My latest adventures

Time for another blog update…

The wet season is starting to kick in here in the South Pacific, and with it has come our first potential cyclone warning – a tropical low forming to the north of Vanuatu as I type which may or may not turn into a cyclone over the next 48 hrs. Chances are not, but there’s a small feeling of anticipation. Rather than a spectacular storm though, it probably just means humidity that you could drown in and rain, lots of rain!

But to update you on what I’ve been up to in recent weeks, here is my top 5 (in no particular order):

« Quality sibling time

Phil and Ellie made it here for a week of fun-filled adventure. Diving (Phil completed his PADI course while he was here), zip-lining, island-hopping, visiting waterfalls and blue lagoons, and of course a must-try kava experience in a nakamal (kava bar).

Sisterly love 

Some kids fishing out the front of our bungalow, Pele Island

Fun on the Blue Lagoon rope swing

Lets go diving!

Zip-lining through the jungle

Mmmm, the taste of paradise!

* A word on kava: Kava is a popular drink enjoyed throughout the pacific islands. It is not an alcohol, rather a plant based drink which has mild sedative and anaesthetic properties. In some parts of Vanuatu, kava was traditionally prepared by chewing the root of the kava plant and straining it with water – these days it is usually ground through a mincer or pounded on a stone. The strength of the kava varies depending on how it is produced, how fresh it is and what part of the plant has been used – effects can range from a mild numbness of the lips and general feeling of relaxation, to an inability to walk or talk until the kava wears off (usually after large amounts). Nakamals are hugely popular in Vanuatu, particularly among the men (in some villages it is forbidden for women to drink kava) for an after-work shell - it is often served in coconut shells, costing 50-100VT or between 50c and $1 depending on the size of the serving. The taste and smell is somewhere between fermented cucumber and muddy water, so it is best to hold your nose and skull it down in one go.

«  Slumming it house sitting on the lagoon

For the last two and a half months I have been lucky enough to have teed up a house sit, only two doors down from where I was living before. Rosie (housemate) and I have been enjoying the spacious kitchen, comfortable beds, dishwasher, cleaner, deck with view of lagoon and gorgeous (if not spoilt and attention-seeking) dog, Gunner. And best of all, saving on rent! Another week left house hitting here, and then we have another couple of house sits lined up to take us through until mid January.

Housemates - on the truck to the wharf for a work trip to Nguna Island

Our view from the deck of our house sit 

Gunner - the most spoilt guard dog ever!

« Diving, diving and more diving

I have now clocked up 20 dives and over 1000 minutes underwater – I am loving the coral gardens and flourishing marine life right on my doorstep, and I’m trying to make the most of it while I’m here – I’ll well and truly miss it when I’m back in Northam. The local pool won’t quite be the same!

More diving!

Pristine waters at Devil's Point - a whole underwater world to discover

I have also booked in to do my advanced dive course next weekend – in preparation for Caitlin and Cal’s visit in January when we will hopefully dive the Coolidge wreck off Santo. (For anyone interested, the Coolidge was a luxury ocean liner converted into a troop ship during WWII, which sank after being struck by a mine in 1942. It is meant to be in the top 10 best wreck dives in the world).

«  Off the rock for a brief snow change

Late October, Rosie and I left the island for a bit of a break – a week in New Zealand to catch up with Shaini and see a bit of the (slightly bigger) north island. A bit of a cooler change compared to Port Vila, but Auckland put on some beautiful sunny days for us. Some time to catch up with some old travel friends, amazing hosts (thanks Shaini and Aaron) and some funny road-tripping times (which may or may not have included planking, wearing crazy hats, and Shaini dancing around the hire car in the supermarket carpark to the amusement of onlookers!).

Hello Auckland!

Piha Beach 

Fun times in Wellington

The hire car was taken over by a sheep and an elephant...

Brrrr! Cold times in National Park!

Snow-capped Ngauruhoe Volcano (I take no responsibility for the most recent eruption of Mt Tongariro...)

