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!

Vanuatu- Mi likem yu

Voted happiest place on earth:
It's green..it's hot..it's tropical..it's Vanuatu- and we made it! We have successfully set our watches to island time- hence the lack of blog. We have been staying at Eman Imalo guesthouse and Noel (the owner) has been just wonderful.


Our first day in Port Vila was a long one. After settling in we went into town and drank the local Tusker beer with some Australian yachties that we met. In the evening we drank some kava at Freswata 2. For those that don't know- Kava is a miiild halucinogenic strained from a plant, that mostly just makes you sleepy and is a huge part of Ni-Van culture. Unlike the outer islands in Vanuatu, women are allowed in the Nakamals (kava bars) here in Vila. We had a great evening with new friends and enjoyed a solid sleep.

Thanks to the roosters, our next day had us up a bit early, round 5:30am? We went for a walkabout in the community we are staying in, taking in all the sights and smells, and practicing a little French with neighbours. In the afternoon we went for a swim while Robert, who I know from last years trip to Vanuatu, watched our belongings and laughed at our saltwater clumsiness. Robert suggested we drink Kava with him in the evening, and we just couldn't resist. He hinted that we should go home and prepare supper before having Kava as we wouldn't have the energy afterwards. While at home Franky, another friend from last year, came by with gifts of pomplemousse. We all ventured to a Nakamal together, two shells later- Amanda and Sandie are ready for bed.

Up with the chickens once again yesterday, and feeling very hot, we all decided an early morning swim was a good idea. The rest of the day was spent enjoying a small spel (nap), exploring the market, and sorting out future travel plans for Vanuatu. We are leaving first thing today for Nguna- Franky's home island. A 45 minute back of truck ride, and a small sail after will take us far from internet. After our visit to Nguna we are planning to take a ship north to the volcanic island of Ambrym. Updates when we return- Lot's of love to every one. I stret nomo!! (it's all good for everyone) ;)

Gone Hollywood

Woke up in LA the other day- who ever imagined we'd actually make it this far? The very LAST stop! Excited and tired to be there, we arrived in North Hollywood after a very restless 8 hr bus ride through the night, and grabbed a taxi to a hostel to drop our stuff.

We took advantage of some coffee, cleaned up and were out the door to meet our 3rd travel buddy, Jessica, who'll be joining us for the next leg of our trip. We made our way up and down the Walk of Fame just outside the hostel, taking loads of shots of the stars of all our favourite actors, musicians, etc. We also met some MJ and Marilyn Monroe lookalikes, and a Spiderman from Mississauga who very kindly offered to pose in a photo. We passed the famous Chinese theatre, the Kodak theater (where they hold the Oscars) and got a nice view of the Hollywood sign from the top of the mall. Woo!


We later strolled down the Boulevard to haggle some bus tour prices to see what we could see of the city in such a short time. None of us were too keen on seeing any celebrity homes, but this seemed to be the highlight of most every tour. After settling on one we hopped on openair bus to Beverly Hills. Some highlights of the tour included the chicken restaurant where Brad Pitt worked as a chicken mascot in his pre-movie days; Rodeo Drive; the tree Lindsey Lohan drove into last year; the 'body parts' hospital where lots of stars get their Botox fix; famous clubs where Janice Joplin (etc etc) played; the homes of tons of celebrities (Robert Deniro, Orlando Bloom, Leonardo Decaprio, the house MJ died in, Tom Cruise + Katie Holmes, Angelina Jolie, Ben Affleck + Jennifer Garner; the list goes on ), all filled in with other ridiculous facts that none of us ever really needed to know. All in all it was a fun little jaunt around la la land!
Sandie and I ended the afternoon with some pints at the Pig N' Whistle, Hollywood's oldest restaurant/bar, and then checked out a movie being filmed infront of the Chinese theatre-- when what famous person would reveal himself? None other than Justin Timberlake! We're bringin sexy back... Yeah! ;)


Onwards to the airport for a 11:30pm flight!
Things were going smoothly until we are about 10 minutes from LAX, and Jessica says, "Hey! Where's my wallet?" The rest of the van got dropped off at the airport while Jess frantically trecked back to the hostel. Amanda and I begin to sort out our luggage when I discover an entire bottle of shampoo has exploded all over my stuff! ah! Cleaned up, we are going to check when the lady informs us we need to have an exit ticket from Vanuatu in order to board the plane. Whoops! So much for deciding on this later... and so after a mad dash to find some internet, we booked our Vila to Auckland flight for the middle of September, and made it back in line. Amazingly, we all made the flight- just another airport adventure.

The San Fran contradiction

Mecredi- A week come and gone- day 8

We knew this would be the day we got rid of the ol' buick. Amanda ventured out to see some sights with her friend Janet, while I waited with the buick for a tow truck that would be there "within the hour".

Amanda's lovely day- Crookedest street in the world, Fisherman's wharf, laid around the park, watched sea lions, went shopping, lovely catch up with Janet.

Sandie's crappy day- Sat with the buick in San Fran's hottest day of the year. Tow truck finally comes 5 LONG hours later, and the Buick is gone. Worse yet-no money for it. A bittersweet end- happy the car is gone, but ever grateful it got us this far. We cursed and doubted the poor thing many times since Winnipeg, but it got us through nearly to the end. Cheers Buick, we love you!

The day ended with a lovely dinner followed by drinks with Jason and Janet. We were all the loving the hot hot weather along with the rest of San Francisco.


