Vila and Efate
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MAY 14: Monday
7.30am. Getting ready although just about everything has been done. 9.30am. At airport, baggage took ages, departure tax quick. Not much time for goodbyes but probably better that way. Everything went smoothly.
10.45am. Here’s Ian Wright sitting on the plane, it is miles long and took ages to get to the back. Back here it’s pretty tight but nice. I can see the right wing from behind. You can understand the panic in an emergency. I’m not scared but only a little excited. Actually I think it’s terrific. I can see mum and Mechelle over on the verandah of the departure lounge.
Engines suddenly roared and the plane almost lunged forward, it didn’t take long for it to leave the ground and zoom did it go!
At about 12.50pm I could see what looked like a coral reef, it is green and garlanded with waves. Lunch was lovely. I can see what looks like small islands miles away. This all has given me a feeling of excited satisfaction, I can feel it inside.
Man Oh man! What I’ve been through. At the moment I’m sitting under a wooden shelter that has coconut palm branches as tiles but since landing until now i was in nowhere land. Went through customs, they wanted to know where I was staying, I didn’t know. They worked me out a bit and asked me to make a reservation at one of the hotels, that being done at the airport. Could not get into anywhere, because it took awhile the custom guys came over to see what was going on. The best I could do was to go to a hotel and if it was booked out I could go to the campground. I worked out which bus to take and sat on the floor near the door. At the hotel which was booked out I got instruction on how to get to the campground and took a taxi there. On the way you would see the native people walking down the roads, shops were still open and palm trees emerged from the darkness.
The campground is a good few kilometres from Vila and it is just someones backyard with a toilet, a sink, a dribbley shower and this shelter I’m sitting under. Until getting here I was confused and amazed and, as I said, nowhere. It was so crazy but it worked out. At least it’s only a dollar a night. The stars are out and the moon has risen. It’s nice and cool. The lady that came out to see me was so nice. Simple things like when I asked how much she said “Oh, one dollar”. “One Australian dollar?” I asked, “Oh, Australian, Franc, don’t care.” she replied. She said to pay when I leave, just didn’t want it then. She told me different things I wanted to know.
There is only one other tent here, they are a young French couple who have been travelling for two years. Now and then I can hear natives singing. The snails are huge. I used an old coconut to hammer in the tent pegs, why not I thought. I have nothing to eat and won’t bother to have a shower until the morning, there are mosquitoes here.
I have written ten pages today but could have written ten more if things didn’t happen so rapidly. The first moments at the airport and even the first flight seem like days ago but not forgotten. I’m very happy to be here and think of everyone. Tomorrow I will get things worked out.
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May 15: Tuesday
It’s about 9pm now after another hectic day. Nothing went bad just that so much happened. First I woke up after sleeping on the ground half of the night, my airmat deflated. I decided to go to Vila early (7am). As I walked passed the house the old native lady asked me in for a cup of tea and some bread, it took a bit to understand her (and vis versa) but she was a lovely person. This bit of food was just in time and enough to satisfy my hunger. I went out to the road and waved down a utility, he took me some of the way and another lift got me to Vila. This was great fun (and cheap) and I met and talked to some nice people. One driver was taking pawpaw to town the other had some big roots for a hotel.
Photo: Jungle growing over jungle.
The cars here are all dirty, mainly small and many are utes, there are a few bikes as well. Anyway I got to town and walked the main street about five times and just tried to find things and look at the shops. The street runs along the waterfront and you can see some islands and the headlands. The water is so clean you can see the bottom. I talked to some young boys there. In one of the shops I met a guy I had only recently met once in Sydney, he told me about a church mission and there I met a guy named Iann who was working there as a volunteer. I’m staying in his room probably the rest of the week, he has told me and taught me so much already. He will help me to learn the local language.
I stayed at his place most of the afternoon then went back to Melemart and walked much of the way, it was good. By the time I had packed up it was sunset. Said goodbye to the old lady and hitched a ride in a red ute. A man with his wife and child were in the front so I got in the back. He was only going to Mele (two miles) but he went past it and said to me “Me think me take you to Vila” which was at least twenty kilometres out of his way. In the back of the ute it was nice and breezy but also dusty, driving through town it felt funny sitting in the back of a dirty old ute while all the tourists walk or go on guided tours.
