Reaching for that gallon of icecream? Reach for your computer mouse instead and do what many successfuldieters do to stick to their diet plan: buddy up to slim down. Clinical studies show getting social support by "Buddying Up" increasesweight loss success by encouraging dieters to stick to their diet andlifestyle improvement plans. More and more dieters are finding their BuddySupport network online at newly launched BuddySlim. [click link for full article]
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Herşey Dahil Sadece 350 Tl'ye Web Site Sahibi Ol
Hızlı ve kolay bir şekilde sende web site sahibi olmak istiyorsan tek yapman gereken sitenin aşağısında bulunan iletişim formu üzerinden gerekli bilgileri girmen. Hepsi bu kadar.
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Web Siteye Reklam Ver
Sende web sitemize reklam vermek veya ilan vermek istiyorsan. Tek yapman gereken sitenin en altında bulunan yere iletişim bilgilerini girmen yeterli olacaktır. Ekip arkadaşlarımız siziznle iletişime gececektir.
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Web Sitemizin Yazarı Editörü OL
Sende kalemine güveniyorsan web sitemizde bir şeyler paylaşmak yazmak istiyorsan siteinin en aşağısında bulunan iletişim formunu kullanarak bizimle iletişime gecebilirisni
Get Slim With A Little Help From Your Friend
Reaching for that gallon of icecream? Reach for your computer mouse instead and do what many successfuldieters do to stick to their diet plan: buddy up to slim down. Clinical studies show getting social support by "Buddying Up" increasesweight loss success by encouraging dieters to stick to their diet andlifestyle improvement plans. More and more dieters are finding their BuddySupport network online at newly launched BuddySlim. [click link for full article]
We Eat Healthily And Exercise A Lot, Say America's Obese
According to a new survey of 11,000 people carried out by Thomson Medstat, over three-quarters of obese Americans claim they have healthy diets. 40% of obese people in the USA say they do vigorous exercise three times a week or more. The researchers in this study wondered how many of the USA's obese citizens really understood what is meant by a healthy diet and regular, vigorous physical activity. [click link for full article]
Earth Shaking Tanna
Current Location: Port Vila, Vanuatu
Current Position: 17 44.72 S 168 18.67 E
Next Destination: Ambrym or Malekula, Vanuatu
Since our last BLOG we made yet another attempt to sail Billabong down to Tanna in hopes of attending the Nekowiar festival. This time we tried for a "calm", willing to motor the whole way if need be. But winds & swell were higher than expected and we once again had to turn back. Luckily Island Sonata, with two engines, was able to continue to motor-sail and made it to Tanna. With the Nekowiar date still iffy we decided to just go for it, and booked flights for the 18th, planning to stay aboard IS and potentially sail back with them after the festival.
We lucked out, as the festival finally did start, on Monday the 21st ... and what a time it was. The chant-like singing, foot pounding dancing, and continuous hand clapping shook the earth below us. It was a three day festival, filled with more energy then we could've every imagined.
After the festival we sailed (on IS) around to Port Resolution, where we hiked up to the rim of Mt Yasur, Tanna's very active volcano. Again we found ourselves standing on shaking ground as one eruption after another left is in utter awe. It was a life threatening experience as a flying lava rock shot out of the volcano, landing barely 17 feet from where we stood (or ran in some cases)! We are still high from the adrenaline rush.
Both the Nekowiar and Mt Yasur were too amazing to describe shortly (here in this BLOG), therefore we our planning a full web update soon with pics and all (www.neoscape.com/billabong) -- so check there in about a week or so (our apologies in advance if it takes us longer).
We are now back in Port Vila (having sailed back with IS). After the weekend we plan to sail to one or more of the islands just North of Efate.
Current Position: 17 44.72 S 168 18.67 E
Next Destination: Ambrym or Malekula, Vanuatu
Since our last BLOG we made yet another attempt to sail Billabong down to Tanna in hopes of attending the Nekowiar festival. This time we tried for a "calm", willing to motor the whole way if need be. But winds & swell were higher than expected and we once again had to turn back. Luckily Island Sonata, with two engines, was able to continue to motor-sail and made it to Tanna. With the Nekowiar date still iffy we decided to just go for it, and booked flights for the 18th, planning to stay aboard IS and potentially sail back with them after the festival.
We lucked out, as the festival finally did start, on Monday the 21st ... and what a time it was. The chant-like singing, foot pounding dancing, and continuous hand clapping shook the earth below us. It was a three day festival, filled with more energy then we could've every imagined.
After the festival we sailed (on IS) around to Port Resolution, where we hiked up to the rim of Mt Yasur, Tanna's very active volcano. Again we found ourselves standing on shaking ground as one eruption after another left is in utter awe. It was a life threatening experience as a flying lava rock shot out of the volcano, landing barely 17 feet from where we stood (or ran in some cases)! We are still high from the adrenaline rush.
Both the Nekowiar and Mt Yasur were too amazing to describe shortly (here in this BLOG), therefore we our planning a full web update soon with pics and all (www.neoscape.com/billabong) -- so check there in about a week or so (our apologies in advance if it takes us longer).
We are now back in Port Vila (having sailed back with IS). After the weekend we plan to sail to one or more of the islands just North of Efate.
Strong Reasons to Start Strength Training
Strength training, whether you use weight training machines, elastic resistance bands, dumbbells, barbells or simply the weight of your body, offers many health benefits.
