We’ve finally completed the new autopilot installation on the boat! It took much longer than expected due to a shipping delay. John thought FedEx Express would take a maximum of a week, but instead, it took a month. The package was held in Australia for a while before making it to Vanuatu, and then clearing customs added even more time. It’s frustrating when you spend $3,000 on shipping and still face such a long delay. It makes you wonder who is to blame.
Replacing the old autopilot with a different brand (Raymarine) required a completely new setup. Finding and fabricating parts for the new system was a real challenge. I’m used to boat maintenance, but it’s still frustrating when things take so long. Over the last few years, we’ve spent most of our time working on the boat: we installed a bow thruster in New Zealand, a new engine and new rigging in Australia, and now a new autopilot in Vanuatu. At 33 years old, Bunny has had a lot of makeovers. She’s healthier now than when I joined the sailing life in 2014—it’s been more than a decade. Wow!
We’ve also found time to do some tourist activities here in Efate, the capital island of Vanuatu. I’ve gotten a lot of good use out of my stand-up paddleboard and have been buying papayas and cucumbers from the fresh market. Whenever we find free green papayas on the island, I make a Korean-style papaya salad using fish sauce, garlic, green onions, fresh peppers, red pepper powder, sesame seeds, vinegar, and a teaspoon of sugar. I call the dish “Papaya Kimchi,” while John calls it “Papaya Slaw.”
The biggest challenges in Vanuatu are natural disasters like cyclones and earthquakes. A significant earthquake, a magnitude 7.3, struck near Port Vila in December 2024, and the country has been in a state of repair ever since. Cruiseships began returning in August, as tourism is Vanuatu’s main industry. The country doesn’t seem to export much; its primary food sources are from the earth—taro roots, sweet potatoes, breadfruit, green vegetables, tropical fruits, and good beef from local cows. Other items, however, appear to be imported.
I’ve heard that Vanuatu people are among the happiest in the world, and we’ve found them to be very kind and sociable. I truly respect that. I also found the children to be so cute; they always smile back, and their eyes are bright and pure. I hope the country will continue to embody this spirit in the future.
