Jais Aben Resort

Saturday, April 5, 08
I rise around 6:45, Bill still sleepy with the bug but feeling better. I walk to the lobby/eating area. with a cup of tea, I write in my journal. the staff is placing breakfast out for the guests - no one here but me. Canoes full of PNGians paddle past on the way to work, or town, or market... Not far off the beach is a WWII wreck of a supply ship, a plane and a US bomber.
Geography Lesson: The island of New Guinea has two countries, Papua (west side), which is Indonesian, and Papua New Guinea (east side), which is its own country. Papua New Guinea, or PNG, has several islands - Papua New Guinea, New Britain, New Ireland, and Bougainville. The Solomon Islands continue to the south of Bougainville. Rabaul, which figured heavily into Mac Arthur's Pacific Campaign, is a city on New Britain and has recently been heavily damaged by volcanic action.
A kind woman brings me a plate of toast and butter. I must have had a hungry look. Music plays in the background, a mixture of American and who knows what. A PNG man sweeps the pool, mostly used for dive lessons. Why swim in a pool when paradise's coral reefs are at your feet. Bill still isn't feeling well so I have time to wander. Around 11:00, in light rain, Bill and I take the motorbikes to town for money and lunch, again Eden restaurant. I'm wearing my blue lightweight jacket which is splattered with mud by the time we return. bill naps while I snorkel. Never have I seen so many fish. The snorkeling is 20-100 ft from shore, larger fish as I move from shore since the depth is greater. My first clown fish, funny things. Also, the big Angel fish from Finding Nemo. Every color but red. Don't know why? There are spotted, striped, solid, black, navy, azure, fluorescent blue, lime green... Blue star fish are poisonous to other fish so they are everywhere. The coral is expansive and multi-colored with black spiny urchins buried in the crevasses. The prolific population may be this - I'm the only one out here. This coral reef is not commercialized as other spots.
Dinner is fish, vegetables, a small potato and a glass of Aussie, white wine.
We're hoping for no rain tonight so we can ride safely tomorrow.