Samoa was "a big adventure for a tiny lady" as Jan Young from New Zealand describes it as she looked back at the highlights of her two-week travel.

The 87-year-old is a retired school teacher from Timaru, South Island, New Zealand. She has been planning this trip for a long time and is finally crossing it off her bucket list.

On her final day in the country, she was by the poolside at the Taumeasina Island Resort, soaking in the warmth of the sun and the hospitality of friendly people who made her stay an absolute bliss. 

“This is a big adventure because I am 87 and doing this trip on my own. I have always wanted to visit Samoa," said Ms. Young. "I am familiar with other Pacific Islands, but this has been on my bucket list.

"I am so happy that for my last hoorah, I am here and I am seeing such an interesting culture."

The retired teacher enjoyed her two-week-long adventure in Samoa with an around-the-island trip of both Upolu and Savai'i and recalled the different hotspots she visited. 

“I went to the freshwater pools, the beaches and I, unfortunately, didn’t go down the To Sua trench because I saw those steps down and I thought, not a good idea for an 87-year-old,” she said. “Keep it the way it is and don’t dumb it down, not on this beautiful island. 

"You’ve got to maintain certain standards that are your cultural standards and existing values and if you start dumbing them down for tourism, you’re going to spoil what is so attractive about Samoa.”

One of her funniest moments was during her round island trip with her tour guide when she got glimpses of real island hospitality.

"We made a stop for lunch and they asked what I wanted to have, I said I could eat anything, but a salad would do. Next thing you know they serve me a plate of thick taro slices and a massive pig head all for myself.

"I was like woah. they certainly forgot that I was an old lady and I loved it. All I could do was put on my big girl pants and dig in." 

Coming to the island nation was also an opportunity for the 87-year-old to heal following the loss of her husband four years ago and her son early this year from a medical condition. 

“My lovely Scottish husband passed away four years ago and now I live at a very nice villa in Timaru amongst several others like myself who are now widowed,” said Ms. Young. “I had a son who died earlier this year, six months ago, with an undiagnosed duodenal tumour which perforated the blood vessel and he bled to death basically. 

"In a way this is me remembering him and it was a shock. This trip was for me to have a little time on my own, doing some thinking which is not always good, because you tend to dwell on the things you didn’t do.

"We do this as we get older rather than concentrating on the good that we did, we tend to think about what we could have done better. My saying for anyone is, if in doubt, leave it out.” 

However, after a fortnight of travelling the length and breadth of Samoa, the retired teacher said that she was ready to go home.

But the thought of the Savai'i Lagoon Resort kept on coming back, leading to her admitting that she fell in love with the place due to its tranquillity away from the hustle and bustle of city life. 

“The thing that has struck me most is the wonderful friendliness of the local people. It has been a heartwarming time for me and I am good and ready to go home.”