Eiln and Randys first day

So I am probably not in the right mind set to be writing about these last few days right now, but I am supposed to be packing for my trip to Aniwa and Fortuna. What a better way of putting that off then by writing about my adventures. So Monday morning I woke up to my usual routine; wake up earlier then I want, annoyed by the singing pikinini, go out side and sit on my door step, someone bring me a big bowl of Tanna soup, and then storian small with some of my people. I then packed my bag and headed down to Lenakel.


When I started to walk down I sent a text message to Sultan that I was heading down and we should meet for lunch. Well on the walk there I quickly realized that a black shirt was the wrong thing to wear. While it was only about 75 out it felt like a 101 in that shirt. It did not help that I was hauling around my back pack camera bag with my tripod. I got to the main road and hoped and hoped a truck would stop and pick me up. Well a truck did stop but it was going in the opposite direction. As the truck approached I noticed it was all yungfala’s from my village. I should have expected the flying nuts heading my way, but before I could I took one right where it counts. They all got a big laugh out of this. Got to love the Tanna sense of humor!


They convinced me to jump in the truck and head all the way back to my village before heading back down. So off we went back to my village. We unloaded the sand beach and then headed back to back down to Lenakel. Riding around with my brothers is pretty fun. They are so goofy. They sing out to every girl we pass and make fun of the little kids.

When we got into town I saw Sultan and the JICA (Japanese Volunteers,) along with two random Americans. The two Americans have been in Sultans village doing some kind of church work.


Sultan and I cruised around town. I stopped into the JK Nalas store and bought and ice cream cone. It is 120VT for a generic Drumstick and I am hooked on them. I probably eat at least two on every trip to Lenakel. We ended up hanging out in front of the post office/ bank. This is our usual spot. When it was time for me to head to the airport and pick up Elin and her father, I asked if Sultan wanted to cruise to the airport with me.


We caught a truck that ended up heading down to some school right on the solwota. This school grounds are so incredible. It seems like somewhere to have a resort not a public school. Well after sitting there for ten minutes we thought we should just walk down the road and catch a different truck. Well before another truck came this guy came up again and gave us a ride the rest of the way. I tried to give him 200 for the ride but he wouldn’t take it. A lot of people treat us like we are one of there in-laws here.


When we got to the airport I found the guy from Jungle Oasis. I told him the two people he was picking up were friends of mine and that I was going to go with them. He said okay and then a few minutes later he asked a question that seemed odd to me. He did not know that Elin and her Dad, Randy, were coming, even though they had already paid, (probably more then they should of because they did it through vila.) The driver was at the airport to pick up a parcel. There plain landed and I walked out past the security, one of my brother cousins, and gave Elin a huge hug. I laughed because she said my dad is getting out our luggage. I told her Elin this is a real airport they bring it to you. Elin got to ride in the extra pilot seat of the 8 seater plain. That must have been a cool view.


We threw there stuff in the truck and headed down the road laughing at the Vanuatu. The driver only came to pick up a parcel, never got the parcel, but got some tourists by he did not even know had already paid for the truck service. Awe Tanna! We twisted Sultans arm to come with us. He gave us a bunch of excuses like he didn’t pack anything and had no change of clothes. Then we found out he bought a new tooth brush, some snacks, and some other goodies and came to the conclusion that he was well packed for the trip.


The ride out there started to get chilly as we headed through the bush. Luckily our jackets were pretty easy to get to. I loaned Randy my rain jacket and through on my fleece. If he wasn’t there I would have worn both of them. It is so cold!! We kept getting “closer” and closer and closer. We would not have known this if it was not for Sultan who kept telling us, yeah were closer now.


When we got to Jungle we could not decided if we wanted to go straight up the volcano or wait until the next night. We opted to relax and go eat dinner. We did not realize that dinner was going to be such an experience. We had a lovely smelling steak with rice and veggies. I was focused on cutting my steak into tiny bite size pieces, when I looked up and saw everyone having issues with there steak. Randy said he could not even cut his, Elin on has a butter knife, and Sultan has the whole steak in his hands trying to tear off a piece with his teeth. I felt bad for Swiss couple we were sitting with because were having fits of laughter about the steak. Elin said well Chris is eating his. I explained well you just have to cut it into a small enough piece that you can swallow it. Sultan was almost crying when he said he was afraid to even try and swallow it. Poor Randy hardly ate anything. Of course Sultan and I made sure everything but the steak did not go to waste. When the guy came to clear our plates he said yeah the mit hemi strong huh? Olgeta oli bin kutem no gud. (the meat is strong huh? Yeah they cut it the wrong way!) So this guy knew that we were eating tough steak. Awe Tanna!


After dinner we went back to the room and had a night cap of Jim Bean and coke. Elin had her ipod and speakers so we drank and listened to the sounds of the Beatles and the Beach Boys while listening to Mt Yasur rumble in the back ground. We laughed so hard and had so much fun with each other. It felt like being at summer camp. The next morning we had no idea what the day was to bring. We were just hoping it was not more of that steak!


So while I was writing this I got a knock on my door. My room service had arrived. It was a nice bowl of Tanna soup that smelled like a wet dog. Then I saw a junk of meat int eh middle. My first thought was wow I finally get to eat dog! But, then I noticed that there were also intestines in the soup as well. Ah yes, Flying Fox intestines! Yummy!! I have of course eaten everything but the intestines. I have just have not been able to bring my self to do that yet. The leg of the Flying Fox was a little bloody, I hope bats don’t have salmonella!!