A bit of an emotional episode - I feel like we have so much to be grateful for at the moment and we truly hope you're doing ok to. Tell us where you are and how you're feeling 👇🏼 Sending virtual hugs to you all 🤗
i have been living the past 6 1/2 years with a terminal rare form of Leukaemia during covid i was not allowed to leave house or be around anyone due to low white cell and immune system and i live in Melbourne even shopping had to be done at 1 am so to avoid contact with others i spent 2 years not visiting anyone lost my job could not get benefits zero help from outsiders but now i appreciate quiet times and even sold tv and things i see no longer important like toys
We feel so lucky to call the Marovo our home... this is such a special place to us... if only we could teleport all our nearest and dearest over here to be with us, we would carry on just as we are!!! I hope things have been going well for you in Honiara 😊
@@TheIslandLifeofUs I'm a local and I always have families around so I can only imagine how much you miss your loved ones. But honestly speaking, life is totally different with Mr Rona. It's really to make ends meet in Honiara but awesome stories like yours keep us moving. Thank you once again for the inspirational videos. 😍😍🥰
Such a massive hit to our economy here with less expatriates and no tourism... I can see how you'd be doing it tough for sure. Hope you can hang in there too... we are so happy to keep bringing videos to you from Marovo 😜
I'm glad you two were taken care of all by yourself, well 99.9% of people are living in cities and near other people I'm glad you two took care of yourselves way to take care of yourselves...
Ah...in fact this is a pretty good outline of a sort of 'How Our Channel Got Going' episode, that I was asking you about yesterday! It was absolutely so tough a time. I'm fairly newly retired, but in 2020 I was working as Triage on a telephone helpline in the UK which supports bereaved children and their families. Families were not only experiencing huge shocks from, say, a death in the family, but then suddenly expected to Covid-Isolate and lose regular contact with others they loved! I fully understand the tears - and shed a few myself over that time. Blessings!
It’s absolutely wild to us how differently the world experienced covid but also how we each felt the weight of the pandemic in very meaningful ways. I can’t imagine working on your role .. it sounds incredibly tough. We know how blessed we have been but that is to say we’ve also survived some of the most challenging years of our life and we will be forever changed! Thanks so much for watching this video and leaving a comment… feels like a long time ago and so much has evolved even since this time. Take care and love to you too
Reading everyone else's comments before making my own..........glad everyone else is teary too!!!! Love you guys, and can imagine what you are going through. It's easy to look at your gorgeous environment and think "how could anyone not be just totally ecstatic being there over this pandemic". but to hear your reality it incredibly heart-breaking. Hang in there guys. We just don't know when this is going to end, and we all just have to try to cope with our everyday ups and downs. Not seeing beloved family is the worst........thank goodness for current technology that allows us at least the chance to see them, even if we can't hug them. xxxx
We really want to portray our reality for what it is and a huge part of it is appreciating the spectacular paradise we have right here... not taking that for granted but yeah the truth is we have had some really tough times too. We're hanging in there and getting ready for disappointment with our planned trip as it's really not looking good in Aus for us to be able to travel and get home again. What a seriously strange world we are all living in these days -- and how seriously lucky are we to have the internet technology we have today!!!
And I also wanted to say that we are so fortunate to have had the support of Jill and Grant over this time. We actually could not have survived without them... what they do for us with the kids and feeding us and everything.... they are amazing!!! SO many blessings in amongst the ups downs and everything in between!!!
SO SO lucky to have technology that connects us. Even when I (Katie) moved here in 2015 the internet was so painfully slow, we could not video call and using web browsers was impossible. It has come a long long way (and it costs a HUGE amount of money for a private satellite connection) but it is very worthwhile and gives us the ability to stay connected! We do not take it for granted.... I can't imagine not being able to call my Mum!
David here, the bloke that shared those stories and photos from when we were caretaking Uepi in 1984! Greetings from the Gold Coast! Lockdown Day # 7. Hopefully it ends on Sunday at 4pm which will be Lockdown Day # 9. At the moment, things are looking promising! I believe 17.5m Australians are currenlty locked down, that's 2 out of 3 Australians. Dark days..... Loved watching this video guys, a great recap. It's certainly been an up & down journey for you all since March last year. We've seen HUGE numbers of COVID in poor old Fiji, about 1,000 new cases a day for a month or so now since the inital breakout started in April 2021. We've also seen cases in PNG. How's COVID there and what vaccines do you have access to? Do you have to go to Australia to get a vaccine or would it be possible to do it in Honiara?
