Tanna

The journey from Santo to our accommodation on the island of Tanna took essentially an entire day. We left Santo in the morning and had a 3 hour layover in Port Vila, the largest "city" in Vanuatu. Unfortunately flights do not go direct from Santo to Tanna, so it made for a long day of travel. Also, you would think that when flying domestically in a small country you would not need to get to the airport 2 hours before the flight time, however, we were told by both locals and travelers that you better be at the airport early because the plane will leave whenever it feels like leaving! We didn't have to show ID at the airport and there was no x-ray machine or security whatsoever for our domestic flights.

Boarding the flight to Tanna

Eventually we arrived on the island of Tanna to meet Morris, the owner of where we would spend the next 3 nights, Volcano Island Paradise Bungalows. Transport is expensive on Tanna but that is because it takes a long time to get to the other side of the island and petrol is not easy to access. The main attraction on Tanna is an active volcano, Mt Yasur, and it is a decent drive from the airport to get to the volcano.

Tanna's airport from the tarmac

Chaos inside the Tanna airport for baggage collection

We made a short stop in town for some bottled water and food, but most shops were closed because it was the weekend. The road was unpaved and extremely rough and hilly. We passed many Ni-Vans along the way in their villages and most everyone waved hello. Pigs and goats were roaming around near the "road". One of Morris's sons was in the back of the truck loving life, and often someone would hop in the truck to hitch a short ride. The road that officially put us on the east side of the island was insanely steep, and the road to get to the bungalows was even crazier. Eventually we were driving along ash plains right next to the volcano itself, which was amazing. 

Driver and passengers fixing up the road so that we could make it up the hill!

We arrived at the bungalows around 7pm (we left our accommodation in Santo around 9am that day), and Morris's wife, Susie, prepared a great dinner for us - fish, rice, and veggies along with the most amazing tasting pineapple for dessert. It was relatively dark at that point and we heard what we thought was thunder, however Morris quickly corrected us and explained that we were hearing the volcano! Eventually when it got a bit darker we could see red lava coming out of the volcano.

Our bungalow

Our bungalow was clean and cozy with a solar powered light. The cost was about $30AUD per night and our meals were also served to us for a reasonable rate (there is really no other way to eat meals other than to have someone cook for you as there is literally nothing around the volcano). The toilet is a long drop which was very clean but at the time Morris was also in the process of installing a flush toilet and a shower to accommodate Westerners! We fell asleep to the sounds of the erupting volcano that we would visit the next evening.

The new toilet Morris is installing

The current toilet that is very clean and not at all smelly!

When we woke up the next morning we were in awe of our view of the volcano. Our brekkie was quite simple, breakfast crackers with peanut butter and jam. We went for a swim after breakfast in a freshwater river about a 5 minute walk from the bungalows, where there was also a view of the volcano. It was very refreshing except for the occasional biting fly, so eventually we got tired of the flies and headed back to the bungalows.

Even with all of the ash around, beautiful things grow!

Another bungalow with a view of Mt Yasur. Note the solar panel for electricity.

Morris's youngest child

For lunch Susie cooked us local vegetables, rice, and noodles. We spent the afternoon relaxing and reading while listening to the volcano. We also made an attempt to try a time lapse video of Mt Yasur.

Mt Yasur from Ashley Hanson on Vimeo.

This view from the restaurant did not get old!

Around 3:30 we left the bunglows to walk to Mt Yasur with Morris's 10 year old son Janson as our guide. It took about 45 minutes to walk to the entrance, where we paid our entry fee, and then another 45 minute walk up to the base of the volcano rim. Most people seem to get a lift to the top but we quite enjoyed our walk even though we were the only tourists walking up there. 

Erik and Janson on a mission

You can even mail a letter from the top of the volcano!