After a long exciting day I could have a shower and a good fed and can sleep in a bed. Spoilt rotten but loving it.
Points of interest: Mandarins and bananas etc don’t colour they stay green. The bush or jungle is so dense and plants we think are fancy are common here. There is touch sensitive grass, millions of coconut palms, different types of bananas, grapefruit and pawpaws. Almost anything that grows can be eaten. Tons of fish. Avocados are five cents each. Lizards with bright blue tails.
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May 16: Wednesday
Had lovely sleep in a bed and weet-bix for breakfast. The French bread makes lovely toast. We went straight to town to see the market and what they sell. There are many fruits and vegetables for sale also beads and junk. I bought a pair of things as shoes are no good for walking around here anyway. We also bought 10 coconuts, pawpaw, mandarins and 2 grapefruit. We also bought two green coconuts, they are full of milk but with almost no flesh.
We came back in a bus and then went out in ‘sunshine’ a small yellow outrigger canoe. Nothing special but good enough. It’s a beautiful day with a cool breeze. The water is a lovely blue, many different blues. You can easily see the coral from the boat so you can pick a good place. We paddled across from our place to a large island and went to the other side. Snorkeling there is the best, you don’t really need the flippers. The fish are everywhere and every sort, mostly small and amazing colours. There are also large sea cucumbers and the sand is white.
Coming back via the other side of the island, you go opposite Vila, we just cruised slowly back. Some native guys on the island thought we looked so funny, two white guys paddling a canoe, not normally seen. Two boys fishing from the shore told me to put my feet up which were dangling over the front because there were harks in the area, not to worry though.
Spent the rest of the day writing letters and relaxing. Also made lunch, it was nuts and soft coconut fried in oil then yesterdays combination of macaroni, cheese, peas and egg was added and heated. When serves out a lavish helping of tomato sauce was applied. Dessert was pawpaw and sugar banana. I did two sketches from the waters edge, nothing great. On sunset I walked up the road and collected one of every type of flower, about ten in all.
Points of interest: No sea birds at all. People don’t shout out names, they let out a load Pssst! At low tide the coral is exposed.
We came back in a bus and then went out in ‘sunshine’ a small yellow outrigger canoe. Nothing special but good enough. It’s a beautiful day with a cool breeze. The water is a lovely blue, many different blues. You can easily see the coral from the boat so you can pick a good place. We paddled across from our place to a large island and went to the other side. Snorkeling there is the best, you don’t really need the flippers. The fish are everywhere and every sort, mostly small and amazing colours. There are also large sea cucumbers and the sand is white.
Coming back via the other side of the island, you go opposite Vila, we just cruised slowly back. Some native guys on the island thought we looked so funny, two white guys paddling a canoe, not normally seen. Two boys fishing from the shore told me to put my feet up which were dangling over the front because there were harks in the area, not to worry though.
Spent the rest of the day writing letters and relaxing. Also made lunch, it was nuts and soft coconut fried in oil then yesterdays combination of macaroni, cheese, peas and egg was added and heated. When serves out a lavish helping of tomato sauce was applied. Dessert was pawpaw and sugar banana. I did two sketches from the waters edge, nothing great. On sunset I walked up the road and collected one of every type of flower, about ten in all.
Points of interest: No sea birds at all. People don’t shout out names, they let out a load Pssst! At low tide the coral is exposed.
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May 17: Thursday
Today I went around the island on a Yamaha 80 motorbike. Well, it was a strange ride. A guy named Frank owned it and he directed me out of town and I started on my 50 odd mile cruise around the island. I went anti-clockwise. I saw beaches and palm trees and cows and all that. It rained for half an hour but you don’t worry about that. The weather stayed overcast all day but still warm. On a long beach I searched for shells but could not find a good one. The type of vegetation did vary from area to area though it was always dense and green. There are many coral foreshores which are nice.
