After 36 hours travel time, 20 hours in the air, 5 airports, 4 flights, 3 planes, 2 tired passengers and 1 taxi later we arrived in Lilongwe, Malawi.

We started our journey with heartbreak when the Sydney airport decided our battery was too big to fly. We went all the way up the totem pole to the men in suits trying to plead our case, but it was not meant to be. The same people who decided that vegemite was a liquid (sorry Dad) gave Sasha a nice VIP tour through the backways of the airport by an abrupt guard who was very confused as to why we needed such a big battery. Thank you to my aunt for picking it up and we hope you can find a use for it.

7 hours later we arrived in the beautiful Singapore airport and found ourselves in trouble again. This time trying to convince a vague woman that we would indeed be leaving Malawi someday. She explained that the airline will get a fine if they give boarding passes to anyone without a return flight. One stressful hour later we booked a ticket to Johannesburg in 6 months and received our boarding passes. A four hour wait in the airport and an 8 hour flight we made it to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. It had unique shops to look around, but the chairs were not comfortable enough for the 4 hours we spent waiting in them. In another 4 hours we landed in the Congo. This was quite stressful as we were slightly loopy from being up so long and had no plans to go to the Congo. Had we gotten on the wrong plane somehow? Eventually some people got off and some people slowly got on and then we were finally off to Lilongwe!

After a long wait in line to get our travel visas, (they didn’t seem to worried about how long we stayed), we grabbed a Taxi driven by a very friendly man called Arthur. He explained people in Malawi are all very good and do not steal, and they are all very friendly. He went on to explain that they were all so good because everyone was afraid of being caught. He also lamented that he graduated with an engineering degree and could not find an entry level job without at least 5 years experience “Its different in the States, you must be able to get a job right away”. We set him right guys, don’t worry. That is a problem the world over.

He also explained the layout of Lilongwe- every neighborhood is set up in sectors and areas. There seems to be no sense in the order, Area 48 is adjacent to Sector 4 and across from Gulliver. He called the hotel for the last stretch of directions. There are tall walls with metal gates everywhere. We pulled up to a white gate and honked, and a man opens a flap to look at us and then open the gate. He closes the gate then shows us to our rooms and to sign the paperwork without ever asking our names or if we had a reservation. We may have been the only guests. The room was quite nice which led to great disappointment when the very cold shower spurted from only a few holes. We toughed it through and managed to stay awake until 6pm.

We woke up around 3am and lazily waited for our 8am breakfast which was delivered to our door. It was toast, fries, eggs, and Sasha really needs to figure out a way to stomach tomatoes. We walked around an hour to the shopping mall, and tried to go to a very chaotic National bank. The line was very long, so we decide to shop first. Turns out it closed at 11am on Saturdays, and stayed closed all day Sunday so that was a bad call considering we needed money for the next month.
We shopped and got what Ryan called enough meals for a month and what Sasha called literally just pasta and cereal. We bought lots of cleaning supplies as well. The power went out suddenly and after a surprised gasp, everyone calmly turned on their phone flashlights and kept shopping. After a few minutes it came back on.
Grem (a recommended driver) picked us up, helped drop our stuff of, and took us to the wildlife reserve. We split Jerk chicken which was a full half of a skinny chicken. We picked a delicious Australian smoothie from an extensive drink menu. Our waitress explained they had no electricity so could not make anything in that section. Or that one. Or that one, but they may have some tea. So we settled on the bottled water we had brought. The meal itself was quite good.

A blue bee (say that 5 times fast) the size of a thumb buzzed by as we began our tour. The guide knew nothing of the bees, but thought he had seen one before. All this focus on the African Big 5 and none on the Little 5! He showed us many different types of baboon, some crocodiles, a giant sleepy Python, where the lions would be “except they died” and some owls. Owls are considered bad luck if seen in daylight, and people will kill them. This pair had to be rescued as they would not hide. They bring death and doom in Africa, not the wisdom they bring at home.

Sasha’s Aunt and Uncle picked us up from the airport. And we slept all the way through the night for the fist time in over a week. The next day was dedicated to half hearted packing, a walk around the gorgeous neighborhood and just general relaxation and appreciation of modern plumbing. Aunt Jenny made us a wonderful curry dinner and we finished the day off with a trip to the award winning Gelato place.

