Fruity Wwoofing

Fruit Vans!

A week at Fruit Vans and so far our first WWOOFing experience has lived up to all expectations :) We arrived last Friday in Sunnyvale, a suburb in west Auckland, to a bustling household tucked away at a deadend street. It's a different kind of 'farming' experience- since, well, there is no farm! It's a business started 3 years ago by Taryn and Marcello, an Australian/Brazilian couple (front-right) who began with 1 van selling fruit from local growers on weekends, and has now grown to become an operation so big, that they have 2 houses full of wwoofers (up to 20 in the summer months), and 25 vans. Yay for eating locally!

The house is filled with many other eccentric travellers from all over the world. Though English is dominant, there is also a lot of French, Spanish, and Portugeuse being spoken. We are having such a great time getting to know everyone! To say it is a house of laughter would be an understatement- there always something fun going on- cooking, games, wine, you name it ;)

As wonderful as the house activities are though, there is much work to be done. Our 4-5 hour work days started with the 'mouldly' unpleasant job of van cleaning, in preparation for the selling season. Sandie and I were assigned 5 vans in the backyard parked under some trees- opened the doors and watched the mold spores fly. ACK! Being in such a state we thought for sure they'd been there a number of years-- but nope- try 3 months. Turns out mold in New Zealand is out of control- and has even been known to grow in Taryn's spice rack. Bleh! It took the bulk of us wwoofers 3 days to clean out the whole fruitvan fleet- scubbing the vans mold-free inside and out.

On one of our first nights here we were in charge of cooking dinner for everyone. Amanda thought it would be fun to bring some Korea to Sunnyvale: on the menu was bibimbap, japchae, kimchi, and kongnamul. What a beautiful meal it was! Throughout the week we have individually been in charge of lunch/dinner and have cooked up many delicous soups and salads.

 

Then came Tuesday and a very special arrival- Lyndsey! Amanda's good friend from home has joined in on our crazy adventure for 3 weeks. She was eager to do some wwoofing so Amanda went to collect her from the airport (beautiful sign in hand) and brought her back to Fruitvan central. Jetlag wasn't plaguing her so she dove right into weeding work. So nice to have her here! You compost queeen you.

Late Tuesday evening Taryn opened up a rather important letter- a rental house inspector was due to arrive the next morning. dun dun dun- mobilize operation house clean and evacuation... = bonus day off!

Turns out all the Canadians in the house decided we needed to do some hiking despite the constant rain. Vicky, a spunky ex-pat from Montreal, loaded us in her car and we headed to the Waitakere Ranges with a quick stop in Piha at Lion's Rock for some ocean views. After perusing a guide book we settled on the Fairy Falls LOOP- a supposedly easy trail not requiring us to drag the guide book along . The forest was subtropical, very lush. green and filled with very wacky sounding birds. The views were amazing- decending down many steps we approached a stream which lead us to the falls. (There were no fairies.) The sun joined us as we basked in the wonderment that is the fairyless Fairy Falls. A few kms later we discovered we were slightly lost- as we emerged to a small with no sign of Vicky's car. Turning back into the forest we decided to follow another trail we recognized, heading up a rather steep hill. Luckily for us we found the car within the hour... lesson learned- never leave your trail guides at home kids! Quick coffee break at Elevation cafe where we see Auckland city spread out before us, and back to the house.

Later in the week Sandie worked on : organizing the growing clutter called a kitchen, decorating the living area with global community inspired posters, and general yard/painting upkeep. Amanda worked on: dismanteling big avocado crates with Vicky which included lots of crowbar/ hammer demolition. RAWR! Also weeding, and shovelling clay and rock soil to build up the compost walkway. Lots of dirty fun ended in a trip to the laundrymat.

PS.... Oh, and top it all off-- We were both offered PAID positions selling fruit at the other Fruit Van house 2 hrs south of here, in December. Did we mention how much we love these people? EEEE!

                                              

Kia Ora, New Zealand!