You have to wave and smile to so many people but it’s good fun. The villages look really interesting, they are not totally natural but do have some modern influences but mainly the same as years gone by. A lot of natives go out to the bush to get food. Early afternoon it rained again, I didn’t appreciate it so much this time. Sometimes you see small fowl like birds run into the bush. I also saw 2 crabs and a rat. I was late because this 50 mile cruise turned out to be 150km! And the last stretch was the hardest. The west and southwest coast of Efate are beautiful. There are several large islands offshore, villages, beaches and palms everywhere. Anyway the last stretch consisted of steep uphill climbs which the bike could only make by standing/leaning forward in first gear or walking it up. I fell off once, it was near sunset when I finally reached the top where I could see right over Vila for miles. The road came down in one long steep slide down to Melemart. Form there it was just a matter of getting back soon. I startled 3 women washing their clothes in a stream. It was dark by the time I hit Vila. It was black, it was pelting rain and I had to drive on the ‘wrong’ side of the road, but I made it. I am so tired.
The people around the island usually thought it funny to see me drive this crazy bike. Especially with a rotten old orange helmet on. You can’t normally see any inland mountains but when you can they look great. Tomorrow I’ll take it easy. When I get to Tanna I will get away by myself and draw, I need to get alone for awhile.
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May 18: Friday
Today I’m at the market with some kids, they watched me draw some bananas. They are funny kids, fairly shy. I talked to an old man about his yam, it cost 300F but he will cut it and plant it to grow more. He was easy to talk to and I used what Bislama I knew. This old man he knew me because he saw me in the morning. I can even meet people I know in the street, almost one of the locals now. The weather has gone bad but at least it doesn’t get cold. I bought some green/blue material with white flowers on it to make my ‘dress’. Iann made a sponge cake with 4 eggs, it was solid and tasted like egg! The grapefruit which are red inside are so nice.
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May 19: Saturday
The people here are so strange, like they don’t do anything together, you never see a family together. The men stay by themselves, the women get together, girls play with girls, boys with boys but that’s it. At home sure but otherwise you don’t know who is married to who or what kids they have! Some people are born on a small island and they live and die on it.
There are Tahitians here, usually women because the French bring them here. They are attractive and totally different in appearance to the locals. They are usually intelligent as well. You can get a bike or car license for life here and the rego for a bike is $2.50 for life? Last night we had pancakes and ‘egg loaf’ and we finished off the pancakes for breakfast.
It’s after lunch now and I’m sitting by the water. It is quiet here, no one doing anything, just one yacht on the still water. There is a mass of black tadpole size fish in the water. Wow, what I’ve just seen. First a mass of about 10 small fish jumping out of the water , then 2 keep going, the first a small fish, the second chasing it a pipe shaped fish, they kept jumping out of the water until the pipe fish caught the small one, gulp!
Everyone is unique, none look the same, even different islanders look different. The half breeds usually have curly hair instead of frizzy. A few of the younger women try and look westernised, they do look better for it. As much as I like it here it would be better to have my friends and family as well. I miss them but still definitely want to stay on.
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May 20: Sunday
Today everyone came to cut the grass, once everyone got started they would take over now and then on the mowers. Near the end they mostly sat around eating grapefruit and coconuts. I was talking to Frank for awhile about Australia and here, comparing them. Over here if you have a girlfriend you only see her at her parents place and nowhere else. And you don’t tell anyone except your best friend. Everyone says that Tanna is really good, better then here, I hope so. It was good to do some work for awhile, breaks the monotony of doing nothing.
I had lunch with everyone, they all sat on the grass, of course then men sat separately. We had tuna, taro root, sweet potato, cabbage, tapioca which is taro root or some other baked, ground up and fried. It is in slabs and thick and chewy. Also a root that was purple, bread, some spicy stuff etc. They eat tons of it. My plate was covered and heaped up. It was really nice though. We ate with our fingers. It was good how they knock down a few coconuts and pick some grapefruit and eat them. So natural. The coconut was the first I have had since arriving.
In the afternoon I went to watch the guys play soccer. Most play in bare feet, they play good. The people live in simple small square houses. They keep them neat and clean. Some of the cars are so rough it’s amazing.
