Solo in Vila

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It is finally time to leave Santo, but I feel like I am ready to move on. I just had my last meal at the Natangura Cafe. It's been cool hanging out with a buddy from back home after all that time on the road. This next week I'll be back to being on my own. It will be interesting to see if I find it to be refreshing or not. Anyway, it's a beautiful morning here in town and I really can say that I have become familiar with it. Even though it sounds strange, I feel like part of the community after only 2 1/2 weeks here. Now it’s off to the airport to go to Port Vila. I'm going to ride in the back of the pick-up truck and watch the town recede from view.

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I'm slowly easing back into civilization. I forgot how nice it is to wake up and take a real shower with pressure and adjustable temperature and everything. I am now back on my own again and in air conditioning. I'm staying at the Olympic Hotel in Port Vila. To my eyes Vila looks like a big city compared to Santo. It also seems less like Vanuatu, but I already got a sufficient dose of that over the past 19 days.

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I've just come back from eating dinner at a takeaway. While there I was able to observe Vila at night. There are white Christmas lights spanning the main street. A tropical Christmas is definitely different, with women walking by in Mother Hubbard dresses and the ubiquitous flip-flops.

After dinner I walked toward the shore and beheld one very passionate sunset. It had a deep red quality to it. And for some reason Bora Bora came to mind. The tug of this place that called sailors to stay or at least lived on in their memories for as long as they lived. By myself I feel Vanuatu more acutely. So both modes of travel have their merits. There doesn't seem too much nightlife on offer in Vila.

When I think back on everything that has happened on this trip my mind falls back on an old Irish ballad called "The Spanish Lady" for some reason. Particularly this phrase

Old age has laid her hand on me
Cold as a fire of ashy coal
But, where or where is the Spanish Lady
Neat and sweet about the soul

Irish songs in the South Pacific? The World really is one big culture.




Note: My Vanuatu trip directly follows The Aussie Diaries. These entries come directly unabridged from the journal I carried around with me on my first post-university adventure to the southern hemisphere. They are a bit on the rough side. Also, I will reorganize and add more photos when I finished putting in all the other Vanuatu entries.


added april 24, 2006

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Photos

Melanesian Christmas
Ni-Van woman walking under Chrismas lights in Port Vila.

Sun over the South Seas
This picture doesn't do it any justice.