playing

We wanted to have an adventure and pulled over on the side of the road when we saw a small sign pointing to a waterfall. It was AMAZING and such a beautiful hike. I made a video about it: Enjoy!

This spot was like some magical hidden gem from a fairy tale. We parked the car and paid our $25 for the truck full of people. We were met by a guide who had platters of fresh fruit that was overflowing with mangos, guava’s, passion fruit, papaya, bananas, pineapple and a variety of other tropical delicacies.

We hiked on a small skinny path along a waterfall, around bends, down hills and up hills until we finally arrived at a totally secluded stunning waterfall. There was pools and pools of crystal clear water, teaming with tropical fresh water fish. There were baskets full of stale bread sticks that we were allowed to throw into the fish, much to the delight of the children.

We spent hours swinging off the rope swing, taking dives into the cool water, jumping off the waterfall and canoeing around in the boats available. This is spot I will remember forever, and I have doubt that we will visit time and time again!

“I’m soooo bored, we did nothing fun today at all…” That’s what my kids told me in the kitchen tonight. I nearly choked on my food. Approximately three months ago we left Canada to live in Vanuatu and everyday since then has been like a chapter out of an adventure novel. Clearly my kids are getting slightly spoiled in the most tropical of ways. Would you like to know what nothing fun looks like in my homeschooling, God loving, crazy family of 9? 

First we spent a couple hours on the beach. We chased waves, buried each other in the sand, laid in the sun and played with the little boys until I knew I had to bring them in or they would get too much sun.
playing in the sand

Next we walked up and down and collected handfuls of sea glass and almost caught the most adorable bright purple coconut crab I’ve ever seen. We did a bit of watercolor painting and made a little whale out of sea glass on the art paper we brought with us. 

Handfuls of seaglass
The little girls came home and picked and sold papaya to all their neighbours while Dad took Eliza for a trip into town on the quad to the private hospital and out for lunch (she dislocated her arm doing somersaults on the beach). 

After that we picked up Mireyah who had spent the entire day with a family in the bush at the top of Snake Hill (hill isdefinitely subjective…more like mountain) eating, swimming and playing volleyball.

Next three of kids got dropped off at the village basketball park where they met their local friends and played a game of ball for two hours. 

We had a good looking Ni-Van boy over for dinner (homemade pizzas), after Bislama lessons with a local lady from church. 

 
footsteps in the beach

And once all that was done the younger kids went with Aunty Shi into town to watch the community outdoor movie and Dad took a couple of the girls night swimming. All wrapped up in one booooooooorrrrrrriiiiiiing day. #poorkids #feelsobadforthem #whatasuckylife

Hiking Through Paradise

A Boring Day in Paradise….