Vanuatu consists of roundabout 80 islands and is located three hours by plane north of New Zealand, east of Fiji, slightly north of New Caledonia, and west of the northern tip of Australia. Still, somewhere almost forlorn in the blue vastness of the Pacific Ocean. Ten days as an end-of-teaching-for-the-year trip with two colleagues from uni: visiting an active volcano and some snorkeling was on the list.
The Kingdom of Tonga – I promised a second posting and here we are! Despite all that stunning paradise-like scenery there is always a different story, a reality that I don’t want to hide. First of all Tonga is no first world country. The Kingdom struggles of poverty, severe weather events, the lack of satisfying and good jobs and way less tourists come here than to the “neighbouring” islands of Fiji and French Polynesia.
Even though Sydney is a great city I decided 2 days are enough and boarded a regional train to Katoomba. This little town is the major hub for exploring the Blue Mountains.
I left the US for now … and hit not only a new country but also a totally new continent. Australia, the land down under! Went from Honolulu on an epic 11 hour flight to Melbourne. Wow, this is a very beautiful city with an amazing quality of living: amazing food, relaxed atmosphere, lots of space, green lanes, a skyline, always a fresh breeze from the bay and ocean …. staying here at a friend’s place.
Awesome roadtrip through the Outback. After having seen Uluru, we went on to see more great red rocks in Kara Tjuta Nationalpark and Watarrka Nationalpark. Final destination is Alice Springs from where I am going to fly out to Sydney.
Truly a magic and very special place. Formerly known as Ayers Rock and now back to being called Uluru. A sacred site of the aboriginal people in the Outback of Australia.
The Kingdom of Tonga! Somewhere in between the Cook Islands and Fiji, somewhere in the middle of the vastness of the South Pacific. When thinking of the South Pacific Islands you might think about turquiose colored waters, perfectly crooked palm trees along white sandy beaches.
I left the US for now … and hit not only a new country but also a totally new continent. Australia, the land down under! Went from Honolulu on an epic 11 hour flight to Melbourne. Wow, this is a very beautiful city with an amazing quality of living: amazing food, relaxed atmosphere, lots of space, green lanes, a skyline, always a fresh breeze from the bay and ocean …. staying here at a friend’s place.