Day 12 Blue Hole, Blue Cave and Golf

So sad to say that it is our last full day here.

As part of his birthday pressie, Age went on boat tour to a underwatercave. The idea was that they were dropped outside it and would have to dive under and go through a small tunnel to pop out inside.

The kids and I set off to explore the coast line below the resort at low tide.  Our first stop was to  Picinini hole - a gorgeous deep hole in coral  and a haven for fish and coral.  It was about the size of a swimming pool and even at low tide was about 3 metres deep in some places. We soon got sick of it as it was so small, but still an incredible eco system surviving in that space.

The reef walkers once again came into their own as the exposed and dead coral, coupled with the volcanic rock made for very treacherous passage. Walked along looking at sea cucumbers and hairy starfish - which were abundant I might add. 

Very slow going and not only spiky but slippery in places too.

As the tide continued to go out we got to the Blue Hole area.  We had been exploring for a few hours and we were all hot and a bit dehydrated. We were still a fair way away from shore and I decided the best way to get to shore was to swim - rather than wade our way.  Lilly completely cracked it then, making such a scene that one of the villagers along the shore rushed out with her dug out canoe and offered to save her. I was very thankful as Morgan had been really good but I knew he was tiring as well. She bundled them into the wooden dug out and swam alongside it - pushing it along to take them back to the beach and then pointed to the best entry spot to the Blue hole. 

Oh my goodness.  What an incredible experience. At low tide, there were still  drop offs which were endless. I snorkelled around the caves and cove, feeling a bit nervous about being out by myself - and that the kids would be ok.  I was really torn as  the Blue hole was arguably the most incredible snorkelling experience I’d had.  Reluctantly - and again because I freaked myself out with the deeper water, I went back to shore, promising to take them both out the next day.

I returned immediately with a gift of my last pair of shoes for the lass who showed such kindness to the kids. She was pretty chuffed.

I treated myself to a hot rock massage which sounds alot more glamorous than it is believe me. Basically the masseur grabs a heated rock and pummels it into your skin. Its hot, really hot and if you flinch, she takes it away and says - oh too hot?  and grabs another - equally burning one and slaps it onto your skin.

I gushed so much about the Blue Hole, that after lunch we all walked back - even though it was the turn of the tide. Before we did, we decided to go to the pool for some intense lessons for kids on their snorkelling gear. 

Visibility was really poor due to the churning sand and it  made it difficult to make out shapes and the reef was too deep to appreciate the beauty I had seen only hours before.

We got out of our wet things and hit the golf course again. I loved it - not so  much as a game - but that we as a family were doing something together, chatting and having a good time. 

It was a pretty low key evening before we packed and were asleep by nine - I know unheard if! I can’t believe how much I have been sleeping .

Day 11 in Vanuatu - Happy Birthday Age

It was our last day at the Friendly Bungalows and the night before we heard that another couple needed to be at the airport for 8 am - meaning another very early start breaky at 5.45 and into ute at 6.30.  It was either this - or wait till around 2 until the ute arrived back and could take us practically back the same way - so we opted to be time and fuel sensible and go early.

We arrived at  Whitegrass Resort  just on  8am when  everyonelse was walking to breaky and waking up. Originally I had planned for us to stay here the entire time, but many resorts will not take children to the volcano saying its too dangerous and traumatic. I am very glad we stayed over at the bungalows. Very rustic and a billion miles away from everything. I didn’t miss not having electricity - well - the Friendly had power for three hours a day, but I will also say I was very glad to have a hot shower and a toilet that worked. ( there I go again with the toilet thing)

It was a great choice as we had the whole day soaking up sun at the pool and getting black volcanic ash out of hair and clothes.  I have included a photo of one of the many secluded siting spots where you can just take in the scenery on cliff faces.

Age was very tired having had a few seizures over the last few days. He and Lilly slept in ‘proper’ beds for over two hours that afternoon.

Morgan and I decided to explore what the resort had to offer and started of with  a round of golf on their very cute three par course. It only had six holes but someone had put alot of work into it and we enjoyed ourselves immensely. It was Morgans first real go at golf and he tried his very best to listen to all the waffle I carried on about to assist with his swing. 

Given the course, I decided only to take  a 9 iron and putter with us.

With any game of golf, I  am always happy if I get a few good shots in. I was rewarded with the thwack of a well placed hit a few times - so for me - it was well worth doing.  I also had the opportunity to spent alone time with Morgan and just chat.  He was particularly pleased with the traditional watering hole end; when  I had a well earned shandy and he had a fanta spider.  We saw a few other games to amuse us with and I promised to check out the  croquet and the boules the next day.

Age woke inspired to take a walk, so set off with Morgan to check out the White grass plainlands and the horses. Lilly and I attempted tennis in thick kikua grass where once ball landed it thudded and rolled. We returned to the pool and hung out there till the light began to fade.

The boys returned, dirty and tired and a little confused as to if they had actually seen the plain lands.  It appeared that the descriptions and reality were a little at odds with each other. We celebrated Adrian's birthday with cocktails at sunset with a special dessert plate of fruit and flowers as his ‘cake’.

New Years Eve 2010

We did a huge amount of nothing today. The kids coloured in and collected seashells. Age literally hung in a hammock and slept. I read junky books overlooking the beach and kids.

We had the most delicious paw paw for morning tea - brought over to us by one of the villagers.

At one point Lilly got her hair braided again as it was starting to look pretty ratty. I got a massage in the massage hut ( a very loose term I can assure you) We ate, we slouched around, we went for a walk along the beach.

I’ve included a photo of our restaurant.. Built on the slopping beach - it sensibly has a sand floor so that the crabs can clean up any crumbs and mess split. 

Later in the evening, after the kids went to bed, Age and I sat on the beach in front of a very small fire. It had rained on and off most of the day - so finding dry kindling and wood to keep it going was an interesting task.

We were joined by the partner of a new arrival. Most of the others ( all 5 of them) had gone to the John Frome Cult evening. Side note here - Its one of the surviving cargo cults; where islanders dance and sing in prayer to their saviour and hope that he brings coca cola and American items to them. The true roots are a bit shady, but it seems that these cults were born out a rejection of the ideals missionaries were forcing the locals into. A figure - mostly a white American man came to all the chiefs and told them to pray to Jesus and to him, but to return also to their traditional way of life and cultural trappings. In return he would bring them modern things to help them. Cults got bigger during the second world war when Americans actually did drop a great deal of things to the islands. 

The celebrations on Fridays are an entire evening ( till dawn) spontaneously lead song and dance party.  Sounds like a good idea to me!  Anyway!

Age saw the new year in, feeding the fire coconut husks and twigs…. andthen it rained on him.

Happy Birthday luv