May 24, 2009

Life in Vanuatu
We’re settling in here in Pt. Vila. We’re on a safe, secure mooring, protected from the strong winds and seas. The weather is noticeably cooler than Majuro: we’re out of the oppressive heat of the tropics. The days are comfortable and we even use a blanket on the bed at night. I’ve even started cooking again! It was too hot in Majuro to use the stove-top oven. The local farmer’s market is crammed with fresh fruits and vegetables at very reasonable prices. Everyone keeps telling us how expensive it is here, but they haven’t been to Majuro, where all the produce is flown in. We’re gorging ourselves on fruit for almost nothing. I made a fabulous frittata today with fresh spinach and yams, with lots of onion and garlic. YUM! There is a strong French influence here, so we are enjoying wonderful French baguettes.
All our Kiwi friends from home are encouraging us to stay up here for the winter, as the weather is so awful in NZ. We’re beginning to think that may be the way to go. So, we’ll probably be here for a few months. Life could be a lot worse.
Pt. Vila is a very cosmopolitan city, with high-class resorts, lots of water sports and cruise ship traffic. There are shops, banks and restaurants galore. What a culture shock coming from Majuro! We haven’t even gotten to the super-store, with grocery and hardware store all in one. That is on the list for tomorrow. And we also need to find internet access so we can check our hotmail account. We understand there is wi-fi here, so we may be able to connect from the boat as we did in Majuro.
There are a few anchorages in Efate, the island we are on, that are out of the way. It might be nice to take a break from the city at some point and sail to an outer anchorage. There are also many out-islands in Vanuatu that we could visit if we wish. We’ll see how things go here in the next few weeks. For now, life is good and we are comfortable and happy. Thanks to everyone for their good wishes on our voyage. We are still faced with the hardest part, getting back to NZ, but we will wait for better conditions and make the run when the time is right. Karen