Wednesday 25th June
Ashore for breakfast and to meet with the others and decide where next. Annie and Norfy go into the town to get the supplies and do the market, small supermarket, bakery and bookshop where you can buy frozen meat! They get chatting to some of the sellers in the craft market and later Annie negotiates a good price for a Kava bowl. Ian and Stewy have got a decision on where we’re going next – Makongai Island, they’ve done customs and paid our mooring fees . There’s going to be quite a fleet of us – Tallulah Ruby, Cleonie and Andante – Strega following on the next day. We get the shopping back to the boat, get the gear together for the day and we’re off on another tour – this time a bit squashed in as we’ve invited James to join us. First stop is a quick beer at Planters club where we agree to head along the south east coast of the island , a bit off the main drag, to a place called Hannibals that Kendra in the marina has recommended . Once the main road runs out it very soon deteriorates into a very rough mud track, and we’re bumping and grinding slowly along, wondering if we’ll ever get there! We see little of the coast along the way and after stopping to ask directions several times we eventually, about 2 hours later, arrive at Hannibals. Today we’re not so lucky – there is no food available – just a little stall with some tins and biscuits! Thankfully there are some cold beers so we console ourselves with these and get the local chat from the young American who’s just sold up. Annie looks at his wares and drives a hard bargain for some of the wooden crafts on display – it’s not been a wasted journey after all! On the way back we stop at a sweet little roadside food stall which is beautifully decorated with flowers and palm fronds. Children are making their way back from school and we have a great time chatting to everyone as we stuff rotis down our necks - we’re starving. The women tell us it’s a new business, they just started a few weeks ago and said they decided to decorate as they thought you just never knew who might drop by! It’s a thoroughly enjoyable stop and the highlight of our day. Ian then uses his rally skills to get us back to town by 5pm – the poor wee Rav has had a very hard day and is absolutely caked in mud from roof to chasis. We return the car sheepishly but the man is not remotely concerned, only that we’ve had a good time! We meet everyone at the Planters, then go to a little Chinese café . It doesn’t look promising - an odd looking little place which is going to be a hit or a miss. It’s a hit and we have one of our best Chinese meals ever!