Hi David, you guys have certainly endured some extended lockdowns and I feel with every new lockdown it must get harder and harder. It's really scary to think what the virus is doing in countries like Fiji / PNG - as it would also be disastrous to see it spread through the community here.. Very scary to think how the health system would cope here. There has only been a few dozen imported cases kept in quarantine (they've dine an excellent job) here and as far as we know zero community spread of covid. The SIG started the vaccine rollout in April and it has been slow but steady - uptake has been low and vaccine hesitation present for sure. They have AZ and Sinopharm (Chinese - and not yet available) so for the time being AZ only available to front liners, people on the border of Bouganville and those in the riskier categories so Jase and I have not been eligible yet. We had planned to get the vaccine when visiting Aus but if that doesn't work out and it becomes available to us here we'd take it. Jill and Grant have traveled to Gizo to have their first dose as their age makes them eligible now so that's great.
Here's hoping hey!! We're in good spirits despite the looming cancelation of our Aus trip... Just have to wait and see and truly can't do anything about it so it's all good! Hope you're staying safe 😊
You guys are amazing and the transparency in your own experiences and sharing it with everyone so they can learn from and stay positive. It's very appreciated I'm just happy to be alive and eating good in Co, in the US. Trying to stay warm like you guys and your hearts. 🧡
Thanks so much for your comments Jacob. It means a lot to us and really does keep us motivated to continue sharing our world authentically. Stay safe and warm ❤️
Brave of you to go after this life - it looks like it could be exciting. Many of those living the hum-drum life have had a very difficult time during COVID with loss of loved ones and health.
Absolutely devastating outcomes for people in all different circumstances for sure and it's very important to remind ourselves of that often. We contemplate these different situations often and feel for those having a hard time. I think when we have felt really down about being so far away from friends and family, we remember how lucky we are to be in a country with no covid... having our health and feeling as though we have escaped some of the devastation of the pandemic. If the virus was in the community here it would be a very scary situation.
Thank you for this honest chat about feelings during the pandemic. I also experienced the isolation that you talk about as I was coping in peopled Austin TX. Freedoms were restricted. I think we all have been cut off from each other, both physically and emotionally. Everyone has found themselves in a bizarre, scary place. In the early days, I would wake up and think I had a bad dream only to realize that the pandemic was frightened real. I hope you can get vaccinated when you get to Australia. It's the light at the end of this endless, scary tunnel. And please continue to share through these beautiful videos. They are the best gifts for those of us who deeply miss the Uepi Sanctuary.
The removal of our freedoms in such a variety of settings is incredible, not to mention the fact that the entire world is experiencing it simultaneously in these remarkably different ways. What a strange time indeed. I am so glad you're watching and taking something from our videos - this was our motivation to do it, sharing the Uepi magic with you all while you can't be here with us!! Hugs x
Have just found you guys on TH-cam. My family has really enjoyed you sharing your amazing life in SI. We visited visited SI 2 years ago and have loved reliving our time there through your Vlog. Looking forward to your next adventure. I’ll
Amazing!! I am so happy to read comments like this that remind me how much people love the SI.... it really is a special place and we are so happy to share more of it! Today's episode is an absolute banger - up at GMT+11!
Just found your channel and subscribing. I really miss home (Munda) and seeing your videos really helped me in lockdown Fiji. Love your videos so much. Take care.
Welcome! So happy to bring a little bit of the Marovo to you in isolation!! It's been so cool to connect with many Solomon Islanders here who are living all over the world! Stay safe
Gosh that is hard and we really feel for you!! We know we are so lucky to be on an island and have the freedom to enjoy the environment at least! Hang in there.... x
That would be cool! ahhh how is it going? Are you surviving it? The biggest concern for us is getting at least a separate space for the kids to sleep during the day (doesn't even need to be a room but separated somehow) and the food - Ophelia has food allergies and I am pretty worried about dealing with that!
