Life continues in paradise!

This week we took a very important decision in our life in Vanuatu. We decided to buy a ‘truck’. It is my understanding that the word ‘truk’ describes most modes of transport here – be that car or bus or, indeed, a truck. Our particular truck is a SSangYong Musso Sports 4 WD, green in colour and just a couple of years old. We know she is a great truck because she has the approval of our friend Trevor and he is an expert on trucks! Trevor is a connoisseur of the ‘back of the truck’. The one thing that is missing is a little bit of comfort, and something to hang on to, in the back. So Ron is now on a mission to fix up the tray area for the comfort of our external passengers (particularly Trevor and Paul!). Pictures of the truck will be forthcoming!

So a couple of us with trucks took a spin out to Eton Beach today. Two trucks can fit 14 people with room to spare for goggles, snorkels, flippers and picnic fare. Ladies take precedence for front row seats and the boys/kids are relegated to the ‘back of the truck’ where they revel in being in the dust and bounced until their bottoms go numb. It is some secret badge of manhood that we girls just have no appreciation of really!

Eton is about 20 klm out of town and that translates to about a 30 minute drive from our place – yep the roads ARE that bad! But the pictures will show you just how worthwhile it was. The beach is kitted out with huts with tables and benches and a sandy floor that is perfect for a locally made pandanus mat. There is even a flush toilet with paper included – and all for 300vatu per person!

We donned our snorkel gear and headed out into the small bay. Though not real deep it has an array of reef formations and plenty of tropical fish types to play with or feed. We swam around for a while, sat and nattered, had some lunch, swam some more and generally relaxed. At about 3 pm all the locals came down for a swim. The village is nearby and everyone came down to wash and have a game of footy on the beach. The kids were gorgeous – cavorting about in their knickers and less!

Yep – it was just another day in Paradise. Nothing special but splendidly remarkable… that truck is going to come in VERY handy over the time we are here!