Food and Accommodation

In Samoa the main exports are unprocessed goods like fish, banana, coconuts, taro and other food goods. There are processed forms of coconut products like coconut milk and copra that are also on the major export list as well as other lesser products. Many of these locally and regionally grown goods were part of the menu at both Aggie Greys Lagoon Beach Resort and at the Sinalei Spa & Resort where we stayed for the week. The focus for the Sinalei menu was organic and locally grown, as part of their efforts to support local growers. The major feature was fresh fruit, used in the breakfast menu and desserts and sauces in the lunch and dinner menus. Fish and prawns were the main protein (understandably) on the lunch and dinner lists which was cooked in a number of different forms, which were always delicious. One of my favourites was seafood pasta that I had one lunch, it was spicier then I would usually eat but I loved it. I was also surprised by the availability of beef, chicken and pork on the menu. I had forgotten about the long presence of pigs and chickens on the islands. These were introduced by the colonialists, but I definitely didn’t expect cattle. According to one of the local drivers many people raise their own chickens and pigs and some people keep small herds of cattle in amongst the banana palms and other fruit trees. One of the food items I enjoyed the most was the papaya or pawpaw, which I ate most days as a smoothie or as a crumble for dessert, aside from any part it might have had as a sauce or condiment in other dishes. It was a surprise for me to enjoy the fruit so much, as back home I am not usually much of a fruit person, but the papaya from the island is amazing, so different and much better then what is available in New Zealand.

The other big industry for Samoa like New Zealand is tourism. When we were there it was during term time and right at the end of university break time, so there were fewer travellers around. Because of our flight times, arriving so late/early, we stayed one night at Aggie Greys about 10 minutes away from the airport. It was a fabulous introduction to the tourist experience on the island. The grounds and main buildings were beautiful with many tropical plants and architecture in a mix of traditional and luxurious European style. An example of this was the impressive lobby/arrival desk, which was a large high roofed Fale (traditional open sided Samoan house/meeting area). It was an intricate wooden structure with luxurious European fittings like chandeliers and marble/polished tile floors. The guest rooms where we spent that night were much simpler but certainly comfortable, with an accessible open plan bathroom and air-conditioning. In the morning things looked just as lovely, as we looked around at breakfast. As I mentioned the main guest areas were large and luxurious, with a pool and spa treatment rooms, but the guest rooms were simple. This makes sense to me, as who really plans to spend much time in their room when you are visiting such a beautiful place.  I’m not sure whether there were a range of rooms with different layouts and facilities or whether they are all the same. The resort as a whole had more of a family and traveller feel and seemed quite active, although the initial impression had been luxury and decoration, when we arrived in the quiet of the night. The staff at the resort were very polite but the most sociable were the desk assistants and the manager who was a young charismatic Samoan man called Giovanni who previously worked at the Sinalei which is where we stayed for the next four nights.

In comparison the Sinalei was quite different. My initial impression was that it was similar to Aggies, although the entrance was less imposing and formal there was still a feel of luxury and quality. But this impression of luxury I think was also to do with the setting and the balance of unfamiliar and exotic architecture. Everything about the Sinalei was beautiful and had an atmosphere of relaxation and calmness about it, with natural looking water features alongside the main gathering areas like the dining area and bar. This atmosphere of calm and relaxation as well as the lower number of guests contrasted with the level of activity and larger numbers at Aggie Greys. The people who greeted us at the Sinalei were personal and friendly, seeming genuinely interested in who we were. I suppose it helped that the resort was smaller and the guests are restricted to 12 years and older. This helps to maintain the atmosphere that the resort is known for. It wasn’t that the people at the other accommodation had been unfriendly but these people seemed truly genuine and had the time and energy to stop for a chat. We, my sister, friend and I in particular, made friends with the guys and young women who were the waiting staff in the dining area. They would stop by our table on their rounds to check in with us and share a joke or answer a question. I also really appreciated their patience as sometimes some of my family members (who will remain un-named) can be a little indecisive. We also enjoyed learning some Samoan language from a couple of the guys who were generous with their time and patient with our awkward but enthusiastic attempts.

While we were staying at the Sinalei we had a ‘Spa Day’ the day before we went home, which was a lovely way to end the trip. I had a facial and a hand massage while the rest of the family had different types of massage. All of the sessions were in small cabins down by the water with windows that could be opened to the sea breeze. It was a lovely relaxing experience, although unfortunately the digger was being operated on the barge in the harbour, which was a bit noisy. The ladies who did the treatments were all so attentive and kind, being particularly gentle with me. I was surprised to find out that the lady who did my treatment had a relative who was deaf, but worked as a wood carver for the resort. It was so nice to hear that there were some opportunities for people with disabilities on the island, particularly after our trip to Apia and seeing a number of buskers and people just waiting on the street who were blind due to illness.

I will talk more in my next entry about my experience of Apia and some of my impressions of the transport and my tourist’s experience of the wonderful Samoan culture.