Hiding Away on his last day

On his last full day in the islands, I decided to take the boy to Hideaway Island. He’s been there for almost a week and he still failed to tan. So off to Hideaway we went with my brother to make a final attempt at getting some colour on this half pom, some snorkelling, lots and lots of lounging around and of course taking loads of holiday shots that we can look back on with longing when we are freezing are arses off when we are back in Australia.

Mitch

Chay

Rex

Hanging Out Island Style

Mitch was booked for 3 nights at Moorings Hotel, a small boutique hotel on Lini Highway right on the edge of central Port Vila.

It’s a good sized resort, not too big that you are inundated by running children and screaming families. There are plenty of pool lounges and beach towels to go around. The room is just right, nothing fancy, but definitely adequate. Location is also ideal because the town is just a lazy 5-10 minute waterfront walk. It also has a bar & grill and a night club attached to it.

What I like most about it (and the main reason I recommended this to Jack) is that is right on the water unlike most of the smaller resorts in hotels in Port Vila.

I woke up on Mitch/Jack’s second day in Vanuatu with a flu – fever, colds and cough. The other activities lined up for the trip required leaving the resort for long periods of time or a lot of holiday energy which, in that state, I didn’t have.  So we decided to stay at Mooring’s and exploit the beautiful view and the infinity pool.

We sat on lounge chaises overlooking the Port Vila Harbour while the sky turned from this:

to this

drank Tusker and took photos against the breathtaking background

Mitch’s first morning in Vanuatu @ Iririki Island Resort

SO Mitch (who is,  for some weird reason,  called Jack in this blog) left for Sydney and then Melbourne yesterday arvo after a whirlwind week here in Vila.

These posts are post dated and will come in Gratitude Journal form because that is what this magical, indescribable week has made me feel the most: INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL.

1. Thank you for allowing us to be together in my second home/favourite tropical paradise.

Jack decided to come for a week to Vanuatu 2 days before I left. we were on a tram to St. Kilda and I was telling him how awesome Port Vila is and i said “oh I wish I you could see Port Vila!” I looked out the window, looked back at him with my puppy dog eyes and said in my sweetest voice “‘why couldn’t you go again?”

And the rest, as they say, is history

2. Thank you for the Iririki ferry that picks us up from the city harbour to ferry us to Iririki Island Resort after paying a consumable fee of Vt1500 (around $15) and that came to pick us up after a day of frolicking and fun.

3. Thank you for the beautiful weather. It was overcast and cloudy but considering tropical thunderstorms and torrential downpour was forecasted for the day we were extremely grateful for weather that allowed us to leave our hotel.

4. Thnk you for the time Jack was able to take to rest, unwind, chill and relax

5. Thank you for the opportunity to lounge around in the beautiful Pacific ocean

There’s an empty chair here. we guard it closely.

Hello from sunny Port Vila!I haven’t really been up to much. Still finding my feet in this sandy place.

However,  I did manage to

• help mum move from our lovely house with this view

view from Villa 5 of Sea Side Villas

to an apartment at The Melanesian Resort with this view

from Unit 28 of The Melanesian

• Be my obnoxious local self exploiting resort facilities without paying a single Vatu while bonding with my brother

Rex & Tusker @ Le Lagon

• Catch up with beloved old friends and hear the gossip about the colourful characters in this city

Will & Poli, Rusty for lunch at La Tentacion

• and even out my tan

Le Lagon

I hope i had more exciting news.. but alas.. the island makes me lazy.

But he’s coming on Wednesdays and adventures will be had then!!

I

WE CANNOT FRIGGIN WAIT!!!

Ale Tata! Lukim yu!

(that’s Ok bye! See you! in Bislama)

I finally found the words..

I’ve been meaning to find the words to describe KAKULA..

It is after all my most favourite place in the world.

The place will forever be tattooed in my mind but I wanted a post that would remind me that once three times in my lifetime..

I have been to paradise.

