Chiang Mai Calling

Between jobs in PNG and Canberra, Royal Brunei Airlines had AUD200 fares going (plus a little bit more than that in tax) but hey, since when do they sell return flights from SYD-BKK for $500? So, seizing the day we flew via Banda Seri Begawan (the capital that Rich still can't manage to remember) to Bangkok and on to Chiang Mai and visited our 'foster' elephant Tong Jan and the rest of the family at the Elephant Nature Park, enjoying a traditional northern Thai meal and then relaxed in a garden resort for a couple of days, while taking what ended up being a private cooking class for just us both with an enthusiastic chef who even made our dishes to dine for! Visiting some wats and letting a taxi driver convince us to visit the parasol, silverware, pashmina, lacquer work, kashmir rug and wooden sculpture workshops and gift shops (he got a little bonus for bringing us and we were entertained although wearisome by the fifth store)!!
The short trip was just the respite needed after many busy months of work!

Lukim Yu PNG

Things have been busy since the beginning of the year and now it's time to say sad goodbyes to friends (most of which have been like family) in PNG.
Highlights would have to be living in a block with 7 other colleagues and their families and getting to know them better, dropping in at 2am in the morning to watch a world cup match, Oleander parties, parties at Simon & Marilyn's with everyone having a go at singstar (except Richard!), Lutz singing 'No Woman No Cry' (classic), Meggie taking me on my first market run, at the market again with Ag and her protecting me from a sudden commotion by 'wrapping me up in her wings'! Lazing in the hammock on our veranda and singing with Scholly and the guitar. Seeing Mayo graduate and running in the Trukai funrun, playing futbol with whoever would come along at the track. Jo getting her hair done the day of the wedding, Saturday lunch with Brett, Schneider's and Lewis'. Mandarins, waterfalls and coffee on a trip to Boana with Bonifas, make that all the different trips to RED & SED projects, many many too many things to list here but all finished off with numerous and generous farewell meals and a sweet ute load of dear friends willing to wake up at 5am on a Sunday morning to see us off at the airport, breakfast included. We've definitely left a part of our lewa back in Lae.

Borders in Lae!

I've always said if I could transport only one store to Lae it would be Borders. Endless books, dvd's, cd's, mags while sitting down sipping coffee - who wouldn't choose it, right?

Ok, so it wasn't quite Borders but the Doulos which is the oldest sea faring passenger vessel - with a book store on board!

Brett, Marilyn and I in front of the floating bookstore docked in Lae

Leatherback Escape

The last 20 hours we amazing! We hooked up with John Ben, the manager of the Huon Coast Leatherback Conservation Project traveling 20 minutes south of Lae by banana boat. The communities are committed to patrolling the beach all night to monitor leatherback turtles coming ashore to lay eggs and hatching's that appear 60 days later. After walking up and down in the rain it was about 3am and Rich and I came across tracks the size of truck tyres. We had missed a turtle who must have decided to drop in for a short visit. Exhausted from walking up and down in the sand we decided to catch some z's, me finding it hard to sleep with a rat rustling around in my bag eating my bananas. Then suddenly one of the rangers came saying quick, you'll have to hurry, a turtle has come ashore and is laying her eggs. With adrenaline kicking in we managed to run halfway up the beach. She had just finished laying her eggs and was covering them up. So big and beautiful. A survivor. (You know only about 2 of every 1000 turtles make it to adulthood.) Very inspirational.

(Didn't actually get to see the little ones hatch. This photo's courtesy of John.)

By the time she'd finished her job and went back out to the big sea it was an hour till sunlight. I decided to stay up and listen to stories from one of the old men who was a natural storyteller. Had some good laughs over a hot tea. As the sun was rising there were a lot of mackerel jumping not too far off shore. Everyone (besides Rich who was peacefully sleeping) were up and ready to help. Old men and small children. Some jumping in the outrigger canoes pulling the net around, others on the end of the ropes pulling the net in like a tug-o-war. There was a lot of excitement and yelling. After 4 different catches the grand total was 924 fish. Not being much of a meat eater myself and having never been fishing before it was a totally new experience. Oh yeah, and there were dolphins not too far off shore as well, picking up the fish we'd missed.

Amazing time - such an escape from office work!!

Milne Bay - even better than last year

I think we should make this an annual event. This time our friend Guy took Rich, Brett and I to some of the islands south of Alotau. We went to an island inhabited by a small family with a massive guesthouse perched on a hill. After crazy hours at work the past couple of months I crashed in a hammock for quite a bit of the time. The food there was amazing considering the ingredients were few. Definately recommend Galahi Island to anyone.

We then went to Gonu Bala Bala Island further south and stayed with another nice family in their village. White sand beach, good snorkelling in rockpools and the highlight for which we went there for - swimming with Manta Rays. There is a natural manta ray cleaning station 20 metres or so off the beach. The kids there were great - imagine growing up with a bunch of friends and running around an island, exploring, snorkelling, fishing...great life!

We visited Samurai Island which was the second biggest city in PNG - 40 years ago. Now you can see a lot of old unkept buildings which adds a historic charm to the place and makes you wonder what it would have been like back in the day.

Morobe puts on a Show!

Had a great day at the Morobe Show. Never seen the streets of Lae so packed before. It was like New Years Eve in Melbourne the year 2000 - okay not quite, but for Lae this is BIG!

Highlights were all the traditional sing sing groups that had come from around the country. Especially interesting was a dance that seemed to be focused on warming up for reproduction! Check out the video...

Should I even be telling you about this place or is it best to keep it under wraps?

It was a perfect one week break. No reliant access to internet or phones and we left our laptops at home. Tufi, Oro Province would be a 6 hour drive south of us if there was a road. There’s not, so it was a flight down to Morseby and back up to Tufi (quicker then a couple day boat ride). We reacquainted ourselves with diving, went snorkelling, paddling through fiords in an out rigger canoe. Highly recommended, especially the little village guest house south of Tufi – Garewa aka Paradise.

Nemo with blue highlights

Friendly piglet

Check out the water - snorkelling at our doorstep

Garewa guest house - take your pick of two private beaches

New friend - Manchu (UK) and us outside guest house

One of the many fiords

Diving

A slightly confused cleaning wrasse

Close up on coral

Squid