Eventually we made it to the east side of the rim, where there was lots of smoke and many loud rumbles. Pieces of earth were flying in the air and we were very close to the action. After an hour or so, we moved to the south rim to get a closer look inside the volcano. Janson did not come with us, as he was a bit scared of the noise and of the volcano itself! It was very smokey on the south side and our lungs were occasionally filled with sulfur and ash. As it got darker, the views were more and more impressive.

Crazy smoke coming out of the volcano

Us with a little bit of action from Yasur in the background

This couple ended up with a better picture than us as the timing of the eruption was perfect!

Large pieces of earth in the air

Erik on the rim

There were about 30 people on the rim with us, and most were staying on the west side of the island, so they had a 2 hour drive to Mt Yasur to stay for an hour and then they drove back another 2 hours after dark. I was convinced we did the right thing to stay near the volcano. We were the last people to leave the rim and that was around 7pm. It was hard to leave such a magical place, and we knew that we may never get that close to an active volcano again. 

On the rim of Mt Yasur from Ashley Hanson on Vimeo.

We paid for transport back to the bungalows, which was a good idea because I'm not sure we could have easily made our way back in the dark. Dinner was waiting for us when we arrived.

The next day was a very special one, as Morris's youngest brother was getting married and we were invited to watch and participate in the ceremony. We walked to the center of the village around 8am, where we met the village chief and we were welcomed with open arms. One of the elder village women put ceremonial paint on my face simply by placing my cheek against hers and rolling our cheeks together. I was impressed!

One of the older women in the village

My paint came directly from her face!

All of the groom's family and village was there and we were just waiting for the bride, her family, and her village to walk to the ceremony. When the bride arrived she was crying, and her mother was sobbing loudly. There was a gift exchange between both villages, as women had worked hard to make many gifts. We watched as pigs were sacrificed by being beaten over the head with clubs, something we were totally not expecting to happen!

Children of Tanna from Ashley Hanson on Vimeo.

Morris's village presenting gifts to the bride's village

Erik also helped with the presentation of gifts!

This gift presentation took ages. All of the material that was unfolded to be put here was taken by the bride's village, who then proceeded to fold it all back up again!

Eventually the bride came over to sit with the women from the groom's village, and she seemed a bit happier.

The bride's face is in the left of the picture. The gifts from her village to Morris's are also seen.

At the end of the exchange there was some ceremonial dancing, whereby both villages took part. The gifts of food, including the pigs, were split between different families in the village. The bride would now stay in Morris's village for life. Sometimes there is a church ceremony as well but for this wedding this was the only ceremony, called a "kastom" ceremony.

Wedding celebratory dancing from Ashley Hanson on Vimeo.

Who knew that an FSU jersey could make its way to Vanuatu?!

Rain began to fall and lasted most of the afternoon. We were happy we had been able to see Yasur the evening before, as it would not have been the best weather to walk to the rim that night. That afternoon another group arrived, a British brother and sister, along with her two kids who were about 3 and 1. Morris's children loved playing with her children. She is an ex-pat living in Port Vila and her brother, Matt, lives in Brunei. They grew up in Singapore, so they were very interesting people to talk to about life and travel. 

That night Erik and Matt (the Brit) were invited to a local kava drinking ceremony. There were no women allowed, so this was very exclusive! The chief himself was chewing up and spitting out the kava that Erik was drinking, and it is considered quite special to drink kava from the mouth of a chief. That night the pig was roasted and kids were playing with "ashballs" instead of snowballs in the village.

Games of soccer were also played in the village, thanks to Matt who brought the ball.

We were up early on our 3rd day for brekkie and goodbyes. The truck was full of people on our way to the airport, including the bride's brother who was also heading to Port Vila. We made a quick stop at the market in Lenakel, where more things were open this time around.

We bought a fresh coconut here for 20 cents and had one of the market ladies cut it open with her knife.

Our arrival at the airport was early again, just to make sure the plane didn't leave without us. This flight was even more casual than our flight to Tanna, as we were given a piece of paper for a "boarding pass" and obviously did not show any identification. We were amazed at the things that were being carried on and checked on this plane...fruits and veggies from the market packed in banana leaves, knives, coconut crabs, and even live chickens!