New Foundation To Kick Italian Science To Soccer Heights
The Human Health Foundation(HHF), a nonprofit organization designed to develop and fund biomedicalresearch in Italy, will be introduced on July 15th during this year'sannual Spoleto Festival by Antonio Giordano, MD, Ph.D., president andfounder of the Sbarro Health Research Organization (http://www.shro.org). [click link for full article]
Bohol: Land of the Green Chocolate Hills
After a few very relaxing days in Boracay, S and I headed back out to the airport for our second of many crazy interisland flights. The plane we were on holds about 20 people max and the maximum altitude is 15,000 feet, which is less than one of the skydives I have taken (18,000 feet) but for some reason that doesn't really make it feel any more safe. We safely arrived in Cebu City, Cebu, where we had to battle the barrage of people trying to overcharge us for a taxi to the pier. We finally found an honest (??) taxidriver who used a meter which was not broken and made it to the pier just in time to catch the ferry to Bohol. We were met at the ferry building in Tagbilaran, Bohol by a man with a sign(!!) bearing our names. It was a nice change; usually you have to battle all the dishonest taxi drivers before finally settling on a still overpriced fare to get anywhere. This guy knew who we were, knew where we were going and didn't overcharge us too much. We arrived at the Bohol Divers Resort where Doyle and Rachel were supposed to be staying. The resort did not have anyone registered in either of their names, but did remember a white girl/Filipino guy combo who had checked in the day before. Luckily it was them and we found them without too much trouble.
The first day we took a tour around the island of Bohol, which included a trip up to the Chocolate Hills (a tour guide laughed at us when we said we wanted to go there - "they are not chocolate right now," he said, "they are GREEN chocolate". Well, green or not they were quite impressive) where we even hiked to the top of one of the hills, having to go through a local's yard to do so. We also got to see the world's smallest primate, the Tarshier, which is a tiny (smaller than my hand) monkey-like animal with eyes bigger than its head. We saw also a man-made forest, the area of the Blood Pact between the Spanish and the Filipinos and the oldest stone church on the island.
The next day we went island hopping for the day. We spent the day snorkling, laying around, eating fresh caught grilled fish and drinking San Miguel Beer. I got totally burnt and Doyle almost got sick on the boat ride back to the mainland (it was a little bit choppy). The entire time, I was waiting for him to unclench his hand from the railing. Either that or to put on snorkel, mask and fins in preparation for a dip in the deep.
The last day we went scuba diving twice. Both dives were wall dives, and there were a lot of things there that I had not seen before. The wall dives are also very cool becuase you can look down and the wall just goes down, down, down, but you cannot see where it ends. There were tons of glow in the dark fish and corals and all in all, we got to dive for almost two hours. The boat ride back was fun; the water was pretty choppy and so every time it went down a swell, the water would come crashing up on deck. The only place to avoid that is the very front of the boat, so I rode on the front where you get a good 6 feet of air sometimes when the boat goes over a big wave.
Things I learned in Bohol: S is deathly afraid of crabs (I plan to put one in his bed sometime before the end of the trip). Sinigang (sour soup) is really good (who would have thought!). Doyle and S both take longer than me to get ready in the morning (it is a toss-up as to who takes the longest - I am betting on Doyle). When driving, if you lay on the horn heavy and long enough, you can run over, go around or pass anything (legally/safely?). Philippine time = + at least one hour past or 1/4 of the proposed time. Lancones (sp?) is a fruit that we definitely need to get in the US.
Things I want to take home with me when I leave this country: a baby (they are sooooo cute!), a monkey (not quite as cute as the baby, but close!), a massage lady (for obvious reasons - can you say...daily massage?), a boat hand (they may be smaller than me, but their bodies are nothing to sneer at!)
Next Stop: the island of Palawan!!
The first day we took a tour around the island of Bohol, which included a trip up to the Chocolate Hills (a tour guide laughed at us when we said we wanted to go there - "they are not chocolate right now," he said, "they are GREEN chocolate". Well, green or not they were quite impressive) where we even hiked to the top of one of the hills, having to go through a local's yard to do so. We also got to see the world's smallest primate, the Tarshier, which is a tiny (smaller than my hand) monkey-like animal with eyes bigger than its head. We saw also a man-made forest, the area of the Blood Pact between the Spanish and the Filipinos and the oldest stone church on the island.
The next day we went island hopping for the day. We spent the day snorkling, laying around, eating fresh caught grilled fish and drinking San Miguel Beer. I got totally burnt and Doyle almost got sick on the boat ride back to the mainland (it was a little bit choppy). The entire time, I was waiting for him to unclench his hand from the railing. Either that or to put on snorkel, mask and fins in preparation for a dip in the deep.
The last day we went scuba diving twice. Both dives were wall dives, and there were a lot of things there that I had not seen before. The wall dives are also very cool becuase you can look down and the wall just goes down, down, down, but you cannot see where it ends. There were tons of glow in the dark fish and corals and all in all, we got to dive for almost two hours. The boat ride back was fun; the water was pretty choppy and so every time it went down a swell, the water would come crashing up on deck. The only place to avoid that is the very front of the boat, so I rode on the front where you get a good 6 feet of air sometimes when the boat goes over a big wave.
Things I learned in Bohol: S is deathly afraid of crabs (I plan to put one in his bed sometime before the end of the trip). Sinigang (sour soup) is really good (who would have thought!). Doyle and S both take longer than me to get ready in the morning (it is a toss-up as to who takes the longest - I am betting on Doyle). When driving, if you lay on the horn heavy and long enough, you can run over, go around or pass anything (legally/safely?). Philippine time = + at least one hour past or 1/4 of the proposed time. Lancones (sp?) is a fruit that we definitely need to get in the US.
Things I want to take home with me when I leave this country: a baby (they are sooooo cute!), a monkey (not quite as cute as the baby, but close!), a massage lady (for obvious reasons - can you say...daily massage?), a boat hand (they may be smaller than me, but their bodies are nothing to sneer at!)
Next Stop: the island of Palawan!!