The next day we decided that it was time to see a doctor about our stomach issues. Sasha was feeling great, but Ryan was still not getting much better. We called around and made an appointment a nice linic just up the road from Coogee Beach. A bit nervous to get medical care in a foriegn country we waited for our names to be called.

We explained our symptoms to the doctor and clarified that we were under a 24 hour time crunch he asked a few follow up questions and said that normally he would wait for a stool sample to come back, but he would go ahead and write a prescription for us now. We should call him while we are at the airport and he will give us the lab results, and as for paying “Its alright if this one falls through the cracks- we send em enough business. You can check in a month or so and pay if your conscious demands it”. He assumed we had the same thing and just wrote a prescription for both of us. We clarified that there would be no ill effects if we didn’t have the illness he had in mind and he sent us on our way. It turns out, after college he had also volunteered in Malawi! Later turns out we had “Campylobacter” and no need for meds, and it also affects men far more.

Now came the scary part. Settling the bill. The receptionist asked for my medical number. I explained that we were American and didn’t have one. She apologized and said she would have to charge us the full amount. We braced for the worst. A whopping $95!
We headed to the beach, Sasha got her pants wet in the beautiful crashing waves. It was the first sunny day in a long time so many people had called out of work and the beach was teeming. Once back at the flat we had a fantastic last steak dinner, played some cards, and showed each other new and very amusing songs.

Our last day in Sydney was a lot of last minute shopping, packing and maybe our last shower for sometime. Thank you again to those that hosted us and helped us, you have set us up for a far more relaxing trip and we hope to come again soon.

The next day was waterfall number two, a shorter hike this time, we got a late start and headed out at around 11 Am. On our way we passed the circumcision grounds and were impressed to find that the Neevans had danced through the night and were still going strong! The way to the waterfall was a bit mossy and slick, but the path opened into a beautiful waterfall and hidden valley. We found a truck and arrived back at Jake’s late that night and Ryan started to feel a little nauseous. (We all knew this part was coming- we are surprised it took so long) Several hours and many trips to the bathroom (that the spiders had very clearly claimed) he was finally able to get some shut eye.

An hour later he was awoken by a unhappy Sasha. Seeing the look in her eye, Ryan promptly wished her good luck turned over and went back to bed. We bonded by looking up at the starry night and trying to not throw up on the cat. The worst of it was over by morning, but the next week consisted of a lot of unhappy tummies and just-in-time bathroom runs.

Despite this we managed to get into town on Friday for the Weekly Peace Corps lunch where we also got a chance to meet the lovely Australian volunteers. After a quick trip to the beach we found ourselves in need of a truck home. Unfortunately for us that was not in the cards. Lindsey (another Peace Corps volunteer) was gracious enough to let us stay at her place for the night in the far closer Middle Bush.

It was a great night of stories and laughter, we learned a lot more about the life of a Volunteer and Sasha got to draw a beautiful green lady bug on her door next to sketches of all previous visitors. As an added bonus, we had a largely spider (but not cockroach) free toilet! The next morning, we set out back to Jacobs and made it one trudging and wet hour before we caught a truck heading to Green Hill.

Once we got settled in we decided that we stank and today was the day for a swim (Swim means bathe, and swim swim means swim for fun) and laundry. After a short walk to the river, we cannonballed into the somewhat muddy water. We emerged if not totally clean, at least not caked with dirt. Next Jake taught us several ways to wash our clothes and we made it through a whole load in under min. Take that hour long spin cycle!

With one day to go on Tanna we headed back into town for a beach and hammock day. We explored, read a few pages, listened to a podcast and generally passed the day. Stocking up at the store for our trip back to Lindsey’s we spotted Lance buying a few beers. I guess that’s what happens when you are on an island with only a few stores. He asked what we were up to and he offered to take us up to Middle Bush in his uncles car. We warned Lindsey of a surprise and softened the blow of yet another guest (we now hold the record for most guests at a time) with a big tub of icecream. We talked for awhile and finished the night off with a showing of Hook with Robin Williams.

The next morning we got up bright and early to head to the Airport. Next stop Sydney!