KAKULA IS THE PERFECT PLACE…

‘

it’s a sign

Often times in Vanuatu you are walking along, minding your own business when suddenly you are confronted by a hilarious sign or graffiti that would make you smile, laugh and nudge your companion so you can both have a giggle.

Here’s just some that made me whip out my camera.

“Love is like an ice cream LINK it before it melts.”

Oh indeed.

Rex & I can’t stop giggling when we saw this.

Whitegrass International Airport; Tanna Island, Vanuatu

“You stole my heart when you say you love me. You break my heart when you say you gonne leave me”

Rex & i loved the poetry.

Whitegrass International Airport; Tanna Island, Vanuatu

you want my WHAT?! checked by security?!

ummmm.. spell check anyone?!!

Whitegrass International Airport; Tanna Island, Vanuatu

Mum’s never ending birthday

It started on Saturday, the 24th. her actual birthday. We went to the The Sebel to try their breakfast buffet. It’s actually a very good deal for VT1500 pp. It was surprisingly awesome. Trick is to go there late (it goes til noon) so it’s considered brunch and heap it up!

I’m not trying for the celebrity hiding from the paparazzi look. The annoying truth is I’ve had this really fug eye sty throughout this weekend. I committed the mortal sin of wearing sunnies indoors. Outrage! I’ve always hated people who wore sunnies inside malls and shops. But I thought it’s better to commit the taboo rather than have people think I’m winking at them.

So after our posh brunch we walked to the market and I let mum run amok and buy to her heart’s content. I usually follow her around like a pesky mosquito reminding her not to buy too much as we can’t carry it, that we don’t need that, it’ll never be eaten and it will go to waste. But that day, I kept mum (pun intended) whilst my arms slowly got dislocated as she passed me bags of steak, star fruits, coconuts (4!!!!) and flowers. We then went to Au Bon Mache for a quick whirl for things we so desperately need.

Love Thursday #2

Yeah.. I know it’s supposed to be posted on Thursdays but my internet’s been acting up again.

Me & my man on our own patch of paradise

Love..

…this particular beach – Kakula. Our own little island.

…the many shades of blue from the sea to the sky..

…this particular morning in a secluded stretch of beautiful white sand reading, snoozing, chatting, cuddling, wading, bonding.

…this photo. so chill. so relaxed. just like we were.

either.. or.

My man took this photo when we were at Iririki the other weekend.

I thought this photo turned out either really bad or really good.

Was it the flower, the angle, or the lighting that made me look completely different!?

I look about 10.. hiding something really suss in my bag.

Filos in Vila

My first week here I confined myself to our house – watching endless movies and TV shows and devouring the books I brought from Australia. I got to know our house girl Lorina and the different security guards that came to sit outside our house 24/7. I ventured into town twice. Once to do the grocery at Au Bon Mache. And the next when I had a sudden craving for beer and walked to find the first pub that would serve me a cold one. I didn’t mind going about it alone for a while. I needed to wrap my head around the place first by myself. But after a week I was getting a bit antsy and was looking for company I could talk to.

Good thing mum aranged for me to meet the Filipinos around my age. They picked us up, took us to dinner at the fabulous L’houstalet and then drinks at the Waterfront. I finally met people I could hang out with! Michelle, Ron, Jom & Kuya Rolex were awesome company! They were funny and they drink!!! There’s nothing like being around Filipinos in a foreign country.

After that first night, they’d always pick me up from the house and helped me adjust to the Port Vila lifestyle. We exploited the facilities of swam and played table tennis at Le Lagon. Went on night outs to Voodoo and Waterfront. And they gave me amusing running commentary of the characters here in Vila.

Here’s the people who gave me back my sanity on my first few weeks.

with my beloved friend michelle @ honeymoon beach on easter

mum & i at Waterfront on our first night out with the filos.

kuya lex, jom & ron after swimming at le lagon

i love these 2! my yosi buddy ron & michelle my partner in crime