Vanuatu - My slice of summer paradise

Air Vanuatu
Small 737 plane with only about 50 passengers on board so had loads of free seats around me yay! no movie, tv or anything entertaining so bad in that respect, food was average, corned beef or fish curry as the options. But the attendants gave you a taste of what was to come with warm smiles and bright eyes.

Day 1
Checked into my first stop in Port Vila Coconut palms resort, had a nice dining area and great pool the room was OK had nothing but a bed and fan but mine overlooked the pool so nice balcony. Went for a swim and chatted with a barristor from Auckland called Maurice. Then read my book. Had dinner in the pool table/bar area and got chatting with some nice people from Sydney (Joehannes and Sarah) and a lovely chick from Toowoomba (Heather). The local beer was not bad but strong in flavour called Tusker. I quickly realised although a hotel in settup this place inspired more of a backpacker social vibe so always had friendly people to talk to.

This is Laura the day boss who was so much help to me as I wanted to do and see as much as possible while I was there.

Day 2

Sundays everything is closed in Vanuatu so a group of us decided to pile into the owners car and head over to the Mele cascade falls for a walk and cool off they were really beautiful and we stayed for about 2-3 hours, the more adventurous sliding, jumping, flipping and diving off the rocks. Then we all piled back into another taxi and went to spend the afternoon at Hideaway Island which is very picturesque and what you kinda imagine when thinking of a tropical island. All the ground was covered in coral and the sea was so warm and so clear you could look straight through it to the fish and coral below. We had the first of many beef burgers here as food in Vanuatu is not the best and everywhere has the same options, seafood, beef/chicken burger or pizza.

Day 3

After many phone-calls back and forth and much negotiation I managed to get myself onto an outer Island tour to Tanna. So we headed to the airport to hop on a Unity Airline flight. All I can say is I am glad I love to fly as for anyone a little on the nervous side would probably have freaked out at the tiny plane with two propellers and passengers packed in like sardines seating 8 including pilot Nathan from Adelaide.

 

The flight took an hour and was a little on the bumpy side but we all made it in one piece. The other people on the plane all went off on their tour and I hopped in a truck with George to go on mine - blind faith that said George was not a crazy man as no one has uniforms or signed cars but I do have a knack for being lucky. Turned out no one else wanted to do a night tour that day so I had my own personal guide.

First up went and settled in at my accomodation Tanna Lodge with a room larger than my apartment at home and luxurious to say the least. The host Nick was fabulous with bright smile and larger than life personality.

I then headed out to start my Tanna adventures(funnily they couldn't get my name so called me Tanna for my duration there). The roads are so much fun as unbelievably pot holed, rocky and bumpy told George it was like dancing in the car he thought I was hillarious as couldn't stop laughing and made him crank up the reggae beats all the way. My first stop was called the black magic tour which I had no idea what to expect and it was a mixture of fun - screaming scary and informative, at the end they told me they jump and scare the one who screams the loudest the most which just so happened to be me.

We then went for a drive to Georges local village where he took me around the markets and showed me the schools and where everyone sleeps, this was also where I had my first coconut which they climbed the tree and cut it down and served it to me nothing like fresh milk on a hot day. Wore alot of it though as hard to drink when driving on bumpy roads - realised the wisdom in western straws.

Then last stop for the night Yasur Volcano the only accessible active volcano in the world. It was amazing like a moon scape and then every now and again molten lava would spew forth from the hole. Happy to say I didn't get hit as no fences, signs anything in terms of safety bar my blind faith that Goerge didn't wish to die any more than I did. The wind was really high also so standing on ridges was pretty scary but worth it for the show at night.

Was really hard to capture what you saw as you never knew when it would go off so last pic I have borrowed as shows what I saw better than any of mine.

We then headed back to the lodge and I loved that fact that no matter where we were there was always someone popping out of the bushes in the dark a little creepy but also fascinating. Useful fact for travellers when you see a bright blue light it means the Kava is ready.

Day 4

Spent the morning chatting away to the owners of Tanna Lodge trying to understand the culture as much as possible and swam in the pool and the ocean and enjoyed a platter of the local fruits. Not sure why but one cow in the area always kept mooing at me everytime I went past him very funny. Also fell in love with their tree that flowers red in December which like NZ(Pohutukawa) because of this fact they call their Christmas tree. Then it was back to the airport to fly back to vila. I managed to finish my first book just as the plane touched down called the Madonna of the Almonds set in Renaissance Italy and loosely linked to the legend of the creation of the drink Amaretto. Very good read for the romantics out there.

Got back to the hotel and met up with some friends and we headed down to the local Kava bar where I had my first drink of the trip - luckily they had good lollies for eatng straight after as the taste is rotten like spicy mud and I am no good at spitting as the custom of the locals. Had best sleep of the trip this night.

Day 5
Headed over to my next island Erakor Island Resort which was located within the lagoon on Efate. This resort was lovely with wind swept palm trees and sandy beaches and I almost had the entire back packers lodge to myself. Today was spent relaxing, had a spa body scrub and then massage with frangipani oil, and yes after the burning incident in fiji learnt to wash it off this time before heading back into the sun. Started on my second book The girl with the dragon tattoo and was gripped in seconds. Sunbathed and swam oh the life. Had dinner and watched the sunset and enjoyed the happy romance buzz as this is honeymoon island afterall. Then went back to my room and had a party for one dancing to my itunes.

Day 6

Went into town today to see the local markets and shops which was fun as love all the ladies in their brightly coloured dresses. As for shopping I didn't really have any loose change so didn't actually buy anything but if I had it would have been one of three things, some Kava, some sandalwood oil or some of their devine locally grown/brewed coffee.

Then a group of us met up and went on a sunset cruise around Port Vila harbour which was such a lovely way to sepnd the last evening of 2009. With cheese and crackers and bubbles. Sunset in one direction full moon in the other it was perfect.

Lastly spent New years at the bar overlooking the harbour at the Sebel Hotel and watched fireworks displays simultaneously from Erakor, Iririki and Hideaway, very magical. They even had fireworks that setoff from the water something I had never seen before but which was amazing.

Day 7

My last day in Vanuatu. I had made friends with one of the staff at Erakor so he spent the morning showing me around another part of the island where all the surf beaches were and the ganga houses. Then we headed back to the hotel to relax. All in all an amazing trip.

Favourite things about Vanuatu.
1. The bus system is fab any vehicle with a B on number plate is a bus you yell through the windo as they go past where you want to go they stop you hop on it costs $150 vatu and you are delivered to the door.
2. The people so nice and helpful and even in the blackest hours of night I felt 100% safe wandering around on my own.
3. The water so warm so clear and so refreshing.
4. The men they are super hot I don't think I saw one without a brilliant smile and a six pack - a perves paradise.
5. The other travellers (90% Australian) as they were all so wonderful I have so many new friends now.
Least favourite things about Vanuatu
1. Bathrooms - so grotty and this is coming from someone who tried several
2. The cost, it was super expensive costing about $50-$100 per day minimum so not as good value as say Thailand, Bali, etc.
3. Working out the exchange rate as $1000 = $14 not an easy conversion for my little brain.
4. Bookings often way too over complicated.
5. Lack of mosquito nets on windows so rooms were hot hot hot.
6. No hooks or anything to hang wet towels on to dry.

In summary I fell in love with the place and will be back for sure.