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.

Madang, PNG

Friday, April 4, 08
I wish there were a way to record the bird calls and songs. The sounds are so unusual. Each country, and region, has its own. Here, only in Madang are found the Crown Victoria Pigeons.
The manager has several in a large cage. Their headdress is stunning. No pictures till I return to Ukarumpa, which is tomorrow.
We sleep over the rusty pull aside car gate which makes a grating sound till 11:00 PM. Our breakfast has been ordered for 7:00 - 3 eggs, toast, non-salty ham, coffee. We are excited to see a French press placed on the table till we find that it is filled with instant Nescafe - jokers. After a cold shower, we are ready for a tour around town, get tonight's lodging figured out, and swim. Bill and I are both low on cash and need to find an ATM. I'm down to 110 Kina, $35.
Jais Aben is a resort 15 km out of town, on the ocean. Our room, #6, is 15 meters from the ocean where king fishers swoop. Snorkeling and diving are available, a BBQ hut for burgers and the mail building, very open, which has a bar and eating area, as well as reception and offices. This will cost us $30/night - cheap for a room in paradise. A fan, no ac, bathroom with hot shower, mini-frig and 2 beds make the room cozy.
At 10:00, we head to town looking for a phone so I can call the US. My debit/credit card has again been blocked by watchful B of A employees. I can't retrieve any cash without calling them. But tries at several places bring no success. We must be dialing wrong even though we are following instructions from the phone people themselves. After a milkshake at the Madang Resort, best place to stay in town, we head back to Jais Aben and try phoning here. Still no luck! Tomorrow! Lunch is a cheeseburger and fries at the BBQ hut. Oh, we're eating good.
Bill takes a long nap as I make a blog entry and sit watching the ocean, breezes keeping me cool in this high humidity.
There are few restrictions - no speed limit and no "You can't go there". Jump into the ocean where you want and swim where you want. But, with no lifeguards, you're on your own.
Praise Jesus!! At 3:30, I get through to a B of A operator who cleans up the blockage of my account. I'm celebrating with a Schweppes Dry Ginger Ale. From PNG, it appears, there is no connection possible to an 800 number. My connection was made when I called a special number on my card, small bottom left corner, which sent me to a non-800. This number is set up for only overseas calls with this type of restriction. How would I know such a thing?
Napping and swimming round off the day. dinner is soup and garlic bread. PNG cuisine you ask? What determines PNG cuisine answers this question, "Does it fill my stomach?" Sweet potatoes, greens, rice and anything that answers that question is in. Bill orders some fruit but leaves to try and sleep off a bug - a brother but to what I had 2 days ago. But, sleep is what is not allowed. Even though we have a ceiling fan, it isn't used due to Bill's feeling ill. Rain starts around 9:00 and continues till morning. By day break I have pulled a sheet over me. The ocean laps and crashes intermittently as the night continues - nature is gently wrapping its large arms of warmth and communion around us.

Ukarumpa to Madang

Thursday, April 3, 08
With Dr. Jeff wanting to see me on Monday, 9:45, Bill and I decide to ride to Madang today, returning Sunday. I place my big money bills in my cargo pants pocket and split smaller bills into my two top pockets. This is preventative in case we get waylaid by some rascals. We each are driving a Honda XR 400 (400 cc), 5 speed - lots of power. The first 1/3 of the road is paved but in the highlands so there are lots of problem areas. The second third is on flat land, the Markham Valley, we turn left to Madang instead of right to Lae. But, the last third is hard to describe except as steep, eroded, rutted, dangerous, slow going, and shakes your liver into your toes. The 200 kms take 4 hours of driving, of which the last third devours most of that. My wrist is sore from clutching through the gears, my butt aches from the bounce and slipping, but oh did I have fun. No rascals! I only stalled once, I forgot which gear I was in while coming out of an extended mud puddle, and only fell once, with only a partial back brake I was forced to use more front brake than is safe so at a very slow point my braking turned the front wheel sharply and I fell. Bill gets tagged in the helmet by a Kite (hawk) which is flying too close. Kites are everywhere, not just here. Most often there are 3-5 in the sky at any given time. We stop halfway for fuel and lunch - flour sausage and coke - yum. When yellow lines cross the lane, be ready for a one lane area, usually a bridge. This only applies to paved areas. Once, after a particularly dangerous and difficult section of descending and then hard climbing, we pull off to the side for a water break. A PMV (Public Motorized Van) stop for a chat. The passenger asks for a drink from my bottle - keep it. Sharing is common. But, I don't need his backwash. Bill has a full face shield, I do not. Mine leaves me open to the bugs and dirt. At the Madang Cultural Center, where we stop for help in finding lodging, beautifully placed on the ocean's edge, Bill tells me to wash first in the bathroom. No mirror, but if my face looks like my helmet I could scare someone.
Lae is a commercial town. Madang is set up as a resort town. With an early dinner overlooking the Pacific Ocean at Eden, a Chinese/Thai restaurant, we return to our motel as lightning flashes in front and back of us. My lights keep turning off or dimming at odd times - flip on the blinkers and the headlights go off, on again a minute later. Odd! We are in Mot Guesthouse, and have a 2 bed room , #7, common bathroom and shower down stairs in the carport. Bill decides to go for a walk in the community. The motel refuses to let him go out alone and send a guard. I am tired and elect to catch up on some reading and writing. Our room is 80 Kina ($28) together. Flying fox are everywhere. The clicking of bats is all around as well as the sounds of other birds. How I wish I could record these interesting sounds. Tomorrow, we have reservations on the ocean a few kms out of town.