In Melbourne we are just coming out of our 5th lockdown. In total we have had around 6 months in lockdown in the last 18 months, restricted to staying at home most of the time and limited to a 5Kl travel area. I can understand how even a beautiful place like Uepi can end up feeling claustrophobic with no visitors. This virus has really hit the travel industry and literally millions of associated peoples livelihoods' worldwide. I feel for all the local indigenous people who's income and health rely so much on overseas travellers. I'd hold off on your trip to Australia at this time as NSW is far from under control and QLD has restrictions too. The Delta variant of the virus is extremely infectious and keeps breaking out of quarantine hotels locking down whole states. Hopefully by Christmas a majority of Australians will have had two shots of the vaccine and we will be in a safer place. Fondly remember out trip to Uepi in 2015 and hopefully we'll be able to return one day soon. Best wishes to Grant & Jill and your special little family. Peter & Susan
You guys in Melbourne have been absolute troopers with the repeated lockdowns - we have been watching from afar in admiration of how quickly things have turned around in Vic with each lockdown. This delta variant is scary though and we can see the danger in returning during an outbreak. We're planning to wait and see what is happening, and change plans if it's still too risky as the big danger for us is not being able to get home. Shift those goal posts to next year 😩and hope for an increase in vaccination rates in the meantime. Sending lots of love back to you guys too 🤗
Shed a tear or two watching this! You are such wonderful role models. Your story brings perspective to our situation. Throughout our multiple lockdowns we've always had easy access to food and medical assistance. Stay safe!
It's different challenges for everyone... thank you for your kind words. It is amazing to see how much we have grown throughout all of this and I often wonder what lessons others are taking from it all.. Take care 😊
It was tough for a lot of people lost my mum at the beginning and my Dad during covid. We were lucky enough to have a break in lock downs to fly back to Tasmania and get back to Western Australia before lockdown again ❤
Im in Melbourne Australia, i remember we weren't allowed out. We had family like 5 mims away and we couldn't go visit them. Police where on the streets and looking if we had a pass to leave the house. Unbelievable times
You guys are truely inspirational! Cant wait to be a guest again and see all the upgrades! Keep up the great work say hi to the folks for me! Hopefully we can go diving again soon! Your posts make a big difference in this hectic times.. reminds me the world is still beautiful and once we can travel again I will appreciate all the little things that little more. Hang in there team! All the best for the Australian visit if you get stuck alway a spare room in Perth for ya ! 😀
Thanks Adrian!! It's such a positive thing for us to be able to carry on improving the resort as much as we can while this all drags on..... and we will be here ready when borders open and we won't look back!! Thanks so much for the good wishes... we sure hope we can make it back to Aus but not holding our breath at this stage ☹️
Another great video, thanks 🙏 The kids and us are loving catching up with you via the channel. We’re crossing our fingers we can return again soon, but agree it keeps presenting new challenges. Keep looking after each other and making these great vids!
Thanks Murray... So happy to be bringing some Uepi to you all at home as we persevere through these challenging times! Lots of great videos in the making at the moment so we are excited to be sharing!!