Boarding passes, check! Tanna airport in the background.

A friend hanging out with us while we were waiting for our flight

Overall we loved our stay with Morris and Susie on the island of Tanna. Yasur was the highlight, but we also cherished the chance to be part of the village, and we were welcomed with open arms moreso than any other place we have traveled. The Ni-Vans truly want outsiders to see and experience their lifestyles, and all without ulterior motives. Tanna was hit hard by Cyclone Pam in early 2015, and unfortunately all 4 of Morris's bungalows were destroyed in the storm. I am told, however, that Morris has already re-built 2 of the bungalows, so I highly recommend staying with Morris and his family if you ever get the chance to visit Tanna!

Trekking in the Himalayas!

Deciding which trek to do in the Himalayas was not an easy task. Originally we tossed around the idea of Everest Base Camp, which is about as high as Kilimanjaro. We also talked about doing Annapurna Base Camp or Annapurna Circuit, and for a shorter trek we considered Poon Hill. One thing all of those treks have in common, however, is that they are very popular and therefore very crowded. We wanted a trek where there were fewer people, so that we really felt as if we were walking amongst the world's tallest peaks without hundreds of other tourists along with us for the trek. After a fair amount of searching online and communication via email with trekking guides, we decided on the Mardi Himal trek in the Annapurna region. The trek could be done over a period of 5 to 9 days, and we picked a 6 day route. We decided to use a guide but not a porter, as we wanted to carry our own bags, something we had been unable to do on Kilimanjaro.

About 1.5 hours after we departed Pokhara, our taxi driver decided to do some off-roading on what definitely seemed more like a landslide or waterfall rather than a road. Turns out, because we were starting the trek so late in the day, he was trying to get us as far along the trail by car as he could. We ended up getting dropped off about 10 minutes short of the town Dhampus, where we would begin our trek.

Our driver and guide made some adjustments to the road ahead so that we could pass through!

Unfortunately, once we reached Dhampus, we were suddenly in the middle of a torrential downpour. Luckily there was some shelter at a local teahouse, where we hung out for about an hour before the rain lightened up and we went on our way. We only had about 1.5 hours of trekking to do, but it was nearly 5pm, so we were quickly losing daylight.

Waiting for the storm to stop

The short trek was done in the rain and in the dark, but we made it to Pothana, where Gore (our guide) picked a teahouse where we would have dinner and spend the night. The absolute best thing about trekking in Nepal versus other places is the teahouses. Having a room with a bed is SO much better than sleeping in a tent on the ground after a day of trekking. Some teahouses at lower elevations even have hot showers and Westernized toilets! After a warm shower and a tasty dinner, we enjoyed a good night of sleep in our own single beds (the set up in most teahouses).

Our first night in a teahouse

Fortunately, the rain cleared overnight and we woke up to blue skies and a sweet mountain view out of our window. It was Erik's birthday, and Gore served us breakfast outside so that we could enjoy the view of Annapurna South while we ate brekkie.

View from our bedroom window

Annapurna South

Breakfast with a view

After eating we resumed our trek along a paved path, hiking for just one hour before stopping for a tea break (again, this teahouse trekking thing is pretty good!) in a town called Deurali.

Getting read to head out for Day 2 of trekking

This map shows many of the treks in the Annapurna region and also the peaks in the area.

A glimpse of Annapurna South from Deurali

From there we trekked 4 hours to Forest Camp, our home for the night. That part was mostly through the jungle, where we learned the disadvantage of trekking after rainy season -- leeches. They were everywhere! Leeches are not easy to get off and they are sneaky at finding their way under a sock or hiking boot, so we had to check for them regularly. We also encountered our first wild buffalo that day.

Off the paved path and onto a trail. Life is good!

