An experience not to be missed, never to be forgotten, and to be revisited as often as we can. In fact we are going back next year. There are so many bays and villages we did not have the chance to visit, and many others where we have formed friendships and made commitments to return in 2007.Ni-Vanuatu in their villages are beautiful people. Many young people have tried the “city life” of Port Vila and have opted to return to their village, marry and raise a family, and generally strengthen their communities.
In the vast majority of villages, yachties are welcomed with open arms – many villages have built open air “yacht clubs” where yachties can gather. It provides an opportunity for the villagers to raise funds by having kava and island nights, providing meals on request, selling produce and occasionally even beer – if the island trader has come recently and if it is carrying beer. Must say the only beer we ever found was that provided by other yachties!
The highlights? Definitely Asanvari – the chief’s son Nixon is hospitable, talented, genuinely interested in meeting yachties and providing a great experience for the sailors. While there, some yachts headed around the west coast with Nixon, for an overnight cray-fishing experience. They brought back 20 or so which they shared with the village and the other yachties. We took a trip up the coast to the Mooncaves – meeting the resident villagers and hearing the stories of local interpretations of the ancient cave paintings and the meanings of the stalactites and stalagmites.
