Day 5 & 6-Lifou & Port Vila
Day 5-my first impressions of Lifou from the back of the ship. It looks like a lonely island in the middle of nowhere. But in fact, has over 10,000 islanders living in 36 different villages with 3 different kingdoms and 3 chiefs of each kingdom.
The excursion we chose was walking in a tropical forest and then into a magical grotto. The tropical forest part was describing all of the different medicinal plants available and still being used, as there are very limited medical facilities available on this island. If you had asthma, this would be a good island to visit. They have a leaf that they boil, which you drink like tea and your asthma goes away. Also, we saw a small tree, I would like some of these that are poisonous to snakes. I have never heard of that before.
Though difficult to see, we climbed into their magical grotto, which was a steep cavern, used by the locals during hurricanes. The stag
amites were hard to photograph in the dark, but they were there. Climbing out, we had to be pushed on our bums to make the steep climb out.
We learned all about the coconut crab which is a nocturnal crab and grows to about 8 lbs and tastes like lobster when eaten. The tour guides also showed us how to hunt and capture crabs, pigs and birds-I'm all ready for the Survivor TV show.
Great view of the cruise ship in Lifou.
Prior to going back to the ship on the dock area, I had a wonderful 20 minute massage for $10.
That evening we had Chinese food at the ship's newest restaurant-Harmony. The service was excellent, the food nothing special. It's a pass.
Day 7-We're in Port Vila, Vanuatu. We had an exciting adventure doing a Dune Buggy Ride-Donna drove . It was over hill and dale and all around-lots of exciting twists and turns. And I broke a rib, this time on my right side. Between the harness and all of the bumps, I managed to break just one rib. Oh well, it heals soon enough and with enough Ibuprophen, I will be fine.
Port Vila has 115 different languages and dialects spoken, making it the most diverese in the world.
I hope I have inspired you to travel-anywhere.
Don't forget to watch my YouTube Channel-Travel Adventures with Valerie Brown