First Prize

Saturday, March 15, 08
Having settled in the bedroom waiting for me at the Wilson residence, Iain and I spend time catching up. During the afternoon I am able to machine wash my clothes. And, I can take a hot shower whenever I want. 6:30, he and I are picked up by some friends, Pasi and Ano, Finns working for Freeport, a large mining company locally, and are driven through rain to the local country club for a fund raiser benefiting the International School. We enter, are greeted and made welcome during the cocktail hour, and eventually find our way to our table - 12. Also present are 3 other men. Some light food is served, auctioning of baked goodies, a raffle and an 8 part quiz game. Our table wins the quiz, not even a close match. Someone jokingly refers to me as a ringer. First prize is a flight by MAF to see the glacier which is on a mountain 50 miles away. The mountain, Puncak Jaya, part of the range which runs through the center of the island, is 16,020 ft elevation. The glacier is 1 of 4 equatorial glaciers in the world. Most everyone living here has never had the opportunity to see it. Iain says, "What luck! You arrive and tomorrow we'll see the glacier." 11:30, the party breaks up and we hurry home.