Port Vila, Vanuatu

Trips are coming thick and fast these days…not that I am complaining about it though…Just recovered from the long trip out west, it is time to pack up again and jump onto one of the Pacific islands – Vanuatu. I know that many of you might wonder where that is at all, and let me tell you, I did the same. Until my arrival to Sydney, the only way I could have known about this tiny Pacific country would have been through some shortcuts in Google Earth, and even that would have been interesting navigation. Nonetheless, we make our way from Sydney and little over 3 hours later we land in Port Vila, on Etafe Island of Vanuatu. This Pacific Island chain consists of about 82 Islands just east of Fiji off of the coast of Australia.

First impressions are: simple, ordinary, in a lot of ways reminding me of the country side back home in Serbia…entering the resort I could not help but have flashbacks of memories: rural Serbia and soccer preseasons of times long gone. I have not remembered those days for quite some time now. Above us overcast once again, and I am starting to wonder if by some mistake we have subscribed to the absence of sun on our trips this first half of the year…as if some box option got checked by a mistake while we were browsing trips to come. Locals seem pretty used to it, as every step of the way signs can be seen to manage your expectations that “no matter the weather, we guarantee a good time.” At the end of the day, this philosophy born out of years of living in Tropical climate might be a reason that the baggage carried by a lifestyle here or the surrounding islands lacks worry and anxiousness from its inventory list. 

Lazy Sunday ahead of us…as we walk through the city’s deserted streets; recollections of San Juan, Puerto Rico and similar lazy Sunday afternoon emerge in the water puddles on the side of the road. Run down buildings, shops with few articles and roads sprinkled with pot holes testify about a simple life surrounded by unharnessed natural beauty. I wonder if that unintentional unharnessing versus other places where that beauty is tamed, and after years of training unleashed to draw tourists’ resources for its masters…what is more beautiful: a flower left untouched to bloom in its natural beauty or orchard field grown by a careful care of its keeper? I guess the answer is somewhere in the eye of the beholder or in the current mood.

The first “24 hours fruit and veggie market” nestled in between the town and the ocean buzzes with people. Arrays of produce colors’ wrapped in banana leaves dominate and drinking coconut milk straight from its source feels refreshing. We jump in one of the local vans which serve as busses with a big sticker “Christ is coming” across its windshield and interiors of sky blue leather “wanna” be material and we are on our way to Cascade Waterfalls. Driving on the road, surrounded by coconut palm trees and ocean, this is the Island Paradise at its best. 

We ascent into the heart of the jungle, climbing up hand made stairways carved into natural settings, crossing small creeks and sliding underneath giant bamboo trees. Cold streams running between my toes are prompting me to once again look around and soak up the moment. Pebbles rounded by decades of diligent water embraces are surprisingly non slippery which makes the walk even more enjoyable. We get to the top as cascading waterfalls make their way in the opposite direction spilling from one pool to the next, descending towards the abyss below. Finally I stand in front of a majestic view: water crashing down the side of the mountain in its sheer power. 

As I am standing at the core of this magnificent piece of beauty, showered by the mist of water breaking the surface beneath, I realize that this is one of the moments in life that you always remember. A moment when your senses are completely engaged with an incredible sight, smell of nature, and feel of cold water and mist all over me. And for some reason thoughts run through my mind that this is how success should feel like. And I know that it will stay etched deep within me as a tribute of a special day and a special feeling.

On our way back we stop by Blue Lagoon, with turquoise waters and swings hanging from the tree…For a moment I contemplate whether jumping in would be worth driving back in wet clothes and sadly decide not to. Opportunity missed at the time, but on the way back greatly appreciated as rain rolls in and with it much cooler weather.

Our final stop of the day is at Turtle Bay where we grab a quick local lunch and feed turtles. Hand made pool is a habitat here for a range of turtles, reef sharks and other animals and when the tide is in could be explored by snorkeling in their environment. Upon seeing the size of some of them, especially one that are 60 and 70 years old, not so sure that would be a great idea. You never know when one can be mistaken for a piece of paw paw even though colors differ, I think I will rather stick to the safe grounds.

Before you know it, it is the last day. Sitting on the platform high above the ocean, observing jet skis darting across an edgy ocean it feels good. Between the rain and wind I would always go for the second one and I am glad later one is winning…at least for now…Across the skies, wind like an old Shepherd of Andalusia is courting grey clouds into the corners of my eye sight…I am sure that sitting here right now in its way I am bound to catch “promaja” (symptom only found in Serbia and no where else in the world :-)) and I am sure my dad would attest to that….yet still, it just feels nice to look at the waves crashing the shores…each one with that one and only go at rocks ahead of them…I wonder how would we do things differently in our lives if we truly knew that all we get is just one go at it…maybe the waves just like us don’t realize that that is the case until the shore is on their horizon…

I have been doing a lots of thinking lately…challenging myself and trying to discover what is it that really matters…8 years into my career I wonder if this is what I would like to do till the end of my life…Even though I love and enjoy every second of it, that burning question of what else is out there keeps popping its head from deep down underneath it all. Like the waves in front of me, having that one go, I wonder should we explore things in life more. And at the same time almost like a sign from the beginning of this writing, that old Shepherd of Andalusia motive reminds me of Paolo Koehlo’s Alchemist and one of the true life facts that treasure that we are searching for often lays beneath our front yard…Yet, how do we know it for sure unless we embark on a journey in search for it? I wonder, can things be truly appreciated if we never leave to realize their true significance. I guess as always, time is the only one that knows.