Millennium cave

Philip and Julia were over from Australia for a week so we decided to visit the Millennium cave. Annie had to stay behind as she had had a fall. We drove for an hour into the bush and, when almost there, found a stuck truck. We tried pushing him out but his shiny bald tyres span furiously. I then tried pulling him out which worked but in the process I blew the top off my radiator!! Enveloped in steam we abandoned the car and went to find the caves.

It was an hours walk through two villages along muddy paths through the tropical rainforest with two guides. The damp smell was so reminiscent of the Solomons.
We paused to have our faces painted, whether to prepare us for the descent or to ward off evil spirits, well who cares. Now came the descent down into the valley. We climbed down ladders, often with a rung or two missing and eventually reached the Sarakata river as it penetrated under a mountain.

    

Our guide handed out head torches and we spent the next 30 minutes following the river through its tunnel under the mountain. The course was about 20 feet wide and usually about 40 feet tall and we stumbled and struggled over boulders then waist deep into the river to cross to another boulder. Fortunately the stream was not strong. The walls were scoured by the river over centuries and in places stalactites were forming.

 

After a rest we then started the 45 minute descent down the Sarakata river. We were given childrens' inflatable rings which kept on deflating. I think the good equipment had been given to a group that went before us. Now followed periods of floating down between the high sides of a gorge then scrambling over rocks to the next quiet stretch. The guides were very good and made sure we were not swept into the fast stream.

Swimming down the river at the bottom of the canyon was exhilarating.  There was no way out at the sheer cliffs were 60 foot high. We had to keep on and every now and again the river grew shallow and we could stand or sometimes clamber over rocks. Waterfalls cascaded down the sides of the canyon.

 

Having reached the end we climbed up a dry water course and then with the help of a ladder of two we reached the top and back to the village. Collecting as much water as we could we filled the radiator and Philip threaded some wire round to try to hold the top on.

We then drove gently mostly in third gear down the road for the next 45 minutes arriving safely in Luganville without it boiling until we stopped. Raoule is fixing it with a super glue at the moment! We have ordered a new one but it will take 2 months to arrive from Japan!

At the end of the day Julia, Philip and I congratulated ourselves for having completed the trip without mishap. It was an achievement.