Vanuatu Update #3

My time is Vanuatu, at least for the foreseeable future has come to an end. After to 3 months of DTS Lecture Phase, 2 months of DTS Outreach Phase and 2 months of serving on the M/V Pacific Hope, I am making my way home.

I arrived in Auckland on the 25th but, did not get to my hotel until after mid-night. I have a total of 5 nights here in Auckland before contenuing on my journy home. The 25th, happened to be the cheapest day to fly back to NZ from Vanuatu... at least prior to my August 30th flight back to the States.

I will have layovers in Melbourne, Sydney and Dallas respectively before arriving back in Orlando. The Sydney to Dallas flight will be my longest yet at just over 15.5 hours of flying time.

So far, I have been having an amazing time back in Auckland. God has blessed me with some really good friends here who have gone out of their way to make me feel at home.

14th Week In New Zealand

After 14 weeks, This will be my last "In New Zealand" post for about a month. Not only will I not be in New Zealand any longer but, I won't have wifi either.

As of tomorrow evening, exact time not yet known, we will set sail for Vanuatu, a 5 day journey. We will spend the rest of our Outreach Phase on the Island of Tanna, just one of the 63 inhabited islands the that Vanuatu has.

While a lot of my time here in Auckland has been spent doing outreach and ship tours, I did get to have some "freetime." I went to see the new Jungle Book movie with some friends, loved it. They assign seats in theaters here at time of ticket purchase. This past Monday was ANZAC Day, recognized here in NewZealand and Australia. I got up at just past 4am to join some friends in walking to the Auckland War Museum for an annual ANZAC Day ceremony.

Also, I have added a number of new culinary experiences to my life's story. Had some authentic Japanese take-out and even tried Barfi (an Indian desert) for the first time. But, I think my hands down favorite experience was when a friend took me out for Korean food. Finally got to try Kimchi.

This chapter here in Auckland is closing but, I am so eager to see what God has in store for my team in Vanuatu, for sure He has something  big planned. So for now, I am signing off. Will post an update when I can, most likely once I am back in New Zealand.

13th Week in NZ

So as expected, my firat week in auckland has been such a busy week - tours, street outreach/evangelism, team meetings! But, I am enjoying Auckland nonetheless.

The exotic food options here are mindboggling to me. Yea, I have traveled a lot but, to have so many options freely at my finger-tips has been such a great experience for me.

However, despite all the gastronomic and touristic "lures" this city has to offer, I have to keep in mind that I am not here to simply "play around," I am not here formyself. This is a part of my DTS' Outreach Phase and those obligations come first.

Coming to Auckand not as a simple tourist but, as YWAMer fresh out of 12 weeks of lectures has really helped me to be more sensitive to the less fortunate and broken lives around me, the parts of life that I have at times abdicated any Christian obligation to truly aknowlage. Here, I have been letting go of my fear of man and following the Spirit, whether that be just walking up to a random stranger and praying with them for their grandaughter who was is in prison or asking a homeless man if he is hungry and acting upon his need.

My time in Auckland has so far been a truly been a life changing experience for me. Maybe us YWAMers here in this city now are of small consequence on a large scale but, to the individuals who's lives we have touched, we've left massive impacts or God's love perminantly marked.

11th Week in NZ

I know this update is a little late but, things have been very hectic. Week 11 was really a "mad dash" week of getting things in order before the switch from "Base Life" to "Ship Life" and it also marked the end of the DTS' "Lecture Phase." Lectures ended on Thursday and we transfered to the ship on Friday.

So, after weeks of anticipation, 3 of the Medical/Compassion teams officially started living aboard the M/V Pacific Hope. It is so exciting to think that I actually live on a boat, not just some quick cruise but, actually living (and working for that matter) on a boat.

We will be sailing to Auckland on Friday where we will stay for a time before headding onto Vanuatu. I am very eager to see what lays ahead in Auckland.

Two Days in Auckland - By Tracey L Christensen

By: Tracey L Christensen

Like any capital city, Auckland is packed full of places to see and things to do and the best way to see it (if you have the time) is to wander around exploring every nook and cranny and visiting every attraction, restaurant or site possible. But... if you have limited time you need to be much more organised and having a clear itinerary is definitely the way to go. There are a great range of hotels in Auckland offering excellent Auckland CBD accommodation close to most attractions, restaurants and sights so you don't waste too much time getting around. Getting around Auckland isn't difficult, there are plenty of taxis, buses and trains in the CBD plus the Auckland 'Hop on, Hop off' Explorer charges a reasonable fee and allows tourists to hop on and off the bus all day, and stops at most of the major Auckland attractions.

Day 1

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki is first stop on your two day tour of Auckland. The gallery is the home of visual arts in New Zealand and boasts over 15,000 artworks by Maori and Pacific Island artists as well as international artists. Allow a couple of hours to look through the gallery and factor in some time for a coffee and cake at the gallery cafe. Next stop is the Auckland Zoo, home to New Zealand's largest collection of animals and known as one of the most progressive zoos in the world. The zoo is set on 17 hectares of lush parkland and houses 138 different species. Finish day one with a walk around cosmopolitan Viaduct Harbour and a quick visit to the Voyager Maritime Museum followed by a relaxed dinner at one of the Viaduct's waterfront restaurant. Retire to your Auckland CBD accommodation exhausted.

Day 2

Start day two with an adrenaline-filled jet boat ride around Auckland's beautiful Waitemata Harbour followed by a quick ferry ride from Auckland to Devonport for a much more relaxing brunch. Take some time to explore the charming seaside town, its beaches, shops and galleries. From Devonport head back to Auckland CBD and visit the Auckland Museum with the world's largest Maori and Pacific Island collection housed in New Zealand's most iconic and impressive heritage building. From here it's a short trip to the famous Sky Tower, Auckland's tallest building where you can enjoy 360° views of Auckland from a 1.2 metre wide observation deck called Sky Walk, 192 metres above the city streets. Adrenalin junkies may want to take the experience one step further and have a go at Sky Jump - described as base jumping while attached to a wire. Once back on terra firma a great way to conclude your two day trip to Auckland is with a sunset dinner cruise on Auckland harbour. There are several companies offering dinner cruises leaving out of Viaduct Harbour and if you're lucky you may get to see some dolphins while you're out there. A quick trip back to one of the excellent Auckland airport hotels means you'll be ready to fly out first thing in the morning knowing that you've seen the best of Auckland.

For more information on Hotels in Auckland including Auckland airport hotels and Auckland CBD accommodation visit Choice Hotels New Zealand online.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Tracey_L_Christensen/1188471

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