Oceania

[Visited: November 2012]

When it stopped raining after 36 hours, and the sun was even piercing through the clouds, I was ready to go in no time, and I felt elated. The road was not even very muddy; it had been dry before, and apparently the soil had been able to absorb the large quantities of water that had come down. Within an hour and a half, I saw the sea near the road I was walking on, and when I walked over there, I saw the natural bay that is Port Resolution. I had expected to enter a bay with a fishing town right on the seaside, but there was no house to be seen. Instead, a nice beach, and cliffs at the entrance of the bay. Wondering where the village was, I continued walking the road, until I came to a large football field, surrounded by traditional houses made of pandanus leaves. I was standing next to a cute church, and realized this must be the centre of town.
I continued walking to the Yacht Club, which was not the fancy yacht place I somehow had imagined, with yachts bobbing on the quiet waves of the sea, but a place spread out at the edge of a bluff with good views over the South Pacific Ocean. I had wanted to round the cape just following the track, but got tangled up in a maze of hardly recognizable trails leading through the vegetation, so ended up returning the way I came. I descended to the coral beach, where I found young kids playing in the calm waters of the picture-perfect bay. Two traditional dugout outrigger canoes were lying on the beach. I walked back to the main "square", the football field; the goal posts were palm tree trunks. Every family living here has a small compound with several buildings, all made of natural materials, and rustic and attractive at the same time.
I found a small restaurant, ordered lunch, and walked down to the beach on the other side of the village. Here, there is no bay: high Pacific waves crash just off the beach; it is a good spot for surfing. I took a dip in the surprisingly cold water - I had grown used to balmy waters - and dried up on the fine white sand of the beach under the warm rays of the sun. A nice lunch at the traditional-style restaurant where I was surprised to find out that the young daughter of the cook bore the same name as my sister gave me the energy I needed to walk back to the base of Mount Yasur for yet another climb of the fiery friend; the prospect of going up again, coupled with the fact that the clouds were finally lifting, made the walk back all the easier.

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Port Resolution (Vanuatu)

Port Resolution > Vanuatu > Oceania

[Visited: November 2012]

Around the World in 80 Clicks