Today, Lance’s community held a custom celebration to celebrate the villages boys coming out of seclusion after being circumcised and officially being recognized as men. There was a huge ceremony at the Nakamal that had more Kava (thick trees of it, worth hundreds of dollars even here. Thousands in the states), LapLap (a staple food), huge yams, and more mats than anyone could use in 9 piles- for each of the 9 boys. These gifts were to be given from the boy’s fathers family to the boy’s mothers family, to show their daughters are being taken care of all these years later.

 Around 3 months ago, these 4-7 year old boys were separated from their mamas and circumcised, then put in seclusion with their uncles on their mothers side. After the last boy is fully healed, they tear down the high walls of their compounds and burn everything they used in the past three months. Today is the first day they will be allowed to see anyone else from the community.

Once we arrived, the 4 men in our group including Ryan went down the hill to the boys to prepare for the parade. It was a festive atmosphere with lots of bright colors, facepainting, naked children and some dumb adults who decided to give said children very loud conch shells to blow. After getting our faces painted we took part in several hours of Tanna’ favorite pastime, waiting for something to happen.

Sasha and another peace corps member, Genna, went to sit with the mamas to get ready. People were adding face paint and putting on skirts, and the kids would again gather to just stare. She started blowing on grass to make a duck whistle and soon a few of the courageous kids were giving it a go. Most kids are very shy and would turn or run away when looked at. One boy in superman shorts was especially excited and kept handing her grass to put in his hand. 

Throughout our visit on Tanna we had seen several tourists, but they were always brief encounters and always near one of the islands few paved roads never deep in the bush. Given this we were all quite surprised when two people walked out of the bush looking like they had read an adventure book and came straight from a shopping trip at REI. We figured they had heard about the ceremony from a local and were here to quietly and discretely observe the festivities and we paid them little attention. As they started walking around we could feel the Peace Corps volunteers around us start to tense up.

The tourists, with their big cameras, got right up in the faces of a group of children and started snapping pictures then moved over to two people having a conversation to capture that Kodiak moment. They continued to walk around in the middle of the gathering snapping pictures of everyone (except us) and managing to get in the way of the events at every turn. Imagine going to a play where someone gets on stage and walks around taking pictures.

The other Peace Corps started sharing stories of tourism in their own community. People come in tour buses to the schools and disrupt class to take photos. They bring colored pencils to donate when the school lacks paper or normal pencils. They post the photos saying things like “I discovered this quaint village, look at all the smiling people” though the Neevans were reacting properly to cameras being shoved in their faces and they did not get many smiling people. The main issue they had in this case however was that they were uninvited guests to a private ceremony of the local people.

The lady of the tourist duo arrived over the hill and started taking photos. Sasha handed her phone to a kid (he was very shy about talking, but I think his name was Dylan) to turn the tables and start taking photos of her without her permission.

She came close doing her best to ignore us and keep Genna and I out of each photo- and Genna was doing a splendid job ignoring her too. 

She eventually did come up to them and ask Sasha to take a photo of the kids, which opened up the conversation to how she would post them etc. Then sat next to the kids which all promptly ran away. She asked about the ceremony and about the black magic ceremonies on Tanna. Which are all a tourism sham- Tanna is the one island with a spirit which kills anyone who practices black magic right away and protects all who live there. The spirit if Tanna is what also fortunately keeps all of the harmful animals away! No spider will bite you, there are no large predators, and no snakes at all. 

We moved to some mats were the parade would start. Kids crept closer to stare at us. We started playing some hand games, and then they pull out the largest pig we had seen so far. It needed 4 people to carry it. One man hit it on the head with a club 15 or so times, it squealed loudly each time. People around us were laughing at how long it took to be killed. He gave up and gave the club to someone else to hit another 15 times. The pig eventually stopped squealing. 

A goat appeared next to another pile- and was also clubbed. The club did not do the trick and its throat was promptly slit. Then clubbed more. Ever the fighter, the goat only died after they had they slit the throat again. 

Meanwhile, we continued to try to whistle with grass and now tinsel that fell from the kids’ beautiful hats as more and more pigs were dragged out to squeal in the background. 

Soon (it was a very long time really, but time moves differently here) they started playing music with conch shells and the procession started. Men walked out in a neat line carrying yet more gifts- Taros of giant proportions, more kava, and other foods. Around the middle came Lance wearing nothing but his nambas (Google it when children aren’t around- we have photos but deemed them to revealing to post). Every one of the Neevans wore pants or a skirt, and most wore shirts. Lance was told the day before that everyone would be participating in wearing the Nambas as a part of the custom. All of the Nevans had a good laugh as he walked by the entire village and Ryan (following directly behind him) got an excellent view.

