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

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.

my first day in Vila

I arrived at midnight of a Saturday .. on the 9th of February. Mum was absolutely stoked when I got here.. she finally has someone to see the wonderful places with & to help her settle down. We decided to go to explore the town the very next day. Not very brilliant of us as Vila on Sundays is a ghost town. Apart from some cafes, everything (which isn’t really much) is closed.

My first impression of Vila was: ‘this is it?! THIS is downtown?!’.

Then again folks I came from Canberra. That was EXACTLY what I said about Northbourne Avenue from the Murray’s bus when we were passing through downtown Canberra. So I sucked it in & thought.. at least it has brilliant views.

We decided to cross the ferry to Iririki to have the Sunday Traditional Buffet. The buffet was ok, the traditional singing was a bit funny. But it was an awesome first day spent bonding with mum, exploring Iririki Island Resort & getting my first glimpse of Vila.

Mum with a view of Vila from the jetty

Iririki Jetty before the refurbishment

View of Vila from the iririki jetty

Iririki cottages