Beautiful. I teared up too! Thank you for sharing and especially giving us an understanding of the challenges and realities of life where you are - it is so important. What a crazy time we're all going through. One of the biggest challenges for me is not being able to be with my Grandparents who are in Fiji. Who know's when we will be able to be together again but for now I'm thankful for technology and being able to stay connected via Skype, Facetime etc. Tuning in on Tuesday's to your channel is one of the highlights of my week and I'm continuously inspired. Loved spending time with you all during your visit to Honiara. Grateful for this time together and for the uplifting conversations we shared - can't wait to hang out with you all again. Till next time 💕Take care. BIG hugs x
Aw Zillah it must be so hard not being able to be close to your family in Fiji. I feel it's the extended time that passes without those real hugs and personal conversations that makes my heart ache at times. But you are so right - only a few years ago we couldn't facetime like we do today and how lucky is that!! My mum reads the kids books over facetime and they hug and kiss the phone in the most adorable way - the phone kinda IS grandma haha... Thanks for watching lovely!!! Can't wait for more of those conversations in person soon xo
haha Barry!! The kids are obsessed by the way.... poor Grandma has been pushed aside (mildly haha) for Barry's attention!! Filly says goodnight to an imaginary Barry here at the moment haha
No YOUR crying! 🥺🥺🥺🥺 Missing you guys heaps, can’t wait to give you and the kids a cuddle. And my fingers crossed you can come to Aus for a visit, and that our wedding is not postponed :(
awww sorry about being all bloody teary making you all cry haha Miss you guys so much and we are seriously feeling anxious about what will happen in the next month.. really feel for you with the wedding and hope the coast is clear and we all make it there together for big hugs and celebrating LOVE!!! xoxoxo
😢😭🥰😢😭🥰 very emotional episode… big virtual hugs 🤗 to you all. Really really hoping Queensland can pull itself out of the current situation so you can come to Aus for that very long awaited real hug 🤗 Love to you all 🥰😘🤗❤️
We truly hope that is possible soon and that you do make it back to us one day!!! It's a special place and we're hoping it will be even better by the time we reopen 😜
A brilliant & brave episode. Thank you for sharing your courage, resilience, isolation, strength, vulnerability, anxiety and gratefulness. A strong reminder to reach out & to manage our mental health in this unpredictable time. Apart from this, lovely to see you all & Uepi & look forward to the next episode. My best wishes & love K&J, also to Jill & Grant. Annie K 🤗
Annie thank you so much. It was really important for us to stay true to our experience and share the emotional side to it as we believe that normalising the mental health struggles is important for all those others who might be doing it tough during isolation - so many are struggling. Lots of love to you too and hope to see you soon 🤗
Wow - very personal, very touching and overall very inspiring. Knowing you two as well as I do, it's no surprise to me how well you have done, even though I know you've had some rather "down" moments. It's a tribute to your characters, and a fine example for your children. I do hope you get to Australia as planned. Will Grant and Jill go with you? I am sure they are anxious to see friends and especially their newest grandchild! Thanks for sharing!!
Thanks Dave this comment really means a lot to us. It's not been an easy run but there have been some incredible highlights too and that's what we always try to keep in the forefront. 🤞🏼 it all goes to plan but if not then we will roll with it!!! Thanks as always for watching 🤗
I didn’t make it though without bawling my eyes out we miss you guys so much. We will all be together soon ( I hope) stay safe guys loves ya ……Aunty Kim kiss kiss 💋
awww man.... it was hard to watch it a million times while editing! Didn't once watch it through without crying either haha ... we miss you all SO SO much and really REALLY hope to be there at the end of the month 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼 and hope these outbreaks don't stuff up Mads and Brandon's wedding 🥺
I'd be very careful about returning to Australia atm, I'm not trying to be negative but it's not good here, and my only fear is you won't be aloud back to the Solomon's for a long long time even if you get fully vaccinated.
That's our fear too. Yes we need to be very careful. Our bookings are flexible and if it's still not looking good in a few weeks we will delay. But gosh....... the moment we think we will get the chance, it all changes again!
A bit of an emotional episode - I feel like we have so much to be grateful for at the moment and we truly hope you're doing ok to. Tell us where you are and how you're feeling 👇🏼 Sending virtual hugs to you all 🤗
i have been living the past 6 1/2 years with a terminal rare form of Leukaemia during covid i was not allowed to leave house or be around anyone due to low white cell and immune system and i live in Melbourne even shopping had to be done at 1 am so to avoid contact with others i spent 2 years not visiting anyone lost my job could not get benefits zero help from outsiders but now i appreciate quiet times and even sold tv and things i see no longer important like toys
Thank you for believing in life in the beautiful Solomon Islands. Lots of blessings to you. Watching from Honiara.
We feel so lucky to call the Marovo our home... this is such a special place to us... if only we could teleport all our nearest and dearest over here to be with us, we would carry on just as we are!!! I hope things have been going well for you in Honiara 😊
@@TheIslandLifeofUs I'm a local and I always have families around so I can only imagine how much you miss your loved ones. But honestly speaking, life is totally different with Mr Rona. It's really to make ends meet in Honiara but awesome stories like yours keep us moving. Thank you once again for the inspirational videos. 😍😍🥰
Such a massive hit to our economy here with less expatriates and no tourism... I can see how you'd be doing it tough for sure. Hope you can hang in there too... we are so happy to keep bringing videos to you from Marovo 😜
Wow! What an experience! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Em... it's an usual time for so many all over the world. Hope you're doing ok in Aus and life as a Mama is treating you well xxx
I'm glad you two were taken care of all by yourself, well 99.9% of people are living in cities and near other people I'm glad you two took care of yourselves way to take care of yourselves...