Aniwa & Erromango
Aniwa & Erromango (8/27 - 8/30)
We had a fast sail (still aboard Island Sonata) from Port Resolution to Aniwa. In the guides Aniwa is only listed as a day anchorage, but with the winds predicted to lighten and from a direction that left the anchorage well protected, we decided to stay there overnight. It was a tight squeeze, and John had to get in the water to find a good spot to drop the anchor. Just shortly after anchoring, a number of men appeared on the beach, calling and waving to us. John and Chris took the dinghy in to see them. Apparently they wanted money for us to anchor. Now here is where things get difficult and confusing for us. According to the government, as posted in the custom offices, locals should not receive (or ask for) any money from yachts for anchoring. But there is government law and then there is Kustom (or local) law. And according to these men, we needed to pay 1,000 vatu per person, per night, plus 1,000 for the boat. That would be about $50 US per night, just to anchor! John told them that when he checked in with customs in Luganville, he had been told not to pay any anchoring fees, but still the men said it was required. John and Chris didn't have any money on them, so the spokesman said he would return tomorrow to collect the fees. We had arrived in Aniwa around 4pm and had planned on leaving the following morning. We weren't going ashore or even snorkeling. With that and with the conflicting rules of the government, we decided to go ahead and leave early in the morning without paying, trying to avoid any conflicts or potential scams.
We left around 5 a.m., heading to Dillian's Bay on the west side of Erromango. We had planned for a long day sail, but with higher winds, we seemed to fly along, and arrived by one in the afternoon! We were also pleased to catch a Mahi Mahi along the way.
A local, David, stopped by in is canoe to welcome us and invite us ashore. The following day we went in to say hello and David, after introducing us to his son and showing us their plant nursery, offered to give us a tour. We were specifically looking for a rock that supposedly had the outline of a killed missionary, John Williams, etched into it. Williams, along with his companion, was killed and eaten in 1839. David said he knew were it was. After a beautiful walk through the village, down to the river, across the river, and half-way up a small rocky hill, we came upon the memorial plaque set into a stone, dedicated to Williams. We explained to David that, while the walk was great, this was not the stone we were looking for ... we were looking for the one with the etching of Williams. Ah, yes, no problem, he told us. So we returned to the village, walking along the river and meeting the locals on the way. We all piled into the dinghy, then crossed the opening of the river, and walked a short distance up the other side, into a cemetery. Here was the gravestone for Williams. We tried again to explain what we were looking for, but with no luck ... and honestly we were only interested because Lonely Planet pointed it out. It had been a beautiful day and a terrific tour, so we left it at that and returned to the boat. Later, just before sunset, David came out to say goodbye (we had told him we were leaving the next morning), bringing us fruits from his garden. We again thanked him for his friendliness and hospitality, giving him a few parting gifts as well.
It was a full day sail back to Port Vila ... 4 a.m. to 4 p.m. We were happy to be back, and anxious to see how Billabong had fared over the last twelve days without us. All was well, and everything just as we'd left it. That night the four of us went out for hamburgers and fries, celebrating our great time in Tanna, and the fact that we could all live together for nearly two weeks (on a boat no-less) and still come away friends!!!
We had a fast sail (still aboard Island Sonata) from Port Resolution to Aniwa. In the guides Aniwa is only listed as a day anchorage, but with the winds predicted to lighten and from a direction that left the anchorage well protected, we decided to stay there overnight. It was a tight squeeze, and John had to get in the water to find a good spot to drop the anchor. Just shortly after anchoring, a number of men appeared on the beach, calling and waving to us. John and Chris took the dinghy in to see them. Apparently they wanted money for us to anchor. Now here is where things get difficult and confusing for us. According to the government, as posted in the custom offices, locals should not receive (or ask for) any money from yachts for anchoring. But there is government law and then there is Kustom (or local) law. And according to these men, we needed to pay 1,000 vatu per person, per night, plus 1,000 for the boat. That would be about $50 US per night, just to anchor! John told them that when he checked in with customs in Luganville, he had been told not to pay any anchoring fees, but still the men said it was required. John and Chris didn't have any money on them, so the spokesman said he would return tomorrow to collect the fees. We had arrived in Aniwa around 4pm and had planned on leaving the following morning. We weren't going ashore or even snorkeling. With that and with the conflicting rules of the government, we decided to go ahead and leave early in the morning without paying, trying to avoid any conflicts or potential scams.
We left around 5 a.m., heading to Dillian's Bay on the west side of Erromango. We had planned for a long day sail, but with higher winds, we seemed to fly along, and arrived by one in the afternoon! We were also pleased to catch a Mahi Mahi along the way.
A local, David, stopped by in is canoe to welcome us and invite us ashore. The following day we went in to say hello and David, after introducing us to his son and showing us their plant nursery, offered to give us a tour. We were specifically looking for a rock that supposedly had the outline of a killed missionary, John Williams, etched into it. Williams, along with his companion, was killed and eaten in 1839. David said he knew were it was. After a beautiful walk through the village, down to the river, across the river, and half-way up a small rocky hill, we came upon the memorial plaque set into a stone, dedicated to Williams. We explained to David that, while the walk was great, this was not the stone we were looking for ... we were looking for the one with the etching of Williams. Ah, yes, no problem, he told us. So we returned to the village, walking along the river and meeting the locals on the way. We all piled into the dinghy, then crossed the opening of the river, and walked a short distance up the other side, into a cemetery. Here was the gravestone for Williams. We tried again to explain what we were looking for, but with no luck ... and honestly we were only interested because Lonely Planet pointed it out. It had been a beautiful day and a terrific tour, so we left it at that and returned to the boat. Later, just before sunset, David came out to say goodbye (we had told him we were leaving the next morning), bringing us fruits from his garden. We again thanked him for his friendliness and hospitality, giving him a few parting gifts as well.
