Australia and Vanuatu

I can't believe that it has been over three weeks since I've posted here. I feel like I've seen so much of Australia. From Alice Springs I flew back to Sydney via Melbourne. I booked all my own tickets online, not realizing that I had to change airports in Melbourne. I arrived and started looking for the domestic terminal and my gate, only to soon find out that it was across the city. I had to take a bus into Melbourne and then another shuttle to the other airport. Fortunately I had about five hours, it would have been tight if my layover was only two or three hours. I stayed with an amazing couple south of Sydney at a Baptist camp for almost a week. It was a beautiful rural setting and they were so kind to me. From Sydney I headed north to Coff's Harbour. My university friend from Newfoundland lives there. I hadn't seen her for over ten years, so it was great to catch up with her again. I think she enjoyed having someone to talk to about Newfoundland. From Coff's Harbour I took a bus north to Brisbane, I spent just a few days there. It was in Brisbane that I had a very interesting 'interaction' in a hostel that resulted in my changing rooms for the first time in eleven months. The story isn't really for public consumption, you can ask for details... ;-)
From the beginning of my trip I wanted to spend time in Fiji. I went to a travel agent and we talked about the South Pacific Islands and all the options. Fiji was a bit too expensive for me, so the agent suggested Vanuatu, a small island between Australia and Fiji. I'm spending just four nights on a TINY island off the main island. There is a ferry that runs back and forth all day. Its a spectacular place. Yesterday I went on a snorkeling safari. There was a guide pointing out all the different fish and coral. The colours of fish and coral were just brilliant. I met a great Australian couple here and we hung out for most of the day. In the afternoon we went to the main island and went to one of the local villages. The people are so very welcoming. We tried a local drink that smells a bit like dirt, also looks very muddy. Its a non-alcoholic drink made from the the kava root. It does cause a strange sensation though, it makes your mouth and tongue a little numb. Almost like a visit to the dentist. You drink it in one gulp, its not a beverage to sip that's for sure. It tastes awful.
Last night the place I'm staying at had a feast with loads of food and local music and dancing. It really was an amazing day. I could live here on this tiny little island.

I found this information about Kava from a website..
Kava Root (the only part of the plant that is used) is largely employed as a celebratory drink much in the same way that alcohol is used in the West. It helps mark momentous occasions such as weddings, public festivals, political powwows and holidays, and it is even used in ceremonies honoring the dead. Unlike alcohol, kava does not produce or stimulate aggression. It does not condemn the user to a dreaded hangover, unlike alcohol. Alcohol literally kills hundreds of thousands of people a year, and Kava, when properly harvested, has never actually hurt anyone. Kava has even been known to help reduce alcohol consumption!

Many people find other uses for kava, including many medicinal ones. It’s interesting to note that kava has been shown to help ease anxiety, depression as well as producing a restful sleep. It is used by athletes, businessmen and diplomats to help “take the edge off” and focus concentration. Widely prescribed throughout Oceania and Europe to treat hyperactivity in children, it has also been used to aid children who have difficulty sleeping on occasion.