Travel Group Sunshine

On Thursday, January 2nd, 2020, the travel group was complete.

Maxi, Sebastian and Antje (Michel's parents) from Kiel,

Jael from Zurich,

Andi from Bargteheide and

Us :)

Michel was chosen as the tour guide and coordinated our excursions, equipment, lodging, and finances.

After a nice day to arrive and acclimatize, we went to the first event together in Mele on Friday evening. We reserved a table for the well-known fire show in Vanuatu. As it is currently high tourist season, the reservation was worth it. Jael, Antje, Pepe, and I left a bit earlier to enjoy the beach and the sea. The men joined us for dinner. We had burgers, salads, pizza, lots of freshly squeezed fruit juices, and the local delicious beer, Tusker. Then the show started at 7 pm, and the guys and girls twirled with fire, danced, and laughed for over an hour. It is always fun for us to watch, and the fire show crew, consisting of locals, did a great job once again. The travel group was impressed. At the end, there is always a dance where everyone else can join in and dance along. We didn't need to be told twice ;) In the evening, everyone fell exhausted into bed.

The next day, I taught yoga at the nearby Holiday Inn Resort, and I took Antje and Jael with me. We started at 7 am, and we began the day on time and enjoyed a leisurely Saturday breakfast afterwards.

In the afternoon, Michel took the whole group to Honeymoon Beach, where they enjoyed the beach and the sea with many locals. I stayed at home alone and caught up on some sleep. Pepe is always very happy during the day and learns something new every day. He is already rolling over and grabbing everything he can to put it in his mouth, and he laughs louder and louder. It's really a lot of fun. But the nights are a bit "meh". Up and down, and it's always time to lie down during the day.

On Sunday, the travel group went around the island. We rented a second car, and it turned out that the women drove with Pepe in one car and the men found a place in the other car. The tour around the island is about 3 hours of pure driving time. We first stopped at a secluded little beach to cool off. The small bay is located on the east coast of the island, where the coast is mostly affected by strong winds and high waves. But in the bays, it is very calm and wonderful for swimming and snorkeling. After the short break, we continued to the north of the island, where we had lunch. We had local fish with salad and fries. After that, some took a short nap or had dessert and coffee, while others went for another swim in the waves. Then we continued the drive, and it was already 4 pm. We made our way back to Port Vila and ended the day with beers and wine in a café at the harbor. Afterwards, we were all very exhausted and tired. So many impressions and so much sun.

Then the weekend was over. We returned to everyday life, Jael, Antje, and Sebastian recovered, and Maxi and Andi went somewhere else. One highlight here is definitely the active volcano Yasur in Tanna, and the two didn't want to miss it. We booked a day tour with the air taxi for them, as there wasn't enough time for an overnight stay. The air taxi took off in the morning. After about an hour, they circled over the volcano and then landed at Tanna airport. A jeep took all 8 passengers of the small aircraft to the volcano. This adventure ride of 1 1/2 hours was particularly great for them, as they also got the top spots on the back of the jeep. Then they climbed up to the volcano and got a spectacular impression of its power. It rumbled again and again, and every 2-5 minutes there was an eruption. Then they went back to the air taxi, and they were back in the afternoon. Both were thrilled and happy with the experience, even though the volcano must be even more impressive in the dark. Jael, Antje, and Sebastian were later able to confirm this. The three of them plan a slightly longer trip to Tanna, which will take place a week later.

On Tuesday, it was the last day for the travel group Sunshine, because on Wednesday at 7 am Andi and Maxi flew back to Sydney.

They wanted to watch Michel's training one more time. In the afternoon, they went to the courts and observed the action in the heat. There was no breeze and no cloud in the sky. Nevertheless, the girls did a good job. After a 2-hour session, Michel took the group to our favorite organic shop, where you can buy great local products. Andi bought some nice souvenirs.

In the evening, we all met in a very nice restaurant around the corner. Andi had booked a room in this resort, which turned out to be a good choice. He invited us all there for dinner. We all enjoyed the evening very much, and the food tasted delicious. We went over the days once again and there were many funny stories. Later, Michel and Maxi ended up in a traditional kava bar, and they made the most of their last evening. They didn't come back until late at night.

From Wednesday, January 8th, there were only six of us left, and we planned more beautiful trips.

You will find out what else we experienced and how we integrated it into our work routine in the next report.