Miracles on Tanna Island
How we won with the system, then lost with the system and at the end had the most wonderful week on the far-away island of Vanuatu (South Pacific).
South Pacific
After she has already visited 25 countries, we asked 4,5-year-old Hanna: – Where next?
Experiencing already some few-month-long family trips to different parts of the world, our dream was to go as far as possible and it made us smile, when Hanna answered: to Taka Tuka Land. Any idea where is it? Taka Tuka is the place where the father of Pippi Longstocking from Astrid Lindgrend‘s book is living. The book says: South Seas. That is nothing else than the Pacific Ocean!
So here we go: in April 2013 we started with our two kids Hanna and Mila in New Zealand: driving for 6 weeks on the northern and southern island, sleeping in the tent. Then we flew to The Kingdom of Tonga, we hitchhiked on a yacht to Fiji and then still spend some weeks in the most wild and exiting place we have ever seen: Vanuatu.
And here is still our pack list for our family outdoor trip trough New Zealand and the South Pacific.
Just…living in Vanuatu
So… we had in our hands a little paper with name „Saraken“. We knew he lives on the Atchin island (which is close to Malekula island in Vanuatu) and that his daughter Rachel works in Port Vila in a hotel. We knew he lives with his wife and little Nanneth, daughter of Rachel. And we Read More
Vanuatu: go further
The main island of Vanuatu: Efate, can be beautiful but can get also boring. We wanted to leave it as fast as possible, but we couldn’t.
You can’t go without it!
Laptops, tablets, smartphoes. Hey dear parents, you really can’t take care about your kids without those things??
Next stop: Vanuatu
Last year on the world’s largest tourism trade fair ITB Berlin, we talked with just few people. The nicest guy was from… Vanuatu. From where? Is it a country, a city, an island? How many people know the answer? And know anything about Vanuatu? Do you?
Video: Travel-singing together!
A little video of Hanna teaching the kids of Fiji how to sing “Brother John” nursery song. Music always bring people together!
What is a paradise?
Looks amazing? Like from those holidays’ folders, which annoy you, when you sit in your office or have to clean up at home? Blue sky, turquoise ocean, palm trees. So far away and so inaccessible?
Our Fijian lunch
Learning – is probably the most important thing during our travels. Learning more about ourselves, learning to listen and understand the others, learning new skills. So here we go. How to prepare a nice lunch without a shop in Fiji?
The smiles of Fiji
„Miss of White Smile“, „Miss Extra Sugar Free“, „Best Smile of the Island“? Oh come on, ALL the smiles of Fiji are awesome. Let’s copy them? ;)
IN the Fijian village
How amazing is to get into a village of strangers, with so different culture and habits and give each other the happiness of just being together, watching each other and learning new things, from each other.
Lovely old Levuka town
There are a bit more than a 1,000 people living in this Levuka town nowadays and for few days we met maybe 5 white faces. Can you imagine that in 1870s there were 52 hotels full of Europeans?
Fiji: the first impressions!
Fiji is the 50th country I have visited. And I can already tell you: it’s my new favourite country.
Hitchhiking a sailboat with kids?
Ocean, ocean, ocean for days and nights? This is a feeling not-to-forget-ever! Have you ever hitchhiked from Tonga to Fiji? ;)
Eat like the local in Tonga!
Looong weeks in Tonga are a very good lesson of biology: which of those things, which are moving you can eat? Which of those leaves and fruits are edible?
Little death on the road
2 weeks knocked out? No mama, no wife, no talks. Just a bed and thousands of thoughts.
Unforgettable 24-hours ferry trip
After watching those pictures you might say: too crowded, too many people, too dirty. And you might be right. But those 24 hours on the ferry from south to north of Tonga was our best experience in this country.
3 days alone on an uninhabited island
The best thing about 3 days on the empty island? We could run naaaaaked ;) The worst? No sweet water sucks.
Hot Bruno likes snow
Since our first days in Tonga we kept on hearing about this guy. At the end we bumped into him on a small island. And his name is… Bruno Banani.
Church music in Tonga. Wow.
We are not exactly the people, who would visit few churches every Sunday! But in Tonga – it’s not only a mass but the most important social and community time. And the concert! Switch into HD quality and listen.
Ahhh Eua beautiful island!
So we are moving through Tonga! By the ferries, boats, hitch-hiking on some jeeps and sometimes on our 4 big and 4 small feet.