Vanuatu-verse
At Tanna there´s Port Resolution
Where Cook came and anchored his ship
Now the go-to man there is Stanley
Who organizes the trip
To Lenarkel to clear in at Customs
Immigration are on holiday
But this is relaxed Vanuatu
Quarantine are also away
Mt Yasur keeps belching up smoke and fire
But the village is calm and slow
The children walk barefoot for miles to school
Unfazed by the volcanic show
You can give some hooks to the fishermen
And some rope to tie up the cow
And some fiberglass for Stanley´s canoe
But you´d like to help more, somehow
Yet we are the ones who could learn from them
From their simple, happy lives
If your judgment were based on their ready smiles
It´s a privilege to be alive
We tie up to the wharf at Port Vila
And find that Samsara is here
The news that we swap with the Turnbulls
Is helped by the Tusker beer
The town has now lost its French flavor
Though we spend time at Au Peche Mignon
Where they make pretty good cappuccino
And dripping-with-butter croissants
The fruit market here is a highlight
It´s a colourful, bustling sight
Vendors squat in the aisles with their produce
And it runs until all hours at night
Then Heather and Paul and the children arrive
They´re ready for plenty of action
Though for Anna the Waterfront dance floor
Does not seem to hold much attraction
There is buggy riding and kayaking
Which Lachlan and Heather just won
From a desperately keen Lucinda (and crew)
Did Anna and Paul miss the gun?
And then there´s the Blue Lagoon Tarzan swing
On a lovely old banyan tree
The different methods of entry
Are a wondrous thing to see
There are nights aboard on Impulsive
And we sail to Havannah Bay
Amongst the good food Impulsive´s fare
Ranked well, I´m pleased to say
The snorkeling was one of the treats
Iririki, Havannah Bay
The north-western end of Lelepa
But the best was the buggy ride cay
We hope they all have good memories
Of a week that we adored
As also did Impulsive
Who loves to have children on board
We fly off for 2 nights to Santo
At the Oyster Island resort
There´s the Champagne beach and snorkeling
And the kayaking for sport
Now we´re sailing under a full, bright moon
The night watch panacea
We´re leaving Vanuatu behind
And heading for Noumea.
August 2013
