SIT DOWN, BE HUMBLE

HELLO AND WELCOME BACK MY LOVELIES!

Thank you so so much for joining me yet again and taking the time to read my blog. Today’s post is about my recent travels. For my 18th birthday, my mum paid for my whole family to go on the P&O Pacific Dawn cruise, to Noumea, Lifou Island and Vanuatu. The experience itself was something very different to what I had previously expected and the islands were also insanely different to what I had imagined.

I don’t really know if people are interested in hearing about my personal travels and experiences while travelling, but I thought in case anyone was deciding to go on a cruise, or this specific one in the future, you could use some insight.

Straight off the bat, if you are looking to go on a cruise, make sure you’re looking for a very relaxing holiday because believe me... that’s all you can do. I mean of course there is heaps of fun stuff to do on the boat but when you’re on there for a week, it can get a bit boring but it’s such a nice way to switch off and just chill out.

Coming from a family of borderline alcoholics, a lot of alcohol was consumed throughout the cruise haha. When we arrived at Noumea, we basically just bar hopped around the place and looked at some tourist shops. I got a vodka and orange juice and the bar tender literally filled up 3 quarters of the glass with vodka and then a splash of orange juice. I thought I was drunk after one drink.. They’re French Polynesian in Noumea and I ordered some fries... IN FRENCH. It was super exciting and they were bloody delicious. Safe to say I didn’t get to see much of Noumea that day... whoops.

Lifou Island was absolutely breathtaking. The most picturesque place I have ever seen. The locals there were super nice and friendly. We walked up to this cute little church which was a bloody ripper of a walk and I thought I was gonna die when I got to the top but the view was so worth it. On the walk up to the church there were so many little stray dogs and cats and oh my god it was so sad but so cute and they just like followed you all the way up there, bless. They were literally everywhere, if an animal lover wants to start up an animal clinic over on islands like Lifou, that would be amazing because they have no animal care there at all and its so heartbreaking to see all the injured and sick animals. My brother and I managed to force ourselves into the water because we refused to leave without swimming in it, it was perfect and blue, but absolutely freezing. But after being burnt to a crisp, it was nice and refreshing. Safe to say I went back onto the boat and had an incredibly wonderful nap followed by some hot chips and I felt goooooooood.

Now before I went to Vanuatu, I thought that it was like this totally beautiful place and like perfect but I can guarantee you it is not like that at all. Of course there are beautiful places in and around the island but unfortunately its quite a poor country. I found Vanuatu to be one of the most humbling experiences I’ve ever had though. Simply for the fact that the locals there are all so funny and kind and happy and they honestly have hardly anything. We drove through one of the local villages and it was such an eye opening experience of how you can be happy without any materialistic things in this life and I think that’s such an important thing for people to understand. There are so many wonderful things in this world and as long as you are happy within yourself and surround yourself with people who care for you and push you to be your best than you don’t really need anything else. They also had a lot of baby pigs there so like that’s a plus for happiness too.

We went snorkelling in Vanuatu and it was beautiful. The water was crystal clear and so blue and when you jumped off the boat into the beautiful water that was so warm and lovely and just swam amongst all the fish and coral, all your worries just go away. I swear I could have stayed in that moment forever and am eternally grateful for the opportunity to have experienced that. My own little slice of paradise.

This post doesn’t really have an incredible message or any specific purpose but I just wanted to share with you all the experience I had and that it really opens your eyes to the important things in life. We have a roof over our head and our family and friends and a lot of other materialistic things that other people in this life don’t get to have, and that is undoubtedly enough. I hope that you all enjoyed this post and stick around for my next one. I appreciate you all taking time out of your day to read this and I hope that tomorrow brings you happiness and contentment as we all deserve that.

All my love x