At the end everyone took photos with everyone and started the long process of putting the gifts in trucks. The pig that had been clubbed around 30 times at the beginning of the ceremony started squealing again, but was ignored and tossed in the truck alongside its fallen brethren. In another truck they stacked a dead cow, a living pig, and yet another dead pig. 

Genna, Jacob and Sasha headed back while the other men went to the Nakamal. This community was far stricter- they would never let a lady appear. Once Ryan arrived, they did not start chewing the kava until it had all been cleaned- which made it take forever. They did it that way because each person was equal and should drink at about the same time. Except for the chief who always went first, and the women who were not allowed. Lance however was able to pull a few favors and bring home a Plastic (Liquid kava in a plastic water bottle) for the ladies.

We boiled some water and washed our hair with hand soap before calling it a day.

We rode into town and visited the market, and picked up our chartered truck ($200 for a truck and driver to take us anywhere all day. Because of the road conditions, it is more expensive to rent out just the truck!), some visiting peace corps (and ones mom), and a few Nevans (locals) at the hospital that was described as “really cute and interesting unless you need medical care- it kinda looks like an insane asylum”.
Fully loaded in the bed of the truck we began our 2 hour journey to the Blue Caves that made the Indiana Jones ride in Disneyland look like a snooze. It was extremely steep and washed out. We crossed 2 rivers. The other peace corps admitted the road was bad, but “you should see the rainy season”.
Our driver let us out at a picturesque spot and we descended some very cleverly made stick steps that would have scared us if we hadn’t just survived a rollercoaster with no seatbelt.
We arrived at the ocean entrance and found it full of steep rocks and clear blue water with large waves.
We found a ladder and after some quick repairs with rebar we jumped or climbed in. Then came the hard part. To enter the cave, you had to time the wave and swim through a short underwater cave before bursting through into the large open cavern. It was scary to blindly fight the tide and avoid the big rocks. But we were assured the view on the other side was worth it. Even the Neevans were nervous about it (never a good sign). We climbed in and it was very difficult to avoid having our head bashed into the rough rock. We watched the opening disappear and reappear, and then went for it. The water swelled up again and we crawled upside down on the rock ceiling before emerging into a silent cavern. A stream of light came from the open ceiling with stately rocks. The names of previous Neevans who had visited were scrawled all over the walls. It was quite peaceful once you got out of the waves.

When it came time to leave, Sasha was the last to dive through and lost contact with the wall. It was quite easy to get disoriented with the pounding waves, and Sasha was quite glad when jacob grabbed her arm to pull her to safety.
After another 2 hour bumpy ride back (listening to some local Neevan songs) we stopped for smoothies and chips before heading to the volcano. The road this time was very Jurassic park, and once we got close it was a long and beautiful stretch of only black sand. The area around the volcano happens to be called”white sands” probably by the same sarcastic genius that named the only place with red clay “green hill” on an island of green hills.
There was a distinct border between the black volcano and surrounding hills covered in greenery. We drove up and were glad to see some tourists (that means good roads). As we climbed the black hill we could hear roars and once we came to the crest of the volcano, we could see lava spurt from the smoke. It would rumble and explode lava every few minutes. Ryan and Jake ventured over to the tallest part of the rim which had the added bonus of being able to see into the fiery heart of the volcano, but also had the unfortunate downsides of near constant sulfur smoke high winds and no handrails.
When we headed back
down and drove away, we could still see the orange glow and the smoke against the stars.
It started raining so our driver pulled under some trees to stop and wait for it to stop, with a line of tourists behind us. We urged him to keep going and got very cold and wet.
After shivering through another bumpy ride, we arrive at the dispensary. Another Peace Corps, Lance, is stationed here. The dispensary is just a step down from a hospital- a place to get vaccines and give birth, as well as get medication from a trained nurse. The nurse is almost never here, and we took the bed as well as each of the empty patient beds there.
We boiled some water in a kettle for a shower. The shower is you rinse the yourself in the cold water that flows about half the time, then scrub the warm water on at the end.
We also learned someone called their child “cowboi”.

