Greetings from Vanuatu! ok. I’m actually back in Australia. Updating my site from Vanuatu was just not an option. You were lucky if you could get a phone connection, never mind internet access. And anyway, I was on holiday; didn’t even go near a computer.
The holiday was awesome. The Ni-Vanu people are really lovely, friendly people, and being the quiet/wet season, I got to know a few of them at the resort I was staying at.
It’s lovely to go snorkeling and diving in warm water. The tropical fish, soft and hard corals are spectacular. Though I did manage to get head-butted by a Clownfish, stung by a jellyfish, and experience a minor earth tremor whilst scuba diving. It’s also quite evident how devastating a cyclone can be to the coral, though thankfully there is plenty of regrowth occurring.
Everything happens on vanuatu time i.e. s l o w l y. I can see why. It’s so flamin’ hot , you can’t do that much. Best off just kicking back, having a coconut shell of Kava, listen to the geckos and watch the hermit crabs move mountains (well, shells).
The second part of my trip was spent on the island of Santo, getting into wreck diving on the famous SS President Coolidge. I wasn’t too sure beforehand if wreck diving would excite me. Well, now I know what all fuss is about. It’s great! Actually penetrating the wreck, exploring the vessel from section to section is fun in itself. Looking at the remaining fixtures – chandeliers, statues, swimming pool, and the untouched contents – military jeeps, ammunition, rifles is spooky. It’s like walking into a deserted house. Can’t wait to do it again, though the thought of diving stony cove doesn’t quite appeal to me.
Of course the purpose of my trip to Vanuatu was to organise my Permanent Residents visa for Australia. All went well, so now I’m actually an Aussie… though I still support England of course!