It was a full day sail back to Port Vila ... 4 a.m. to 4 p.m. We were happy to be back, and anxious to see how Billabong had fared over the last twelve days without us. All was well, and everything just as we'd left it. That night the four of us went out for hamburgers and fries, celebrating our great time in Tanna, and the fact that we could all live together for nearly two weeks (on a boat no-less) and still come away friends!!!
Port Resolution & Mt. Yasur
Tanna, Vanuatu
August 24 - 29, 2006
We sailed around from the Evergreen mooring balls to Port Resolution on a beautifully clear day. We were against the wind and the seas were a bit uncomfortable, but Port Resolution was a must, as it provided easy access to Tanna's active volcano, Mt Yasur. It didn't take long before we spotted plumes of smoke emerging from the volcano's crater. It was easy to spot the big blows from the huge amounts of smoke that drifted upwards. We had heard that many people hear the rumblings and/or see the glow from Mt Yasur even in Port Resolution, but that first night we didn't see or hear anything.
We decided to hike from Port Resolution to Mt Yasur and arranged for a truck ride back. We had heard that the trucks tended to get up there a bit late and we wanted plenty of time to explore and take photos (optimally you want to arrive during late afternoon and stay until after dark so that you witness the volcano in both the day and night). Plus it just feels more 'proper' to hike up a volcano than to be driven! We were told it would take us about 2-1/2 to 3 hours, and that most of the walk was pretty easy, with just the last 20 minutes or so being difficult. If one drives (four wheel drive being necessary), you can get right up to the base of the volcano, which then leaves you with an easy 5-10 minute walk up to the rim. The walk was mostly uneventful, although attractive, as we eased our way along a dirt road surrounded by lush green flora. Along the way we stopped near Shark's Bay to view a bungalow being built high up in a Banyan tree. About half way to the volcano we heard our first rumble; it was a low deep growl that raised goose bumps of excitement on my skin ... I couldn't wait to see what came with that rumble! While I was excited at the chance to see an active volcano, I have to admit I was preparing myself to be disappointed. We had heard SO many glowing reports about the volcano, I figured there was no way it could live up to my extra high expectations. And while we had read about the dangers (including the three deaths to date), both in the guidebooks and on a few signs prior to entering the volcano's territory, I truly was thinking Just how dangerous could it be if thousands of tourist visit it each year? How naive I was on both accounts, our adventure on top of Mt Yasur turned out to be an adrenaline junkies dream; both life threatening and gripping. In addition, its power and brilliant light show easily exceeded my expectations.
By the time we entered the road that led up to Mt Yasur, its grumbling had turned to roaring and provided consistent background noise. Our anticipation was ever increasing. After already walking a good 2-1/2 hours the steep and rocky incline up proved difficult and took us about 45 minutes. Every time the road turned I would anxiously peer around hopeful that at any minute Mt Yasur would come into view. At last a barren ash covered field spotted with old lava rocks lay before me. And now we could easily see the plumes of smoke that accompanied each roar. Steam escaped from a number of vents and we could feel the warmth through the red and grey ashy dirt.
Just before heading up to the rim, we stopped at the "Volcano Post". The world's only post station on an active volcano! Okay, a bit cheesy in the tourist department, but how could we resist mailing a few post cards (unfortunately we had forgotten our address book when we flew out to Tanna, so our mailing list was a bit short). We didn't stay long, as we could now see the lava debris shooting skywards from within the volcano's crater, and like kids in a toy store, we had to see it NOW! I almost felt as though if we didn't get up there right away, then at that very moment Mt Yasur would go dormant and we would miss our one and only chance!
None of us were prepared for just how loud and heart-stopping the BANG of the eruptions would be; every time at least one, if not all, of us jumped. We rushed up to the edge of the volcano and peered down into a huge crater, where existed yet another crater, where all the action was occurring. At first we joked about not being close enough, but it didn't take long before we realized that we were plenty close after all. We were so amazed and stunned not only by the noise, but also the huge amount of debris that was flying out of the inner crater's mouth that we hadn't even managed to get out our camera gear. Chris & John (boys being boys) were harassing each other about their skittish jumps each time the volcano went off. KABAM!!! And Chris jumped back has John laughed and just as John was antagonizing him KABANG, another huge blast sent John jumping back and Chris laughing. The four of us stood looking into the crater, still goggling over the smoke, lava rock, and noise that emerged from the volcano when grrrRRRRR KaaAAABAAAM. And with that huge blast it went something like this among the four of us:
The four of us split into a mad frenzied confusion. Okay some kept their heads; John stood still and looked up tracking the huge lava ball that was now heading right for us. Chris moved, but still looked upwards, ensuring he was moving away from the potential landing spot of the magma rock.
MJ and I were a little less successful with our survival instincts. MJ went into such a panic that both laughing and running she peed her pants. Afterwards she couldn't remember if she had looked up or not. I, in one of my less intelligent moments, just plain out ran ... laughing, screaming, and shouting Where do I go? Where do I go? over and over. I didn't run very far, because in my panicked state I seemed to only be able to go left and right, as if dodging bullets. With each frantic turn came the only thought able to cross my silly mind Where do I go? (to which no one ever did answer!!!)
