US Samoa is a American protectorate north of Vava'u (aka Tonga) and east of Samoa (formerly known as Western Samoa). The Samoan language uses lots of vowels and has hidden letters. For example the capital, Pago Pago, is pronounced Pango Pango. The hidden n. It doesn't matter because the people are wonderfully friendly and go out of their way to welcome visitors.
I woke early to see the sun rising over the power station (which had run all night) and tuna cannery. Monday and the shops and offices are open. Time to clear in to customs and immigration. The check in is easy though long winded with three different offices in different parts of the building for Customs and a half mile walk down the road to Immigration. All done and we're clear to go off and play. With Stuart (Imagine) we hopped on one of the colourful local buses, the buses are privately owned and home made from a dodge truck and wood, colourful fabric, creative local talent and a powerful sound system which blasts local cover versions of Glenn Miller, swing, Abba, etc. Best bit is they pick up and drop off on demand so no need to walk to the bus stop. A bonus when it's hot and humid. Samoa is a mountainous island with rain forests and is a couple of degrees warmer than Niue (I think because the mountains block the wind).
Our bus with its display of skulls (or shrunken heads) on the dashboard let us off at the supermarket. Oh my! A wide selection of fresh fruit and vegetables, cheeses, meats.... This was a look see trip before we do a full provision just before we leave so we kept it to 2 bags of essentials like mozzarella, a brie, steak, salad. Disappointingly there was no tonic water and our stocks are getting low.
In the evening Evi on Wonderland, who's an amazing woman, 70 and single handing at the moment, joined us for a barbecue steak dinner. We haven't seen her since Bora Bora and it was good to catch up.
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