Arriving in Vanuatu

I'm not quite sure what to make of Vanuatu as it is a small South Pacific nation in transition and with that comes a lot of challenges.  It is an volcanic archepelago of 83 islands. Vanuatu was first inhabited by Melanesian people. The Republic of Vanuatu was founded in 1980. The nation's name was derived from the word vanua ("land" or "home"), and the word tu ("stand").  Together the two words indicated the independent status of the new nation.
 
The Vanuatu group of islands was discovered by Europeans in 1606 when the Portguguese arrived on Espiritu Santo . They thoug!ht they had arrived in Australia - oops!  Europeans did not return again until 1768.  In 1774 Captain Cook named the islands the New Hebrides, a name that would last until independence. In the 19th century Catholic andr Protestant missionaries went to the islands to work with the people and they are still there today.

The jumbling of French and British interests in the islands brought petitions for one or another of the two powers to annex the territory.  In 1906 France and the UK agreed to administer the islands jointly which was known as Condominium rule. It was a unique form of government to say the least. The separate governmental systems came together only in a joint court. Melanesians were barred from acquiring citizenship of either power.

Air Vanuatu only has one 737 jet and, as we were to find out later, they have few parts - they have to fly them in  from Fiji, Brisbane, Nauru or wherever they can find them.  And, because they only have one jet, there is very little skilled labour to keep it flying on schedule.  In retrospect I think we should have tried to fly Virgin Air!

 

 

We stayed at a unique 10 unit hotel that turned out to be a mini UN with scientists and researchers from Australia, geo-cachers from Finland, doctors with the Royal Flying Doctor service, consultants from New Zealand, a teacher from Quebec and the usual smattering of tourists and/or hitchhikers from Canada, Belgium, England and France

 

 

 

 

There are over 100 languages spoken on the islands but French, English and Bislama (pidgin English) or some version of the three seemed to be the most common ones in Port Vila

 

Chrildren are schooled in French or English. There are a variety of chools in Port Vila and one international school

The esplanade and view along the port in Port Vila -the capital city (population of 19 500)

 

 

 

The downtown market in Port Vila was quite amazing with a vast array of fresh vegetables, roots, fruits, flowers and even some seafood - crabs. You could also grab a big meal for approximately $4.00 and a glass of fresh fruit juice for 50 vatu (about 55 cents)

 

 

200 vatu for this big (handwoven) basket of sweet potatoes. That's about $2.10!

 

These stacks of crabs were still alive and waving their claws about.