KAPLOP! The large piece of magma thundered to the ground ... having traveled just over our heads, and landing less than 15 feet from where we had all been standing barely moments before! Full of adrenaline and still just a bit overwhelmed with a range of emotions from shock and panic to giddiness, we all turned to stare at this foreign object that had just hurled itself towards us. It was as if we were looking at an alien; staring wide-eyed and not daring to approach. Of course the cameras came out immediately, it was a must that we get pictures of "our lava rock", but it still took a minute or two for the shock to subside enough for any of us to actually go near the rock. Once we had gained our wits we continued to laugh in amazement (and a bit of relief), and as the initial shock waned, Chris and John got to poking and playing with the over-heated piece of magma. Flames immediately emerged when Chris pushed a stick into the soft brightly glowing rock. He created a 'coconut face' by poking three holes into the lava rock, all of which fire spewed out of.
We had arrived on the rim alone, but now a few tourist were showing up, and we excitedly told them our story and showed them "our" lava rock. We also decided that perhaps we weren't standing in the best spot and moved a bit over on the rim, to what we hoped was a safer location. Both MJ and I were also lectured on the appropriate lava avoidance procedure (basically look up and wait to see where the debris is going to fall before moving --- do not just run blindly!). I guess it wasn't one of those facts of life we needed to learn growing up! Still, with each ear-splitting eruption it took huge amounts of will power to not turn and run. More than once I felt my head attempt to recede much like a turtle's into his shell, and after the 'our lava rock experience' my knees continued to tremor, right up until we were sitting back in the car park. I was scared, enthralled, overjoyed, and overwhelmed. I couldn't stop laughing, smiling, or shaking! It is no wonder that volcanoes are held as magical, spiritual places among natives. It is yet another example of just how powerful nature is and how much respect mother earth deserves.
As the sun set the show only became more spectacular. With the fading light, the magma that shot from within the crater now glowed a glorious red. It was the most brilliant fireworks display I've ever seen. Although Lonely Planet mentioned three erupting sections within the volcanic crater, we could only distinguish between two of them. One seemed to growl and moan before ejecting a small amount of magma with an earth shattering bang that sent everyone shrinking back from the rim ... it made up in noise what it lacked in display. The other ejected tremendous amounts of glowing magma high into the air, with a large amount landing on the inside of the outer crater (just below the rim where we stood). Both let forth huge amounts of smoke; sometimes brown and dense, other times light and grayish, and often accompanied by an intense sulphurous odor.
While I could've stood in awe and watched the show all night, it was also a bit stressful ... I was never relaxed, my heart rate was up, and with each loud explosion I'm sure I gained a few new white hairs. More often than not the BAMs and BANGs of the eruptions would shake the ground beneath us, reminding us of just how much force was used in expelling the large amounts of magma from within.
Periodically Chris went to check on "our" lava rock, reporting back over and over that yes, it was indeed still wicked hot! Heat be damned, he and John still managed to break off a chunk ... now there's a souvenir!
Finally, around 6:30pm we made our way down to the car park. Our ride was late so we sat in the back of another truck waiting, and watching the glow and intermittent explosions from above. We finally were calm enough to eat a snack (how silly to think we'd be able to 'picnic' up on the rim!). We still talked continuously about our experience and the amazing power of the volcano, chatting away as if we hadn't all been up there together! Just as we were getting ready to leave a huge earth shattering burst sent a brilliant display of red magma into the air, catapulting a gigantic piece way beyond the rim, where we could easily see its glow even from the car park!
Earlier we had learned that the current activity level of the volcano was classified as a "2". During levels 1 and 2 tourist are allowed up to the rim. At level 3 you are only allowed up to the car park (at the base of the volcano), and at levels 4 & 5 you are not allowed up the road at all. As we drove away, viewing the pulsing red piece of magma we all laughed at the idea of visiting an active volcano (at any level) in the States ... as if! Here there were no rules, no security or guides directing you, no rails to retain you, you are truly at your own risk! Between safety paranoia and law suits, such an attraction would never be 'allowed' in America.
Much like the hike up, the truck ride was an adventure in its own. First our ride never showed, but luckily another truck had a bit of room to spare. The truck struggled down, dropping into huge crater-like potholes on the tight, narrow dirt path (road is really too strong of a word for what we traveled over). Once on the slightly larger road, our speed increased throwing back huge puffs of dust and bouncing us all over the wooden benches of the open pickup. Once again we were covered in dirt and dust and exhausted from an extremely great time! After a cold beer at the Port Resolution Yacht Club (to toast our survival of flying lava), we took the dinghy back to Island Sonata, this night we could clearly see a splendid red glow emerging from just over the trees.
Back on Island Sonata the adrenaline still coursed through us and we endlessly chattered away as we reviewed our photographs and video. It was easy to laugh and joke since "our" lava rock missed us all, but it was daunting to think of just how dangerous it was up there! And we had to laugh at the group we rode back with, as they all wore hard hats, as if that would help at all if hit by flying lava. If the force of the flying rock alone didn't kill you, it would only be a matter of seconds before the extreme heat vaporized both the hard hat and ... well no need to get gross, you get the point.
As I attempted to drift off to sleep that night I was continuously awakened by the sound (in my dream) of Mt Yasur erupting, and my brain telling me to look up look up, don't close your eyes or it'll land on you! I would open my eyes to discover all was safe as I was in bed and sleeping was okay, but no matter how much I tried to relax into sleep, it took hours to finally let go. Still the next morning I would've gone back in a heart beat if we'd had the time!
August 24 - 29, 2006
We sailed around from the Evergreen mooring balls to Port Resolution on a beautifully clear day. We were against the wind and the seas were a bit uncomfortable, but Port Resolution was a must, as it provided easy access to Tanna's active volcano, Mt Yasur. It didn't take long before we spotted plumes of smoke emerging from the volcano's crater. It was easy to spot the big blows from the huge amounts of smoke that drifted upwards. We had heard that many people hear the rumblings and/or see the glow from Mt Yasur even in Port Resolution, but that first night we didn't see or hear anything.