We noticed many mushrooms along the way. Some are edible and some are poisonous.

Leeches will stick to just about anything!

Buffalo

When we arrived at Forest Camp we met two German guys, our first tourist sighting of the trek! This teahouse was more basic than the first night, but still better than sleeping in a tent. In the evening after dinner, we sat around the fire and chatted. Gore, at my request, had secretly prepared a birthday cake for Erik (impressive considering there was no refrigeration, only solar power, and only a wood burning stove to cook with). We all sang to him before he shared his cake with the group.

There are three teahouses to choose from at Forest Camp

Erik eating traditional Dal Bhat, which means he is using his hands to eat. Most Nepalese people eat Dal Bhat twice a day, both for lunch and for dinner, as it is a cheap and filling dish.

Enjoying dinner together

Birthday boy!

On Day 3 we trekked from Forest Camp to Low Camp, which was supposed to take 3 hours but only took us about 2. There were fewer leeches and it was a really pleasant hike. Low Camp was not as nice as Forest Camp, which made me a little worried about what High Camp was going to be like! There was no cook at Low Camp, so Gore got in the kitchen and made us lunch, our first try of Tibetan bread, which we then had at nearly every meal after that because it was so tasty! We relaxed for about an hour before continuing our trek to High Camp, a 3 hour walk. This part of the trek was also really nice, as we started to get out of the jungle, but it was cloudy so unfortunately we did not have any views of the mountains.

A leech on Erik's hiking stick. Crafty guys!

Relaxing at Low Camp

We arrived at High Camp around 4pm and we were impressed with the facilities. It was a very nice teahouse (particularly for 3500 meters!) and the guy running it, Pradeep, took great pride in making everyone feel welcome. There we found excellent food, a warm fire, great "milk coffee" and eventually, once the clouds cleared, amazing mountain views! We also met our second group of tourists on this trek, ironically a couple from Melbourne. They are also ex-pats, one being Swiss and the other a Brit. That night it was so clear that I witnessed the most spectacular view of the stars I have ever seen.

The mountains finally came out of the clouds!

Machhapuchchhre or "Fish Tail", a sacred mountain, with prayer flags in the foreground.

Even Gore is excited to see the mountains!

Because Fish Tail is sacred, it is one of the peaks that cannot be climbed.

Our next day was dedicated entirely to trekking to Mardi Himal Base Camp. We woke up just before 5am hoping to get an early start, but Gore was not happy with the weather conditions, as it was still a bit cloudy. Because this trekking route is not very popular, the trail is not as clear as the others (treks like Poon Hill and Annuapurna Base Camp are referred to as "highways" by the guides), and I think Gore was worried about getting "lost" in the clouds. At any rate, we started our trek at 6am, a little later than what we had hoped. In our previous trekking experiences, the earlier we left, the better the conditions, as the clouds would likely get worse as the day went on.

A view back towards High Camp during our trek

Our views of the mountains early on were awesome. We also came across sheep, goats, and most excitingly, yaks! During our trek we heard an avalanche in the distance. There were a few harder, steep sections, but overall it was a pretty easy climb. It took us 3 hours to get to the "Upper View Point" which is apparently about 4200 meters high (still 1700 meters lower than Kilimanjaro, so fortunately no altitude sickness on this hike!).

Gore was excited to have his picture taken too!

Amazing views early in the day!

Yaks

Trekking amongst huge peaks with no one else around

We had the trail to ourselves, a welcome change from Kili.

Starting to get deeper into the Annapurnas meant more peaks appeared!

Fish Tail still towering over us, with Mardi Himal Base Camp not too far away.

Gleaming white peaks still poking out from the clouds!

We had a rest and a snack at the view point and the clouds started to close in on us. It was pretty clear that Gore was happy to go back to High Camp at that point, however, we wanted to find Base Camp, which should have been only another hour past the view point. Unfortunately, 2 hours later we were still trekking and had not found Mardi Himal Base Camp. There were no trail markers and we were on some sort of animal trail, so we decided to snap a picture of our stopping point and head back.

