26th July
Hello from Port Villa.
We have had some difficulty accessing the internet, but Tony in the market amongst the veggies in the telco hut gave us a hand so here we are again.
Our Sail from Erromango Island was fickle and Sam pushed his skills all day to beat “Virago” a 98ft American sloop into the bay. We snuck under the power lines (that have to be paid for if we had hit them, as we would have cut the town off! $1m vatu) and took up a mooring of sorts, very close to other yachts and in front of Iririki Island resort, which is apparently run by an Aussie. We have seen 2 cruise ships come and go and the locals are forever busy transporting tourists across the busy snug bay .We had a very informed tour from Tom who is a board member of the local telecommunications. We met his wife at her shop and watched as she whipped up locally painted articles to sell, her space was shared by many other women with sewing machines flat out. They son is the table tennis champion of Vanuatu and is currently playing in the Commonwealth Games. They were very proud. He showed us the markets and the good places to shop owned by the locals, probably his cousins! There is 46% unemployment here, and no dole, so everyone is eager for the tourist trade! We tried the local Island beef which is excellent but very expensive and the Tanna coffee which makes any-one stand up straight, at the Waterfront Café. It has a great expat atmosphere and a guy singing Kenny Rogers Island style! Today I am off to get a hair cut at the “Head Hunters” hairdressers, lets hope hair is all they cut!
From the mooring
Carol and Sam