A guy named Hollingson Issahar came to visit in the evening, he told us about his island of Atchin off Malakula. He said there used to be fighting on Malakula and because of it people would move to small offshore islands like Atchin for safety. They used to practice cannibalism, if they killed someone in a tribal fight they would eat them because of their anger. Hollingson’s grandfather did it. He also talked about his fathers death, he believed he died by witchcraft though it would have been a heart attack.
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May 21: Monday
Today we went down to Vila to get some stuff and to find out about a boat. But they don’t know where it is as they have not heard from it. Bought this stamp cause it shows the New Hebrides (picture). We saw some young Australian girls walking around, all they want to do is buy stuff. Some of the shops are pretty weird inside, especially the Chinese shops. It rained for awhile and did it pour. Some of the people I know are Timothy and Frank (brothers), Nasa who is the chief of police, Bradley, Wesley, Hollingson and others. Pastor Simon and Sid who is a French guy.
Hollingson came around tonight and we went for a drive in his car, I drove back and it was crazy driving on the other side of the road. Most of the people here look older then they are though they look good. I get the feeling I am living here now. I am not just touristing but living here.
Most of the people here come for other islands, this is the only place where you can get a job so they all come here. It seems strange when you think how you are on a small dot of an island in the middle of the pacific. This island is smaller than Sydney! Yet the locals think that this is it, this is the place.
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May 22: Tuesday
Nothing. That’s today. It rained really heavy last night and some in the morning. When there is no breeze here it gets really muggy and hot regardless of the weather conditions. I went to Vial again, not much else to do. I bought the small cassette player I wanted so I can record any singing or dancing I hear. Couldn’t find out much about the boat to Tanna. Should go tomorrow night. I took the canoe out this afternoon. The water was like glass and I saw a school of herring like fish swimming with their heads out of the water. I saw another guy in a canoe going home, nice to watch.
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May 23: Wednesday
Today ended well at least. We went for our usual morning walk to town, the market was bigger today, the weather as bad as usual. The weather was good and sunny so we took the canoe out and luckily took the snorkeling gear. Out in the harbour we met an old guy in his canoe. The sun was out and the water lovely and the water shallower then normal. The variety of fish is amazing. In the sand you can see small trails, these are where the shells move just under the surface. If you dig at either end you find the shell. Tomorrow we may go out in the morning. When I found the big shell I was surprised cause it looked so big. Another thing to do is to dive under the water turn upside down and look up, it looks great the clouds and sun and bubbles. And before we went I found this giant elephant bettle walking through the grass, it was huge. Paddling back we really got into it and were tired when we got back. The people upstairs asked us up for tea.
Looks like I’ll be going to Santo via many smaller islands on the ‘Pacifique’ that’s the mission boat. Sid has to be taken around to several islands and then it keeps going to Santo. If so I will see all of Santo then work my way down through all the islands back to Vila. The weather is 100% at the moment, hope it stays that way.
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May 24: Thursday
Well today evolved around doing a sign as a favour for the accommodation and a soccer match. The match was between a church group and a team of French ex-professionals. The French guys showed real skill but got tired quick, it was a 3 all draw. Today was fast and filled but didn’t achieve anything, I will go on the boat next wednesday but that means more waiting. Tonight me and Iann either told each other our troubles such as him wanting to go to Australia and see his girlfriend and me wanting to get moving or else we tried to cheer each other up by talking about the promising tomorrows or making hot milo.
Even though it is getting a bit boring sitting around here I have learnt almost everything I can around and about this place so if I have to do anything I’ll be set Ah!
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May 25: Friday
Today was really good. The weather warm and sunny and some good fun. Of course we went to town in the morning. I bought 10 postcards and a pair of scallop shells. We found out that the locals who sell shells here walk along the reefs at low tide and just pick them up!
