Vanuatu....Tanna...Yumi....

Yumi....Yumi a song woke me up from my slumber. The air hostess announced that Yumi in Bislama language means "We" and it is the National anthem of Vanuatu.

Yes, I was on my way to Vanuatu. one of the South Pacific Islands.  This 
adventure of mine began from Australia. South Pacific islands fascinated me from my childhood. R. L Stevenson's Treasure Island, Somerset Maugham's Moon and Sixpence,  and the travelogues of Captain Cook played a considerable role in this.  

From the air, the green volcanic islands looked like emerald jewels set on a nice turquoise blue ocean.  It was the quest to see the living volcano on the island of Tanna plus the stories of Cargo Cult and about the Tanna Army USA parade!! inspired me to take that trip.  In Port Vila. the hotel arranged a volcano tour with Unity Airlines. We arrived at the White Grass airport which is a tiny landing strip. The pilot handed all the six of us to the local tour guide. With expectant faces we jumped into the land cruiser and the first stop was at the Ever green resort where we had breakfast. It was about 2 hours ride to Mt. Yasur. The rain forest and the lush green landscape makes you feel that one is walking thru the paintings of Monet.  Except for the small villages, few locals on the road and the yonder peak of Mount Tukosmera it felt like one is witnessing a silent drama.

 Gently the landscape changed to a volcanic sea of lava. Wrapped in wonder we got out of the Land cruiser to check out.  It looks like Mother Earth has spewed this lava to reinforce the island from the ravages of the sea.  After crossing the sea of  lava we arrived at the base of Mt. Yasur. 

We could hear the rumblings and the smoke.  "Look over here, this is the hiking path to the summit of Mt. Yasur. I will not come with you and you are taking your own risk. Do not go near the edge.  You are all lucky. Today the wind is on the opposite direction so the firing stones will not fall on you. If you are afraid stay with me at the base", our guide announced encouragingly!! None of us wanted to stay. It was the call of the volcano. We have to climb up and be an audience to that great nature's dance.

Up we climbed and the rumblings are now turning into thunderous. Mt. Yasur's crater is shaped like a horse shoe  and actually made up of two craters joined at the edge.  The level of the crater is below the summit and we could see the activity inside the crater.  The dance began with a rumbling, some smoke and then the fire balls of rocks were thrown out that fall into the crater again. The small chips, the  smoke and the fire escaped out of the crater towards the Sulphur bay.

I felt that the Volcano was holding my hand and showing its wonders. I stopped to take a deep breath and listened, first a sound and then a light all in a rhythmical pattern. The sense of accomplishment of climbing the summit vanished.  My comparison of the volcano to the cosmic dance of Shiva and the joy of that revelation too was gone. My thought process started to freeze and transformed to tranquility. At that moment I felt the presence of God.


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