View from the Restaurant
Golf Course in Background
July 26, 2000
We arrived in Port Villa, Efate at 0115 (a.m.) . We grabbed a taxi and the adventure started. We really did not know where we were to stay so we told the driver to take us to the Pacific Lagoon (where Amy and Joel had planned to say).
Once we arrived at the Pacific Lagoon the office was closed. Great....then after standing around for awhile and finding out that the only room available was not cleaned yet we decided to move on.
We were then taken to the Aeroplete, and with luck there were no rooms available there. Come to find out we were arriving in Vanuatu during their Independence Celebration.
Le Meredian
Our taxi bill was running a good $30 USD by now. We were running out of hotels and our next stop was the Le Meredian. There was one room left, YES! Hungry and jet-lagged we were escorted up to our room.
When we went to tip the bellman he stood there for a moment confused and tried to hand the money back. Not understanding, we insisted he take the money; come to find out tipping is not expected in Vanuatu (pretty nice to leave a restaurant not having to figure what 15% of your meal was to leave for a tip).
We tired to take a shower but our luck the water was not working so we went to bed, however, fifteen minutes passed and the shower started.
July 27, 2000
Woke up around 0530 (1130 July 28th US time) and took a much needed shower. Went to breakfast around 0800 and then took a tour bus to the Tanni Cultural Center. After the Tanni tour we had lunch, took our Malaria medication, and then sat by the pool.
I had an excellent aromatherapy massage before we headed off to the Waterfront Restaurant to meet Amy and Joel. We learned very quickly that taking a bus into town saved you $9.00 USD. The thing about the bus service (or 12 seater vans what they really were) was you would get picked up by one and they would take you to your destination, but in due time.
We took our first tour (in the daylight, since the taxi tour was by dark) or the island. We traveled through the local villages, by soccer fields and basketball courts (without the back boards), and then finally we traveled downtown after dropping locals off.
Once at the Waterfront we did not see Amy or Joel so we bought some drinks and waited at the bar. Lori, a crew member of the Shaman, invited us to sit with them at their table. We bought them some drinks and talked until Amy and Joel showed up, and then the Shaman Experience began.
Racked White Sand Beaches
Canoeing around Le Meredian
Eating dinner at the Waterfront Restaurant
Woke up around 0515, again,,,YAHHH! Grabbed a bus around 0900 to meet Amy and Joel for breakfast at Jill's Cafe (an American-Style Cafe). Amy and Joel had to run errands so we went downtown to watch a small parade. No floats or bands in this parade, just a bunch of people half-naked and stomping their feet as they sang in Bislama.
We walked around the market and tried lap lap. This consisted of a styrofoam-bannana-like top with a ground beef lower half; very bland and not the choice meal. Unfortunately, the lap lap found a nice home in the garbage.
After seeing the market we returned to Le Meredian and took a quick nap. Around 1800 we met Amy and Joel at the Office Pub and were entered by the Drunk Australian Navy. Saw a fight amongst some Navy members and caught some Australian Navy men dancing. What entertainment.
July 29, 2000
Woke up to the torrential down pour of rain. We had set up an all day tour for snorkeling and sailing aboard the Coongoloa and were hoping the rain would subside. The tour bus picked us up at 0930 and we the Coongoola adventure began. We returned around 1730 and meet Amy and Joel at Gino's (an Italian Vanuatu style restaurant).
Port Villa, Vanuatu Capital City
Geoff and Joel testing the water at the Cascade Falls
July 30, 2000
Had breakfast with Amy and Joel at the hotel since all shops/restaurants are closed on Sundays. Once breakfast was over we caught the tour bus to Mele Cascade Falls with Amy and Joel. We returned around 1300, took up some rays by the pool and then headed down town to the Waterfront Restaurant to wait for Raymond to pick us up for our Shaman Experience.
July 31, 2000
Woke up around 0730, packed and then took the last shower for probably 3 days. Once done packing we had breakfast and then met Amy at the Bon Marche #2 (a shopping center).
We bought bread, tuna, crackers, unrefrigerated cartons of milk, and cereal for the trip to Lamen Island. Done shopping, we returned to the hotel, checked out, caught a bus to the "domestic" airport and the trip to Valesdir began.
Boarding the 9-seater plane to Valesdir