We decided to hike from Port Resolution to Mt Yasur and arranged for a truck ride back. We had heard that the trucks tended to get up there a bit late and we wanted plenty of time to explore and take photos (optimally you want to arrive during late afternoon and stay until after dark so that you witness the volcano in both the day and night). Plus it just feels more 'proper' to hike up a volcano than to be driven! We were told it would take us about 2-1/2 to 3 hours, and that most of the walk was pretty easy, with just the last 20 minutes or so being difficult. If one drives (four wheel drive being necessary), you can get right up to the base of the volcano, which then leaves you with an easy 5-10 minute walk up to the rim. The walk was mostly uneventful, although attractive, as we eased our way along a dirt road surrounded by lush green flora. Along the way we stopped near Shark's Bay to view a bungalow being built high up in a Banyan tree. About half way to the volcano we heard our first rumble; it was a low deep growl that raised goose bumps of excitement on my skin ... I couldn't wait to see what came with that rumble! While I was excited at the chance to see an active volcano, I have to admit I was preparing myself to be disappointed. We had heard SO many glowing reports about the volcano, I figured there was no way it could live up to my extra high expectations. And while we had read about the dangers (including the three deaths to date), both in the guidebooks and on a few signs prior to entering the volcano's territory, I truly was thinking Just how dangerous could it be if thousands of tourist visit it each year? How naive I was on both accounts, our adventure on top of Mt Yasur turned out to be an adrenaline junkies dream; both life threatening and gripping. In addition, its power and brilliant light show easily exceeded my expectations.
By the time we entered the road that led up to Mt Yasur, its grumbling had turned to roaring and provided consistent background noise. Our anticipation was ever increasing. After already walking a good 2-1/2 hours the steep and rocky incline up proved difficult and took us about 45 minutes. Every time the road turned I would anxiously peer around hopeful that at any minute Mt Yasur would come into view. At last a barren ash covered field spotted with old lava rocks lay before me. And now we could easily see the plumes of smoke that accompanied each roar. Steam escaped from a number of vents and we could feel the warmth through the red and grey ashy dirt.
Just before heading up to the rim, we stopped at the "Volcano Post". The world's only post station on an active volcano! Okay, a bit cheesy in the tourist department, but how could we resist mailing a few post cards (unfortunately we had forgotten our address book when we flew out to Tanna, so our mailing list was a bit short). We didn't stay long, as we could now see the lava debris shooting skywards from within the volcano's crater, and like kids in a toy store, we had to see it NOW! I almost felt as though if we didn't get up there right away, then at that very moment Mt Yasur would go dormant and we would miss our one and only chance!
None of us were prepared for just how loud and heart-stopping the BANG of the eruptions would be; every time at least one, if not all, of us jumped. We rushed up to the edge of the volcano and peered down into a huge crater, where existed yet another crater, where all the action was occurring. At first we joked about not being close enough, but it didn't take long before we realized that we were plenty close after all. We were so amazed and stunned not only by the noise, but also the huge amount of debris that was flying out of the inner crater's mouth that we hadn't even managed to get out our camera gear. Chris & John (boys being boys) were harassing each other about their skittish jumps each time the volcano went off. KABAM!!! And Chris jumped back has John laughed and just as John was antagonizing him KABANG, another huge blast sent John jumping back and Chris laughing. The four of us stood looking into the crater, still goggling over the smoke, lava rock, and noise that emerged from the volcano when grrrRRRRR KaaAAABAAAM. And with that huge blast it went something like this among the four of us:
Wow look at that!
That one's huge ... oh my.
Oh my GOD it's coming this way.
AHHHHH.
The four of us split into a mad frenzied confusion. Okay some kept their heads; John stood still and looked up tracking the huge lava ball that was now heading right for us. Chris moved, but still looked upwards, ensuring he was moving away from the potential landing spot of the magma rock.
MJ and I were a little less successful with our survival instincts. MJ went into such a panic that both laughing and running she peed her pants. Afterwards she couldn't remember if she had looked up or not. I, in one of my less intelligent moments, just plain out ran ... laughing, screaming, and shouting Where do I go? Where do I go? over and over. I didn't run very far, because in my panicked state I seemed to only be able to go left and right, as if dodging bullets. With each frantic turn came the only thought able to cross my silly mind Where do I go? (to which no one ever did answer!!!)
KAPLOP! The large piece of magma thundered to the ground ... having traveled just over our heads, and landing less than 15 feet from where we had all been standing barely moments before! Full of adrenaline and still just a bit overwhelmed with a range of emotions from shock and panic to giddiness, we all turned to stare at this foreign object that had just hurled itself towards us. It was as if we were looking at an alien; staring wide-eyed and not daring to approach. Of course the cameras came out immediately, it was a must that we get pictures of "our lava rock", but it still took a minute or two for the shock to subside enough for any of us to actually go near the rock. Once we had gained our wits we continued to laugh in amazement (and a bit of relief), and as the initial shock waned, Chris and John got to poking and playing with the over-heated piece of magma. Flames immediately emerged when Chris pushed a stick into the soft brightly glowing rock. He created a 'coconut face' by poking three holes into the lava rock, all of which fire spewed out of.
We had arrived on the rim alone, but now a few tourist were showing up, and we excitedly told them our story and showed them "our" lava rock. We also decided that perhaps we weren't standing in the best spot and moved a bit over on the rim, to what we hoped was a safer location. Both MJ and I were also lectured on the appropriate lava avoidance procedure (basically look up and wait to see where the debris is going to fall before moving --- do not just run blindly!). I guess it wasn't one of those facts of life we needed to learn growing up! Still, with each ear-splitting eruption it took huge amounts of will power to not turn and run. More than once I felt my head attempt to recede much like a turtle's into his shell, and after the 'our lava rock experience' my knees continued to tremor, right up until we were sitting back in the car park. I was scared, enthralled, overjoyed, and overwhelmed. I couldn't stop laughing, smiling, or shaking! It is no wonder that volcanoes are held as magical, spiritual places among natives. It is yet another example of just how powerful nature is and how much respect mother earth deserves.
