| | Jul 20, 2006 - Upolu Samoa - Simply Timeless | (click to enlarge)
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 | Arriving in Samoa at 2AM
| | Our traditional fale at the Outrigger Hotel
| | Downtown Apia
| | Looking across Upolu
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 | Beach at Virgin Cove at sunrise
| | In the clear warm waters at Virgin Cove
| | Beach at Virgin Cove
| | Virgin Cove
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 | Gathering coconuts - The Tree of Life
| | Enjoying some fresh coconut juice
| | Beach, Virgin Cove
| | Bridge at Virgin Cove
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 | Our beach fale, Virgin Cove
| | Local Samoan in paddling a traditional canoe
| | Palm Shadows
| | Locals returning with their fishing catch
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 | Crab taking over Eric's sarong
| | Swinging above the beach and sea
| | Fales on the beach
| | Fire dancer at a Fia Fia night, Boomerang Creek
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 | Fia Fia Night - traditional dance and huge feast
| | On the beach in Saleopago, Upolu
| | Local kids posing for the camera
| | Keeping entertained on another drizzling, grey day
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 | Taro fields
| | Scenic walk towards Lalomanu Beach
| | Stunning Lalomanu Beach
| | Lalomanu Beach - where we got trapped for days in paradise
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 | On the deck at Litia's
| | Sandwich Time!!
| | Our balcony view - Lalomanu Beach
| | Fia Fia show for Edward's 40th Birthday
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 | Lounging in the warm waters with Carmen and Belle
| | Edward's Pe'a - traditional Samoan Tattoo
| | Hanging out after the Fia Fia with new friends
| | Sunset over Lalomanu
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 | Belle, Eric and Alister
| | Carmen plucking the forest - "Can you hear me now?!?"
| | Living a Dream in Samoa
| | All on Board - Island Transport
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 | Back of a Samoan Truck
| | The Live Gecko Bookmark
| | Row of Beach Fales
| | Carmen, Eric and Belle outside their fale
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 | Piled in the back of a truck enroute to Apia
| | Lush island scenery on the way to Apia
| | Young boy blowing the conch at Aggie Grey's Fia Fia
| | Dancers at Aggie Grey's Fia Fia
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 | Fire dances - Aggie Grey's
| | Carl getting an early Happy Birthday
| | Time to say good-bye
| | Apia Clock Tower
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 | | | Samoa - built by God
| | Simply Timeless
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| 'Upolu Samoa - Simply Timeless
Travelling from Fiji to Samoa we hit that weird time warp. The one when not only do you change your watch to adjust to the new time zone but also spin the date back by one day. Yes, we got to relive July 02, 2006 a second time, but only this time in Samoa rather than Fiji. What a bonus - another extra day added on to our trip - our first extra day was when we went to the Cook Islands. We prefer not to be reminded of our return flights where we cross over the International Date Line going the other way and lose a day off our trip.
Although time and date changed it really didn't matter in Samoa. As the Tourist Board promotes, "Samoa - Simply Timeless." And it was.
Stepping off the plane in Apia at 1 AM the temperature was so much warmer than Fjij. Winter in Samoa is considerably warmer than any of the other South Pacific Islands we have visited. The warm air, smell of the tropics and thrill of visiting the last new country in our year long adventure had us fully awake. We arrived in Apia and settled in to our accommodations - a traditional Samoan Fale sitting amongst three others on a grassy knoll in a yard of a budget hotel. Soon we had drifted off beneath our mosquito netting dreaming of what our month long stay in Samoa would hold for us.
Unfortunately, our plans while in Samoa included a visit to an incredibly remote island in American Samoa call Ofu, where the beaches are supposed to be quiet, isolated and some of the nicest in all of the South Pacific. The challenge? Getting there! With only 3 flights a week and six seats on each plane the island is not too accessible and despite the suggestion by many of heading to Pago Pago in American Samoa and then trying to do a stand-by flight, we figured our odds of getting two seats was a bit too slim. Not to mention the odds of being able to do a stand-by flight to get us back again! So, our dreams of seeing the perfect remote island and beach gave way to a month of venturing around Western Samoa on the two main islands of 'Upolu and Savai'i.
