I was staying in a luxuriously romantic (ha!) place called Seabreeze Resort, lovingly run by gorgeous couple Wendy and Chris Booth, and an hour and a half southeast of Apia.
In 2009, Seabreeze was completely destroyed by the tsunami. Wendy and Chris tell me the story, still etched in my brain, of how they recovered not by running away and finding comfort back in their homeland but by bringing the whole village together to rebuild. It sealed their place within the Samoan community and in the hearts and minds of the locals who they now consider whanau.
I did get many stares from the other guests because Seabreeze is essentially a getaway for lovers and couples wanting to wed.
Some were confused as to why I was "alone" - I was quite happy doing my own thing! I also got asked quite a lot by the local boys about the whereabouts of my husband ... how do you tell a pure innocent Samoan boy that you like the ladies? I just stuck to the same old line: "I have many!"
A holiday selfie. Photo / Anika Moa
Seabreeze has plenty of stimuli to get you going. Massage, a pool, snorkelling, night-time crabs that were scary... but the best part of it was after a delicious meal when the local boys put on a party. It was like Once Were Warriors, but without the fists. The singing was very attractive and my guitar was put well to use. A few too many drinks, followed by lots of winks from me (not that I drink, I don't drink!).
I also did the usual tourist things, like visit To Sua Trench - a marvellous hidden gem of a pool. All fish, crevices and dark corners. Saw some turtles, ate some scrumptious roadside coconuts and then took a drive through what remained of the once thriving villages along the southeast coast. Ghost towns. Lots of them. So sad to see.
For me, the best part of Samoa was the people. I visited the local kindergarten and sang for the tamariki. These kids were ataahua as! Lots of boogeying and singing. We translated one of my kids' songs into Samoan and then we all sang together. Felt like my very own little marae. They were a bit scared of me at first (I felt a bit like their zany aunty) but hearts were melted once we connected.
Samoa was a part of my journey of starting again. It healed my heavy heart with its weightless life and abundance.
Yes, you can visit all those wonderful attractions, be calmed by the whispering sea, and let the stresses of your real world crumble around you; but my humble advice is to get your hands dirty, meet the locals, play guitar and sing your heart out with the boys, hear the stories and sing to the kids. That will make you live, and fall in love again, like I did.
CHECKLIST
Getting there: Air New Zealand flies non-stop to Samoa from Auckland up to six times a week. Inflight product choices include Seat, Seat + Bag, The Works and Works Deluxe, in addition to Business Class.
Accommodation: The Seabreeze Resort is at Paradise Cove, Upolu.
Further information: See samoa.travel'.
