We’re in Vanuatu! We’ve been here since Monday.

We took the 7.30am flight from Auckland to Vanuatu. It was a 3 and a half hour flight. The kids all did really well, even the babies. It was quite a tiring trip because we left the base at 2.30am in order to get to Auckland in time for our flight. We all hardly slept, a little here and there.
 

Sophie was so hyped up that she was talking and singing all the way from the base to the Auckland airport. Ya! At 3am! Singing! She only fell asleep in the last half hour!
 

When we got on the plane, she was also very pleased to watch TV and subsequently fell asleep while watching Winnie the Pooh. Woo hoo!
 

When we got to the Vanuatu airport, we were greeted a group of live band and singers. Immediately we could feel the jive of island life! So happening! Tourism is the bread and butter of the island, especially in the recent years.
 

The base leaders came to pick us up at the airport and gave us a tour of the Pango village where the YWAM base is. We are located about a 10 mins walk from the beach and within a local village.
 

The base setup is real rural and basic. We have a tiny room to ourselves and sleep on the floor on mattresses. Sophie sleeps in her own Baby Bjorn portable cot which btw has been the best buy of 2008. We’ve used that for our Aussie trip, the past three mths in NZ and now, in Vanuatu.
 

We all share common bathing and toilet facilities and it is unisex. There is no hot water for baths but not a problem really coz the weather is similiar to Singapore – tropical and humid. Very grateful for sitting toilet bowls.
 

As with normal village life, there are animals everywhere – dogs, cats, chickens. Fruit trees are everywhere and fruit is a big part of the diet. That’s really great because the diet is simple. So far, we’ve been served bananas, passionfruit, coconuts and papayas.

More updates and photos in a bit when I figure out uploading photos from iphoto to flickr! Meanwhile, James has uploaded some pictures of our village life on his Facebook. Check it out!