.: From Port Villa, Vanuatu

Our little stowaway from Fiji

We arrived in Port Villa, Vanuatu yesterday leaving from Dillion Bay at midnight.

Dillion Bay

It was a fairly uneventful crossing and we are now moored at the “yacht club”.

We will have internet for the next few days before we move on, so I’ll post some photos from the past two weeks, when I was only able to give commentary.

Week in Tanna (see immediate posting below photos for commentary).

QuickStar anchored in Resolution Bay

Primary school

School Classroom. The kids loved the new supplies and games we brought them.

A typical family walking down the street

Everyone travels on foot throughout the area

Another mode of transportation – very rare.

On our hike we passed lots and lots of these massive trees.

Visiting with the kids during their lunch hour

The local co-op market

Bringing home the groceries

View of the village

Washing dishes

The banyan tree right in the village where sacred events are held

The Kava Nackamal where Peter joined the men for a Kava ceremony (women aren’t allowed, so I took this picture the next morning when none of the men were there)

Shark Bay – usually you see about 40 sharks here, but due to the high winds,

we didn’t get to see them under the water

Fresh coconuts for our break during the five hour hike exploring the island

Custom dancing – very traditional and authentic

The kids were adorable – smiling all the time

If you look closely at these photos of the men and boys, you'll notice that the men have a woven penis sheath that sticks out above the grass skirt. There are male members of a tribe (no pun intended) that are called the "big nambas" and there are those called the "little nambas". I'm sure you can figure it out!

"Big Namba" proud Papa of the "very little Namba"

"Medium Namba"

Having dinner with the Australian architectural students

Their tent city – first day that wasn't raining so they could dry themselves out

The White Sand beach on that side of the island

Peter with some of his newfound Kava buddies

The presentation of the ambitious project to the community by David,

the Professor who will be sailing with Peter to Australia

All the locals use longboats. No engines.
Our new friend Tom came visiting aboard QuickStar

Di taking a ride in the longboat

Note to Lesly....this is another one of my Mu-Mu's as you call them. I truly am a slave to fashion as you say - this particular mu-mu is about 15 years old and has been in my suitcase for many adventures around the world. I put my clothes budget into my travel budget - what can I say?

The active volcano is an amazing highlight of Tanna. While we were there it was a grade 3 (with the next highest grade meaning you can't go to it) Unfortunately, my pictures are terrible because of the high winds and blowing ash. Peter did take videos of this as well as the custom dancing, however, when he went to download them, he accidentally deleted them all. Glad it wasn't me, or I never would've heard the end of it.

Approaching the volcano just as the sun was setting

The only safety warning. If this was Canada or the States, the whole thing would have been fenced off, so we felt pretty lucky to be able to see it up close and personal when we got to the rim.

Wild smoke

Note how close you can stand to the edge!

Unbelievable noise and great fireworks

The village wedding feast was a memorable day. The women do all the cooking and preparing, with the help of dogs, chickens and little kids running around with large knives cutting up vegtables in their hands! I thought I had some photos of this, but seems not.

The men prepare the pig - while the children play in the "guts".

I'm not kidding....Warning vegetarians, skip some of these photos.

After the pig was cooked and the feast got started...this is what the pig looked like

Everything is eaten by hand. The kids pull bones off the pig and chomp down on them. When they have finished eating the meat, they throw the bones to the dogs. Peter was off with the men in the kava hut at this time, and I didn't have much of an appetite - go figure!