Down to Full Speed

Thursday, April 3, 08
All's well. After a 12 hour night sleep, plus 5 hours during yesterday, the "bug-that-bends-you over" has left.
I have availed myself of the excellent doctors and medical facilities, here at the SIL Ukarumpa compound, to get checked out. Getting a resupply of meds has been important. Dr. Jeff want to see me once more on Monday to talk about malaria. Thus far, I have decided not to start any malaria prophylaxis. He is nervous about that. Also, he wants me to have, in possession, 2 malaria cures. I will defer to him. My main reason for not starting the preventative is the side affects. But, I will defer to him
Instead of tomorrow, Bill and I may be taking the trip to Madang today. If there is a brief period of silence, on this blog, you will know that has been the case.

An Old Fashioned Ass Kicking

Wednesday, April 2, 08
This morning, 4:30, my stomach began acting up. By 8:00, I was hardly able to make a BP check appointment at the clinic. Returning at 10:00, I went back to bed and slept till 3:00. Sam and Bill came to check on me. Now, 3:30, I am still feeling tired. I have picked up some crackers for dinner and will go to bed very early.

Anamonapa, PNG

Tuesday, April 1, 08
Everyone is up before day break. Pauline and Samia have horrid coughs which will keep Pauline home from school. Roosters are sending their message of the new day. Sam is starting a fire in the house center. To shower or not to shower - quite cool. Maybe, simply more deodorant.
The family is pulling out all the stops. Breakfast is coffee, boiled kau kau (sweet potato), and a fried carrot, egg, noodle, green onion mix and bread. Before placing the pot on the open fire, Sam smears it with wet ashes to keep the outside from becoming dented from continual use. Pauline and Samia play a stone game - somewhat like jacks.
Silion (13) presents Sam with papers indicating he needs to pay 20 kina for his education. I reach into my pocket and pass it to him. Thank you is expressed. Cooked kau kau are wrapped in plastic for lunches.
Eric (Sam's nephew, age 21), Aru (bodyguard) and Babu (word meaning grandfather) will accompany me on a walk. Lynette and Silion hustle off to school. Oldest daughter, Doreen, has returned from school and will remain in the village. School isn't for everyone. Sitting over breakfast, a man describes how he, last night, shot (with an arrow) a flying fox which had stopped to eat in his guava tree. He says it squealed like a dog and woke the family.
Off the four of us go, all but I have a bush knife. Aru has a bow and arrows. This 2 1/2 hour walk will take us to a vista where Yonki Lake can be viewed. Through grassland, forest and bamboo we walk as Birds of Paradise float overhead - they fly more rapidly than I imagined. We pass women working together in gardens and couples cutting grass to repair a roof. Bubu and Aru share home grown tobacco and later betel nuts. Stories of fights with neighboring clans come out of Bubu recalling his youth - which could easily start anytime. These fights can last for a week as they jockey into position, 1/8 mile between them on the grassy hillsides, where they shoot arrows at each other. Some arrows are for close range, others for distance. Bubu's son is working in his garden at the furthest point of our walk. He walks to the edge of the small flat hilltop and calls loudly. Far away the call is returned. the soil is so slick, we all slip at times on the steep slopes. Aru always has his bow and arrows at the ready, his bush knife slung down his back and around his head. As a king fisher flies past he hurries a shot. No king fisher soup tonight, plus a lost arrow.
My shoes were traded in for too small boots. By the time I'm back at the village, I'm glad to rejoin my own sized shoes. With a short rest, bananas and water, Brian (Sam's 18 yr old son), returned from classes, Eric, Bubu and I take a walk around the village.
Lunch follows and we the younger generation and I walk back to the SIL compound.
My guesthouse stay tonight will feel a bit tame.
Anamonapa and walk pictures: http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/musungi/AnamonapaPNG

Ukarumpa/Village Life

Monday, March 31, 08
Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, there is a market. The choices of vegetables and fruits, I have not seen till now - cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, all fruits, and more. This area, the Aiyura Valley, used to be a big swamp. When the missionary arrived, he drained the swamp and the fertile soil has grown anything planted. Hostilities can possibly be understood when realizing that the question asked, when someone came to a village or a garden was, "What reason do I have not to kill you?"
One of the important needs, since leaving home, has been to see a doctor somewhere along the way. Dr. Jeff Stout sat with me and we discussed my feeling lightheaded. We will have three BP checks, and cut my meds in half and see if that helps. I'm grateful to have a trustworthy physician to work with and purchase reliable meds.
At 4:30. Sam Baimako and I drive to his village using one of the SIL vehicles. The village, Anamonapa, is 15 minutes drive from the compound. Welcomes and helloes all around, I meet the family: Mama (Simo), Lynette (20), Silion (13), Pauline (10), Samia (3). There are others who are either away in school or not present. Martha Simpson has packed me a bag with mosquito net, sleeping bag, foam pad, and other important items. Traditional houses are round and made of bamboo. Sam's is square made of bamboo. A fire burns in the center with sleeping quarters along the sides and back. Some children are playing jingo jango outside. This consists of two strings held while others jump in and out of the strings keeping to the rules. There is water piped close to the house and two fluorescent bulbs burn inside, one outside. The bamboo walls are woven and have two layers, one on the outside and the other on the inside of the pole framing. Above the fire are seeds drying for next year's crop. These are kept in bamboo. A pit toilet serves the household. Eleven of us are present for dinner. Sam's mother is here working on a bilum (carrying net) and Aru (cousin). Rain sounds outside, not heard under the grass roof, and we settle down to talking of any and all subjects. I am pleased to see a cat prowling the premises.
All the women are in skirts. Women must cover from the midriff to the knees. To allow a thing of belly to be shown is a sign of promiscuity - not tolerated in the village.
By 9:00, the family is tired and we retire. We are 5 sleeping here. The others disappear to sleep elsewhere. Samia and Pauline have deep coughs and are instructed to spit outside. I sleep on the right, Sam next to me, Mama next, then the girls.