“There was nowhere to go but everywhere, so just keep on rolling under the stars.” — Jack Kerouac
A 9 hour hike through desert-like caldera, volcanic ash slopes, deep jungle and slippery rocks led us to this active volcano in Ambrym. We were guided by our fearless & barefoot local, Jeffri, who maybe had all of 2 sips of water throughout the trek. Although he spoke rough English, he was happy to sing along to Bob Marley tunes with me to pass the time. Upon reaching the peak, you could feel sulfur scraping at your lungs. Initially we thought it would be too cloudy to see any red glow, but once we peaked over the ledge (nothing stopping us from slip sliding), the clouds cleared and we could see red lava dancing and spurting about. It was easily one of the most physically grueling things I’ve ever done, to see one of the most awesome sights I’ve ever seen.
In the words of bob, could you be lava’d…
In the jungle of Pentecost Island in Vanuatu, was lucky enough to get the privilege to see the ritual of the land divers. The original spiritual inspiration for bungee jumpers, these young guys fling themselves from bamboo towers with only a vine tied to their ankles. Before jumping, they choose the chant that they want the rest of their tribe to sing and dance to. Then they land on a pile of soft dirt and if they don’t jump just right, the vines may snap. One of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen.
The Make Me Feel Like Castro cocktail from a small, quirky bar named Mea Culpa on Ponsoby Street in Auckland. Havana Club 7 y.o rum, Rosso Antico, Chartreuse, old fashioned bitters & orange bitters make this drink. Some other noteworthy concoctions:
- Honey & Clove Margarita- Honey & Clove infused Arette Blanco tequila, Grand Marnier, lime & a ginger salt rim
- High Tea Collins- Earl Grey infused Tanqueray gin, lemon, sugar, egg, angostura bitters & seltzer water
- Miyagi Mule- Zubrowka vodka, wasabi, lemon, cucumber, sugar & ginger beer
- Wrong Season Cocktail- Ardbeg whiskey, pumpkin and rosemary syrup, Amaro Montenegro, chocolate bitters & lavender mist
Such a beautiful couple are the masterminds behind the brilliant cocktail list at this lucky find. Many thanks for raising all our spirits with your spirits and helping us out with a little job research.
