It has been a relaxing week in many ways this trip to Samoa.  Staying in a fairly isolated part of the island with limited internet and no TV has had its challenges but for the most part, it has been great to commune with nature.  To go to sleep with the waves crashing upon the shore and smell and see lush vegetation and waterfalls cascading down mountains, makes you feel alive in a way that is refreshing and invigorating.

Paradise

Trying to capture the Sun

Sunset Samoan Style

Amazing sunset

Hibiscus Flower

The weather wasn’t great but somehow that didn’t really bother us.  We found things to do to keep us occupied.  We walked, swam, read books, fought off mosquitoes, watched rain fall and drove to find sun – any sun?

The Samoan people have such a relaxed style about them – things happen in a very leisurely pace.  It was quite infectious in the end.  A quick breakfast became a two hour affair and their ability to use tai chi movements to serve our meals and then clear the plates was magical.  It was so graceful and so quiet!

We hired a car and named her Dot.  She was a trusty 1998 blue Spacio that took us over mountainous terrain, through fords of flowing water – avoiding dogs, chickens, pigs and the odd child or two who was quite happy wandering the streets.  She took us all over the island.

If there was shopping to be had we were going to find it.  A quick visit to the markets in Apia saw us buy a cotton floral top each in bright hibiscus colours (mine being yellow of course) that not only made us look browner but was cool to wear and oh so comfortable.

Kids going to church in the back of the car with their keyboard

Hibiscus Floral Tops

Fale by the Beach

Beautiful yellow flower

Helen, James & Shona

Driving from Apia

Everyone was friendly.  Those bright pearly white teeth were gleaming, captured in a smile.  The staff knew us all by name.  We even had a call one night checking to see if we were coming to dinner as they hadn’t seen us.  Talk about service!  Every night we asked them to pray for sun.  Every morning we woke up to rain.  Oh well we tried and they tried.

Despite the lack of sun we somehow lapped up the rays we could find.  Swimming in clear blue pristine water lying on white sand on a deserted beach was pure bliss.  You couldn’t ask for more in a beach holiday.

Too soon it has come to an end and reality sets in as we have our last night under a sky full of stars.  It is an untouched paradise.