Wednesday September 15

Made it to New Zealand!! Auckland to be exact and let me tell you- it is cold!  So much has happend thus far that it seems impossible this trip has only just begun.  With no couchsurfing requests responded to, we headed to the YHA hostel downtown.  It really worked out for the best as we were able to recieve loads of help from the staff who are also visitors.

We didn't do any sightseeing as we were trying to set up some wwoofing, get bank accounts, and set up our IRD numbers.  Amanda took us out for some Korean food (she has been missing it terribly).  Jess enjoyed a plate of squid, while Amanda and Sandie had some veggie Bibimbap. Delish!

We are quickly discovering that the weather in New Zealand is highly unpredictable.  Day 1, and already we have been caught out in the rain without any appropriate gear. HA!  There is just no sense in checking the weather here- just go out prepared for anything, because the rain comes and goes alll day.

Turns out the weather was also matching our mood, as getting responses from Wwoof hosts was turning out to be somewhat difficult.  Naively, we thought that it would be a very simple task since our book is just jam-packed with farms!  However, it seems that most are booked many months in advance, or they don't want us.  

As our spirits were beginning to dampen and the general mood was not so good, some luck came our way. Unknowingly, the four of us (Amanda, Sandie, Jess, and Lyndsey joining in a few days) had been emailing the same place- Fruit Vans... and they pulled through!  One more quick call, and our pestering worked: they said they could take us the next day. YAY! Wine was purchased and a night of celebration was in order.  We ventured out and found a Brazilian bar with a live band and lots of happy people. Gooood night

Thanks to all the celebatory wine, getting up in the morning wasn't easy.  We spent the afternoon sorting out all our stuff in the city and caught a taxi out to Sunnyvale- home of the Fruit Vans! West Auckland suburbs here we come.

Volcanos, kava and warm fuzzy feelings

And all good things must come to an end... our last week in Vanuatu, in a coconut shell:
*OK a big one-- lots to tell about in this post!*

After getting back from Nguna last Monday, Sandie, Jessica and I hunkered back down at our old guesthouse at Eman Imalo, resuming our places in room #11. We spent most of the day sipping smoothies on the waterfront, and making plans for the week to come- what to do in Vanuatu, and were to stay in New Zealand. We had high hopes of taking a trip to one of other islands by passenger ship, but with boat schedules conflicting and different ideas of how each of us wanted to spend our last days there, we settled on splitting off. Sandie and Jess stayed back in Vila for some quality time with old friends- Etha, Frankie, Mark, and Robert, while I made up my mind 15 minutes before the Air Vanuatu offic e closed on Monday to go get myself a ticket to Tanna Island, leaving on the next available flight Wednesday morning.

Sandie's week: Jess and myself were keen to spend as much time as possible with our Ni-van friends, so a few extra days in Vila was just what we wanted. Wednesday found us hiking down to the local market to buy fresh foods for a picnic lunch with Etha. We had such a lovely catch-up with lots of reminiscing from our time on Tanna last year. Thursday was spent enjoying beach weather, getting burns, and ending the day with a few Tusker's (Vanuatu's local beer). Air Vanuatu's pilots all happened to be out for an evening of fun and showed Jess and I a good time. We explored some of Vila's expat nightlife and had hangover's the next day to prove it! The rest of our time was spent enjoying all of the company our friends had to offer and getting to know Vila a wee bit more. Sandie had another lesson in sunscreen application after experiencing an awful burn that lasted way too long.

Amanda's week: The major draw to Tanna was Yasur Volcano, the most accessible active volcano in the world, and one of the main tourist hot spots in Vanuatu. After a 40 min flight, the 2 hour drive across the island to the bungalow was an exciting one: the roads got worse and worse as we went, turning from bumpy pavement, to dirt, and then to paths only 4-wheel drive vehicles could navigate. We stopped at a small roadside market in the shade of a giant banyan tree, and enjoyed views of small villages and smiling waving people along the way. The sun had set by the time I arrived at Island Dream bungalow in Port Resolution, but the hosts Nancy and Nassam cooked up a wonderful meal of veggies and rice before they left me in my own little hut for the night. All I could make out in the darkness was the red glow of Yasur just over the ridge.