«  A fair bit of work in between

Work has been very busy and continues to be hugely rewarding. I have been continuing to run the Early Intervention group two mornings a week in conjunction with my counterpart Knox (who came on board 4 months ago), as well as fitting in lots of home visits and training up staff. I am also in the process of applying for a scholarship to send someone to India to complete a course in Prosthetics and Orthotics, and have been liaising with a surgery team in Australia to try to get a small girl sent for surgery on some burns scar tissue on her legs. Along with some grant applications and updating forms and procedures, I’m hoping I can finalise most of these in the three months that I have left here (I have been told on numerous occasions that Vanuatu all-but shuts down over Christmas and January – taem blong spel – but I will try to push through.)

Crafting with the pikinini

Road-testing some electric wheelchairs

I’m home (to NSW) for a week at Christmas, then the countdown will be on to the end of my assignment!

Bae mi lukim yufala soon!

Volcano chasing

Over the past few months, I've taken full advantage of living within the Pacific Ring of Fire and experienced up-close some real-life, active volcanoes.

Port Vila = surrounded by volcanoes. Plenty to choose from!

Now those of you who know my history with active volcanoes may be wondering why I would choose to deliberately tempt fate and seek out these amazing natural wonders. (Those who don’t – multiple flight cancellations on previous travel adventures due to both the Iceland volcano in 2010 and Chile volcano in 2011). An attempt to make amends with the volcano gods maybe?

I started small, with an extinct volcano on the island of Nguna. Not much chance of this baby erupting. A beautiful trek up the side of the volcano, followed by a tour of the rim, and a walk inside the crater, which is now a lush garden filled with coconut palms and water taro. We did hear some stories of locals kayaking within the crater after large amounts of rain, and some rogue chickens that were released by villagers inside the crater in the hope they would breed. We saw no evidence of either of these, and I think the ni-vans were just having a laugh at our expense. But there were some amazing views of Efate and the Shephard Islands from the top. Ok, tick that one off the list.

On the rim - lush garden inside the crater and 360 degree island views

Chilling out inside the crater with the crew

Next challenge, the island of Ambrym, which has two active volcanoes accessible on foot, Benbow and Maroum. Both volcanoes on Ambrym are known more for their amazing ash plains than their spectacular eruptions, although I have heard that Maroum is one of the most active volcanoes in Vanuatu. There is a history of several destructive eruptions per century, the last big one being in 1913 which wiped out the hospital and caused mass evacuation. Statistics not looking good, but “when in Vanuatu”, right? Our two-day trek commenced with a few hours walking across the most amazing desert landscape of the ash plane, along ridges and through valleys. The silence was absolute, not a living plant or animal in sight. 

Like walking on another planet

Amazing trekking scenery

A gruelling climb up the side of Benbow resulted in a view straight across the crater (although it was too smoky to see too far down). But it was Maroum volcano, another hour or so walk away, that truly mesmerised us. We were extremely lucky with the weather – blue skies and a light breeze to clear the smoke from the lava bubbling away below. A clear view across the crater and down 200 metres or so to a pulsing, bubbling sea of red. I found it more relaxing than scary, and even our guides said we were very lucky to have such a clear view. After a night camping on the ash plain, we continued our trek north on Day Two, leaving a red glow in the sky behind us.

Endless ash plain

How's this for a campfire? Good luck toasting marshmallows on this one!

Ok, not so bad. Maybe the volcano gods are pleased with my peaceful offerings. The third and ultimate challenge: Mt Yasur volcano on the island of Tanna. I decided to take Shelley for the ride on this one (I do not take responsibility, she knew full well of my history with volcanoes prior to agreeing to take this trip with me!) It all started to turn pear-shaped two weeks before we were due to go (just two days after I had booked our flights to Tanna of course) with a security alert from my In-Country Manager stating that Yasur volcano is off limits until further notice due to an increase in volcanic activity. It had been upgraded from a Level 2 to a Level 3 – moderate to large eruptions, and danger near the crater. Hmm… Maybe I jumped the gun a bit on curing my volcano luck. We decided to still go to Tanna and hope that by the time we got there, it wasn’t quite so angry.

