Falling Coconuts, Mishaps With Machetes And Other Misadventures.

Three weeks on a remote island with a bunch of teenagers is never boring.

Travelling to Vanuatu as a 15 yr old was an adventure (you can read part 1 here)

It seemed that at every point, something happened, and someone injured themselves.

Sprained ankles, dislocated fingers, injured knees, crushed fingers (that required teammates to seek medical treatment on another island)

One guy even managed to badly slice his hand with a machete, not something that you want to happen in the tropics where the risk of infection is high.

One day, teammates found some small chillies, thinking they weren’t that hot, and dared others to eat them. Unfortunately, I think someone managed to get chilli all over their face and in their eyes. The instigators felt terrible but also got into serious trouble with the team leaders.

Thankfully, other than ongoing issues with my feet not drying out, somehow, I managed to escape any injuries.

Another day, a group of us were sitting outside on the hill. My chosen spot was leaning against a coconut tree. As I was busy looking down in my notebook, trying to find something, I suddenly felt this thump on my head.

A coconut had fallen!

Surprisingly, there was very little damage to me (coconuts are heavy and hard). I even managed to make a dent in the coconut as it fell! I’m not sure if that says more about the coconut or my thick skull.

We got our revenge on the said coconut a little later as we cut it open, but the story has stayed with me, and now I don’t sit under coconut trees.

The guy who sliced his hand with a machete didn’t stop him from bringing it back, along with several other team members who had also bought machetes as souvenirs (like half the team). It made getting through customs quite interesting, particularly with such a large group.

Customs decided to split the group in two. Those with machetes going in one line and the rest in the other.

Australia being an island means that customs are quite strict regarding what can and can’t be brought back into the country. For one of my team leaders, the only souvenir she brought back was a pencil.

Customs took it off her because the wood wasn’t treated. I’m sure there are other things I have brought back that have more potential risk yet somehow managed to get through customs. It just depends on who you have who is checking your items.

All of these stories of mishaps sound like it was a terrible or at least very dangerous trip. Honestly, not really. We just did what teenagers did. I have fond memories of this trip, and while I haven’t kept in contact with the majority of the people, it was a time that I will never forget and has led to many more travel adventures.

Interested in reading more about my travels here is another story that you might like.

Melissa is passionate about building authentic and supportive communities to empower people to live physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy lives.

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