Couple’s Samoa adventures

By Elizabeth Ah-Hi 09 December 2017, 12:00AM

Mary Ellen and John of Australia are lifelong adventure travelers and after speaking with them, one knows what the true meaning of taking a holiday from your holiday looks like. 

 Mary belongs to a walking club in Sydney and after completing a walking trip in France for 1100 km; her husband surprised her with a trip to Samoa after realizing that his wife needed a holiday after an outstanding effort to complete the challenge.

“Two days after I got home from my walking trip in France, my husband said to me ‘you need a holiday,” Mary laughs. 

“From that not being a holiday to this being a relaxing place has been a wonderful treat.” 

But it wasn’t just all about Mary.

“My husband said let’s go to Samoa because he has always wanted to visit here where the people are lovely and it’s nice and relaxing – a nice island break. So that’s why we’ve come.”

The couple have island hopped before, however their travels are generally adventure driven with lots of activity that can leave them exhausted at the end of their trips.

“Well my wife always liked to go to the islands and we are just ticking them off,” said John.

“This is the fifth island we have been to. The last one we went to was the Cook Islands and then we’ve done Fiji and Day Dream Island. 

“We do two-three overseas trips a year and they are adventures and then occasionally we need a holiday and so this time we chose Samoa this year.”

Mary Ellen is originally from Canada and John is Australian. 

Their love for adventure travel brought them together exactly 30 years ago when they met through a rather interesting way that can only be described as what happens when the traditional meets alchemic interference. 

“We met in 1987 when Mary Allen’s mum organized a tour for her through the outback and my mum organized one for me and we both ended up on the same tour,” said John. 

“So we met in 87, got married in 88, Tim was born in 89, Rachel was born in 90 and I got the snip in ’91,” he laughs raucously.

At this point, poor John is no longer allowed to talk.

“I don’t think she needs to know that dear,” said Mary. 

“But yes it was definitely meant to be,” she smiles.

Being a very active member of her walking club has taken Mary all over the world and she hopes to do some long walks here in Samoa if the weather permits.

“It’s beautiful here, we walked into town but we underestimated the heat so we took the taxi back,” she said.

“I’d like to do some big walks here in Samoa but it all depends on the heat I’m finding the humidity is slowing me down.”

The heat might interfere with Mary’s walking aspirations, but nothing will stop her from having the chance to swim with some of our wild life.

 “I love nature; one of things I’m looking forward to the most is seeing the sea turtles because I really want to swim with them,” she said.

“If I can see them in the wild that’ll be great, I’ve swum with the dolphins in Florida and I would really like to do something like that here in Samoa with the turtles. If not then I’ll have to go out to Savaii where everyone said there is a sanctuary and see them there.”

The couple is staying at the Sheraton Samoa Aggie Grey’s and they give the hotel high marks for their friendly and helpful staff. They plan on giving the strenuous adventures a rest this time round for a more relaxed and rejuvenating holiday.

By Elizabeth Ah-Hi 09 December 2017, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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