Some photos Vanuatu

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Not sure if i put these in the old forum..(not sure if it still exists) but felt i needed to share some from the mother land.

They are from my 2nd last trip where i took a friend over. He was asking me why i got to Vanuatu all the time for…hes now a convert !



Chiefs Nakamal, haircut waiting for the kava to arrive.

Always kava for sale everywhere (thats $3 USD or $3 AUD kg , close enough anyway)

Kava arrives at Chiefs & the lads straining it.

My friend & a local waiting waiting waiting….Chiefs Nakamal

Seaside Green Light Nakamal. Its a lot lot darker & dirtier than it looks believe me. AKA 24 Haoa as you can always find someone about anytime to buy some kava from. I was walking past at 10am once & they waved me in…gave me a few shells & refused payment, just smiled & went about their business. These people have really got it sorted.

You can stand in one spot 30 meters from where i stay & see 5 nakamals

Iririki Island as viewed from town. 24 hour boat runs you back & fwd. Too expensive for me though.

Some fire dancers at the place i always stay at. Every sat night. Fantastic to see what a show they put on with so little.

 

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I missed one. Getting a shell once Chiefs is open.

 

[violet]

Thank you so much for sharing these!

 

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No wo

Thank you so much for sharing these!

No worries violet, always share a kava pic. I have a few of Tanna somewhere also if anyone wants to see them. Few of the volcano but none of kava there though....I didn't feel ok using a camera at a tanna nakamal.

 

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Im going through old HD's, had a comp failure & my back up's were not what i expected. Story of my life as far as computers go.

Just one of the many small sheds behind nakamals in Port Vila around early afternoon preparing kava.

Plenty of washing kava in back yards also. Everyone will always see you & welcome you in to watch.

Im just sitting back with the locals waiting for the kava to arrive. This is the old BP Wharf Nakamal which is sadly gone now…they appear & disappear quite regularly about the place but the kava was strong there.

Big fella mixing up at Chiefs Nakamal.

 

[infraredz]

Wonderful! Thanks for sharing these nemo.

 

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First Bucket Nakamal which i visited every day …now closed & looking run down.

Sofie Nakamal…early opener (about 1.30pm daily) usually the serious kava drinkers turn up for an early blast.

Sofies again

Kava prep shed out the back of Sophies

Cleaning & chopping at Sophies

A shell at Sophies

 

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Kava vendors in the market.

The nakamal i visit every day when im in Vila, only fairly new from what im told. Great company & bloody strong kava particularly the first bucket. Got to get in early.

In side waiting for the first bucket…i cant remember its name but its close to where i stay when i visit.

More kava at the market

 

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Kava being prepared at a Port Vila Nakamal

Kicking back waiting for it to be mixed

Just a typical bus about town. 150v to pretty well go anywhere

 

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Had to do a long exposure as nakamals are so dark inside.

Serious business !!! Lot of finger gestures also.

 

[sentiententity]

That was really cool to see! Thanks for posting all that!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

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Very typical of a Nakamal…you pay for your shell & then move outside to drink it with sometimes a communal bottle of tap water to wash out with or there may be a tap out there.

Lots & lots of hacking & spitting…endless.




Out the back of a nakamal in town…couple of fellas i drank kava with on one visit. Bloke on the left is called Moses & we went shell for shell over 10 each.



More locals behind the nakamal.



Always kava for sale about the place



Aeroport De Port Vila Bauerfield International Airport (built by US military in WWII) …as was the airfield on Santo too i assume. War in the Pacific being what it was.

 

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Lagoon behind port Vila



No shortage of food …pretty basic but fresh.



Some kava on the floor at the market waiting to be bought





Fish sold in banana leaves…you see people coming out of offices in town & buying a bit of fish for lunch.

 

[violet]

I love these

 

[Deactivated Account]

I love these

Tks violet, booked my flights last night (early feb)…you recon im not excited ?? There is a nakamal just outside the airport…think thats going to be my first stop once i land at 4pm.

Just phoned a chap i know & got a kg of powdered to celebrate…i generally dont drink much powdered but hell it is xmas. Going to be an easy night tonight.

 

[Vekta]

I'd be such a tourist in that kava market. The embarrassment wouldn't hit me until after I got back to my room for the night though.

 

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I'd be such a tourist in that kava market. The embarrassment wouldn't hit me until after I got back to my room for the night though.

Ha…they dont care, they dont care about anything. The worst that happens is they want to show you how they make it & drink it. Nivans are without question the absolute coolest people on earth. I still remember my very first walk into a nakamal & someone had to show me outside to the spit area, i had 2 or 3 shells & sat down in almost pitch black. Once my eyes adjusted i was looking straight at about 10 local men all sitting opposite, leaning back, slowly nodding at me with gins on their faces. They know a kava drinker over a tourist just trying it out. They recognise you sitting & waiting for it to come on & it can be very fast at their strength.

If nothing else, drinking fresh kava in Vanuatu will ruin drinking powdered kava forever….it can be rocket fuel. I stopped at 2 shells once because i knew i had to make my way back to the hotel. 3 or 4 would have seen me anywhere.

I would love some of this forum to join me in feb there, such a fantastic experience to join in with them in a nakamal. The smell of the kava & the sounds in the low light are a real trip.

 

[Steve]

Awesome pics! Thanks for posting...really nice to go through

 

[Deactivated Account]

Awesome pics! Thanks for posting...really nice to go through

Tks mate, Nivans love you taking their pics once you have had a chat to them. They are very proud of how safe their islands are for visitors. You can get out of a private bus at 11pm.. totally dialled & hand the driver everything in your pocket & they will take their fee & return the rest.

Just had my first kava in several months about 20 mins ago…some fijian stuff. What an awsome space to habitate. Only we know of its conviction.