My timing couldn't have been better arriving at the bungalow- in the next village over about a 45 minute walk away, a ceremony was being held to celebrate the circumcision of 5 young boys from 2 different families, between the ages of 6 and 11. It's a tradition widely practiced on Tanna and much of Vanuatu, held a few times a year in a village when the parents of these boys feel... it's their time. The boys leave their families for around 5 weeks to stay at the nakamal, a taboo place in the village where only men are allowed. The cut is carried out by an elder man in the village with a sharpened bamboo blade and a local anesthetic of some kind. They'll stay a few more weeks, and then this ceremony is held when the boys come out to see their mothers and the other women in their families once again.
The whole thing was amazing to see. In a large clearing there were men (and very ripped ones at that ;) ) wearing purple and green skirts (from each family) bringing out piles and piles of food and gifts to be exchanged between families. It was divided in 2 and piled high in layers of fruits, root veggies, smoked meat, colourful fabrics, woven mats and baskets. As the hours went by and the gifts were arranged, a conch shell was sounded and a procession of men and the boys came out with painted faces to be welcomed back to their crying mother's arms. Pigs and cows were also offered, and I witnessed animals being killed for the first time. No easy sight to see...(or hear), but it was comforting knowing they at least lived happy lives in comparison to their North American cousins. From there, there was lots of dancing and singing to enjoy, complete with colourful face paint, grass skirts and even garland they wore around their heads.

After a lazy afternoon and a walk to the black sand beach, it was time for Yasur! I was joined at the bungalow by an Australian family of doctors and their 2 kids, who I went along with on a tour to the volcano. A drive across the ash plain, up the mountain, and a short walk brought us to the rim. Standing near the edge we were witness to periodic bursts of lava fireworks , with the occasional ash cloud and sulphur explosions. Too amazing for words- I never imagined witnessing anything like it. One epic wonder of nature :)

Friday I spent some time with Andrew, Trudy, Allister and Samantha (Dr family) and went for a walk through Port Resolution village (named by Capn Cook himself) and on to the White Sand Beach. The kids, Allister and Sam had gone on ahead with Nancy's daughter Wahpoo to the beach to swim with a group other kids. It was funny to come walk up the hill on to a stunning stretch of white sand, completely empty but for a group of almost 20 little ones with the beach all to themselves. We enjoyed a bit of snorkeling before we passed around our goggles to share with the kids, who I think enjoyed them more than I ever have. A long day in the sun was followed by a delicious dinner, and a trip to see the 'John Frum' worship a few villages away. John Frum is a sort of cargo cult from the 1940s, when many Americans landed on the shores of Vanuatu during WWII. Many villagers in remote places had never seen such modern technology, and revered the novelties they brought. And so years later, groups have continued to get together and sing about the return of a certain "John Frum..."America. Interesting stuff.

Saturday- After an early morning swim, Amanda returns from Tanna to find wine and Tuskers already flowing. Franky, Mark, and Robert came over to Iman Emalo to join in on the fun. The boys, of course, had to have their kava session before indulging in any liquor. We all ventured out to a bar downtown and enjoyed a night of dance and drinking. The next two days were spent enjoying the amazing weather, and searching for Wwoofing in New Zealand- it was hard to imagine that we were indeed leaving this paradise. Monday afternoon we decided to rent ourselves some scooters- as Jess had zero experience we rented a 2 seater for Amanda and a single for Sandie. Our scooter provider gave us next to zero encouragement leaving us with tales of "many accidents", and untrustworthy taxi drivers. His final words to us were, "Don't kill yourselves", followed by an awkward giggle. It was a lovely ride to Pango, in and around Vila, with quick jaunt out to the entrance of the Cascades. After a sprinkling of rain and a small fright, Sandie has retired from scooter riding. We were all thanking our lucky stars and decided tonight was as good as any to get "kava'd".

