Port Vila

Did I mention trash? What a shame, because look how beautiful this place is.

BEE-YOO-TEE-FULL

Sorry sideways, but still an interesting Post Office building.

Fri Tok or is it Free Talk?

I just thought this was hilarious. Anyone know Bislama?

Sorry this is sideways, too. But one awesome cat.

Yams in their own personal woven pandanus baskets. Nice bananas, TK.

Produce market. Doesn't everything look so appetizing?

Don't ya love the helicopter landing pad?

A typical view

The ship way in the background. I did my share of walking today!

Nice beach here at the 'Breakers'

LOVE the villas, TK is making hersel comfortable on the chaise lounge.

We could get used to this.

More from the market.

And MORE.

Scott, the IT Officer from the ship was glad to have a wahine to nap with on a hammock...

such WHITE sand

cool tree, photo taken out of the car window as we drove by. hang on to your hats (and hair!)

cute beach huts in the background

local band playing outside the wharf gates - my ears were working perfectly at this point!

one of the islands we are passing by

this is the 'sail away', passengers on the deck as we pull away from the dock.

breezy now, passing by an island with it's own version on 'flower pots'.

hopefully I can come back to Vanuatu Lucky me. I am back at a port I had the opportunity to visit nine years ago - Port Vila, Vanuatu. The islands of Vanuatu consist of 83 volcanic islands. There is even an active volcano on another island. Efate, the island where Port Vila is located is about twenty by fifteen miles and is lushly covered in plant life, with waterfalls -as are most islands in the group.

I had been able to to see the 'downtown' area of Port Vila last time, but spent most of my day on a snorkeling trip (which was awesome, by the way!). This time I ventured toward town (we were docked about two and a half miles from the city center). I decided I could use the exercise and hoofed it, taking notice of the scenery along the way. First thing I notice, and I hate to say it, is trash. Garbage. Litter. Rubbish. Seriously, these guys need to start a litterbug campaign! It is so sad to me that this beautiful island would have so much litter strewn about.

I tried to look beyond it, to the darling little islands that were just across the way. The water that was colored so many hues of blue. The yachts bobbing in the harbors. It was quite a picturesque little port town.I did a little shopping, took a few photos and walked quite a ways. I took a few pictures showing our ship in the background.

I also had to take some 'local' pictures of some signs that had things written in 'Bislama' the local language that is basically 'pigeon'. In the billboard advertising the cell phone plan, 'fri' is actually 'free' and 'tok' is 'talk'. Some of the words you can figure out, but others aren't so easy. The sign in the shop made me laugh, so I thought I would share!

I liked the front of the Post Office, too.

It seems like yachties like Port Vila (I can see why) and I saw the most awesome catamaran I had ever seen, so I took a picture to share with you. I also thought the little pontoon with the helicopter parked on it was kinda cool, so I thought I would share that photo too. Thanks for indulging me!

s a recurring theme, there was also a produce market. The goods looked appetizing and cheap!When I got back to the ship, I dropped off my wares and thought I may try to find some willing souls to hop in a cab with me and go do a waterfall hike. I couldn't find anyone willing to go (I mean really, we're talking mostly septugenarians and octonegerians here), so I opted for a cheaper afternoon, going to the beach. The taxi driver took me to a resort called 'Breakers Beach' and promised to pick me up in three hours (when I would pay him for the round trip).

It was a beautiful location. Little thatch-roofed bungalows and cottages set on a white sand beach, palm trees and hammocks....ah, paradise found! A lot of Australians frequent Vanuatu since it's only a three hour flight for them. (Many of the yachts were sailed by Aussies as well). The place was pretty quiet, but I did notice a guy who happened to have a towel like mine - one of the type they give us from the ship. I started talking to him and found out he was the IT officer - one of the few American crew members. He took a liking to Tiny Kona and invited her for a nap on the hammock.

TK and I took a little stroll near the beach cottages, where she posed on one of the chaise lounges. It ended up being a relaxing afternoon and my cab driver was there when it was time to head back to the ship.The short drive back to the ship took us by so many colors of green, little houses scattered around and a really cool banyan tree.

Right before I went into the dock area, there was a local bunch of guys playing some music for us. (There were also a number of vendors under tarps and canopies, mostly selling the same 'stuff'.) I went up on deck to watch the ship go out of the harbor area. I knew I would want to take lots of pictures because there were so many islands we would be passing. I decided to go way up to the tip top of the ship. I had a book I was reading, so was getting some reading time in before the ship set sail. Here's where the craziness begins... I guess the captain wants to let everyone know that departure is iminent, so he blows the ship's horn (a few times).

Let's just say that I can't hear out of my left ear any more. Seriously! I think they need to give us some kind of warning. It scared the crap out of me, which wasn't fun. But the fact that I am now half deaf really sucks. I think I'm gonna have to learn sign language now...

Enjoy the departure pictures. I think there are some awesome vistas we passed.

TINY KONA'S TRUSIM of the Day...what? speak up - I can't hear you!