Samoan dancing and also to the “Fire Knife Warriors”, which was truly amazing. We went to bed that night with a really nice taste in our mouths, so to speak, and we intrinsically knew that we were we were just going to love our time in Samoa.

Breakfast the next morning at Valentine’s was great; between 8am and 9am as things are done early here, to beat the heat. We were served by the lovely Agnes…..bread, jam, eggs and coffee. No rush! Nobody seems to rush in Samoa! So, we took our time, as we looked over the gorgeous open garden in front of us. What a life! I took a deep breath in, and a magnificently slow one out. I live for this! I have come to relish my holidays with a deep-seated passion. I now know and accept that travel is what REALLY makes me feel most alive and happy (apart from my beautiful partner and soul mate, Alex!) Over breakfast we chatted to Debbie and her gorgeous daughter Shivani (as time would tell, her beauty was far more than skin deep), who were also guests at the hotel. We had met them briefly the morning before, but due to the ticket fiasco, I had not been all that focused. They were spending several weeks in both Tonga and Samoa, and so were giving us tips on where to go and what to see. Traveller to traveller information, effectively referrals, are always the best way to go. They were going back to Lalomanu Beach, on the south-east end of the island, and told us to meet them there, even giving us the name of a place to stay. Sounded good. They were off on that day, and we said we would make our way over tomorrow, as we still wanted to explore a bit of Apia.

We spent quite a tranquil day, taking in the sights of Apia and its surrounds. Due to its past, it is indeed scattered and interspersed with dilapidated buildings, architecture and a multitude of churches, but that really is part of the charm. As for the fume-belching cars (some of which seem as old as the buildings they weave through!), they definitely did not provide us with the fresh air we thought we’d come for. We took our first island bus, an experience unto itself, just 30 minutes out to the Piula Cave Pool. Sitting on the sea, it is totally freshwater, and was a great way to wile away a couple of hours. On the bus back to Apia, with people stacked up like dominoes (the Samoans have quite a different take on personal space), we got off near the edge of town near the wharf, so that we could check out the Palolo Deep Marine Reserve. Whilst we did strap on our snorkelling gear, as suggested, we were not all that impressed with the coral. As we walked back to Valentine’s we popped into the infamous Aggie Grey’s, which to be quite honest, I thought was both overpriced and overrated. Having said that, and on a good note, it’s really the only place that provides a home away from home. No thanks!

The next morning, we were off to Lalomanu Beach, where we spent a sublime 4 days, including Christmas. I should mention Verona and Justin’s 5 children, Mesepa (Sepa), Justin, Ray, Valentine (Tine) and Verona. What wonderful kids! Friendly, chatty, playful and fun-loving! I often looked at them and thought how much our own kids could learn from them! There was a zest for life that I so often see lacking in western cultures. I will always remember their hugs, and their manners.

And so, with breakfast downed, goodbyes and Christmas greetings uttered, backpacks packed, we were off to the local bus station, and on our way to Lalomanu Beach. What time did the bus leave? Yeh…………..whatever! They seemed non-plussed, so why should we? It was about a two-hour ride, along Upolu’s gorgeous south-eastern coast. The bus was full of people, boxes and an array of other things, and remember it was the day before Christmas. That dominoes kind of feel reined supreme! After a couple of hours we were there, and begun our search for Taufua Beach fales. I should explain that a fale is basically an open- style thatched hut, and is a traditional example of Samoan architecture. Due to the heat it is very popular, and used by locals and foreigners alike. As soon, as I hopped off the bus, I did the usual; Alex looked after the bags, and I searched for the accommodation. In no time at all, I had found Taufua. Wow!!!! Blue skies and seas, and thatched huts literally on the sand metres from the sea. Now THIS is what I call utopia! Tina, from New Zealand, helped us out and told us that indeed Shivani and Debbie were staying there. In no time at all, I had collected Alex, been given a hut to stay in and caught up with the girls. I felt relaxed and at peace.

That night we were treated to a fiafia organised by Taufua fales. It was not a formal affair, but rather one where all the locals joined in. It was magnificent. Taufua Fales had a central dining area, where all the guests come together. Both breakfast and dinner (buffet style) are included in the price, and the food here was without a doubt the best we had in Samoa. Taufua Fales is owned and run by the amazing Tai, an intelligent yet humble woman who went out of her way to make her guests feel at ease. More on her later! Christmas Day was a casual affair, and despite the fact that Samoa is almost exclusively Christian, they don’t seem to get caught up in all of that commercial hype which I have so grown to detest. For the Samoans it’s clearly about spending time with family and friends and not about Christmas trees, ostentatious gifts and plasma TVs. Alex and I spent our time here reading, relaxing, swimming, sun-baking (well me, anyway), going for runs on the beach (me again!), snorkelling and eating! What more is there to do? Oh yes, and plenty of talking!

As we still wanted to visit the island of Savai’i, we had to make tracks. Tai offered to give us a lift back into Apia on the morning of the 27th December, as she had to go in for supplies, but we would have to get up early as she would be leaving at 5am. Whilst it sounded a bit hairy, we accepted! It was well worth it, as we had a really good chat to Tai, and saw things and met people we probably would not have otherwise. I want to share a story that Tai shared with us on the way to Apia: She told us that her 16 year old son had just spent a few days, including Christmas, in prison. I asked her why! She quite simply and clearly stated that she had often told him that if she caught him smoking marijuana, she would call the police. (Whilst hard drugs are not readily available in Samoa, due to the climate, marijuana is). Apparently, a few days prior, she caught him and a couple of friends in a room smoking, so she promptly called the local police, who gave the boys a talking to. Whilst the police were happy with the outcome, Tai clearly was not! She MADE them take the boys to a prison in Apia, where they spent the next few days. She believes in nipping things in the bud! Her comment to me was, “Marijuana today, what tomorrow?”. Her son apparently had thought prison horrendous and apologised profusely to his mother. Maybe he would think about his actions more than twice next time, his mother said. How many western mothers would have done this? Tai, I was impressed by your actions.

Once in Apia, we went to the fish market, which was buzzing with locals. There, Tai sat with one of the local vendors, chatting to her and others and ordered a guy called “Nico” to buy some coffee and “Samoan donuts” (deep fried pastry balls). What a great way to observe Samoan daily life. Nico was an interesting character. We had a good chat and he told me that he was currently serving 5 years in prison (he was half way through), for growing a few marijuana plants. The law is tough here, yet prisoners are allowed out on weekend, including murderers. Nobody really watches them- 5 days on the inside and 2 days out! Nico was not doing community service, he simply wanted to help out in the market. A completely different system to our own!

Later Tai dropped us off at the bus station, and we took the half hour bus ride to the north-western tip of the island, where we were to catch the one and a half hour ferry trip to Savai’i. It was only 9am, as we had gotten up and left Lalomanu so early. In no time at all, we were at the wharf, where we would catch the 10.00am ferry across.

Samoa was proving to be a fascinating place!

Next: The island of Savai’i.

Dedication: I would like to dedicate this to a few people.

Mesepa, Justin, Valentine, Ray and Verona: Thank you for your laughter, your smiles and your cheeky grins. Thanks for reminding us about what is important in life. Maybe you are too young to understand, but it is our meeting people like you that changes our lives forever. We hope to come back and see you again!

Tai: What a woman! What a person! I know plenty of people that could learn a whole lot off you!

Nico: Thanks for sharing, and for being so open with us!

“Action may not always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action.” – Benjamin Disraeli.