First, thanks everyone for the kind birthday wishes!

Today we docked at a place that was never on my travel radar – American Samoa. It’s a very non-touristy place with the main employer being the local Sunkist tuna cannery (“You can smell it before you see it!”) and the US government 2nd. There’s not the tourism infrastructure to support the masses and so there’s only about 5,500 genuine tourists a year.

Based on the excitement of my fellow tour companions I’m guessing the major draw of the island is the US National Park – there’s lots of people who “collect” parks, wanting to visit every one in the system. One couple only had 5 more to see after today, 4 of them being in Alaska! We stopped at the NP Visitor’s Center so they could get their stamp (and view the excellent dioramas and info boards) then took off around the harbor and up into the Park to the other side of the island.

The island is very lush, with over 200” of rain a year and 2/3 of the island leased to the Park Service. The islanders enjoy a low cost of living. They’re religious, with dozens of different churches lining the main road; no buses, work swimming, or anything such activity on Sundays. There’s a 5:30pm curfew where everyone must be at home for afternoon prayers and are very tied to family, keeping their ancestors buried in their front gardens! There’s no communal cemeteries!

Everyone we saw was extremely friendly, everyone waved from grandpa sitting in the front yard to the work crew fixing the road.

Our young guide has enlisted in the Army and is off to North Carolina in January for basic training. There’s few opportunities on island for the young so the Samoans make up the largest % of military recruits per capita in the union.

I was back on board walking laps of the ship when we set sail at 4pm. Trivia, dinner, the Show, and music finished off the day.