Prior to arriving in Vanuatu we had decided kava would be something we would experience in all it's glory, and so we left Jess and ventured out with Franky to our local Nakamal. It was amazing to have Franky with us as he was an excellent guide to teach us the ins and outs of kava. He told us the appropriate time to wait between shells (equals about a cup) of kava, as kava is not something you chug. Another lesson in kava etiquette- spitting is essential. You CAN'T help but spit repeatedly. The nakamal is a very quiet place, kava is not a drink that makes you loud and boisterous. After 3 shells we were beginning to feel the spirit of kava- let me tell you, it is a slow one. Feeling as though we could handle more, we got some kava to go, using Jessi's water bottle, and Franky came with us back to Eman Imalo to finish off our drinks. The feeling of kava is not comparable to anything we've ever had. We felt like we weighed about 5 hundred pounds each and our movements were very slow and awkward. Jess describes us as quite dull, but a novelty. Quickly drinking our last shells, Amanda most immediately turned green. Franky let us know LATER that we should have been eating something at this point as is would ward off sickness. Thanks for that! ;) We slipped into a deep sleep hoping we would awake the next morning refreshed and energetic.

Tuesday- Our last day in Vanuatu. Amanda and Sandie woke up with gigantic kava hangovers- not to be confused with an alcohol hangover. We felt a few hundred pounds lighter but still sluggish and a little nauseous. The Cascades waterfall was the last destination on our list, and must-see in Vila. Despite the steady downpour (the first we had this whole trip, and very in-tuned with our emotions) we walked through gorgeous jungle on our way to a most beautiful waterfall. Making our way uphill, over steams and through the bush, we came to a five-story waterfall that swept over slippery stones. The whole scene around was something out of a story book- it's hard to grasp just how stunning it was. We ended the night spending a wonderful evening with Frankie and Mark, and were just floored at one of the most amazing gifts ever--- Frankie wrote us a SONG (and let the waterworks begin). A theme song, if you will- about the 3 of us. Such a thoughtful thing to do- THANK YOU Frankie, you are unbelievably sweet, will listen to it always and think of you and wonderful Vanuatu.

Wednesday and up before the sun- away we go... NZ here we come! So much sadness consumed us as we left this beautiful place, but much excitement too- whose to say what a year among the kiwis will bring? Thanks for the laughs and the memories Vanuatu, lukim yu :)

Life on Nguna- i stret nomo

So why Nguna? Nguna is a small island off the much larger Efate Island, where the capital of Vanuatu is. This is where Frankie (Sandie's good friend she met volunteering here last year) is from. He very kindly arranged our whole stay for us to camp near the beach, on his grandpa Fred's property in Taloa Village, and we never could have imagined what an amazing time it would be. The 3 of us arrived on Tuesday after catching a truck from downtown Vila to the northern side of Efate, passing on our way lots of bush, coconut plantations, and the island where Survivor was filmed. After an hour drive we arrived at the dock, where we watched a family of dolphins pass by as we waited for our boat. Frankie's cousin Kalmelu was there to greet us, horsing around with some little kids on the beach as the boat pulled up. He and the kids helped us get our tents set up under a mango tree, a stones throw from the coast.

From Wednesday on, the family really made us feel at home. We enjoyed wonderful meals with them all week, with plenty of fresh fruits and delicious island eats- including laplap- a mashed banana (or taro, or sweet potato...) dish, made with coconut milk and a bit of spice. It's poured together in giant pandanus leaves and wrapped up into a rectangular bundle, about the size of a big flat cake, and then covered with the hot lava rocks and a pile of other dampened leaves over the fire. It's got a chewy texture- filling and tasty!

