2002 Vanuatu

In 2000 I sold up and left Broome with my two sons.  After 13 years I'd had enough and to be honest was sick and tired of the constant harassment I was getting from the schools to have my kids diagnosed with ADS.  The Ritalin prescription team were rampant in WA at this stage and I was disgusted at how many parents fell for it.  There was nothing wrong with my sons at 5 and 7. They had good minds, were clever and did not think like sheep (that was the issue I think!).  I was also tired of the heat, the lack of rain, the huge power and water bills, the cyclones, the great western brown snakes in the driveway (a mulga snake actually bit me) the mozzies and the trucks.   You know how it is.  13 years stuck is way too long for an adventurer. My husband and I had divorced 3 years prior in a bitter process made so by his lawyers.  It was not necessary, but that's how it goes if you do not control your own attack dogs and he let them rule him.  He was happy for me to head off with the boys, and had already had another child by his new partner, which later evolved into 5. 

After some research on 'crazy places to go' I  purchased a villa in Port Vila Vanuatu. My years there were  incredibly creative despite me being extremely ill most of the time. I had a number of compounding problems from Broome including untreated malaria, and a serious spine injury which probably resulted in the chronic fatigue that dropped me like a rock and later caused other health issues.  However despite that, in between being bedridden I produced some fabulous exciting works from the studio I set up on our property overlooking No 2 Lagoon. Unfortunately I had to come back to the mainland some years later to address my health issues. My sons were welcomed into the international school and as a result we met some pretty interesting people!   A little peep below.  When expats live in Vanuatu you are expected to employ local folk.  Linda and David shown below were our housekeeper and gardener.  A wonderful couple and it was quite a treat to have domestic staff.  Despite this I found having house staff popping in and out all day a bit frustrating for concentration.  We ended up coming to a deal - they worked half the time and got full pay!  Happy all round.