Thanks so much. It’s been a tough season that’s for sure!
Ah...in fact this is a pretty good outline of a sort of 'How Our Channel Got Going' episode, that I was asking you about yesterday!
It was absolutely so tough a time. I'm fairly newly retired, but in 2020 I was working as Triage on a telephone helpline in the UK which supports bereaved children and their families. Families were not only experiencing huge shocks from, say, a death in the family, but then suddenly expected to Covid-Isolate and lose regular contact with others they loved! I fully understand the tears - and shed a few myself over that time. Blessings!
It’s absolutely wild to us how differently the world experienced covid but also how we each felt the weight of the pandemic in very meaningful ways. I can’t imagine working on your role .. it sounds incredibly tough. We know how blessed we have been but that is to say we’ve also survived some of the most challenging years of our life and we will be forever changed! Thanks so much for watching this video and leaving a comment… feels like a long time ago and so much has evolved even since this time. Take care and love to you too
Reading everyone else's comments before making my own..........glad everyone else is teary too!!!! Love you guys, and can imagine what you are going through. It's easy to look at your gorgeous environment and think "how could anyone not be just totally ecstatic being there over this pandemic". but to hear your reality it incredibly heart-breaking. Hang in there guys. We just don't know when this is going to end, and we all just have to try to cope with our everyday ups and downs. Not seeing beloved family is the worst........thank goodness for current technology that allows us at least the chance to see them, even if we can't hug them. xxxx
We really want to portray our reality for what it is and a huge part of it is appreciating the spectacular paradise we have right here... not taking that for granted but yeah the truth is we have had some really tough times too. We're hanging in there and getting ready for disappointment with our planned trip as it's really not looking good in Aus for us to be able to travel and get home again. What a seriously strange world we are all living in these days -- and how seriously lucky are we to have the internet technology we have today!!!
And I also wanted to say that we are so fortunate to have had the support of Jill and Grant over this time. We actually could not have survived without them... what they do for us with the kids and feeding us and everything.... they are amazing!!! SO many blessings in amongst the ups downs and everything in between!!!
Beautiful raw honest emotions, sending love .
😊
Wow! Great sharing! Big like and full support here.
Big thanks to you for being here.... weird times. It helps to share our story I think!
Thanks for sharing. 💕
Always 🤗
Cant wait to see you all!
Yes same!!! 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼 we make it back soon!!
So real, so honest you two interesting, delightful people. Lovely to know that we share this planet.
An interesting video sharing in this way... I think we are overdue for another sit down chat now it has been 2 years isolating here!
Quite the experience - We lived in a Solomon village in the late 1980. I have to say, you are lucky to have social media and that contact.
SO SO lucky to have technology that connects us. Even when I (Katie) moved here in 2015 the internet was so painfully slow, we could not video call and using web browsers was impossible. It has come a long long way (and it costs a HUGE amount of money for a private satellite connection) but it is very worthwhile and gives us the ability to stay connected! We do not take it for granted.... I can't imagine not being able to call my Mum!
David here, the bloke that shared those stories and photos from when we were caretaking Uepi in 1984! Greetings from the Gold Coast! Lockdown Day # 7. Hopefully it ends on Sunday at 4pm which will be Lockdown Day # 9. At the moment, things are looking promising! I believe 17.5m Australians are currenlty locked down, that's 2 out of 3 Australians. Dark days..... Loved watching this video guys, a great recap. It's certainly been an up & down journey for you all since March last year. We've seen HUGE numbers of COVID in poor old Fiji, about 1,000 new cases a day for a month or so now since the inital breakout started in April 2021. We've also seen cases in PNG. How's COVID there and what vaccines do you have access to? Do you have to go to Australia to get a vaccine or would it be possible to do it in Honiara?
