VANUATU, MY LAST PACIFIC ISLAND - SwT 172 - ARE THEY MOVING IN THE RIGHT OR THE WRONG WAY?

• February 05, 2024 by Sailing with Thomas |
• Language: EN
• Play Time: 00:20:23
• SAILING YOUTUBERS

In this episode, I'm exploring Vanuatu after the slowest check-in ever. I was pretty surprised to experience how busy and developed this island is. Lots of cars, cruise ships, and tourist activities.
And once again I tried to understand and see how they look at the future and the present situation.
Many are complaining about the same things as the other developed islands, that the prices of food and housing have gone through the roof. Many pointed out the skyrocketing prices of properties, especially on the beachfront, that's kind of interesting considering the message from their neighbors up north.

Even here the Chinese seem to have control of the biggest business, food, banks, and properties. I find it fascinating how big the contrasts it is between the islands in this region. In politics and economy, and even in the big questions. These are things I reflect over as I am visiting my last South Pacific island.

Port Villa Vanuatu is much more interesting and beautiful than my first impression. After a few days, I started to really like this island, even though it's a surprisingly developed and busy tourist destination. I even met a Norwegian couple that has settled down here and created a new lifestyle with bungalows and scuba tours. What a beautiful place with a perfect reef just outside their garden. From their perspective, it was important to find a beautiful place that still was developed enough for a modern yet tropical life. I can totally understand this, and even why Vanuatu.
My biggest concern would be the level of corruption in this region. According to the latest transparency report, 73% of the population in Vanuatu believes corruption in the government is a BIG problem. The neighbors to the north and west are even higher. As much as 95%.

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ABOUT THIS CHANNEL:
Sailing around the world in a Bavaria 55 Cruiser, making videos whenever we have time for it.

Even though this is season 6 on YouTube I did not make that many videos in the beginning. Before full-time sailing, I sailed several seasons in the Mediterranean before, and obviously also in Scandinavia. I have been traveling the world before and have also been an active regatta sailor. I had my first sailboat at age 7 and have been sailing ever since. Also, more than 10 years of experience in Search and Rescue at sea in Norway.

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I'm just a normal person sharing my travel adventure through my eyes and experience from my perspective! Remember how I do things that might work for me but not for you. It might even not be the correct way to do things, and I don't have the blueprint either. I'm not perfect and nobody is. The day I believe I know it all and don't think I can learn new things I should go ashore.

VANUATU, MY LAST PACIFIC ISLAND - SwT 172 - ARE THEY MOVING IN THE RIGHT OR THE WRONG WAY? Locations

• Melanesia (-8.1901857,152.8264684)

Sailing with Thomas

Sailing solo around the world in a Bavaria 55 Cruiser - S/Y Be Free. Most of the time sailing single handed and occasionally with friends and other guests. Dreaming of crossing the Pacific singlehanded. Most of my life has been in the small coastal town Tønsberg, 95 km south of Oslo. With the national park at our doorsteps, and the Oslo fjord and Skagerak sea outside the windows, it was almost mandatory to own a boat. I´m almost raised in a sailboat and had my first by the age of 7. Not only did we spend 3 weeks every summer, and every weekend of my childhood, on the lean (Sailing) But my parents owned a boat factory, where they manufactured sailboats and smaller motorboats. So I think its fair to say I've been into sailing my whole life. MY LAST JOB Full time working for the Norwegian Society for Sea Rescue, and almost 10 years as voluntary and skipper for the Norwegian Society for Sea Rescue. ONE LIFE SAIL IT WISELY www.sailingwiththomas.com

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