As the sun set the show only became more spectacular. With the fading light, the magma that shot from within the crater now glowed a glorious red. It was the most brilliant fireworks display I've ever seen. Although Lonely Planet mentioned three erupting sections within the volcanic crater, we could only distinguish between two of them. One seemed to growl and moan before ejecting a small amount of magma with an earth shattering bang that sent everyone shrinking back from the rim ... it made up in noise what it lacked in display. The other ejected tremendous amounts of glowing magma high into the air, with a large amount landing on the inside of the outer crater (just below the rim where we stood). Both let forth huge amounts of smoke; sometimes brown and dense, other times light and grayish, and often accompanied by an intense sulphurous odor.
While I could've stood in awe and watched the show all night, it was also a bit stressful ... I was never relaxed, my heart rate was up, and with each loud explosion I'm sure I gained a few new white hairs. More often than not the BAMs and BANGs of the eruptions would shake the ground beneath us, reminding us of just how much force was used in expelling the large amounts of magma from within.
Periodically Chris went to check on "our" lava rock, reporting back over and over that yes, it was indeed still wicked hot! Heat be damned, he and John still managed to break off a chunk ... now there's a souvenir!
Finally, around 6:30pm we made our way down to the car park. Our ride was late so we sat in the back of another truck waiting, and watching the glow and intermittent explosions from above. We finally were calm enough to eat a snack (how silly to think we'd be able to 'picnic' up on the rim!). We still talked continuously about our experience and the amazing power of the volcano, chatting away as if we hadn't all been up there together! Just as we were getting ready to leave a huge earth shattering burst sent a brilliant display of red magma into the air, catapulting a gigantic piece way beyond the rim, where we could easily see its glow even from the car park!
Earlier we had learned that the current activity level of the volcano was classified as a "2". During levels 1 and 2 tourist are allowed up to the rim. At level 3 you are only allowed up to the car park (at the base of the volcano), and at levels 4 & 5 you are not allowed up the road at all. As we drove away, viewing the pulsing red piece of magma we all laughed at the idea of visiting an active volcano (at any level) in the States ... as if! Here there were no rules, no security or guides directing you, no rails to retain you, you are truly at your own risk! Between safety paranoia and law suits, such an attraction would never be 'allowed' in America.
Much like the hike up, the truck ride was an adventure in its own. First our ride never showed, but luckily another truck had a bit of room to spare. The truck struggled down, dropping into huge crater-like potholes on the tight, narrow dirt path (road is really too strong of a word for what we traveled over). Once on the slightly larger road, our speed increased throwing back huge puffs of dust and bouncing us all over the wooden benches of the open pickup. Once again we were covered in dirt and dust and exhausted from an extremely great time! After a cold beer at the Port Resolution Yacht Club (to toast our survival of flying lava), we took the dinghy back to Island Sonata, this night we could clearly see a splendid red glow emerging from just over the trees.
Back on Island Sonata the adrenaline still coursed through us and we endlessly chattered away as we reviewed our photographs and video. It was easy to laugh and joke since "our" lava rock missed us all, but it was daunting to think of just how dangerous it was up there! And we had to laugh at the group we rode back with, as they all wore hard hats, as if that would help at all if hit by flying lava. If the force of the flying rock alone didn't kill you, it would only be a matter of seconds before the extreme heat vaporized both the hard hat and ... well no need to get gross, you get the point.
As I attempted to drift off to sleep that night I was continuously awakened by the sound (in my dream) of Mt Yasur erupting, and my brain telling me to look up look up, don't close your eyes or it'll land on you! I would open my eyes to discover all was safe as I was in bed and sleeping was okay, but no matter how much I tried to relax into sleep, it took hours to finally let go. Still the next morning I would've gone back in a heart beat if we'd had the time!
Harvard Study Wrongly Blames Soda For Obesity, Says Center For Consumer Freedom
Today, the Center for ConsumerFreedom questioned the findings of a report published Tuesday in theAmerican Journal of Clinical Nutrition which "discovered" that an extra canof non-diet soda a day can cause 15 pounds of weight gain in a year. Thereview, conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health, entirely missesthe commonsense point that 150 extra calories of anything will cause peopleto gain weight. "It doesn't take a Harvard Ph.D. [click link for full article]
From the Arctic Chill to the Tropics
Ah, another bus ride worth remembering! I have arrived in the Philippines...
MONDAY 21: The first day was spent in Manila just hanging around. S and I went to see Intramuros, which is the old part of town. There are a bunch of cool old churches and whatnot as well as a fort where a revolutioniary of the Philippies called Rizel was held for some time before finally being executed. It rained the whole time we were walking around; we were soaked (August and September is their rainy season)! All we wanted was a nice hot coffee and lo and behold, what did we find...sadly enough, a Starbucks! I know, I know.... I hate Starbucks, but sometimes the old tried and true is...just too good to be true. After a nice hot mocha and some time to plan our next move, we went back out into the pouring rain. Next we went to the mall of Asia, which is either the biggest mall in Asia or maybe the whole world, I couldn't quite figure that one out. We didn't spend much time there - we got a massage, ate and watched a movie (all in English with no subtitles; it is just like being at home).