Hi David, you guys have certainly endured some extended lockdowns and I feel with every new lockdown it must get harder and harder. It's really scary to think what the virus is doing in countries like Fiji / PNG - as it would also be disastrous to see it spread through the community here.. Very scary to think how the health system would cope here. There has only been a few dozen imported cases kept in quarantine (they've dine an excellent job) here and as far as we know zero community spread of covid. The SIG started the vaccine rollout in April and it has been slow but steady - uptake has been low and vaccine hesitation present for sure. They have AZ and Sinopharm (Chinese - and not yet available) so for the time being AZ only available to front liners, people on the border of Bouganville and those in the riskier categories so Jase and I have not been eligible yet. We had planned to get the vaccine when visiting Aus but if that doesn't work out and it becomes available to us here we'd take it. Jill and Grant have traveled to Gizo to have their first dose as their age makes them eligible now so that's great.
Another great video guys. Stay in there this will end.
Here's hoping hey!! We're in good spirits despite the looming cancelation of our Aus trip... Just have to wait and see and truly can't do anything about it so it's all good! Hope you're staying safe 😊
You guys are amazing and the transparency in your own experiences and sharing it with everyone so they can learn from and stay positive. It's very appreciated I'm just happy to be alive and eating good in Co, in the US. Trying to stay warm like you guys and your hearts. 🧡
Thanks so much for your comments Jacob. It means a lot to us and really does keep us motivated to continue sharing our world authentically. Stay safe and warm ❤️
Brave of you to go after this life - it looks like it could be exciting. Many of those living the hum-drum life have had a very difficult time during COVID with loss of loved ones and health.
Absolutely devastating outcomes for people in all different circumstances for sure and it's very important to remind ourselves of that often. We contemplate these different situations often and feel for those having a hard time. I think when we have felt really down about being so far away from friends and family, we remember how lucky we are to be in a country with no covid... having our health and feeling as though we have escaped some of the devastation of the pandemic. If the virus was in the community here it would be a very scary situation.
Thank you for this honest chat about feelings during the pandemic. I also experienced the isolation that you talk about as I was coping in peopled Austin TX. Freedoms were restricted. I think we all have been cut off from each other, both physically and emotionally. Everyone has found themselves in a bizarre, scary place. In the early days, I would wake up and think I had a bad dream only to realize that the pandemic was frightened real.
I hope you can get vaccinated when you get to Australia. It's the light at the end of this endless, scary tunnel. And please continue to share through these beautiful videos. They are the best gifts for those of us who deeply miss the Uepi Sanctuary.
The removal of our freedoms in such a variety of settings is incredible, not to mention the fact that the entire world is experiencing it simultaneously in these remarkably different ways. What a strange time indeed. I am so glad you're watching and taking something from our videos - this was our motivation to do it, sharing the Uepi magic with you all while you can't be here with us!! Hugs x
Have just found you guys on TH-cam. My family has really enjoyed you sharing your amazing life in SI. We visited visited SI 2 years ago and have loved reliving our time there through your Vlog. Looking forward to your next adventure. I’ll
Amazing!! I am so happy to read comments like this that remind me how much people love the SI.... it really is a special place and we are so happy to share more of it! Today's episode is an absolute banger - up at GMT+11!
@@TheIslandLifeofUs Thanks for the reply. Hope you guys are going ok. 😀
Just found your channel and subscribing. I really miss home (Munda) and seeing your videos really helped me in lockdown Fiji. Love your videos so much. Take care.
Welcome! So happy to bring a little bit of the Marovo to you in isolation!! It's been so cool to connect with many Solomon Islanders here who are living all over the world! Stay safe
love you guys!! This brought tears for me and Dan. Hope you get back to Aus soon!! Sending you heaps of love xxxx
Thanks babe... cant wait to see you guys xoxoxo
I am 17. I have not been allowed out of isolation in 18 months. Just sitting in my room day after day. I wish I could be on an island lol
Gosh that is hard and we really feel for you!! We know we are so lucky to be on an island and have the freedom to enjoy the environment at least! Hang in there.... x
Hiya! Currently watching your video from quarantine in Brisbane. If you want to get an idea of what that’s like, we should chat. Hugs to the fam.
That would be cool! ahhh how is it going? Are you surviving it? The biggest concern for us is getting at least a separate space for the kids to sleep during the day (doesn't even need to be a room but separated somehow) and the food - Ophelia has food allergies and I am pretty worried about dealing with that!
