Tuesday 6 September I declare this police station open

It was a Big Day in Analgawat. The Australian sponsored new police station was to be opened by the Australian High Commissioner attended by a plane load of other officials, police chiefs and other nabobs. The villagers were insistent we came to see the ceremonies. As the dignitaries came ashore a warrior and his two young warriors advanced with spears threatening, bells on their ankles to add to the fear factor. It went downhill into less than exciting after that. The rain started as the poor visitors were marched from tourist post to old church to school to new church to the presentation ground in front of the new police station. When the long speeches began we drifted away.
Today is Annie from Oso Blanco's birthday and we're invited to a barbecue on board but first we're going to visit a local nakamal. One of the occasionally open kava drinking huts in the village. It depends on who has kava to sell and who has rented the nakamal hut for Vt1000 /£7.50) for the evening. Vanuatan kava is different to Fijian, first they use fresh roots and stems not dried and secondly they grind it in a meat grinder before adding water. Fijians pound their dry roots in a metal bowl and then add water. The Vanuatan crop is also much stronger. One or two medium bowls is the most anyone drinks. We tried it. The first note on the tongue is bitter and then some tingling of the lips, a feeling of relaxation and numbness in the face similar to that felt after a visit to the dentist. However, it also made me feel woozy and I had to sit down. It passed quickly but a case of local kava once tried and never to be repeated.
The barbecue back on Oso Blanco was a good evening that went on late. Two other boats came along; Eveline and Peter from Renegade and Jessica and Steve from Makulo.

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