Lukim yu Vanuatu

Our last week in Vanuatu was spent doing a few local activities with Jane and Izzy.

Soccer at Malampa Day

After arriving from Santo during the first decent rain in 9 months we spent Monday checking out the Malampa Day activites at Lakatoro.

Over the course of my short 3 month assignment, I have enjoyed about 4 public holidays! Vanuatu sure knows how to put work into its rightful perspective J

Nanwut Bungalows - Uri Island

That afternoon we headed across to the nearby island of Uri for a couple of nights at the Nanwud bungalows. Jack and Lines gave us a great couple of nights, with snorkelling with the turtles at a marine conservation area being the highlight. Staying at Uri also includes plenty of toktok, storian and kakae with Lines (and Jack). Izzy also obliged with the painting of a new Nanwut Bunglows sign for the dining area.



We also managed to get down to the village of Robert Raven, and my adopted Nivan family of Grem, Alison and Brensom. Amazing hospitality was experienced once again, as well as a brief but meaningful garden wakabut capped off with a feed of Simbaro cooked in bamboo (manioc wrapped in island cabbage)

Had a great send off from my Dept of Tourism and Tourism operators, which included an handing over of some VSA funded safety equipment for use by tour operators.

For the last couple of days on Malekula Island, we headed to Losimwei on the west coast. (across the neck of the dog from my base in Lakatoro) A morning spent up at the Losinwei Cascades in the cool and refreshing water was a great way to end the week.

Losinwei Cascades

Even though a short tour of duty in Vanuatu I now feel a strong sense of connection with the place. Who knows when I will next return....there is the need for some follow with operators in addition to some personal unfinished business in the form the Lopvevi Island climb which we failed to complete due to inclement weather.....

As they say in Vanuatu, my experience there was Nabawan!

Lukim yu Vanuatu....

Tidying Loose Ends

Well, as expected my 3 ½  months has flown by!

The majority of the last few weeks has been spent talking to remaining tour operators and finalising risk management plans.

We did manage to fit in a trip to SW Bay to attend an opening of the Mahun bungalow, inspect progress of several others under development and to attend a meeting of the local tourism association.

Brilliant fine and calm weather made for a pleasant 2 ½ hour boat trip either way, although it did make us work hard to ensure us 'white men' were not sizzled by the relentlless sun. (there was also one other down side with a certain gastro bug severly knocking around two of my VSA colleagues!)

 While subsistance living is prevalent in Malampa province, my experience has been a strong and consistant desire by the Nivanuatu people to develop their economy and tourism opportunities  (without losing control to overseas interests). School  fees, improvements to housing, water supplies, clothing etc. all cost money so any increase in income as result of tourism development would inevitably flow through to help with these things.

As per their reputation, ‘Man blong Vanuatu’ are friendly, welcoming and grateful to the foreign Government, NGO and volunteer support they receive. There are many challenges here and improvements to core infrastructure and services are occurring slowly, but people here are used to getting by with very little.

A predominantly strong christian faith drives an emphasis on family, community and being grateful for what they have - with a correspondingly lower emphasis or need for work and material possessions. 

Jane and Izzy arrive today for a week's R&R then heading home via Brisbane and Jem, Josh and Maddies....