Mt Yasur - looking serene and harmless from this angle

After some conflicting reports on whether the danger level had been downgraded again or not, we took a chance (and some advice from some locals who seemed to be in the know) and took a truck to Yasur. The one security measure, a sign in the carpark stating “Think Safety”, was not overly reassuring! But we decided to trust our local guide and hope that his understanding of the volcanic activity was as good as he assured us it was.

The extent of our safety briefing

Ok, Thinking Safety! Fingers crossed...

The experience of Yasur was amazing and incredible and terrifying. Standing close to the rim, feeling frequent rumbles which reverberate through your ear drums and chest, followed by an eruption into the sky and a shower of molten volcanic rock falling back down into the crater. Due to the increase in activity, we took heed of the locals’ advice not to venture around the other side of the crater. Some not-so-smart tourists ignored this advice and still did, only to have one particularly large eruption throw volcanic boulders over their heads and land only metres away. This is mother nature at its most primal, and not something to be messing around with! If a rock did happen to take a different course, there would be not much hope for someone standing in its path! There have been a couple of fatalities in recent years, some locals and tourists who got a bit too close.

We watched the sunset from the crater rim, and were captivated by the eruptions against the backdrop of the darkening sky. Finally, when one large eruption sent a boulder the size of a couch landing only 50m from us, we decided we had tempted fate for long enough for one day and retreated to the safety of the truck. The next two nights were spent staying in a bungalow at the base of the volcano, with frequent rumbles and explosions heard throughout the night (some of which shook the walls of the local bungalow we were sleeping in). An experience of a lifetime!

Incredible view (and slightly terrifying)

More and more spectacular as night fell

Maybe I should quit while I’m ahead? But I am sure if another opportunity arises over the next few months I will hard pressed not to jump at the chance to add another volcano to my list.

A week in another world...

So I’ve hit the 6 month mark of my time here in Vanuatu, and it definitely feels like home now. I have managed to master the language, established a good social group, and have a pretty good idea of the best places to eat, drink and play around town. In recent months I’ve been kept busy with lots of visitors (Jess & Mike, Averil & Steph, and then Shelley) followed by a week in Australia (a jam-packed week of catch ups, coffee and brunch, bridesmaid dress shopping and family time). 

Jess & Mike at the races

Taking visitors on an island escape

Good times in Tanna

Hello Melbourne!

Returned to Port Vila for 4 days, then off to the island of Ambae for a work trip. This particular trip summed up life in Vanuatu pretty well, highlighting the need to be flexible and embrace “island time”. Enjoy!

Monday:

5.30am: Wake up. Madly run around packing for a week on a remote island. No need to pack any electronics – no power to charge anything. Essentials: head torch, toilet paper, conservative clothing. Check!

6.30am: Arrive at the airport for my 7.30am flight. Redirected to the international terminal despite it being a domestic flight (don’t ask questions, just accept). Almost lose my pocket knife through security screening (not usually a problem here for domestic flights).

8.30am: Arrive in Santo. Two hours to kill before I need to check in for my next flight to Walaha, Ambae. Jump on the bus that volunteer David’s work has organised for him (he is here for the week for some meetings) for a ride into town. Meet volunteer Lou B in town for a coffee meeting (small work discussed) and explore Luganville before jumping in a taxi back to the airport to check in for my next flight.

10.30am: Check in my bags and meet up with Lou G (yes there are two volunteers called Lou who both live in Luganville!) and Jacqui – my two colleagues and room mates for the week. Sit chatting until our designated boarding time.

12 noon: boarding time has been and gone. Scheduled departure time has also passed. Still chatting.

12.45pm: Small plane lands at Luganville airport. Unloads and refuels. We prepare to be called for boarding.

1.00pm: Boarding call for passengers flying to Sola (not for us). After inquiring as to the whereabouts of our flight, we are informed that this plane needs to fly to Sola (1 hr away) then will return to pick us up and take us to out destination. Expect another 2 ½ hour wait at least, but do not want to leave the airport in case plans change again.