Sure was a roller coaster!! So lucky to have you by my side baby!! 🥰
Wouldn't have it any other way! xxx 🥰
In Melbourne we are just coming out of our 5th lockdown. In total we have had around 6 months in lockdown in the last 18 months, restricted to staying at home most of the time and limited to a 5Kl travel area. I can understand how even a beautiful place like Uepi can end up feeling claustrophobic with no visitors. This virus has really hit the travel industry and literally millions of associated peoples livelihoods' worldwide. I feel for all the local indigenous people who's income and health rely so much on overseas travellers. I'd hold off on your trip to Australia at this time as NSW is far from under control and QLD has restrictions too. The Delta variant of the virus is extremely infectious and keeps breaking out of quarantine hotels locking down whole states. Hopefully by Christmas a majority of Australians will have had two shots of the vaccine and we will be in a safer place. Fondly remember out trip to Uepi in 2015 and hopefully we'll be able to return one day soon. Best wishes to Grant & Jill and your special little family. Peter & Susan
You guys in Melbourne have been absolute troopers with the repeated lockdowns - we have been watching from afar in admiration of how quickly things have turned around in Vic with each lockdown. This delta variant is scary though and we can see the danger in returning during an outbreak. We're planning to wait and see what is happening, and change plans if it's still too risky as the big danger for us is not being able to get home. Shift those goal posts to next year 😩and hope for an increase in vaccination rates in the meantime. Sending lots of love back to you guys too 🤗
Shed a tear or two watching this! You are such wonderful role models. Your story brings perspective to our situation. Throughout our multiple lockdowns we've always had easy access to food and medical assistance. Stay safe!
It's different challenges for everyone... thank you for your kind words. It is amazing to see how much we have grown throughout all of this and I often wonder what lessons others are taking from it all.. Take care 😊
It was tough for a lot of people lost my mum at the beginning and my Dad during covid. We were lucky enough to have a break in lock downs to fly back to Tasmania and get back to Western Australia before lockdown again ❤
oh so sorry to hear that. That must have been incredibly difficult. Sending hugs to you
Im in Melbourne Australia, i remember we weren't allowed out. We had family like 5 mims away and we couldn't go visit them. Police where on the streets and looking if we had a pass to leave the house. Unbelievable times
You guys are truely inspirational! Cant wait to be a guest again and see all the upgrades! Keep up the great work say hi to the folks for me! Hopefully we can go diving again soon! Your posts make a big difference in this hectic times.. reminds me the world is still beautiful and once we can travel again I will appreciate all the little things that little more. Hang in there team! All the best for the Australian visit if you get stuck alway a spare room in Perth for ya ! 😀
Thanks Adrian!! It's such a positive thing for us to be able to carry on improving the resort as much as we can while this all drags on..... and we will be here ready when borders open and we won't look back!! Thanks so much for the good wishes... we sure hope we can make it back to Aus but not holding our breath at this stage ☹️
Another great video, thanks 🙏 The kids and us are loving catching up with you via the channel. We’re crossing our fingers we can return again soon, but agree it keeps presenting new challenges. Keep looking after each other and making these great vids!
Thanks Murray... So happy to be bringing some Uepi to you all at home as we persevere through these challenging times! Lots of great videos in the making at the moment so we are excited to be sharing!!
