Tag: Vanuatu

ARRIVING VANUATU AND HOSPITAL VISIT

My first taste of Vanuatu Tusker Beer, its good. Photo Ray Penson

On the way down from Lata I had developed ugly looking ulcers around my mouth and lips.  I was worried about what was causing them, I set off to find the hospital.  It was a long walk to the hospital along the road to the airstrip.  I managed to arrive before the doctor finished for the day.  I told the doctor about my recent malaria and the drugs I was taking.  He responded that the ulcers were a common side effect of the Primaquine tablets I was taking.  The doctor gave me some multivitamin pills and said the ulcers will clear up when I finish the course of treatment.  That was a relief, it wasn’t some flesh-eating tropical disease.

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STRUCK DOWN WITH MALARIA

Truce anchored at Shaw Point. Photo Ray Penson

The speed picked up and I furled the yankee.  We raced ahead through the night with just the staysail and double reefed main.  It was blowing gale force now and we were going too fast.  My illness had returned again.  I was in a bad way, sleeping on the cockpit seats.  I just had to let the boat go, Mickey was doing a great job of steering and I seemed to be drifting in and out of consciousness.  At one stage we took a wave into the cockpit, I was washed off the seat into the cockpit well, sloshing around in the water with a bucket and a bunch of ropes.  I just climbed back on the seat and went back to sleep, soaking wet.  Truce could look after herself. 

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COASTING SAN CRISTOBAL ISLAND, SOLOMONS

Another sunrise in the Solomon islands. Photo Ray Penson

I noticed I was being followed so stopped to see what was going on.  The gentlemen approached me and introduced himself, he was a policemen.  Would I like to come to the station for a chat?  I had nothing else to do and this seemed interesting so I tagged along.  It transpired that the novelty of a non local white man wandering around has aroused their curiosity – that was all.  We had a good chat.  I was happy to take my time as the room was air conditioned and it was hot outside.  Soon I was on my way again and did a bit of shopping with the last of my cash at a local store before returning to the boat. 

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