Buckle up- this ones a story. Skip to the end of you must. We will try uploading photos, but that may need to wait until the wifi of Sydney.
We started the day with Jacob proving why he always cooked when we lived together with caramelized onions and egg on toast. We would have had ceaser salad too but “you werent supposed to break that egg Sasha” (I maintain a free egg sitting in a basket in a bumpy truck is just going to break).
Following breakfast we headed down for a bath and shower. Naively we followed to a beautiful swimming hole. The bath was were you jumped in, the shower was a bamboo stick dribbling cold water. We both managed a few toes before we decided we were probably clean enough. We walked through the school which was a series of handsome buildings paid for by the Aussies after their cyclone, and a few built by the French. The library leaked and ruined many books, so they moved the books and now keep their prized possession there
instead- the 35 computers. Each teacher had a colorful desk covered in papers.
Next to the school, there is a new garden – organized and supplied by Jacob – full of lettuce, tomatoes, and more that are sold at market to help pay for school fees. Currently, the Australians pay for everyone to go to school up to grade 6. Afterwards, they must pay for themselves. Unfortunately, this means that many, espesially girls, do not continue their education. Next year though, they change status from an undeveloped country to a developing country so much of this aid will stop. Further down is a clearing Jacob plans on becoming another garden of potatoes (ready to pick in 3 months instead of their favorite yams that take a year) to feed each student lunch at school. Next to that again is a series of sticks in the ground which will be where the plant a series of tall and straight trees. On these Jacob plans on growing Vanilla Orchids which are extremely valuable and difficult to grow most
places. This too will
pay for many school fees. As we walked to Jacobs personal garden some students were coming by to water the plants.
We walked to a barren field covered in cut grass. This used to have everything- spices, tomatoes, capsicum with all flavor and no spice, and more. But one week Jacob was gone and when he came back some people proudly told him they had helped his garden and cleared it for him. Clearing meant cutting out all plants they did not know and planting green onions. We did find one broccoli crawling it’s way out from under some cut plants.
On our way back we saw the road had been churned by a tractor. Again, paid for by the Aussies and done by the Chinese who own the machinery. This apparently has been on the to do list since Jacob arrived a year and a half ago.
If you have seen me in the past few months you have heard me talk about today’s ceremony. It is when Jacob becomes a respected member of the community and clubs a pig.
We were told to s
how up at 12 to get faces painted. Those on the island of Tanna are teased by other islands for being “Men of Time” and living based on time instead of how far the sun is in the sky. We arrive at noon and are told they arent ready yet. So we wait another 2 hours. Meanwhile Jacobs sitemate Hamish arrives. He showed us how to clean a machete (you stab a banana tree) and poke a papaya out of a tree. He split it and shared with the rest of us.
When we arrive again a smiling mob of women and children lay out a mat for us. They start with Ryan and Jacob, and rub coconut oil on their face before wiping colorful dust on with dry blades of grass. I asked what the colors meant- Hamish explained he was always curious too and once asked one of the ladies who just laughed and said they look nice. It is a fairly new tradition that is a lot of fun for everyone.