Beautiful. I teared up too! Thank you for sharing and especially giving us an understanding of the challenges and realities of life where you are - it is so important. What a crazy time we're all going through. One of the biggest challenges for me is not being able to be with my Grandparents who are in Fiji. Who know's when we will be able to be together again but for now I'm thankful for technology and being able to stay connected via Skype, Facetime etc. Tuning in on Tuesday's to your channel is one of the highlights of my week and I'm continuously inspired. Loved spending time with you all during your visit to Honiara. Grateful for this time together and for the uplifting conversations we shared - can't wait to hang out with you all again. Till next time 💕Take care. BIG hugs x
Aw Zillah it must be so hard not being able to be close to your family in Fiji. I feel it's the extended time that passes without those real hugs and personal conversations that makes my heart ache at times. But you are so right - only a few years ago we couldn't facetime like we do today and how lucky is that!! My mum reads the kids books over facetime and they hug and kiss the phone in the most adorable way - the phone kinda IS grandma haha... Thanks for watching lovely!!! Can't wait for more of those conversations in person soon xo
Barry is famous! Haha! Glad you guys are in a good place currently and embracing the positives ❤
haha Barry!! The kids are obsessed by the way.... poor Grandma has been pushed aside (mildly haha) for Barry's attention!! Filly says goodnight to an imaginary Barry here at the moment haha
No YOUR crying! 🥺🥺🥺🥺
Missing you guys heaps, can’t wait to give you and the kids a cuddle. And my fingers crossed you can come to Aus for a visit, and that our wedding is not postponed :(
awww sorry about being all bloody teary making you all cry haha Miss you guys so much and we are seriously feeling anxious about what will happen in the next month.. really feel for you with the wedding and hope the coast is clear and we all make it there together for big hugs and celebrating LOVE!!! xoxoxo
😢😭🥰😢😭🥰 very emotional episode… big virtual hugs 🤗 to you all. Really really hoping Queensland can pull itself out of the current situation so you can come to Aus for that very long awaited real hug 🤗 Love to you all 🥰😘🤗❤️
Yes we have everything crossed that it smooths out soon and those Gradmama cuddles are as soon as we planned!!!!! xoxoxox Love you lots x
Thanks for the update on Uepi. My daughter and I spent a great holiday there..a magic and memorable place. Hope to get back sometime
We truly hope that is possible soon and that you do make it back to us one day!!! It's a special place and we're hoping it will be even better by the time we reopen 😜
@@TheIslandLifeofUs ..heres her video. Thought you may like the music in particular... th-cam.com/video/3ca-D6MHAqg/w-d-xo.html
A brilliant & brave episode. Thank you for sharing your courage, resilience, isolation, strength, vulnerability, anxiety and gratefulness. A strong reminder to reach out & to manage our mental health in this unpredictable time.
Apart from this, lovely to see you all & Uepi & look forward to the next episode.
My best wishes & love K&J, also to Jill & Grant. Annie K 🤗
Annie thank you so much. It was really important for us to stay true to our experience and share the emotional side to it as we believe that normalising the mental health struggles is important for all those others who might be doing it tough during isolation - so many are struggling. Lots of love to you too and hope to see you soon 🤗
Wow - very personal, very touching and overall very inspiring. Knowing you two as well as I do, it's no surprise to me how well you have done, even though I know you've had some rather "down" moments. It's a tribute to your characters, and a fine example for your children. I do hope you get to Australia as planned. Will Grant and Jill go with you? I am sure they are anxious to see friends and especially their newest grandchild! Thanks for sharing!!
Thanks Dave this comment really means a lot to us. It's not been an easy run but there have been some incredible highlights too and that's what we always try to keep in the forefront. 🤞🏼 it all goes to plan but if not then we will roll with it!!! Thanks as always for watching 🤗
@@TheIslandLifeofUs Love & admire you both (Grant & Jill too)!
Yes we must point out how much they have done for us and kept us going!!!!
Am the 500 person who hit the subscrib
Woohoo thank you!!!!
How did use get cashed up. Afford building etc. Is their a episode on this
I didn’t make it though without bawling my eyes out we miss you guys so much. We will all be together soon ( I hope) stay safe guys loves ya ……Aunty Kim kiss kiss 💋
awww man.... it was hard to watch it a million times while editing! Didn't once watch it through without crying either haha ... we miss you all SO SO much and really REALLY hope to be there at the end of the month 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼 and hope these outbreaks don't stuff up Mads and Brandon's wedding 🥺
@@TheIslandLifeofUs 🤞
I'd be very careful about returning to Australia atm, I'm not trying to be negative but it's not good here, and my only fear is you won't be aloud back to the Solomon's for a long long time even if you get fully vaccinated.
That's our fear too. Yes we need to be very careful. Our bookings are flexible and if it's still not looking good in a few weeks we will delay. But gosh....... the moment we think we will get the chance, it all changes again!
Beautiful raw honest emotions, sending love .
Thank you.... it is funny how now it's another 6 months down the road and still on the massive rollercoaster of emotions!