It’s been a busy past few weeks. First of all Julie and Finn came out to Kiribati for a ten day holiday. We popped over to North Tarawa for a couple of days and they got to experience life on a small, remote island in the middle of the Pacific. I think they found the heat and mossies a bit of a challenge but otherwise coped fine. On the way back to NZ we went to Fiji for a few days and stayed in a lovely Air B&B, an old workers cottage that had been beautifully restored and turned into a holiday let. I was blown away by the amount of fresh fruit and vegies available in the Lautoka markets. We avoided the touristy areas most of the time as we wanted more of a “real” experience. It was a great break and a chance to explore part of a country none us had spent any time in before. After Fiji we headed home and I spent the bulk of my days doing repairs and maintenance on some of our rentals, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I also spent time catching up with friends and family and s...

The Nippon Causeway is the main link between the heavily populated island of Betio (site of the Battle of Tarawa) and the other atolls in South Tarawa. It was built by the Japanese government in the late 1980s and prior to that boat was the only link between the main communities of Bairiki and Betio. The causeway is the only road linking Betio to the rest of South Tarawa and was badly damaged a combination of spring tides, strong winds and heavy rain following Cyclone Pam in March 2015. The causeway is not without controversy, some 3-4 kms long it is a vital connection for Tarawa but it only has one bridge. Traditionally each tide would have flushed the lagoon and this low lying gap between the atolls was one of the main points that the water flowed into and out of the lagoon with each tide but now the causeway blocks this from happening. The lagoon on South Tarawa is no longer flushed clean every day and so has become quite heavily polluted and is not safe to swim, at least for...

This fortnightly blog has turned out to be anything but. My apologies for that. After mum died I really didn’t feel like blogging, had too many other things on my mind and then my computer died, leaving me computerless in Kiribati for about a month before I went back to New Zealand for a break. I returned to New Zealand for an extended (six week) holiday at the beginning of June.  I really needed to go back, check on my family and more importantly on my father and ensure that everything was going okay with him. VSA were really, really good about it, as was MTC the organisation that I’m working for. I really enjoyed being home, catching up with Julie, the kids, dad, and my friends. My brother popped over for a few days from Australia and spent some time with dad which he enjoyed. I also managed to get a few games of footy in for my football team and also make the most of the New Zealand winter, a fire every night, frosts in the morning, lovely. Oh winter how I...

(Still struggling a bit out here at present but getting back into my weekly routine. Yesterday I decided to head down to Friendship Bridge at the far end of South Tarawa for a swim. I had biked there a week before heading back to NZ and was pretty knackered by the time I biked home. It is probably a 46-50km round trip which with the heat and my general lack of bike fitness meant it was going to be a bit of a challenge, at least it was first time I did it. Still it was another beautiful sunny day and I needed to get out and get active.   Friendship bridge is a metal bailey bridge built by the Americans that spans the causeway/lagoon that links North and South Tarawa. It is at the far eastern end of the island, two or three kilometres north of the airport. The channel is about 100 metres wide and the water is quite deep here. It is a natural passage for the tides that rise and fall each day, draining and filling the lagoon in an endless cycle that has been conducted for mil...

One thing that has been going on here in Kiribati since I arrived is the unfolding tragedy of the recent ferry disaster. A ferry with 85 people on board travelling between Nonousti (pronounced Na-noose) and South Tarawa left port on January 18th for the two day journey to Betio (on South Tarawa) but did not make it. Unfortunately, it was several days before the ferry was reported missing and New Zealand (and later Australia, the US and Taiwan)  sent out planes to search for the ferry and, once a lifeboat was located, other survivors.  I must admit I am not one hundred percent up on the exact details but his terrible accident which has been slowly unfolding here. I first learned of the missing ferry while waiting for my plane at Auckland airport and have been relying on news sources in New Zealand and the UK to keep up to latest developments.     Last week a week of prayer was declared in Kiribati and there was, and continues to be, hope amongst ...

Last weekend we were taken to a village on the island of  Nabeina in North Tarawa for the weekend to complete our week long orientation programme. We were picked up by boat abut 4pm and whisked across the lagoon to North Tarawa. We stayed in one of the local villages with the family of Motire, who had been our guide for the week, navigating us through the various government departments getting various forms stamped, helping to get my work permit, as well as a drivers licence, bank accounts etc. One of the family huts. North Tarawa is a real contrast to South Tarawa. South Tarawa is quite noisy and crowded;  land is at a premium so there are huts and houses everywhere. Young kids and dogs wander about and there is a constant background hum of cars and vans (used locally as buses) travelling along the main road linking the islands, people and music.  North Tarawa on the other hand was a tranquil haven, an insight into how life would have been like prior to the rapi...

It's been an interesting first few days settling in. The other new volunteer Roi and I have been visiting the other volunteers at their jobs, getting my visa done, opening bank accounts, getting safety briefings from the police and the NZ High Commission as well as finding out where to buy different every day items from- no one place has everything so it looks like it will be a bit of  round trip doing grocery shops as well as  meeting with our new employers. I am settling in and really enjoying it so far, it has exceeded my expectations and I'm already starting to enjoy the pace of life. The heat too has not been as bad as I'd expected, sure it is hot and humid but not unbearably so. I have a fan on in my room when I first go to bed but end up turning it off in the middle of the night. I have met the other volunteers, there are 4 of us Kiwis, as well as three of four Aussies all doing different roles, spread the length and breadth of South Tarawa. On Tuesday evening Aa...

Well, it is 9pm on my first night in Kiribati. I've made it at last. The long journey to get to this point has ended and a new chapter in my life is just beginning.  Yesterday morning, Julie and I were up at 5am and I drove to CHCH. From there it was a flight to Auckland and a couple of hours layover before the flight to Kiribati.In Fiji I met with a consultant on her way to Kiribati and she shouted me dinner. She had done some work for the Marine Training Centre so it was good to get some information about the place and what to expect. Another early start today. At the airport or 6am start and a three hour flight north to Tarawa. I me the other volunteer at Fiji airport. The three hour flight north was uneventful and we were met at the airport by Linda from Mary's motel who took us to the motel in Bairiki. The only issue was getting my surfboard on board as there was no roof rack but we managed to tie it onto the roof using my leg rope.  Kiribati was hot and s...

This time next week I'll be on my way to Fiji, the first leg of my journey. I'm about ready, my gear is packed and ready, which for a last minute, throw it in a bag and go sort of guy like me that is a big deal. I shipped my bike over to Kiribati last week along with a box full of grocery supplies to hopefully make the food a bit more interesting- I am assuming the worst here.  Today I'm down at my bach for the last time, getting it ready to rent out. I've decided to rent it out for 12-18 months while I am away and have a tenant moving in on Wednesday so need to clear out our stuff.  Yesterday I had what is probably going to be my last game of cricket for my Celtic team. We beat Pleasant Point comfortably to stay top of the table. Next week's clash vs Geraldine is the biggie as we are first equal on points so I may end up playing, we will see. It is my last day in New Zealand so not sure If I'll be able to swing a game of cricket into the mix or not. Yesterd...