Hamish and I had a seat, and after having coconut oil rubbed on my face and hair (which worked excellently to keep away frizzy
hair, I was looking for something that useful
) there was a pause as the lady about to paint my face spoke to Hamish. “Stop smiling, dont laugh!” This was made more difficult as when she added more dust the children would creep up closer and closer to stare at my face. When I would look at one they would run away.
Hamish was done quickly and left me alone with the ladies. I have a sense they were having a bit of a laugh at us, but I looked pretty great. Once done, I tried “now I do you!” To some laughter. I tried to follow where Jacob and Ryan had dissapeared to but a lady stopped and shook her head “Gras sket”. I was trying to guess what that meant as they brought out some colorful grass skirts and put cloth we had bought yesterday around me. One added tinsel to my hair and two feathers sticking straight up. Definitely having a laugh, but again I looked great.
I joined a very cold and dapper Jacob and Ryan and got a few photos at the Nakamal itself People where very excit
ed to take photos!
We went to the clearing where “it” would take place. We sat as everyone else got ready, and a horrified and humanoid squeal pierced the calm atmosphere.
A pig was being dragged by it’s back legs. With two dogs chasing and trying to bite it.
Jacob stood with the chief in a line with a few other men with gifts lain infront. They said some words that I dont remember. Jacob was handed a club, and the two dogs ran away. He stood over the now silent pig, and after one smack it started struggling again. After 3 more it lay twitching. I learned later that it was dead at the first, the movement is the nervous system shutting down.
Hamish hurried us forward and we grabbed the gifts (some mats, a basket, and Kava) and pulled them to the side.
Everyone clapped, and some ladies grabbed my hands to join this dance around the pigs blood. I have never seen such happy smiles after such a brutal event, though we stomped and danced around the men.
The four of us lined up
Jacob warned us “do NOT say ‘Good Game'” as the community lined up
in order of age. Everyone brusquely walked by to shake our hands and we thanked each one for hosting us.
We sat to listen to the old chief speak about their customs and that we are welcome. And then we were each asked to speak- which we were not warned of. Ryan went first to speak as Jacob translated, while Hamish whispered to say something about our lost culture as they take great pride in keeping their own. Which I maintain is not entirely fair to us, but it is true that we really dont club things much. I told him to translate so I sound better, though many in the village would know enough english to be able to tell. “Thank you for welcoming us into your home, thank you for the paint, we have nothing like this at home, our culture is lost in the States, thank you for everything”
Once done we listened to the old chief tell us about his time translating and teaching around Australia and Hawaii while the p
ig that finally lay still was being cut in the background. They lay the head and legs out on leaves while the dogs watched. “They know they will be killed if they take this meat”.
As they made a fire, the chief explained what was about to happen was very sacred- women were never allowed. Only one (a tourist from Korea that an uncle liked a few months ago) woman had ever witnessed or been part if it before. And she threw up.
We roasted pig rib, Hamish appeared with some salt to add. The men sat scrapping Kava root clean with coconut husks. The younger ones chewed it and spat it out into unattractive gray piles. The will say it’s great for your teeth as their own teeth start falling out, as “white teeth are for white men”. Though Jacob met a dentist who did confirm it wasnt actively bad for your teeth, as long as you flossed afterwards which of course no one did.
Once the Kava was in this chewed mush. It was pushed through a coconut calico by a virgin- a boy who had never h
ad a girlfriend- into coconut shells.
As the sun set the chief went first to drink, then R
yan and Jacob. You spit, hold your breath as you chug the whole thing, and spit again. And then eat to hide the flavor.
I went up with Hamish and chugged. It tasted “con con”- a word for any undesirable taste. But not as bad as everyone made it out to be. As I set the coconut shell down the men all started, as to see a woman drink kava is so rare. Some of the higher up ladies can get some from the men, though they drink it at home.
The 4 of us sat chatting quietly as the other men did their kava. They did not join us even as Jacob and Hamish had tried to integrate, as they will never really be part of the tribe. I noticed background sound disappeared and I wanted to throw up. I was able to think clearly yet was far calmer.
We walked back to Jacob’s and played music and planned what to do with the remaining pig leg.

