Once it was light out we could get a better look at the bungalows. The floor is covered in woven floor mates, the kind that we watched the lady make on Waya Island. The frame is large bamboo rods. The interior layers of walls are made up of thin bamboo stalks lashed together. The exterior layers of walls look to be similar to the woven mats on the floor. The roof is palm fronts with a relatively tall pitch. The roof extends over the porch. The roof fits snugly at the corners where the roof is lowest, but there is a big gap between wall and ceiling in the center of the little hut. This provides good air ventilation, and with the roof extending so far beyond front walls, no exposure to rain. We have seen this style of construction even in modern buildings all over the south pacific, particularly in the Marquesas. The beds have a mosquito netting over them that you can put down to protect yourself from bug bites. There is a small gas lamp at the bedside.
The restrooms are separate buildings that are shared by a few of the rooms. There is a small stall with a toilet and a basin with soap and water. There is a second stall with a shower. If you are looking for first world luxuries, you probably wouldn’t like it too much. If you are looking for a unique experience in a picturesque setting, this is the place for you.
Breakfast was at 07:00. They served coconut pancakes, eggs, bread, peanut butter and bananas. We were expecting a meager continental breakfast, so we were delighted to be served food that was good, hearty and filling. We were hungry after so much walking last night.
At 07:30 we went on a “cultural tour”. The four brothers that run this lodge are from a nearby village that is only a 5 minute walk south. We were expecting them to take us to their village and show us around, and maybe get a dance or two. Instead we walked 5 minutes to the north. We turned off the road down a narrow footpath leading into the jungle. As we walked down the path, we were suddenly completely surrounded by men of all ages brandishing weapons.
Déjà vu. After our last experience, we were kind of expecting the ambush and we were looking for them, but we honestly did not see them at all. It is absolutely mind blowing how seamlessly they can blend into the surroundings. This group was wearing very full skirts made of dried leaves. Most had on hats of dried leaves or twigs. After the main ambush we were ambushed a second time by guys lying right in the footpath, with their skirts draped around them so they looked like nothing more than a pile of leaves. We looked right at them and didn’t realize they were people. When we got close they jumped up and screamed. Good thing none of us have weak hearts.
They showed us all kinds of interesting things that are integral to their village life. They showed us the various traps they made for different kind of animals. They are simple, yet highly effective. They showed us how to make a stretcher out of leaves. They showed us a few of their medicinal tricks, and how to make fire by rubbing a stick against a log. The cultural tour was pretty quick, but very informative and really a lot of fun. The locals here and at Epule are very proud of their way of life and seem to be genuinely happy to show off their culture and traditions. You strongly sense these exhibits aren’t just a way for them to make a quick buck they want to bring you into their world. They are truly kind people, quick to flash you big smiles, which you wouldn’t expect from a “warrior” culture. We enjoyed the little tour a lot. They sang us a song in farewell, the same style of happy, lyrical string instrument music that we heard in Epule village when we were enjoying our snack. We read somewhere that the Americans brought this style of music during WWII and it really caught on, becoming incredibly popular with the locals. Most of the music we heard in Vila was this style. In this photo they are pulling out instruments and getting ready to sing.
Once the tour was done, we were loaded into the back of a different pickup truck along with the Australian girls and a local guy. The three of us were perched on a wooden plank stretched across the back window and the other three were sitting on the edge of the bed. The ride in the bed was actually kind of fun, bouncing along on the bumpy road, enjoying the fresh air, sunshine and unlimited views. It just isn’t so much fun for the back and buttocks.
We drove by the school the Australian girls teach at, which was interesting to see. School is not mandatory in Vanuatu, and all schools are private. On Tanna, less than 50% of kids go to school. The tuition is expensive and most people struggle for the funds for education.
We were delivered safely to the airport well before our flight time. The flight back to Efate was quick and uneventful. The tour company picked us up at the airport and delivered us back to the dinghy dock. Our dinghy was still there. Good sign. Kosmos was still floating. Another good sign. Back on board, we were pleased to see that the solar panels had kicked in and we hadn’t used up all that much battery juice in the 24 hours we were gone. That is a relief. We were worried about going too long without recharging the batteries.
Exhausted, we took naps. We stopped by the market to pick up a few perishable items. The beef in the grocery store was absolutely gorgeous. We are not big beef eaters, but even so, Christi wanted to stock up on such high quality, organic meat. The problem is that all meat products get confiscated in Australia, so stocking up seemed ridiculous. The solution was to buy a bunch of beef, cook it before leaving, and freeze it. That way we would have loads of passage food. The irony of the cooking is that Vila has the best selection of frozen food we have seen yet (still not that good), but we bypassed the frozen stuff so we had plenty of room in the freezer for Christi’s food.
After dropping them off at Kosmos, went out to dinner at another French restaurant on Lini Highway that offered a splendid view of Kosmos below us. The food was an odd mix of French and Middle Eastern/Asian, and it was good.