TUESDAY 22: Our next move was to go up to the north to a city called Banaue, where the 2000 year old, world famous rice terraces are. To get there, we had to take a 9 hour bus ride which left Manila at 10 pm. Now, having taken many bus rides in Australia and other SE Asia countries, I consider myself a pro at the bus riding experience. Rule number one: take warm clothes because they always crank up the AC on the bus. Rule number two: take a pillow on overnight rides becuase the seats are not that comfy. So I took a makeshift pillow and got ready for a long bus ride. I was not even close to being prepared. The bus was about 30 degrees inside the whole time. I was freezing! I finally used my pillow as a blanket, but was still not warm (and now I also did not have a pillow). I think over the course of 9 hours, I perhaps slept... 20 mintues. It was so uncomfortable! Finally we arrived in Banaue, found a place to stay, had breakfast and warmed up a bit. We took a nice tour of the rice terraces, which are soooo cool, and then had some food (the best veggie curry ever! I am not having too many problems with the whole vegetarian thing yet) and went to bed around 7 pm (yeah, pathetic, I know) thinking to just have a nap but ending up sleeping the whole night through.
WEDNESDAY 23: The next day we went to a town called Sagada, where there are hanging coffins and caves. We went caving and got to crawl through really small spaces, climb around on limestone falls and wade through water while holding our cameras high up in the air... We ate the "famous" yogurt, which was good but a bit sour, drank the "famous" rice wine, which tasted like apple juice gone bad and was not very good and hung out and played cards since it was still pouring down rain (who decided to come to the Philippines during the rainy season anyway?)
THURSDAY 24: Travel day... 5 hour jeepney ride on dirt roads from Sagada to Banaue, 9 hour bus ride back to Manila, 20 minute cab ride to the airport where we got ripped off by the cabbie when he said (after starting the journey) that his "meter didn't work", 1 hour flight to Boracay...
FRIDAY 25 and SATURDAY 26: Boracay. Finally, we arrive in a place where wonder of wonders...it is NOT RAINING!!! Yay. We found a bungalow close to the beach and have been relaxing, swimming, snorkeling and eating (a lot! I am a bottomless pit!) Today we plan on taking a sailing trip around the island, maybe renting motorbikes and riding around the island, doing some diving, windsurfing, kayaking... I am already sunburnt and perfectly happy about that... It is so nice to see the sunshine!
Next stop to be determined at a later date. S and I are planning on meeting up with Doyle and Rachel at some point, perhaps in Palawan or Cebu, two other islands in the Philippines. More later and photos will be forthcoming..!
MONDAY 21: The first day was spent in Manila just hanging around. S and I went to see Intramuros, which is the old part of town. There are a bunch of cool old churches and whatnot as well as a fort where a revolutioniary of the Philippies called Rizel was held for some time before finally being executed. It rained the whole time we were walking around; we were soaked (August and September is their rainy season)! All we wanted was a nice hot coffee and lo and behold, what did we find...sadly enough, a Starbucks! I know, I know.... I hate Starbucks, but sometimes the old tried and true is...just too good to be true. After a nice hot mocha and some time to plan our next move, we went back out into the pouring rain. Next we went to the mall of Asia, which is either the biggest mall in Asia or maybe the whole world, I couldn't quite figure that one out. We didn't spend much time there - we got a massage, ate and watched a movie (all in English with no subtitles; it is just like being at home).
TUESDAY 22: Our next move was to go up to the north to a city called Banaue, where the 2000 year old, world famous rice terraces are. To get there, we had to take a 9 hour bus ride which left Manila at 10 pm. Now, having taken many bus rides in Australia and other SE Asia countries, I consider myself a pro at the bus riding experience. Rule number one: take warm clothes because they always crank up the AC on the bus. Rule number two: take a pillow on overnight rides becuase the seats are not that comfy. So I took a makeshift pillow and got ready for a long bus ride. I was not even close to being prepared. The bus was about 30 degrees inside the whole time. I was freezing! I finally used my pillow as a blanket, but was still not warm (and now I also did not have a pillow). I think over the course of 9 hours, I perhaps slept... 20 mintues. It was so uncomfortable! Finally we arrived in Banaue, found a place to stay, had breakfast and warmed up a bit. We took a nice tour of the rice terraces, which are soooo cool, and then had some food (the best veggie curry ever! I am not having too many problems with the whole vegetarian thing yet) and went to bed around 7 pm (yeah, pathetic, I know) thinking to just have a nap but ending up sleeping the whole night through.
WEDNESDAY 23: The next day we went to a town called Sagada, where there are hanging coffins and caves. We went caving and got to crawl through really small spaces, climb around on limestone falls and wade through water while holding our cameras high up in the air... We ate the "famous" yogurt, which was good but a bit sour, drank the "famous" rice wine, which tasted like apple juice gone bad and was not very good and hung out and played cards since it was still pouring down rain (who decided to come to the Philippines during the rainy season anyway?)
THURSDAY 24: Travel day... 5 hour jeepney ride on dirt roads from Sagada to Banaue, 9 hour bus ride back to Manila, 20 minute cab ride to the airport where we got ripped off by the cabbie when he said (after starting the journey) that his "meter didn't work", 1 hour flight to Boracay...
FRIDAY 25 and SATURDAY 26: Boracay. Finally, we arrive in a place where wonder of wonders...it is NOT RAINING!!! Yay. We found a bungalow close to the beach and have been relaxing, swimming, snorkeling and eating (a lot! I am a bottomless pit!) Today we plan on taking a sailing trip around the island, maybe renting motorbikes and riding around the island, doing some diving, windsurfing, kayaking... I am already sunburnt and perfectly happy about that... It is so nice to see the sunshine!
Next stop to be determined at a later date. S and I are planning on meeting up with Doyle and Rachel at some point, perhaps in Palawan or Cebu, two other islands in the Philippines. More later and photos will be forthcoming..!
Kayıtlar