We flew into Port Vila, in Vanuatu. We had a wonderfully British breakfast on the water then visited the museum. There we saw what they thought of WW2, masks, and many wildlife samples.
After setting out for the airport, we stopped by a French Bakery (run by an actual French lady- so you know it must be good) for the requested sandwich for Jacob. We arrived the suggested 2 hours early, and it took about 3 minutes to check in and we waited the remaining 1 hour 57 minutes. Upon lamenting this suggestion later to Jacob, we were told sometimes if most people are there, they will just leave early.
We arrive on the island of Tanna, greeted by a Jacob who has impressively still not cut his hair since arriving. He brought us to a deserted cafe where the other Peace Corps hang out on Fridays. They were a friendly bunch who talked us into trying “a shell” of Kava. It wasnt too bad and all it did was make my tongue go numb.
In Australia we had asked many people their o
pinions of it- our musician on the plane said it made him dizzy for 3 days, my uncle said it made you very lazy after drinking it. The Peace corps member who continued drinking it (he must have had atleast 10 by that evening) said that’s how he integrates into the community, and also it was better than what alcoholism had started to do in the community. Up until recently, only the 3 people in charge were allowed to drink Kava. Once it became accessible to everyone, the crime rate dropped as everyone did that instead of drink. He was a health education volunteer that said the worst part of the job was everyones total lack of care for the suffering of animals. A pig, you club to death. A dog, you let become a happy part of the family, until some friends who like dog come over and talk you into clubbing it to death. A cow, you club a few times before slicing the throat of. Hes working on explaining to them that animals suffer as people do, but it has not gone far.
We walked to
the road by the marke
t where someone bought a stick with about 15 coconuts tied on for the equivalent of $5, then sat to wait. Another member of PC said it was a great first day to experience life on the island, and we continued to wait another 3 hours for a truck to come by and bring us to Green hill where he lived. Each hill around was green, but this was the only one with red soil- so they called it green hill. Eventually we climb into the back of a truck already full of people and stuff. I sat with a little old lady by my feet and we set out along the extremely bumpy road. Our driver was excellent at avoiding the deep potholes that littered the road. He did speed up to pass someone else- when I remarked on it someone said we were still very lucky since the truck going slowly was drunk.
We stopped to pick up some roots and what looked like dead unfortunate chicken which was somehow still alive, before continuing on the bumpy road. The lady at my feet touched my leg and
laughed, which bewildered me until it was finally time for us to leave and I found the basket i was holding with bread and two eggs now only had one egg. The other egg was all over the basket and my pants. We walked the remaining to Jacob’s little hut. Here we started the 9 day wait without shower or washing machine, with egg on my pants and hands, thistle seeds on my back, and also it was cold. He had a nice 3 room hut powered by a small solar panel outside. We met the cat who arrived only for food but who’s scent drove off the rats (before, Jacob would drown them in buckets. The locals would put leaves out that make the rats itchy enough to scratch themselves to death. then went stargazing. We could see the orange of the volcano, and more stars than we had ever seen before.
Jacob kindly gave us his bed with a mosquito net, and hes now sleeping on a pad on the floor.

In Cooma we walked to the local Woolies- a far shorter walk than I remember- to grab Lollies (candy), LollyGobbles, Fizzers, Crunchies, and dinner for my grandpa’s house. It is tradition to watch Gone with the Wind everytime we visit, as it is one of three movies there.
A family friend brought us to her farm that I would visit all the time as a kid. It was a lot of fun to visit, seeing all the sheep, cows, and forts. The forest we played in and loved looked very uncomfortable and tight that I would never today want to go in. I suppose that means I grew up!
Back in Canberra we stayed with my Aunt and got to see the first up close kangaroos that were not road kill. We were treated to a delicious stew and a cake made by my cousin. The next day we climbed mt Ainslie with the best view of Canberra and learned about “the very very naughty pollies” or politicians. I made Ryan promise not to spend more than 3 hours in the war memorial museum, and we both promptly lost track of time and spent 5 hours wandering this tragic and educational museum.
We met my friend and her boyfriend drove us to the other best view of Canberra in the arboretum then had the best Thai food in Australia outside of Cooma. Everytime I visit we learn new awesome slang, this time it was “yoot” means pickup truck. We watched TV on the sofa for the last time in a long time, then got up early to head for the airport.

We made it to Australia!
In Hawaii we were able to walk on some muddy beaches and left before the sunrise.
We sat beside a musician who talked about 4 out of the 10 hour flight. We did learn how to climb a palm tree with only a sarong, which coconuts to eat, and how fasting can cure stomach bugs. We did think there was a law that you must feed someone on such a long flight, but in fact it is only polite.
Once in Sydney we had a delicious dinner (complete with chocolate milkshakes) cooked by the family, and answered such vital questions as “If in America they drive on the other side of the road, does that mean they also write with their left hand?”.
The next day (Sunday) we skipped breakfast and snuck out early to avoid waking anyone up, later learning they had all been up for around an hour. We wandered through the powerhouse museum which was fascinating, although one of us went through the steam section four times while the other slept on a bench. We watched the sun set over the Opera house and the Sydney Harbour bridge before retiring to another fantastic dinner. I learned Dad really was not lying when an Emu stole his Birthday cake when he was 12.
The next Day we made it to the Canberra botanic gardens to an excellent tour by an ex-employee. We learned all about each different type of small brown bird and witnessed a few bird fights. After a hamburger lunch with “American Cheese” that really was just Cheez wiz, we headed back to my Dads hometown.