Reporting on severe weather over the last few years has brought me very close to the extremes of nature. From the worst bushfires to the worst floods in Australia's history, I've seen and heard how intense, terrifying, and unrelenting the weather can be. The sounds can be deafening and the images, frightening.
Last weekend, I experienced the incredible force of nature again, only this time it wasn't coming from the sky, but the earth. Mt Yasur volcano on Tanna Island in Vanuatu is the most accessible active volcano on the planet and I couldn't believe how close I was able to get to the roaring earth and spitting lava. The blast of lava sounded like bombs exploding and the fireworks display of fire, lava, rocks and smoke was extraordinary.
The journey to the volcano is as rewarding as the volcano itself. As you 4WD through the lush jungle, you see villages full of the smiling happy faces of locals who appear genuinely excited and happy to see you. Children swing from trees or wave shyly from the road, amongst wild horses and the traditional huts they live in. It's hard to believe that all of this is only a 3 hour flight from Sydney.
The road to Mt Yasur is more like a dirt track with enormous potholes and takes about 2 hours each way. As you approach the volcano, vegetation and villages disappear to reveal a stark, grey moonscape plain of volcanic ash, with Mt Yasur blowing smoke and roaring in the distance.
As the 4WD descends up the volcano, steam leaks out from the volcanic earth. Just before the short walk up to the volcano rim you'll find a post box- the only one on a volcano in the world!
The best time to view Mt Yasur is in the late afternoon/evening when the colours are most pronounced. I was lucky enough to see it at Level 2 which is a lot of activity yet still safe enough to view. If the volcanic activity reaches Level 3 it is too dangerous to go up and see it.
