Sea and Sky

Still in Port Moresby working, wining and dining. This is the view I am missing.

Hello Darling

This is our bird Caddy, a black-capped lory. She was rescued by HWDB from the golf course where his caddy had him tied to a stick, and was carrying him around trying to sell him. The poor thing was half -dead from dehydration and shock.

It is a dilema because if you buy the bird you are encouraging them to go out and catch another one and sell it; but if you don't they die. It was a very hard decision but heart won over head and he was rescued.

We have been unable to release him because his wings were so badly cut by the boy to stop him flying away that he is unable to fly up - just down and horizontal.

He is quite a character and is very vocal. He says "Hello darling" - which scares the pants off people walking past the garden, "Wotcha doing?" " Bedtime" and when you ask him how's his love life he says "OK".

Pikinini kirap long slip

This pikinini (baby) was sleeping ........

until it woke up and saw a white face with a camara staring at it. This certainly got a reaction , and the mother had to settle it back to sleep -oops!!

BTW - arrived safely in the big city with my shoes on and having a good time ........oh and working hard!!

Off to a concert tonight (Dana Leong from NYC) and then to a function with the American Ambassador - I will put in a good word for all my American blogging friends!!!

Hope you can drop in ths week but I won't be able to catch up with you until Sunday.

Lukim yu - for a few days

Tomorrow I fly out of my island paradise for the big smoke Port Moresby, the capital of PNG.

I am off for a week of meetings ….oh and shopping and dinner engagements and a concert………
I will try and post but won’t be able to visit you. I will be back next Sunday – in time for the Theme Day – gosh where has the month gone???

I have posted one of my favourite photos on my Vietnam blog this morning but won't be able to post there again until I get back.

Take care and have a great week.

PS - Dave McM, Montego Anne, GMG, Donna and Me - have been trying for hours to get into your blogs but they won't download and I can't get into the comments to say hi - so I'm saying hi here!!!!

Stormy weather - try again

The last few days we have been lashed by strong winds and rain. The sea which is usually still is now pounding in and the beach has disappeared. This is fairly normal for this time of the year. The Dry is over…..here comes The Wet.

The wind causes havoc with power lines….a coconut tree fell on these so we were without power for 2 days. Luckily we have a generator but many people here don't.
We now have lost our main phone line but still have the email line (for what is is worth).

The earthquake yesterday hit Lae but there were no casualties. Luckily an quake of the magnitude that can wipe out a village in Afghanistan or somewhere else, seems to cause just minor damage here. We had a series of earthquakes 7 years ago -the biggest was 8.1 and not a house was lost, just lots of water tanks and solar water panels! The amazing thing was the GPS marker at the airport was a metre out ofter it!

The flooding has been in Oro Province on the mainland. Supplies are finally getting in thanks to the Australian Government. We have had only minor flooding here which is a relief.

Interesting times!!!

Stormy weather

I was going to post about our stormy weather of late, but am unable to upload any photos because of hopeless phone connections - stay tuned I will try again later.

'Nudder Fire Dance

These photos were kindly given to me by Chris, who is an Australian visiting here for work at the moment. He is staying at the resort next door to us and was there for the fire dance that was put on for my friend the “health provider.” I’m really delighted that people are offering me their photos to share with you all.

This is a different dance group than the one in the previous post. They have more greenery, and their masks are plainer and all the same. The guy on the left has a red hat with a very tall top to it. He seems to be the leader of the group and doesn’t dance in the fire

I thought this back-view was cute!!!

This very tall Baining mask is one not seen very often. I saw some at the Bishop’s Sing-Sing but haven’t seen them at a night-time Fire Dance before.

This is a close of up of the big mask. You’d need a strong neck wouldn’t you?

Details of Fire Dance Mask

The Baining people were one of the original inhabitants of the Gazelle Peninsular. Several hundred years ago the Tolai (tol-eye) people from the south of New Ireland, who now make up two-thirds of this province’s population, invaded and drove the Baining people south into the mountains.

Each Fire Dance mask is different, and these are the details of the mask I bought. (See last post).

Sorry Dive I didn’t want to scare the cat so I didn’t put it on – maybe next Halloween!!!

Baining Fire Dancers

East New Britain is famous for the spectacular Baining Fire Dancers. The men wear huge tapa cloth (paper bark) masks, which have large beak-like mouths and wide eyes, and they dance in and out of a huge fire of burning coals.

The ceremonies are always held at night to add to the atmosphere.

You can hire them for special occasions and the resort next door sometimes has them for the tourists on the tour ships that come through here.

These photos were taken by my friend Geoff – I was too busy running around negotiating with the manager on a price to buy a mask to add to my collection – it was very reasonable I might add.

War relics

Papua New Guinea saw a lot of action during World War II, and the relics of these battles can still be found in the jungle today.

This is the engine from a Japanese plane that was found near the rain trees on my 9 November post. The rest of the plane has been stripped.

These engine parts were also found near the airstrip. The locals say there was a Japanese aircraft maintenance building here during the war.

This poignant reminder of the human cost of war was found on the Kokoda Track. Who wore this boot? What happened to him?


Epilogue:
What good luck
The sun is out and we have water inside.

NOTE:
To try and overcome the amount of time it is taking me to do this blog I'm going to trial posting every second day and visiting on the alternate day. Hopefully this will be acceptable to everyone in the Daily Photo Family!!!

A Good Luck, Bad Luck Story

Yesterday we had water outside….

actually we had lots of water outside….



.........but no water inside.

