Cruise around the pacific

Cruising in the Pacific Sun around the Pacific.
Mystery Island. Vanuatu Group.


We have been away on a cruise around parts of the Pacific on board the Pacific Sun. After 3days off sailing on the ocean with no sight of land we came to our first port of call. Mystery island Vanuatu. Everyone was pleased to see land again and was anxious to be off on dry land, it was a rush to get on the tenders to be transported to the shore. There were flowers and greenery all along the rather shaky wharf to greet and welcome us.
Here we are sitting on a log on the beach of a deserted island called Mystery Island, no one lives here, but lots of natives from neighbouring islands paddle over to sell shells , sarongs trinkets and other things. We walked all the way around this small island, stopping for a swim along the way. Athough there was apparently loads of pretty corals and masses of pretty shoals of fish we saw very little as we choose the wrong part of the beach, but no problems we saw some.
While at the market I stopped to chat with a lady and asked where I could buy some lap lap which is their native food, and I quite like the taste, she offered to share her lap lap lunch with me, so I sat down at the little stall and encouraged all the fellow cruise passengers to buy her produce while she got out three different types of lap lap. She carefully cut off a piece of each type for me to try with her. I enjoyed eating and chatting with her. I think I made her day, especially when so many people stopped to buy her goods, she had a good day.
We found a group of men selling green lobsters to willing buyers from the ship, the men cooked the lobster right in front of the diners over small open fires. We were too late, they had sold all the lobsters they had caught and were then going out to try and catch more.
As we walked around the island we discovered the landing strip and even saw a small plane land at the airport, the sole building on the island is the airport terminal. Near there we found this very rustic memorial to when the Queen Elizabeth of England landed on the island in 1983 I think it was. We were astounded that she would have visited such a tiny place.

My World for this week is rather far from home. check out other great posts.