Vanuatu!

They don't call the Ni-Vanuatu people the happiest people in the world for nothing... despite having so little, they are so content with their lives.  We enjoyed our holiday there immensely... here are some of the highlights.

We arrived in Port Vila and spent the first morning enjoying the colourful fresh food market of the town and getting our bearings.  We also spent time swimming in the lagoon and admiring the amazing starfish in the clear water.



The view from our room at Poppys on the Lagoon Resort.




Fresh steak and fish at the markets in Port Vila!



The beautiful flowers at the markets.

Erakor Lagoon.

 We then flew to Tanna island for several amazing experiences.  The road to our accommodation was 2 hours of four-wheel driving delights!  We managed not to get bogged, but several other weren't quite so lucky!  The volcanic soil does not mix well with lots of rain and the road (highway???!!!) was rather slippery.


Villiagers hung by the side of the road to help push the 4WD vehicles out of the mud!

 We stayed in a traditional bungalow on the beach and spent the morning relaxing in the hammock before our evening trip to Yasur Volcano... one of the most amazing experiences one can ever have.
  


The black sand beach at Friendly Bungalows on Tanna.  The sand is black due to the volcano.

 

Fiona and Andrew on the rim of Yasur Volcano, Tanna.



The Yasur Volcano crater.



The first of many explosions from the volcano.



The following day we did a walking tour with one of the local villiagers - he took us through his village, across the ash plain at the base of Yasur Volcano, down through other villages to some hot springs and up over the hill back to the bungalows, all the while with the rumbling volcano reminding us of its presence in the background.  He gave us incredible insight into the lives of the villiagers.



Donald with one of his week-old piglets.



Donald's village - they have a hut for cooking and a hut for sleeping.  They've also just built a cyclone hut to retreat into if a cyclone hits - it has no windows and a stronger frame.

The magnificent Bunyan tree (similar to a Stranglar Fig) that is the centrepiece of every village gathering area.

  

Andrew enjoying a freshly picked coconut.


There has been a lot of rain on Tanna recently and many of the small creek beds have been washed out.  They are now deep gullies several metres deep.  The villiagers have had to make new tracks around or through the gullies and continued landslides are an ongoing problem.


Donald in one of the washed out creeks.


We then walked across the ash field and had magnificent views of the Yasur Volcano.  Due to the prevailing winds mostly only going in one direction, one side of the mountain and surrounding hills are covered in ash whilst the rest are beautiful green jungle!  However, when the winds change, the farmers' crops get destroyed.



Mount Yasur with the ash field in the foreground.

 To get to the volcano you have to cross a small creek.  This was apparently a lake until 2000, when heavy rains caused the lake to break its banks and flow out to sea, causing mass destruction downstream.  A couple of days after we crossed here by 4WD (on our evening visit to the volcano) and then on foot on our day walk, heavy rains caused the river to flood and the tourists couldn't get across to see the volcano.


The creek at the base of the volcano.

 

 We walked along the creek, through several villages and down to the ocean.  There were hot springs here in the creek and we had to run across it very quickly!

 


The Yasur Volcano with hot springs in the foreground.

  After our terrific walk, Andrew and I were invited to visit Donald's village for the afternoon.  Donald invited some of his relatives around for some cava making, that Andrew was also invited to (women are not allowed!).  I stayed in the village playing soccer with the children (they don't have a ball so play with a ball cut from a tree fern trunk - it's very rubbery and works quite well).
Cava making involved cleaning the cava root (like peeling a potato), chewing it to soften it, spitting it into a hessian bag, pouring water over it and squeezing it to get all the cava goodness out into the bowl!  It looks like muddy water and makes your mouth numb when you drink it.


One of the villiagers chewing on the cava in the process of making it.

  When we finally returned to Efate, the main island (after having a flight cancelled and then a strike by Air Vanuatu), we were able to explore more of the countryside.  We took a great day trip on the Coongoola boat where we visited a turtle sanctuary.  Here they are trying to save the Hawkesbill Turtles by keeping the young ones in tanks until they can be released into the wild.


Andrew at the turtle sanctuary.



One of the baby Hawkesbill Turtles.

  We then went around the other side of the island to a beautiful cove.  We were able to go snorkelling out on the reef which was a stunning garden of coral, alive with spectacular colourful reef fish.  We saw Nemo and his family as well of many other delightful tripical fish.  This was certainly a top snorkelling experience and so much better than hanging around the city of Port Vila!


The beautiful waters off Tranquility Island.

On the Coongoola boat heading back to the main island.

  We also took a day trip around the island of Efate.  One of the stops included the Blue Lagoon, where fresh water meets salty water on its way out to the sea.  It was lovely to swim in.


The Blue Lagoon.

 Our next stop was a village where they do custom dancing.  They put on a great show for us!


Andrew and I with the custom dancers.



One of the dancers.



They put seed pods around their ankles which bang together to make a great noise when they are dancing.



One of the younger villiagers tried to join in the dance too and almost stole the show - he was adorable!

We spent the last night and morning in Port Vila - eating good food and relaxing.

Our last meal out in Vila - two local traditional dishes - organic steak and flying fox!



Andrew's flying fox skull - there was more meat on the bat than we expected and it actually tasted good!

 

Canoeing on the lagoon on our last day in Vanuatu.