Life on the island is pretty basic, and everyone there lives very much off the land. Kalmelu and his wife Rose for instance, have a very modest house, with a small 2 burner gas cooking stove, and another shelter outside to make a fire and cook things with heated lava rocks. Washing dishes/clothes/yourself is all done in buckets, and the few electric lights are powered by a recently-installed solar system. There are chickens running around everywhere with cute baby chicks in tow, as well as the odd pig.

On Wednesday we got to go for a walk into the bush to Fred's garden, where he very proudly showed off his money-making crop of vanilla beans, as well as his banana trees, grapefruit, mandarins, and lots of root veggies like taro, manioc, and sweet potato. We watched as Kalmelu climbed up into the thorny mandarin tree and dropped down some fresh fruits for us snack on, and also tried some sugar cane. mmm so good! Every family has a garden like this- there are only 2 very very small stores in the village where you can buy the most basic dry goods, and maybe some beer and cigarettes. Went for a walk down the beach were we met some very friendly teenage girls, Alice, Rota, and Relina, who we chatted and played a bit of volleyball with. For dinner that night we joined in with some of the extended family at Freds with some singing and worship before dinner, and were off to bed early. Not much going on after the sun sets at 6:00!

Thursday was a very full day. After an early morning walk into the village, a long swim and lunch, we joined in with the women- grandmothers, aunts, cousins- in making dinner. More laplap! We got to scrape out coconuts into a pile of shavings, ring out the milk from it, prepare the leaves and wrap up the whole thing together. We sat around for while after that, and watched and learned a bit of weaving. Rose makes some beautiful baskets and purses, and goes to the market in Vila for a 4 day stay every 2 weeks to sell them. It's quite a bit of work, but of course she makes it look easy. Rolling the long pandanas leaves of the tree to flatten them out, dyeing them, weaving, stitching- it's a process! Enjoyed dinner and lovely sunset and coconuts :)


Friday we enjoyed a long walk into the bush part way up the (extinct) volcano to get a beautiful view over the water and surrounding islands. Stopped off at an amazing Banyan tree- a massive tangle of roots and vines, for a quick climb into the tree tops. Enjoyed quite a long swim, snorkeling and checking out the colourful fish and coral nearby, and then felt an earthquake!! Nothing bad luckily, but quite the rumble. It's a pretty bizarre feeling when the beach shakes so much! ha!



Saturday-we had a morning walk-about down to volcano rocks on the beach. A girl (Chrissy) was cleaning coral on the beach which will later be used to build her house- she wanted to show us something. Chrissy led us to a nearby bird filled cave. Sandie stuck it out for a few minutes before fleeing. Later in the afternoon Amanda decided she would like to go for a small swim- where she would meet jelly fish jerkface! ouch! frankie came on the evening boat and set up camp with us. We helped prepare another meal- which we all enjoyed together. The three of us purchased Tusker earlier in the day and brought it out for the campfire, and Franky had brought 2 bottles of red wine from Vila. Great night of laughing, dancing, and getting to know more of the wonderful people from Taloa.

Sunday- We all enjoyed a bit of a sleep in. Everyone enjoyed a good breakfast at Rose and Kalmelu's before getting ready for church. Rose happend to have 3 extra island dresses- we were all over the chance to get to wear them! The service was in Nguna's native language so not even Sandie and Jess could decifer anything- but on we sang. They can really belt out a tune. The afternoon was spent with more singing and lying about in the sand. Franky told us many stories of kastom on the island. It is such a vastly different culture from ours- he sure loved his captive audience. Since it was our last night Rose wanted to make something special for supper- banana cake! Wonderful feast, great conversation, loving Taloa.


Monday- Edna gave us a wake up call at 4:30am which we all slept through until Franky said at 5 it was time to go. Lot's of people came out to help us load up our tents and luggage. Rose gave each of us beautiful purses that she had woven sometime that week- so sweet! We all said our good-byes and loaded into the boat- back to Efate. Great ride back into Vila filled with more laughs and yes, you guessed it, more singing!