Vanuatu Holiday Hotel Port Vila

... nearby, being prepped for their eventual release back to the sea. We didn’t stay long, but left with a hope that the efforts of the sanctuary would lead to a renewal in numbers and also in developing the centre to its full potential.

As quickly as our holiday began, we found ourselves back on a plane and heading home. Our holiday may have only lasted a week but the memories of Vanuatu and its people left ...

... which isn't a big deal until you realize that this is the capital of the country I'm talking about. I am starting to get more and more excited about getting away from the crowds and out on the water to see some of the natural beauty. We've been playing phone tag with Natalie all day, so I still don't know when/where I will be meeting up with them. But tomorrow I will be having lunch with Katie, the girl who ...

... for stunning views over Port Vila. The next day we went for a couple of dives off Hideaway Island including a small wreck dive. The water was 31 degrees celcius, the warmest water we've dived in yet and visibility was 20m + We then dived down to the world's only underwater post office to post home our waterproof postcards! Tacky but had to be done! After only a week in Vanuatu we're packed up and ready for our East Coast Australia adventure.....

... to our bungalow with spa and luxury bed. A spa and stroll on the beach later and exhausted we hit the sack. Yesterday we met our wedding photographer and discussed wet weather plans and no dress situation! Afterwards strolled the shops and made plans for the week whilst drowning in the torrential rain. Despite the weather the place is cool and as there is so much to do we are planning another week here! Exciting!!

... I've ever run so fast down a Volcano; actually make that a hill, in all my life. Heart pounding like it never has before; we leaped into the Land Rover & sped off down the dusty mountain side. I do believe we were safe but as our guide said to us, ''You never know what the next eruption will bring''. I've done a lot of adrenaline fueled sports, but the feelings I was experiencing from this trip covered the entire spectrum. I hope one day I will get the ...

... we could catch the boat out to the island. It would cost us 3000 Vatu to have the taxi driver take us there and wait to take us back again. We agreed. I had been reading about Bislama in different books so soon after we started out, I tried out a phrase on our driver. "Nem blong yu?" I asked. He responded with arched eyebrows: "nem blong mi Nick." He thought a moment, and then asked in English "you have been here before?" I said that this was our first visit. "Then ...

... All the people we met were very friendly and helpful. Near the outdoor tourist market, there were several groups of men playing the French game of pétanque, similar to the Italian bocce ball. Originally from the south of France where life was lived at a slower pace, pétanque seemed a good fit for the climate and life in Vanuatu. We returned to the hotel and got ready for dinner. That evening we would attend a Melanesian meal on the beach, including a taste of Kava, various meat ...

... at Calvin's place as he had just moved in so it was a good occasion as any to go and invade (you just invite yourself to things here and its all cool). We had a BBQ (well until it rained) and it was good fun. I was slightly worried about the food as they cooked on an old rusty grill which looked like it had better years but I was in the company of many med students (or babydocs as we call them) so if I got sick I was in the right place! I went to Champagne Beach ...

... A woman with huge shears is getting on our flight. The plane holds 15 people, the pilot gives us our safety instructions, in Bislama, and off we go. During the 40 minute flight he's reading the paper, open wide, and eating an apple. I have pictures to prove it. We land, and someone from the resort is there to greet us... we get our bags from baggage claim, which is a window where the baggage cart (pushed by hand) rolls up. We hop into the world's dustiest station wagon and ...

... Voyage crew gathered up their snorkel gear in hopes of finding the sea cow, unfortunately there were no sightings. The following morning, September 23, crew had the opportunity to go for a snorkel and we were lucky enough to swim with a lonely little sea turtle as well as a multitude of brightly colored fish hiding in the coral. By 1330 hrs we weighed anchor and began our passage south towards Efate, with the winds blowing from the southeast we motor sailed into the wind. By ...