2.15pm: Airport official finally informs us that our flight for today has been cancelled. Another flight should be going tomorrow (sometime, hopefully). Make arrangements to stay in Santo for the night. Call our contacts in Ambae to inform them that we will not be arriving today (they don't seem overly surprised or concerned, although we later found out that some committee members had walked 2 hours to be there for our arrival, only to turn around again). Try again tomorrow.

Walaha airport - slightly bumpy grass runway

Tuesday:

9am: Use the morning taking a tour of the hospital and scheduling another coffee meeting. Phone call from Air Vanuatu confirmed a new flight for lunch time today.

11am: Check in for our flight.

12.30pm: Finally in the air, en route to Ambae (only a 20 min flight from Luganville, who would have thought it would be so tricky).

1pm: Arrive in Walaha. Truck awaits to take us to our accommodation, and then onto the “opening ceremony” for our week of work. Greeted at our guesthouse by four hospitality students and two owners of the guesthouse (slight overkill for only the three of us checking into a guesthouse consisting of two bungalows) who take our details for registration, present us with fresh coconuts and show us to our room - basic but comfortable with an ensuite and flush toilet - a luxury!

1.30pm: Continue on to the workshop venue (a purpose built bamboo shelter). Opening ceremony consists of singing, dancing, praying, raising of a flag and presentation of salu salu (island leis). Required to make small “toktok” in Bislama to thank the committee for their warm welcome.

3.00pm: Time for a relax at the guesthouse and an early night before a big day of work tomorrow.

Spel smol

Wednesday:

8.30am: Set out with Lou G (Australian volunteer physio) and four local committee members for a day of home visits on foot. Leave Jacqui to run disability and sign language workshop. Lucky for an overcast day – lots of walking today. Manage to see six kids and one adult for assessments and advice clinics – goals of these visits were to take details and photos to add to database, conduct feeding assessments and assess for equipment needs. Difficult to do too much more in a one-off visit. LOTS of walking – covered most of west Ambae on foot, walking between villages on public roads, private roads and through the bush. Ate lunch sitting on a grave next to a church. Pleasantly surprised at how well-presented and cared-for all the children were – disability inclusion and awareness seems to be a lot better here than what I have encountered in some other places in Vanuatu. A few tears from grateful parents who are used to receiving false promises. This is the first visit of any health professional to the area, let alone two at once.

6.00pm: Arrived back at the meeting place to dinner prepared for us by the committee – a huge mound of white rice topped with 2-minute noodles and tuna. Interesting combination!

One grateful family

Thursday:

6.30am: Woke after a terrible nights sleep. Achey legs, headache, sore throat, blocked nose. Don’t think I’ll be going far today! Saw Lou off for another day of walking – mostly adults today so hopefully I won’t be needed too much. Back to bed.

5.00pm: Slept most of the day. No energy. Was filled in on the day’s events by Lou, who walked even further than yesterday and saw 16 adults today – I wouldn’t have lasted so it was a good thing I decided to stay behind. Decided against attempting the walk up the hill for the “closing ceremony” – Lou and Jacqui attending on my behalf. Back to bed!

*Closing ceremony consisted of more singing, prayers, dancing, “toktok” and presentation of local homemade mats and baskets as a thankyou to us for coming. Also lots more rice, noodles and a cake. Shame to have missed it but don’t think I could have sat through the three-hour ceremony feeling the way I was.

Friday:

7.00am: Time to pack up and get to the airport for our flight.

8.30am: Arrive at the airport. Joined by six committee members to see us off and thank us again.

11.00am: Plane delayed… surprise surprise.

11.30am: Plane finally arrives. People disembarking unhappy to find out that the plane was overweight when leaving Santo so their luggage had been left behind (they were not informed of this before leaving Santo). Their luggage should come sometime tomorrow (maybe…). I watch my luggage being loaded onto the plane before embarking.

12 noon: Arrive in Santo. Proceed to Lou’s for some lunch, and then crash out on her couch for more sleep – virus has taken hold. Tell myself that despite the horror stories, I do not have malaria or dengue (quick course of antibiotics on return to Vila for a chest infection and I’m now back on my feet again). Return to the airport at 5.30pm for evening flight back to Vila.

7.15pm: Flight leaves with only a 15 minute delay. Must be a miracle!