The smell of peatsmoke...
Rhiann Marie - Round the World
Stewart Graham
Wed 15 Sep 2010 01:51
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Wednesday 15th September
17:44.3S 168:18.55E
The excitement and adventure, the freedom and
independence of being able to sail into a new country, one which you know
almost nothing about, is tremendous.
As we approached Vanuatu, formely known as the
New Hebrides, in the darkness of pre-dawn on Sunday morning I got the
unmistakable smell of peat smoke. You often smell the land, at night long before
you see it, but this was a strong smell. Of course it was not peat, but decaying
coconut husks smoldering - like peat - on
open fires.
I can only surmise, because Vanuatu looks nothing
like the Hebrides that either Jimmy Cook named the islands because of the smell
reminiscent of the Hebrides, or more likely he was dishing out names willy-nilly
in an attempt to pretend that these far flung islands were part of the "British
Empire".
We were confined to the boat on Sunday, flying the
Q (quarantine) flag until we could clear the formalities on Monday. On
Monday we got all the formalities done and also a very nice lady in the
Australian consulate, having been subjected to a little bit of my sweet
Hebridean accent, processed our Visas in the afternoon.
Now to explore! On Tuesday, yesterday, we
hired a car and circumnavigated the island. Not however without a few
interesting stops along the way!
Not long out of town and already with a sore arm,
from every single person we saw waving at us, I swung a left down the first
rough terran track we found and drove straight into a traditional village which
seemed as far removed from the 21st century as it ever had been!
Excellent!
In two minutes we were out chatting away to
numerous kids and their families and it was not long before we were asked
into a house. We brought some gifts from the car to the kids and to granny.
The family were having a wedding the following week and the lady was making
dresses and shirts for all the forty guests at the wedding. This is all as
if it was not enough to give away seven big tusk pigs and a couple of bullocks
together with yams and other gifts to the brides family!
The woman dashed into the house and out she came
with a "wedding" dress for Trish and a matching "wedding" shirt for me. I dont
know what it is but all over the world we have met such kind people and somtimes
it seems the less they have the more they want to give. You have to be careful
what you give because it may often make them feel that they must give
more.
We then hiked up a river side and in fact up a
river to a waterfall which was one of the most spectacular we have
seen. Trish did really well - she was not expecting a hoik. But up with the
dress and on with the hike we went.
At the bottom of this walk we met a very friendly
chap and got talking. We arranged to meet at half past five - island time.
Robert ( Ni Vanuatu have two names - one English and one traditional
name) was facinated by our trip and was full of questions. He spent the
whole evening with us and then invited us to his family home the next day for
dinner (today).
The round island trip was a brilliant day
and furthermore we have an interesting evening ahead of
us.
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