50th wedding anniversary celebration in Samoa

By Nefertiti Matatia 04 April 2018, 12:00AM

Meet Pamela and Ray Baillie. 

They have been married for 50 years and they chose Samoa to celebrate their 50th anniversary. 

The Scottish couple, who live in Canada, came to Samoa because of the late Robert Louis Stevenson.

“I came here 25 years ago, I was visiting my family in New Zealand and I stopped here because Robert Louis Stevenson is a Scot and I wanted to visit,” Pamela said. 

“But the museum was closed then when I arrived because they were getting it ready for his 100th. My husband was mad that he was not even able to come to Samoa.”

“This is our 50th year anniversary and coming to Samoa is my gift to him,” said the 72-year-old.

Pamela first came wanting to know more about Robert Louis Stevenson, but she ended up falling in love with Samoa.

“So I didn’t get to see it but I loved Samoa because of what you have got and what it is different from all the other islands that we go to is that you are more authentic then the many other islands.”

“I have been here before and loved it then. It is a wonderful place and I wish you all the best so that there will be more tourists coming here.”

“This place is so lovely.”

Pamela also explained the changes she noticed.

“There is a big difference from the last time that I was here. When I came here 25 years ago and I took a van from the airport, I cannot remember there was any electricity and there was fire everywhere.”

“The people were cooking with fire all in the little villages but now I can’t see any of that anymore, now coming back I have not seen one fire last night. I would assume that most of the people are now cooking inside.”

The couple is staying at the Tanoa Tusitala Hotel and they will be there until Friday. 

On top of their list is to visit the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum today. 

Speaking to the Dear Tourist team, they shared the minor challenges they were face.

“We have asked the receptionist at the hotel and no one knows where it is. It is a shame. We were able to have a map,” Pamela explained. 

“Another interesting thing is that we were walking along the beach road and we were not sure of where to go and I went and asked a woman if that was Fugalei Street and she didn’t know the name of the street and there were no street names.”

“I guess it is normal here when there are no street names but it will be very helpful if there were street names here in Apia.”

“Maybe just at least four street names on the road would be helpful so that no tourist will get lost. The locals are travelling around fine, but the tourists have no clue of where to go.”

“Other than that I love it here,” Pamela added.

By Nefertiti Matatia 04 April 2018, 12:00AM
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