The search for Base Camp was not going well at this point!

Our own "Base Camp"

We later learned from Pradeep that someone had apparently moved the sign for Base Camp, and we actually walked right past it on our way from the view point!!! Oh well! Our walk back was done partially in hailing conditions, but luckily we made it back before the heavy hail started. The Germans (from Forest Camp) were there when we arrived, so we played cards, enjoyed the fire, and drank "Mardi Himal tea" with the Germans, the ex-pats, and our new Nepalese friends.

In the morning we said goodbye to High Camp and started our trek down towards Sidhing. We encountered our only other tourists of the trek on the way down, a couple from Israel on their way to High Camp.

High Camp has a pretty amazing location!

Where's Erik?!

Predeep

The trail splits to go back towards Forest Camp OR towards Sidhing

We stopped at Low Camp for lunch, where this time there was a cook. There was also a group of local men who were heading to higher altitude to buy goats for the upcoming Dashain festival. Goats from the mountains are worth quite a bit of money because the meat tastes better, likely due to the quality of grass that they eat. After lunch we continued through the jungle and moss covered trees to Sidhing. We came across a few porters on our way down carrying food to High Camp.

Love this guy!!!

By mid-afternoon we arrived at Pradeep's parent's teahouse, where we would get a shower (albeit cold) and a double bed. It was a lovely place with beautiful landscaping and amazing views of rice fields and of Machhapuchchhre.

Brand new teahouse

Our room for the night

A fun Nepalese snack!

Such a cool-looking mountain!

It's hard to tell in photos, but the rice fields are build on very steep hills!

Our final day of trekking was also relatively easy, down along a wide track. We encountered waterfalls and also landslides, which Gore referred to as "broken road". Our trek took us through some local villages along stone pathways and eventually to Lumre, where we would get a Jeep to the closest town.

An interesting find along the trek.

One of the villages we walked through

We arrived in Lumre around 10:30am and were told we would leave around 11am, but we actually left at noon. There were about 8 of us in the Jeep to start, which we assumed would be it for the trip. However, along the way we stopped and picked up over 20 other people!! People were hanging off the roof and the back, and we were going through water crossings and into massive potholes. It was quite an adventure! Once we reached town, it was hustle and bustle and we were immediately missing our teahouses in the Himalayas.

This Jeep actually carried 30 people inside/on top/hanging on the sides.

I'm amazed by the stonework. Love the hearts!

Hanging out in Lumre

Gore tracked down a taxi for us, which was a 42 year old car! We arrived at the Green Tara Hotel in the afternoon, and Erik and Gore set out for a short trip to some caves while I strolled the streets of Pokhara enjoying the scenery and doing a bit of shopping. That night we invited Gore to join us for dinner at a fantastic pizza place...we were a bit excited to be eating some Westernized food!

Our 42 year old taxi. I wish I had a picture of the control panels up front!

Our home for the night

Our first meal after the hike...Tibetan bread and hard boiled eggs!

Greasy, delicious pizza!

Sunrise view of the Annapurnas from our hotel. A little cloudy for a good picture but still a cool view.

Overall we were extremely happy with our choice of the Mardi Himal trek. It was awesome to get "off the beaten path" in the Himalayas, and despite a bit of rain, we were fortunate enough to get some amazing views of the Annapurnas on several occasions. I don't think Mardi Himal will remain unknown for long, as there are several new teahouses being built along the route. Ten years ago there were no teahouses on Mardi Himal, as it was strictly a camping trek, but much has changed in that amount of time. Even though some teahouses were nicer than others, they still provided shelter where we could walk around, get warm, and not have to wear a hat, gloves, and down jacket to sleep, which was really nice. Trekking in the Himalayas was such a positive experience, and I can only hope that one day we have the chance to visit those mountain peaks again!