What bad luck…
The Water Board has a major problem and there is no town water!
What good luck…
We have a bore.
What bad luck…
The bore pump needs power and the power is intermittent.
What good luck …
We have a generator.
What bad luck…
The generator is buggar up (broken).
What good luck…
We had to shut the school and send all the students home!


Post Script – next day

What good luck…
The rain has stopped.
We have no water outside.

What bad luck…
We still have no water inside!!!

What good luck
Hmmmmm……… Any ideas for this one? I need humouring!!

Kunai Grass

Kunai grass (imperata arundinacea) is a tough long-bladed grass that can grow taller than a man.

Here on the Kokoda Track it is being used as thatching on a hut. It is very tough and long lasting, so perfect for the job.

I was able to post some new photos on my Vietnam blog today - it is a 13th century pagoda outside Hanoi.

Life's tough!!

This post is especially for my English blogging friends. This ship has been sitting in front of our house for a few days - and no they haven't put any money in the parking meter!!! Apparently it is owned by an English "health provider".

Now this little beauty is 55 metres long and apparently worth 55 million euro. There are 13 staff that cater for the gentleman and his wife's every need as they sail around the world on their 3 year vacation - and no we haven't been invited on board, even with all my champagne flute waving from the deck!

All I can say is - you guys must be paying a hell of a lot for your health insurance and therefore, on my calculations, you own some of this!!! What bit do you want me to carve your name on?

For my Australian readers Kerry Stokes is also here, sailing around in his "little ship." Nice to be some people isn't it?

Sorry - I couldn't post to my Vietnam blog today as it has taken me one and a half hours to get this post published and I don't have the time or the patience to try and do Vietnam as well. I'll will wait and hopefully I can do it tomorrow.

Faces in a cloud

As I looked at this unusual cloud formation I saw a face . Then as I searched the cloud more I could see others.

There must have been a Cloudmen Convention here in Rabaul.

Rain Trees

This magnificent tree is a Rain Tree. In this area there are a number of wonderful specimens.

This particular tree is located on an old War War II Japanese airfield. There were four of them that formed the shape of an arrow-head from the air. Allied aircraft used them as a marker for their bombing raids.

One has gone but the Papauan New Guinea gentleman who owns the land is now the guardian of the three remaining trees and has protected them from damage (people often light fires under them). He said they are historical monuments and must be cared for.

Pass the chocolate - quickly

If you like chocolate then this will interest you. Chocolate comes from cocoa and East New Britain is PNG’s largest producer of the stuff. It is grown, harvested and then fermented and dried here before being shipped off to be made into all those yummy things like CHOCOLATE, cakes, biscuits, sauces, jams etc etc. This link is very interesting if you want to know how this funny looking pod can be turned into such yummy stuff.

I’ve put on 2 kg just writing this!!!

Steve New Orleans Daily Photo told me yesterday that if I talk about my hat I have to post a photo of my hat. He reckons it's Daily Photo Rules!!!!

Steve, that was me with the box on my head in yesterday's post…..

Don’t believe me? Well ALRIGHT!! Because you asked so nicely Steve, here is my Melbourne Cup hat.

I have decided, with all your gratefully received advice, to just do what I can and stop worrying (and whining) about it. So if I can post I will, and if I can visit I will, and if I can’t well you all know why!!!!

A hat for Melbourne Cup

While we were eating breakfast on the deck on Sunday this lady walked along the beach with a box on her head to keep the sun away.

I felt that this photo was a good metaphor for a couple of things. Today is Melbourne Cup Race Day and in Australia thousands of people have bought and made fabulous hats to wear to the Cup and to parties all over the country. I am off to the Rabaul Hotel for lunch today in my hat, where we will celebrate and think of home!!!

It is also a metaphor for how I feel at the moment!!! Last night I was unable to visit anyone because - yes - you guessed it - phone lines!!! I went to bed in utter disgust and thought I really can't do this anymore. A lot of the time I can't get on at all and when I do it is taking me 3 hours a day to post and visit. He-Who-Doesn't-Blog talked me out of throwing in the towel, so at the moment we are trying to think of a way to continue in these circumstances!!!

A thought is to post one day and visit the next, so I will get back to you when I've decided.

Happy Melbourne Cup day to all!!!

No pigeons on Pigeon Island

When we got to Pigeon Island yesterday there were hundreds of birds resting on the sand. As we walked towards them they flew off across the water. As they did, the volcano Tavurvur, decided to erupt, and formed an interesting backdrop to the photos.

Sunday morning

Am posting late today (not because of phone lines - what a change) but because I have been busy!!!

I got up early and went over to Pigeon Island with friends. Catherine and Rachael kayaked over and I went to cheer them on in the support boat.

When we got back, I had a bit of a paddle around in the shallows - what fun!!! The plan is I will go next time. I will need some major training me thinks.

Dawn breaks gold

To steer away from the blue theme......... dawn breaks over Kabaira, on the North Coast Road.

Blue on Blue

The air is like a butterfly with frail blue wings...

-- Joyce Kilmer

This was what I was going to post yesterday but at the last moment I changed it for the underwater one - I wanted something really blue!!

This photo was taken by Guy on The Kokoda Track.

November Theme Day - Blue

Live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, drink in the wild air..

--Ralph Waldo Emerson


My Vietnam blog is also blue today - please pop in and visit here.

I apologize for the delay in this posting but for the third week in a row the phone lines have been sabotaged in Port Moresby and we have had no communication in or out of the province all day. Lines have only just been reconnected.