So, we managed to stay up until midnight, in fact we went to bed at 4. Lots of beer, rum from water pistols, cava and being soaked by water. It was basically a big, messy, fun night.
Our only horror was to discover that tradition also dictates dragging people out of bed the next morning and throwing water on them. We had a knock on our door at about 8.30 which we ignored for about 15 minute until we realised they weren’t going away. Mark got up and was lead down to the sea to get soaked. The girls came into to tell me that everyone had been ‘got’ and that I’d be on the list and prob couldn’t avoid it. Mark came back and went back to bed. When the 2nd knock came 20 mins later I accepted it was my turn – put on my swimming stuff, sarong and sunglasses, wentbout and allowed the girls to throw 2 buckets if water over me – they did it so charmingly, I had to let then off! They then lead me down to breakfast where I, drenched to the bone, nursed a cup of tea and dobbed Mark into the boys, telling them he’d gone back to bed. So they went off to get him up and drench him again – ha ha!!

The initial water covering is actually quite refreshing and wakes you up, but about an hour later our hangovers came back and we spent most of new years day in various places laying around.
We got laughed at by everyone because shortly after dinner, about 9pm, we sloped off to bed – first to give in. But we have since learned everyone else followed soon after.
A sober and early night and next day we were getting to boat to Tuvununu, which felt a bit like going home, so it wasn’t too sad to leave Maqai – but sad to leave some more lovely people.