white_crane's Vanuatu Holiday

[white_crane]

This is my diary that I wrote whilst on my holiday in Vanuatu. Apart from some minor alterations (eg to remove id details), I've posted it as it was written in my notebook. PS - I spent a week in Darwin before going.

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Day 1

The day started with my first flight from Darwin to Brisbane at 1:35am (local).
Then Brisbane to Sydney.
Transfer to International Terminal via train.
Then Sydney to Luganville, Espiritu Santo via Port Vila.

Disembarked at Vila, went through screening and sat in the transit lounge. All passengers then boarded for Santo - the flight would be continuing on to Brisbane.

Arrived Santo approx. 6:40pm (local), it was a bit bumpy. After going through Immigration, Quarantine and Customs, I exited the airport to find the prearranged transfer not there. NOT A GOOD START!

Eventually caught a "taxi" back to the resort. The driver, Joshua, offered to drive me around the island and show me the sites.

It's now 9:40pm local time, I've had hardly any sleep and I'm tired.
GOODNIGHT!

[kennas]

Let me know what the diving is like! :)

[Prawn_86]

Interested to hear more when you get the time WC :)

[white_crane]

Day 2

Forgot to write in here, so I'm doing this a day late.

I thought the day was going to be sh*t. Not many tourists around at the moment and those that are, are here for the diving. NO TOURS UNTIL SATURDAY!

Eventually though, I went on a tour around town and up the the Blue Hole with Timmy (the tour operator) by myself. We drove past copra plantations (coconuts) and cattle and little shacks/houses dotted everywhere.

And huge Banyan trees!

The scenery would be nice except everything is covered in morning glory. The US introduced this vine for camouflage during the war.

In the morning I had met Jane and John, who were staying in the next cabin.

Anyway, we went down an old US airstrip (war remnant) to the Blue Hole. It is an absolutely brilliant blue colour (due to the limestone). NO PHOTOS! RAIN!

That night I talked with two Swedes, Robert and Matts, at dinner. Eventually it was decided we'd go to a kava bar to try some of the local brew. BAD DECISION! Maybe.

*Headache + lack of sleep + 3 shells of kava = SICK!
*No. of times vomited = 2

PS - Kava is HORRIBLE. Muddy water + pepper = taste like kava.
PPS - I did try it though!

[white_crane]

Day 3

NB - I forgot to mention talking to Leslie yesterday morning. He's a local living next door to the "resort". I think he's gay. LOL. Should I ring hime for a massage?

Anyway, regularly having good chats with Jane , John, Robert and Matts at mealtimes. Today Timmy rings and asks if I want to go to Lonnoc Beach. I say OK (he's taking a couple from the airport to the bungalows there). GOOD DECISION!

Lonnoc Beach is just beautiful. Water is crystal clear, fine white sand and blue tinged ocean. Went for a swim and snorkel (kept fogging up the mask though). TOOTHPASTE! (diving tip from Robert and Matts) + SPIT! Long drive, sh*t road.

That afternoon Robert, Matts and myself walked into town (the CBD!) for a look around. Had some french food at the restaurant. Croque Madame - it was frozen in the middle but had a freshly cooked egg on the outside. OH WELL.

Robert and Matts talked me into doing a dive. So I'm doing an introductory dive tomorrow! I'd better get to bed - 11:10pm!

*No. of different road signs in Luganville = 2 (stop & give way)
*No. of signs obeyed = 0
*No. of road rules in Luganville = 1 (drive on the right hand side, unless there is a pothole)


Day 4

Got picked up by the dive shop at 8am. Jane and John came too. Jane wasn't diving though, so she took the photos/videos.

After getting all the equipment sorted and making our way to the beach, it was time for the intro talk. Alfred was my dive instructor and I was the only intro diver there. We did some basic skills and swam around a bit first. We went to about 3m where there is some beautiful coral gardens.

Not quite confident yet so some more laps around the coral. Then it was out into the deep! (well sort of). Before I knew it, I was cruising over the bow of the wrecked SS Coolidge. Then over the bridge and down to the front cannon, the ammunition still there too.

Overall depth I went to was 18m. You only go to 9m on an intro in Australia! All I can say about my first scuba diving experience is : F***ING BRILLIANT!!!

*No. of flippers I tried on = 6+
*No. that fit = 0
*No. of times I swallowed seawater = 2

[Prawn_86]

Glad to hear you enjoyed diving WC, there is a specific thread here if you want to talk further about it:
http://www.aussietravellersforum.com.au/forums/showthread.php?t=50

Also, what was the name of the hotel/resort you stayed at? And would you recommend it?

[white_crane]

My apologies for the late reply.

On Espiritu Santo, I stayed at Beachfront Resort. Rooms were clean, reasonably priced, not far from town (walking distance), not far from the beach (obviously), the "restaurant/bar" wasn't anything to write home about (they were in the process of building another one at the time so hopefully it will be much better). It was also pretty homely - the manager regularly comes down and has a chat and gives you info etc.

