This article is part of Narcity’s Remote Living series, which profiles people living in surprising places or situations. Have a story to tell? Get in touch with asymina.kantorowicz@narcity.com.
If you've never heard of the island of Tristan da Cunha, you're certainly not alone.
The world's most remote inhabited island is right in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean, where it's close to nothing but about halfway between Cape Town, South Africa and Montevideo, Uruguay.
For Kelly Green, there was no reason to think about Tristan da Cunha — let alone live there — until she paid the spot a visit in January 2012.
Green's dad was a diplomat and she grew up all over the world. She was in her early 20s and living in the U.K. when her dad convinced her to visit him while he was in Tristan da Cunha for work.
"It just looked like Jurassic Park," she said of her first impression. "The first couple of days I got to meet people and they were so welcoming and so kind and I met my now husband [Shane] very briefly. He helped me take my bags off the ship."
Living on a remote island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean comes with its challenges, but the mom of two says she loves living there and misses very little about the U.K.
"It's a fantastic place and a very fascinating place. It has lots of history," she told Narcity. "We are a small community, but I just would love people to look into us more."
Where is Tristan da Cunha?
Tristan da Cunha is an active volcanic island in the Atlantic Ocean and the world's most isolated settlement, according to the Tristan da Cunha website. The island is home to 238 British citizens, most of whom live in a place called Edinburgh of the Seven Seas.
CNN reports its nearest landfall is South Africa to the east, which is about 1,750 miles (2,816 kilometres) away.
Can you visit Tristan da Cunha?
Being in such a remote part of the world, getting to and from Tristan da Cunha is not easy.
There is no airport and the island is only accessible by sea. However, you can't just go to Cape Town and hop on a boat.
Visiting the island requires months of planning. All visitors first need approval from the Island Council and will be required to get a local police certificate in advance.
To add to the difficulty of getting to the island, there are only nine ships that travel there every year and they have limited space.
"If you can be flexible sometimes you might get lucky and there might be a space but it can take years [and] years. I mean, there have been people that have been on the waitlist for quite a long time."
Green posted a TikTok video showing what kind of vessel people take to get to the island. However, she notes that cruise ships do often stop there.
Also, keep in mind there are no hotels. There are guest houses you can stay at and you can also arrange to stay with a family who lives on the island.
How long does it take to get to Tristan da Cunha?
Green says it takes seven days to get to Tristan da Cunha by a fishing vessel.
However, it does also depend on the weather, among other things.
Green reminisces about a time she spent almost a month getting to the island.
"We had engine problems the whole way and the weather was really bad," she said. "I think, all in all, we were at sea for 24 days."
What can visitors do on Tristan da Cunha?
As the head of tourism, Green says there is a lot to do and see on Tristan da Cunha.
Visitors can take a tour around the volcano that erupted in 1961. That eruption led to the island being evacuated to England for two years.
There is also the Thatched House Museum that people can visit and even book for an overnight stay.
Visitors can also walk around the settlement and visit the Albatross Bar, which Green says is also an attraction because it's the most remote pub in the world.
For people who are visiting for longer, Green suggests visiting the sister islands.
"Nightingale [a sister island] is filled with wildlife penguins just walking everywhere so that's really enjoyable for people," Green explained.
What is the weather like on Tristan da Cunha?
The Tristan da Cunha website explains that the island lies on the same latitude as Melbourne, Australia, meaning its seasons are flipped compared to North America.
"We call this Christmas weather. We get very muggy weather so it's warm but it's this fine rain, which is really good for the plants to grow," she said.
"Our winters are very harsh, our winter is kind of like May, June kind of time and we have very, very strong winds. Strong, gale-force winds."
The island doesn't have high buildings, but Green says in 2019 the island saw a huge storm pass through that destroyed the building she works in.
"We can get some really nice weather and we get some really, really bad weather."
Are there any restaurants on Tristan da Cunha?
If you're craving sushi or some other kind of takeout, that's not an option on this remote island.
That's because there are no restaurants, which Green says she misses most about being in the U.K.
"Every night I'm having to think about what I'm going to cook for supper. You know, even like the convenience of having a takeaway, that kind of thing that you really take for granted."
The other things she misses include Amazon Prime and Netflix, which Green notes are not accessible.
How do products get delivered to Tristan da Cunha?
In an Instagram video, Green explains how she orders a product on Amazon. She has the item sent to a shipping company in the U.K. and then it's sent from their warehouse to Cape Town before it's put on a ship to Tristan da Cunha.
For birthdays and holidays, Green tells Narcity that she plans well in advance.
"I wanted to get my kids Christmas presents but if I want to get them from England, I have to order them like nine months in advance."
Are groceries super expensive on Tristan da Cunha?
With only nine ships visiting the island every year, supplies can get expensive so locals have to be self-sufficient.
Green says many on Tristan da Cunha survive through farming and fishing. Each person is allowed two sheep and one cow per household.
Certain products like gas, fruits and vegetables are also subsidized.
"Other products especially sugary things are really high in price. If we're looking at an item from Cape Town, they put 75% markup on the original price," Green explained. "If it's from the U.K., it's 95%."
"We do rely on the ships to bring in supplies," she continued. "Sometimes we run out of stuff and there's just nothing you can do about it."
Does everyone know each other on Tristan da Cunha?
With only a few hundred people living on Tristan da Cunha, Green says everyone knows each other and helps one another when it's needed.
In one of her TikTok videos, Green shows the community coming together to help put a roof on a young couple's house.
She says a lot of men have to get involved for a job like that and they will take time off work to do it.
They also won't get paid but will have hot food and beverages brought to them while they work.
"It takes a long time to build a house on Tristan because you have to do everything yourself or with the help of other islanders," Green says in the video.
What are the best parts about living on Tristan da Cunha?
Kelly Green with a lamb.
Courtesy of Kelly Green.
When it comes to her favourite aspects of living on Tristan da Cunha, Green says it's beautiful and safe.
She also loves wildlife and nature.
"We have penguins, seals, we have giant yellow-nosed albatross. I love animals so I love looking after chickens and lambs," she says. "I'm not really much of a city person. The hustle bustle life I don't really like so I really enjoy it here so that for that reason as well."
This article's right-hand cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.