Samoa is an interesting country, much less touristed than many of the other South Pacific Islands like Fiji, Tahiti and the Cook Islands and still very traditional. With the exception of 'city' of Apia, the country consists of traditional villages that ring the lush, green volcanic islands. Each village still has a chief and the people still very much follow the fa'a Samoa (Samoan ways and traditions). The locals are incredibly religious and massive churches ring the islands leaving you wondering, "How do they fill such huge churches with such a small population?" One thing is clear though - you can see why people call Samoa, "The country that God built"
We spent almost three of our four weeks travelling around the island of 'Upolu taking in a variety of accommodations set on stunning beaches, tranquil coves with white sands and others set against lush green vegetation and black rock faces. Unfortunately, true to our South Pacific luck, the dry season was not too dry. The weather was incredibly changeable and we had more than our fair share of overcast and rainy weather. Luckily, this is much easier to take when you are staying on a perfect beach surrounded by a great new group of friends from Australia and New Zealand. Staying at Litia Sini's Beach Fales on Lolamanu Beach, we happened to meet a group of friends on vacation together to celebrate Edward's 40th birthday. With the water a variety of striking shades of blue, the sand soft and white, incredible snorkelling just off shore and with good company, we became quite content and kept extending our stay there by another day or two until we remained for a full week.
However, the time came though to say good-bye to our new friends and move on to the island of Savai'i, a larger but less populated island in Western Samoa. We wrapped up our stay in 'Upolu with one more night in Apia pampering ourselves with a private bath and warm water shower after many nights of basic accommodation. Then it was off to historic Aggie Grey's Hotel for their fantastic Fia Fia night - a night of traditional song, dance and a huge Samoan feast before departing the following morning by ferry to Savai'i.
Travel Tips for Samoa
1. Throughout Samoa, it is expected that you pay Custom Fees, which are like entry fees, to the sites you visit. This includes beaches, waterfalls, villages, historic sites etc. Fees are not posted and usually someone from the local village will collect it from you upon your arrival or departure.
2. Samoa is a very religious country and nothing happens on Sunday, the day of rest. If you would like to visit a church while in Samoa, make sure you pack and wear appropriate clothes. Otherwise, do not visit or walk through any of the local villages on Sundays.
3. In Apia, it is best to take a taxi at night due to the large number of aggressive dogs that roam the streets and often get together in potentially dangerous packs. If you do encounter an aggressive dog, bend down to get a rock and usually they will flee right away (even if there are no rocks around). I know, it sounds cruel, but it works.
4. Bargaining and tipping are not part of the Samoan culture and are not encouraged or expected.
5. Most low-end accommodation in Samoa is in the form of a traditional Samoan fales. Open fales do not have permanent walls but instead weaved shutters that can be lowered and raised as you please. Beds are typically mattresses on the floor covered with mosquito nets.
6. Limited higher end resort style and small hotel accommodation is available around the islands if you do not want to stay in the traditional fales although Samoa does not have the mass tourism like other South Pacific Islands.
7. A visit to the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum provides a great insight into the history of this famous writer and a view into the colonial past of Samoa.
8. Aggie Grey's Hotel does an excellent Fia Fia on Wednesday nights that includes a lively show with traditional dancers and a fire show, followed up by a huge Samoan buffet feast.
9. Lalomanu Beach is the best beach in Samoa and not to be missed. Bring your snorkel gear for excellent snorkelling and plenty of sunscreen for hours on the white sandy beach. Be careful of some of the strong currents especially when the tide is going out.
10. When renting a car you need to have your license endorsed to make it valid for driving in Samoa. This can be done through some car rental companies or through the Ministry of Transport for a cost of $10.
www.carlhenderson.ca
www.imagestoframe.com
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