I oraet,tanku tumas.
This is Bislama,the pidgin language spoken here on on Vanuatu,no other country has as many languages per capita. I love it. " Mi stop lukaot " means,I'm looking for...., " Tankyu tumas" is,Thank you very much.
We are moored by a lovey resort by the island of Aore,across from Vanuatus largest island,Espiritu Santo.
This morning David and I took Olivia to the airport,first John dropped us at the ferry dock,then we took the ferry across to the town of Luganville,then a taxi to the tiny airport.We were quite early. At a small open air " deli" ,we had a grapefruit,served whole,a bunch of peanuts that came on the branches and taste like peas- so good. David and Olivia had fried eggs,bread and a piece of bacon. We waited,took pictures,and then watched as she boarded the tiny plane to Port Vila where her international connection would get her back to Auckland sometime tonight.There she has a shuttle to take her back to the north shore and her home-stay in the pleasant Devonport ...and- school starts first thing in the morning.
We walked back to town,slowly questioning all our parental decisions and feeling greatly sad. The day before in fact I was surprised by an ambush of emotions when I was in town. There are tourists from Australia and New Zealand but,very few sailors -as we are late in the season . I had wandered in to a building selling local crafts. Woman in the ubiquitous,however,not flattering, "Mother Hubbard "dresses were minding their tables . I liked their baskets,many varieties from the different islands. One of woman ,asking me where I was from and I explained were we're all the way from Canada- she was forlorn when I said we are still far from home despite the two years away so- far. A tall woman on my left-who frankly looked ridiculous in the dress,a pant suit or fitted gaberdine dress would have been much more becoming- she was clucking a tsk,tsk,tsk and the power of blooming circle of simple woman living, " home" and close to family,got to me deeply and unfettered,I yelped,"Well,you're going to make me cry! "...you know what always follows that!
I was quite embarrassed as I forced her to hug me longer that I think she felt necessary....anyway,she pulled from me,I know it! OH! How embarrassing....I did the ,"Oh it's great! its fine! ",back peddle ....
So now, we are doing what we always do the day before we leave- uncovering problems and having accidents. This time,it's,the Starboard head:it's clogged and it's a problem ,something horrid must be down there.The cockpit sinks drain is bloating...: hold up! John just succeeded in curing that one. Just before a break for a swim and a shower,John took kelly up to the bow in the dingy to unhinge something and accidentally knifed the dingy-( all of us even the skipper said gratefully,John,Im just glad it was you and not me!) There was some drama and a wee panic,so so so toned down when its not family !! We located the patch kit,never yet used and the new glue David forgot he was sharp enough to buy and they too to the beach which is very close. The patch will take 24 hours to dry . We then had a date for departure,2:30 Monday. Kelly is on her forth ..fifth kayak journey with Gerry cans filled with fresh water. Who needs a dingy.......
This is our biggest concern,feeding rhythm her food and water ; Out at sea we make water ,Joeys department of expertise, the water maker -reverse osmosis. When we can we harvest it from port we do,usually beside a dock via hose. Same goes for diesel fuel .
Not here,no no,it's too rough to belly up to the dilapidated pier . David and I perused the sight today on the way back from the airport. There,we witnessed groups of men,one building a fire under a grill,next to them a group hanging large legs of cow,with hooves held high onto tree branches to bleed out ,pieces pulled from a wheel barrow lined with big green leaves.I failed to capture this classic scene for a few reasons ,a directorial failure,the photography illusive ; first it was the insipid lighting,the iphone camera only,the "male cool "-and black sharpy line drawn from them to us,clearly separating our annoying and inquisitive invasive appearance from their Sunday cow curing post church ritual. Vanuatu is lovely,the people mostly too,however,we expected unprecedented happiness and out of this world friendliness and we just haven't been here long enough to feel it fully.
We are now on a push to get past PNG ( Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby) which is1200 nm,about the same distance we've come since NZ.
Last night we had our last wine dinner before our passage detox diet of bland food and horizontal days...sometimes I can initiate a dance on the deck and get a huge injection of endorphins and a blister...John made a mass of beef stew which is ready in containers in the fridge.
Seas calm today,The rest of the crew is in town checking out and filling the fuel Gerry cams.I must do the kayak water run.
So,I'm sad right now. Missing my kids.Summer in Canada;
Joey and Jeremy in Toronto,Philippa in Miami.
Miss Mum and Dad et al!!!!!!!!
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