Day 9- Wednesday- Amanda and Sandie joining the throngs of tourists

Our day began with sorting and repacking our belongings, trying to give Jason his living room back. First stop of the day- Full House house, and the infamous Victorian Painted Ladies. We took the city bus to Alamo Square, which gives a great view of the famous row of 7 houses set infront of the San Fran skyline. We sang more of the Full House song and had a riot trying to imitate the Tanner family as much as possible in a hilarious series of pictures.


From there we took the bus back downtown towards Fishermans wharf, passing through the Jazz district, Japantown, and Chinatown. At the wharf we ate the famous sourdough breadbowls filled with a veggie alternative to the classic clam chowder.

After lunch we went and saw the sea lions, and took a tourist photo on the famous trolley. Then it was time for a ride on The Dixie- Joe Dimaggio's dad's 1923 fishing boat. We went for a rough sail around Alcatraz island, and Amanda saw a harbour porpoise! We had a great view of the city and also witnessed the fog roll in over the Golden Gate. Captain Morrie was a hoot, he told us many stories of fishing on the open sea.


We dashed back to Jason's, via Coit Hill, where we got another amazing view of San Fran, this time in it's usual fog. We packed and loaded all our stuff, and the lovely Janet and her old students visiting from Korea dropped us off at the Greyhound.

Another sad good-bye, we would have loved to stay in San Fran longer. We'll miss you Janet, come visit us in NZ!

Golden Gate-Golden State

Monday monday monday. Day 7

After a chilly sleep in Redwood National Park wearing all the layers we had- brr, we ventured on another hike for one last frolic amongst the Redwoods. We never did see any bears or mountain lions, but we did lot's of birds and a banana slug.

A few hours into the drive, temperatures spiked to a whopping 36 degrees! We spotted a watering hole with loads of people enjoying a swim and decided we just couldn't resist. We quickly turned off the freeway and changed into our swimsuits and enjoyed a fast refreshing swim. Nothing else of note on the drive except more Redwoods, which soon turned semi-desert landscape, farms, and more hot weather. Boy could we use an A/C right about now!

Roughly 7 hours later an orange beacon of happiness appeared before us...it was the Golden Gate bridge!!! *insert Full House song here" A landmark seen so often of T.V. right before our eyes- we were thrilled beyond explanation. BUT... there was a hitch. Who knew there'd be a toll to get across the Golden Gate bridge?

Us-"How much is the toll?"
Bridge lady-"$6"
Us-"Oh, we are sooo sorry, we only have $2 between us! Oh wait, we have lot's of Canadian coin too- don't suppose you want that?" Bridge lady-"No."
Us-"*crickets* So what do we do?"
Bridge lady-"Where are you from?" (while counting a wad of bills and not making eye contact)
Us-"The Prairies. In Canada."
Bridge lady-"So you're from Canada...?"
Us-"*more crickets*........"
Bridge lady-" *sigh* Go on-there will be no charge today."

A little embarrasing, but not enough to damped our Golden Gate high... That was until the streets.
As we may have mentioned before, the Buick is a bit of a dodgy vehicle. It has been known to stall, and doesn't exactly stop on a dime. In search of Jason's place (Sandie's 2nd cousin), we made ourselves into quite the spectacle as we shouted, laughed, and cried; driving up, and down, and UP, and DOWN the incredibly unsafe and inhumanely steep streets of San Fran.

Following Grandpa's old '85 Truckers Atlas, we finally made it to 290 Green Street, at the top of yet another brutal hill. Jason welcomed us into his roof-top home overlooking the Oakland-Bay Bridge and a stunning view of the city, and took us out for a delicious dinner and wine at Calzone's. Thanks Jason!

Wonders of 101

Day 6- Sunday

After a refreshing sleep and shower we made our way to our next destination- Redwood National Park, California. But first- the beautiful and wonderous landscapes of Oregon. Veering west after Eugene we passed a momma deer and her Bambi twins, and soon found ourselves on the 'Scenic by-way', highway 101. We passed through some picturesque towns- Dune City (obviously full of sand dunes), Bandon, and Gold Beach. Not a McDonalds or Taco Bell in site, how refreshing! We stopped for a quick run outside Dune City through some trails in search of sand dunes, and hopped back to the car.

Hours later the forest and tree plantations gave way to ocean- and one of our highlights of the day- a photo shoot pitstop in Cape Sebastian. One of many possible turnouts along the winding road along the Pacific, we found a spot we couldn't resist. Dashing down the sand towards the ocean, in the shadows of huge rock outcrops exposed in lowtide, the wind pelted us with sand and nearly blew us over as we ran through the water and climbed the rocks. Words cannot decribe- it was magic!







At long last, we cross our last state line into California (naming as many California-themed songs as we could), and made our way into Jedidiah Campground. The Redwoods, with a captial R, most definatly 'Stand' up to their reputation. After pitching our tents in site 93 it was time to head out to explore before the sun went down, and so we made our way to the great great great grandfather of redwood trees- a tree SO big, that you can walk 22 steps (or 23 for Amanda) around the trunk of the tree. It is HUGE. Fun fact: this particular grove is also where Star Wars was filmed, wow! The ground was carpeted in clover and ferns, and giant redwoods towered all around-- this is one very special place.

Ended the night chowing down on some smores around the campfire, and laying up as much as possible against the cold CA night.