Tutuila

5th February 2014. Before I go any further, Tutuila the main Island in American Samoa is a big, big, hit with everyone on board. We loved it! My wife was out before dawn watching probably the best sunrise in the world and day went on from there.

My P&O guide says, Tutuila is only one third the size of the Isle of Wight. What’s the Isle of Wight got to do with it? Anyway, as we approached in the early dawn the Island appeared out a blue haze seemingly covered from top to bottom in forest. Something to do with having just the two seasons, wet and not wet with around 200 inches of rain a year.

 

Around 10 o’clock and only one hour late, we parked at Pago Pago, pronounced Pango Pango, (I guess instead of a silent N this is an invisible one!…think about it) As our Captain explained, there is now a speed limit.. so after five days at sea we still managed to arrive an hour late! Italian Captains! No, I jest, he really is quite a gentleman and a character and everyone has quite taken to him. His use of the English, as you say, expressions, has everyone smiling in the mornings.We shall miss him when he leaves us.

Back at Pago Pago and American Samoa, it’s in fact America’s only colony in the Southern Hemisphere and although they have representation in the House of Representatives, they can’t vote for a President. So next time any American bangs on about Colonial Powers to you…just whisper American Samoa.

So, we set out to tour the Island in our Tourist bus on the one Highway called 001, no I tell a lie, there are 4 other roads called, 002,003,004,005 and 006 but looking at the map 006 only seems about a mile long.

Samoans are a religious people, being originally cannibals, though I don’t think that’s a religion as such, but there must be more churches per head of population than in the Vatican City and all looked well attended and maintained, with even a new one being built that I saw.

In 1988, Ronald Reagan signed a bill to create the American Samoa National Park, and America is still putting money into the six Marine National parks so I expect they will become more important as the years go on.

There are are some stunningly unspoilt natural views just around every corner, with water that is crystal clear. Unfortunately though, litter does seem to be a problem on the land so some training does seem to be needed here.

I have never never yet been in such a friendly place, wherever we went, everyone stopped and waved at the bus. Now I know how the Queen feels.

Here I must say, that the average American Samoan is on the Large Side, in fact, on the Very Large Side, but life here is just more laid back that other places…much more laid back.

So is American Samoa paradise?

Well, it’s miles from anywhere, petrol / diesel is cheaper than home, the sun is hot, McDonalds is here, golf only $10 a round and it’s just not commercialized like Honolulu was…it’s close..very close.

Oh, I nearly forgot, you can bury anyone anywhere, as long as you own the land. Just one of those odd facts.