Civilisation!! Finally, the day I've been waiting for - civilisation (even though it was just Auckland!). Once settled into my hostel (went for a private ensuite room though), first things first I went for a Burger King. Shameful I know but when you've been living off rice, sweet potatoes and no flavour for a month, you start to crave fastfood crap! Decided to treat myself to a slap up dinner so meandered on down to the marina and waterfront. Wish I'd discovered...

Turning into a Skunk! No, not because I've grown a bushy tail and started to emit a stink from my rear end (although I do really smell). I made the schoolboy error of glancing in a mirror in a shop last Friday in Port Vila. My hair is 2-tone! I'd forgotten what colour my natural hair is but don't remember it ever being that dark! Thank goodness I've managed to pre-book an appointment for Xmas Eve in Auckland pre-flight. So, Brae left us last Friday which was ...

Not much been happening over the last few days. The weather has turned and it's been windy and a bit rainy. The other night on the beach was miserable. We got there ok but walking back along the beach it started to pour down and we had to walk about 7 km in the pissing rain. The mud here is like cement so we were carrying extra kilos on our feet. AND, we didn't even see any turtles. Not funny. I've decided to leave Vanuatu early. I can't stand being this dirty a...

Kava Tried kava on Thursday evening (3rd). We'd built it up far too much beforehand and got ourselves all nervous about what it would be like and what effect it would have on us. It's essentially a root that's related to the pepper plant and it's ground into a powder and added to water. It has natural hallucinogenic properties and women are not officially encouraged to drink it (they have to be invited). It looked like a bowl of dirty dish water and I made the b...

Tuesday 1st December So, I've survived a week, and what a week it's been! It's been interesting, challenging, fun, terrifying, frustrating and hell - all at the same time! I've been eaten alive by mozzies despite dousing myself in repellent and being really careful. Our project manager had some spare mozzie nets so I found a great one that goes over the posts on my bed and makes me feel like a princess rather than the cocooned caterpillar I was the first few nig...