For several months, we have looked forward to having Todd and Adrian come to visit. It gets lonely at times when you are half a world away from home. Finally, May 14th arrived and there to greet us at the airport was our beautiful daughter and our favorite son-in-law (their plane arrived early and they were just relaxing in the terminal).It's fa'a Samoa (the Samoan) to greet guests with a fresh flower lei. Welcome to Samoa!!
Our first plan was to keep them awake and get them acclimated to our time, driving on the left side of the road, the humidity (which Adrian loved immediately) and the island beauty. We were also playing tour guide to 12 nursing students and advisers from BYU this day. So, off we go ------
Samoa Day 1 -- Ma Tree, Coastal Walk and To Sua Trench.
The activities for today were all on the other side of the island so it was a good chance for them to see a little of both sides. When you leave the Apia side, you travel back in time because the villages on the other side are more rural, more people live in fales and the streets are lined with flowers. There is literally not one city center or even "city" for that matter.
The Ma Tree and Coastal Walk are in a nature preserve; the Ma Tree on the uta side (mountain side) and the Coastal Walk on the tai side (ocean side). The Ma Tree is a banyon tree with a unique root system. The Coastal Walk is along the steep lava rock coast line and has beautiful views of the waves crashing against it. The pictures show it much better than I can explain it. Just look at them and enjoy the smell of a rainforest and the salt spray of the ocean.Over cross-island road, you have to stop and admire Papapapai-uta Falls.
After being exhausted by these hikes, we traveled a bit further to To Sua Trench. This is the icon of touring in Samoa. Todd and Adrian have lots of go-pro video. You will have to visit them to see more.
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