Trip leaves lasting memories

Gary James

I traveled last April with a group of friends from California to

Samoa and Tonga for three weeks, and the highlight of our trip was

our stay in Samoa.

Formerly known as Western Samoa, the island nation gained its

independence from New Zealand in 1962. Located about 2,200 miles

south of Hawaii, Samoa is served by Air New Zealand from Los Angeles.

Mostly volcanic in origin, the two largest islands are Upolu --

where the capital Apia is located -- and Savaii.

In Apia, we stayed at the Aggie Grey Hotel, one of the most

well-known South Pacific watering holes since World War II. In

addition to markets, friendly people and a colorful daily

flag-raising ritual at the city hall, Apia was the final home of

Robert Louis Stevenson.

His home, called Valima, was built in 1890, and Stevenson and his

family lived there until he died from tuberculosis in 1894 at the age

of 44.

He is buried on a nearby hilltop among the lush plantings of the

estate. His requiem, which he wrote himself, appears on a plaque at

the gravesite:

Under the wide and starry sky

Dig the grave and let me die

Glad did I live and gladly die

And I laid me down with a will

This be the verse you grave for me

Here he lies where he longed to be

Home is the sailor home from the sea

And the hunter home from the hill

The nearby island of Savaii, accessible by ferry from Upolu, is

known for its Taga blowholes. These are the most famous in the

Pacific and are formed where lava spilled into the sea, creating

vents for an explosion of water with each incoming wave. Local people

seemed delighted with dropping coconuts and other objects into the

holes and watching them explode hundreds of feet into the air.

Samoa still retains a vibrant Polynesian culture, and we were

guests of a huge extended family at their compound in Tana Beach. We

stayed in grass-covered houses called fales and enjoyed good food,

white sand beaches, good snorkeling and wonderful singing and dancing

in the evening.

In Samoa, one can find good hotels and restaurants and good

fishing, diving and surfing in the surrounding waters.

A visit to Samoa will not soon be forgotten.

* Gary James is a Costa Mesa resident.