We went out on the canoe and found some shells. Because the tide was really low and the reef bare we walked on it for awhile looking for shells, didn’t find much but saw some good things. The coral is all crunchy under your feet. We snorkeled in water that normally was much deeper and it was so different. I scared off a 2ft stingray though it scared me more cause I didn’t see it until I was right over it. We also saw a lovely butterfly cod all soft and lovely, brown and white mainly. You always see some new fish and if you dive down they look at you. We didn’t find many shells at first but had some luck near the end. I found a scallop shell which I had to cut off the coral. Also lucky to find a large thronged shaped shell on the surface of the sand in shallow water, I didn’t expect it to be much but it was lovely! Also a big fat clam which we threw back. I’m getting better at staying under longer, it’s good going down and just staying there for a long time. Paddling and swimming around is good exercise but tiring as well. My beard is going OK, almost looks good, bit more yet.
I don’t wear my sandshoes just thongs. Over here they cut off branches off trees and trim them up and stick them in the ground to make fences. And they grow! Today made me feel good again, yesterday was boring but today was happy and fun so I’m OK again.
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May 26: Saturday
The mission did some street witnessing today near the market, everyone liked it including the tourists cause of all these black people singing away. I had some lap lap for lunch, Timothy bought it down this morning, it was good but you had to cut it up and add to it. Tonight they had a social which was ouside under floodlights, they played games and it was pretty good. I finished writing 11 postcards. Also have a guitar to play, really like that. It’s late about 11pm, raining heavy and we are just laying around for awhile until we feel like sleeping.
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May 27: Sunday
Today was a good day. After finishing off the pancakes we got ready to go snorkeling, there wasn’t a soul to be seen, the water was calm, cool and ours. Perfect weather all day and we got a good tan. The reef was slowly being exposed while we were out. We weighed anchor and got into it. The water was colder then normal. Not too many shells, one big clam type shell that you could see through a bit. I found one with a real vicious barb on it probably the ‘killer’ on everyone tells us about. Also found two of the long slender pointy ones. I had a swim with four of the pipe fish, watched them change colour as they went along. After awhile we both laid back on the canoe and soaked up the sun. So good, quiet and calm and warm, just lazing about. Back in the water I sometimes had to swim in a maze or coral, it was either just underwater or some out. We also saw an old clam shell about 4 feet across buried in the sand. Slowly paddled back, looking at Vila it seemed empty, the yachts were moving around enjoying a good day. We saw two boys on their foam raft “Sailing to Australia”, they had a sail and rudder. When we got back two guys were waiting to use the canoe for some fishing. They hang the net parallel to the shore and each guy swims in towards the shore making a lot of noise to scare the fish. They gave us two parrot fish, nice.
In the afternoon I played guitar with Manou she is Tahitian and sings and plays guitar so good I was amazed. Tahitians really have a beautiful style.
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May 28: Monday
Popped my Malaria tablets on schedule. Yes, we went to Vila as usual, I bought some film, cassette and batteries. Because a cruise ship was in the market area was full of clothes ‘stores’ and some shells and junk, no foodstuffs were being sold. Man you can spot the tourists, some are real suckers. At least they have perfect hot weather. The buses and taxis were doing a roaring trade. The tourists only get one day in port, enough time to buy some junk and go.
When we came back we got dressed up tourist style, sunglasses, camera etc and went around to the ship. We looked at the things for sale then walked toward the ship. On our way a hostess asked us if we wanted to go on a 3 hour tour to Hideaway Island. We asked about the place and said we’d think about it. We walked straight onto the ship and explored for awhile. Quite nice inside but no big deal. We saw the pools and went up front, good fun. We had a good look around then left. We knew the guy driving the bus back. Talked to two Melbourne guy who didn’t seem to be enjoying it at all. I got off in town to get a few knick knacks, the shops closed as usual (11.30-2pm).
We went out in the canoe about 3pm, we went right out to the outer reef. There were some men fishing with nets, it was real nice out there and different. No shells though so we went back to our normal spot and dived for about ten minutes right on sunset which was nice. Then us two ‘native’ boys just sat on the canoe in the smooth still water eating a coconut and mandarins watching the beautiful sunset and the ship going out. I laughed that we had it so good. Had tea which included frozen chops! Relaxed and played guitar.
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