Samoa is worth revisiting. 

Ross Southernwood and Klaine Crew are visiting Samoa for the first time. 

Their plans for retirement is exploring new places and finding spots in the world are worth it.

Married for 38 years, the couple lives in Sydney, Australia and came to Samoa to spend holiday together.

Ross is originally from Tasmania, Australia. He met Klaine in London, where she grew up in 1974.

Last Saturday, the two arrived for the first time in Samoa.

“We are enjoying it here. We do like Pacific Islands. We have been to Hawai’i, Fiji, French Polynesia and Vanuatu before,” Ross said.

Klaine added: “It is just a week to have a break. We only go to places that we haven’t been before.

“We heard about Samoa over the years. We have been to so many places, but not a lot in the Pacific.”

Since age is catching up, their adventurous days are slowly declining: “We aren’t anymore these adventures like we used to when we were young. We don’t do trekking or things like that anymore.

“We wanted to go somewhere with warm weather, where we can swim and relax. There have been a few advertisings about the Pacific including Samoa,” Klaine said.

“You see Samoa well known in Rugby. We would have watched the game today. If we wouldn’t leave then,” Ross added.

Since they arrived, they had a look around the island and shared their impressions with Dear Tourist: “We have been to the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum. We made just a couple of short trips like to the Piula Cave Pools to swimming under the cave, which was quite an experience. The water was beautiful and not that cold, it’s great,” he said.

They have been to Fiji in 1995.   

“It (Samoa) won’t compare to how Fiji is today. In Vanuatu, we have been there just for a holiday, which is quite a long time ago about 15 years,” Klaine said.

“I think they are very similar, but Vanuatu I think probably the town changed quite a bit since we went there.

“They had resorts as well and it was very similar like it is here now. I guess here, the town probably changed as well in 15 years except for the natural beaches and coast,” Ross explained.

As a tourist destination, there are some things that could be improved to make the life of a tourist like Ross and Klaine easier.

“I think it is quite a bit confusing with the money. They call the tala, dollar and sometimes they expected us to pay in U.S. dollar not tala. I think this is not common, the currency is huge difference. Not that anybody would want to pay the money, but it is just good to know.

“The shops have been fine. It is not the main purpose you come to Samoa to do shopping, so we could get what we needed to,” Ross said.

“I mean I know that here it is the currency tala, but they use the same dollar sign, maybe they could make a difference between tala and U.S.-dollar. It is a very tiny thing,” Klaine added.

“You never know if we come back, we want to go and see other places. It would be a reason to come even we are so close from Australia. We will recommend Samoa to people who want to go to the Pacific,” Ross said.