The Plane, The Plane
By Lothar. Filed in Australia, Vanuatu |
We are back in Brisbane, Australia and are enjoying a warm, sunny day along the Brisbane Riverfront.
We left Bokissa Island, Vanuatu yesterday, August 6.
For the last 10 days, we lived on a small island (Bokissa), off an island (Espiritu Santo), off an island (Efate, Republic of Vanuatu), off an island (Australia, the only island that is also a continent). It will take us 4 days from here back to Clifton Park.
Yesterday was our last night, sleeping on Bokissa Island, hearing the waves lap against the beach. Our fare #3 is about 20 steps from the Coral Sea and the louvered wood shutters let in the breeze and sounds of the ocean. In the evening, we had finished our last glass of wine, sitting on the jetty. We had the stars, Milky Way and Southern Cross above us, the fish and corals in the clear water below us.
Then it was wake-up call at 6 AM. Nobody ever came to our fare to wake us. We had our last breakfast al fresco while the “Boys” got our shuttle boat, the “Aulu Chief”, ready for us. We were the only passengers, gliding across the smooth water in the early sunlight. One last look at Bokissa Island, Malo and Aore Islands on our way back to Luganville. The taxi was meeting our boat on the beach and our heavy luggage was being carried by the Melanesian “Boys”, just like it was in Colonial times.
We checked in at the “airport” and the hand-written Boarding Pass has printed on it: “Please do not leave the terminal after checking in”! We went outdoors regardless and took pictures of the big, stone pig-tusk circle in front of the terminal.
Our Air Vanuatu ATR 42 is actually pretty much on time and we take off from Espiritu Santo at 8:30 AM. We have clear skies and get a nice birds-eye view of Bokissa Island on our way south to Port Vila.
In Port Vila we take the minibus into town and visit the National Museum of Vanuatu. We get an interesting tour guide who draws stories in the sand, just the same as the Aboriginals in Australia.
For lunch we can not resist the gravitational pull of the “Cafe Du Village” restaurant. We have one last delicious Vanuatu steak and a glass of red wine, celebrating our last day here. Then it is back to the “Bauerfield International Airport” in Port Vila,Vanuatu. We board our Pacific Blue 737-800, and are sitting on the plane for 45 minutes, because there is “one passenger too many on board” ( according to the Vanuatu officials). After much recounting, we are finally allowed to take off, and we have one last glimpse of the island of Efate, with it’s green pastures and happy cows under coconut trees. We are on our way back to Brisbane, Australia.
Thursday, August 9th 2007 at 5:38 pm |
Hi Gabi and Lothar,
We are looking forward to your return and jealous as hell of your “lifestyle on the islands>” Gabi we have a get-together for the ladies at Nevia’s in Warrensburg on the coming Tuesday, Aug. 14 and would like you to join us if you can. Call me.
Maxine