[white_crane]

Day 5

Went on a tour to Millenium Cave. Jane came on the tour too. We got off the bus and walked to the first village where we met our guide, David. Then it was a good walk through the "jungle", over a bamboo bridge, across creeks, down some ladders made from small trees (WH&S? What's that?) until we reached the cave.

The creek runs through the cave and water up to our waist was to be expected. HA! First drop into cave was into water up to my chest! Oh well, at least it was refreshing after the sweaty, muggy walk.

Anyway, we stumbled through the cave (David didn't, that's why he carried the cameras - good decision), saw some bats, ran low on batter power for the torches and overcame the smell of guano until we popped out the other side and into the Sarakata River (it's not very wide & it's very shallow at this point).

Then came the scramble over huge! rocks and squeezing through small gaps until we jumped into the river and floated down on an inner tube. David fed the fish and we admired the view - sheer rock face at least 2 storeys high on both sides. The came the mountain goat climbing stuff, back through another village before leaving David at his village and going home.

*Muscles that are hurting the most = calves


Day 6

Mostly a transit day. Two flights - Santo -> Vila, Vila -> Tanna. Both on a 42 seater with propellers. Eeek! I'm surprised the plane actually got off the ground - the locals check in a tonne of luggage each! (well almost)

Well we made it to Tanna eventually (the planes never leave on time) and I made it to my resort no hassles. The view from my bungalow looks out over the "beach" and ocean. And I was able to watch the sunset from my balcony.

The sheets and bathroom are a bit dirty. Oh well, this is Vanuatu after all.

*Number of flights completed = 7
*Number of flights left = 3

[johnting101]

Haha interesting trip you have there white_crane. Hope you have fun going all these places ;) Wish I could travel like you, but I only can travel perhaps once in a few years or a year.

[white_crane]

Day 7

I am writing this a day late again. Not much here to do when you're not on a tour. Lenakel, the major town on Tanna is a bit far away. The beach here is something else. It's all rock and sharp rock too. Until you get into the water that is - where it's pretty flat.

Went for a tour this afternoon to Mt Yasur - "the most accessible volcano in the world". Our guide David first took us to the Big Banyan Tree. This tree is absolutely huge! You can climb up a ladder to a platform for a view.

Then it was over a muddy, rough road past villages where all the kids wave and sing out as you go past. And the mobile phone 'refil' shacks are everywhere! Then it was over a mountain for some fantastic views with Yasur in the distance.

We made it to Yasur by the black ash side. David took great delight in flooring it straight up the steep slope before turning around at the last minute. We went to the more accessible side and climbed up past the post box! to the crater rim. I looked into the bowls of the earth tonight.

When the sulphur smoke cleared you could see the show. All of a sudden there would be a boom followed by a spurt of lava. And I was scared s***less! Right up on top of the rim! Then it was back in the dark to the resort, David taking more delight in screaming across the black ash plain. One stop for kava and home.

*Number of people you can sit atop the tray of a Hilux = at least 12

[white_crane]

Day 8

Went on a traditional tour this morning. The road in places was absolutely wretched - muddy with two huge wheel ruts on one particular mountain. We passed many villages and again nearly everyone waves and smiles, especially the children. The kids are always eager to pose for a photo too.

Eventually we made it to Yakel, a 'traditional village' where the females where grass skirts and the males where pennes (sp?), penis covers, and nothing else. Our village guide wearing his traditional clothing of a penne and digital watch with a mobile phone in one hand and the charer in the other (perhaps it's a modern tradition?), showed us around the village and explained some of the kastom way of life - circumcision, the treehouses, marriage, pigs etc.

After that we viewed the handicrafts and watched three traditional dances - yam, taro and peace/goodbye. We all shook hands and made our way home via a spectacular lookout spot and the Lenakel market. My afternoon consisted of exploring the 'beach' and snoozing.

*Mazut/Benzin = Fuel
*Price of fuel = 1000vt
*Number of 'service stations' in Tanna = a lot


Day 9

Went on my third and final tour of Tanna. First stop was the Louniel Waterfall. Before I saw the waterfall though, I met and elderly man who helped the US in Vanuatu during WWII. Anyway, the villagers wanted to do a dance for me before I saw the waterfall. After the dance was a short walk down to the falls. Too cold to swim.

After some light refreshment it was off to a black sand beach. A short walk took us down to a beautiful beach with views of Futuna Island in the distance. Oh, some of the villagers came too! On the walk back up David told me one of the alternative uses for sensitive plant - a trick on your mates - "your drink tea it make penes not work so good". LOL

Back at the resort, the crew from Getaway had turned up. I ended up posing as a newlywed with a rather nice (HOT!) Aussie girl from the Vanuatu Tourist Office. Another girl in the crew wasn't half bad either. Natalie Gruzlewski has no a*se. She was friendly though and didn't snob. Oh well, the free beer was nice.

*Number of Tuskers to get white_crane happy = 3