D a D o g 's P l a y g r o u n d

World Environment Day - 5th June 2011

2011-06-05T23:06:00.000-07:00

Dayapi Seismic Camp is located near the Wawoi river, in Western Province.

The Dayapi land was previously cleared and used as a logging pond (for stacking logs pulled out of the forest before loading onto river barges for the coast) by a logging giant called Rimbunan Hijau (RH is by far holds huge logging blocks in PNG than any other logging company).

On the other side of the Wawoi river is another logging camp camp called Sasereme - operated under the logging licence of Innovision Pty Ltd (owned by a former Secretary for the Forest Authority). Logging operation is contracted to a group call Vanimo Jaya who originated from Vanimo so it seems.

A oil seismic exploration camp set up at Dayapi land on its own initiative participated in the World Environment Day on the 05th June 2011. 25 personnel from the camp admin staff, housekkeeping, helicopter loadmasters/ assistants, day security, storeman plus the few technical people got together and for their part cleaned around camp - A clean-a-thon really.

We'll start..............

The security picking up his bit....

HeliNiugini Load Master Peter Donald

HeliNiugini Loadmaster and Camp Security

Sasol QC - Paul Jelly

Storeman - Tigili Saeniya

Kitchen hand also had his day out....

Radio man 'Laurie' Daley

The main man - Lalela (Sasol Environment)

After collection of bags...................

He did not win the prize for 'most collected'...............

Doc. Gedion checks out he bags with Party Chief, Mr Song (BGP)

Sasol Lead SHE enjoys a 'kiwi' toke..............

Doctor Boy - Gedion Waiye

Its all good....................Paul Jelly (Sasol QC)

If not for much it was a team building excersise and after that a hearty lunch was served.

Lets eat.............!! Deryck Thompson (Camp Manager)

In the beginning and in the end it was all 'hip-hip hurray!!!!......................In the jungles of PNG, the locals know that the forest is their mainstay - when they see outsiders come in and do this as a special day, they know foreign objects like plastics and steel and iron should not be left on their land and they see a lot of it from the logging people.

Hurray - at least we did our bit................

It rained a bit that afternoon and since it was Sunday I decided I'll have a nap...............................

and nap I did; seriously - for 3 hours!!!

Duru Visited Aduru Village

2011-05-21T05:47:00.000-07:00

I have not written anything for a long time now - I think the last time I wrote something was back in 2010 - as it has been a very busy time for me. It still is busy today, but I thought I should paste a few pictures of my walk-a-bouts and of things done. I'm starting nibble words and am forgetful this days due to weather, work, wear & tear and many other things including the alzheimers creeping in as well (is the spelling correct??)

Anyone whose been to Samarai Island, in Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea will not have missed this monument. There must be a story and a reason behind this monument and I have heard many versions of it but the short and long of it is that it is in memory of an administrator who shot and killed himself, not on the island but somewhere far removed from this small laid back 'ghost' island.

The interesting thing about it is his aim as thought by those of his mates he left behind in this part of 'New Guinea' engraved on it....................................

We had a good old character (who bid the calling recently - RIP, our living fossil) who would walk pass this monument and mumble obscenities at the 'person' and all those 'tunnel visioned gold rush miners' who saw it fit to erect the monument after him.

Its still standing but sinking ever so slowly into the ground.

To the extreme west of Samarai Island is Daru island................and its overly crowded township.

I was told that Daru Island now (2011) has about 30 thousand people!!!!! From the outer space, Daru township itself is on a narrow strip of high dry ground, both the north and south side of the island is swampy mangroves.

On the mainland in the flat delta plains that stretches for miles north, east and west is thickly forested and teeming with logging companies.

The logging people modify the body of their own vehicles - evidently they modify so many machines they adapt and suit very well living and working in very remote areas and doing what they do. Even marrying locally too.

Kamusi Logging (RH)

Sasereme Logging (Innovision) 'this vehicle is named 'Get Back'.........

A couple of days later whilst driving up the logging road I saw my mate 'Get back' lying on its side having tried to negotiate a corner at high speed & with a gravelful load - the bulldozer pulled it upright and in an hour it was on the road again!!!

They are even mindful of the environment by putting up notices such this I saw outside the logging community shop:

I had the fortune to work with a a huge Nigerian called Duru (in orange coveralls) ..................................

...............and on his third day in PNG we both visited a village called Aduru, located on the eastern banks of the Fly River. The children came out to watch.................

.......and so did the canine population, which had the opportunity to also laze and sunbath.........

He was quite impressed and believed that it was named after him, that he was some how connected with the village. Infact he always found some excuse to go back to the village.
One thing about this village I noted was that it was once-upon-a-time swamp and water logged; the villagers who only recently relocated there from the main village due to rising sea level and over crowding drained the water by digging huge drenches to drain the excess water.

It is one of the most cleanest and neatest village/ hamlet I have ever seeing. Unfortunately, I took no pictures to show for it...........but take my word - I was impressed.

Crossing The Borders by Foot

2010-10-28T03:59:00.000-07:00

I did mentioned in one of my last post a long time back that I would write something about the walk-a-bout I did which practically, literally and physically took me from the Gulf Province over to the Western Province.

I calculated that the walk would be about 40kms at most (give or take) but when I finished the walk, it amounted to 55kms and a swollen right ankle!!!!

The picture here is a handrawn locality map of the Mt Bosavi villages who on their own initiative registered an area as a WildLife Management Area (WMA) under the Environment & Conservation Act. This stopped the logging operations in that area and my entry into that area was to assess if they would accept seismic operations (which is just one part of the petroleum exploration work).

We departed Haivaro, a village in the Gulf Province, administered by the West Kikori Local Level Government Council at about 5.30am and basically followed the logging road.

After an hour, on the unused, overgrown logging road, the walkers are so far apart with the 'old dogs' way, way ahead and us the 'un-used to' ones so far far behind. And this is after an hour but having covered 5-6kms in a brisk quick pace walk. By this time I am already feeling the pull on my legs.

Another hour (later) we had only covered 4 1/2 kms - see how much I have slowed up? If you look at the board in the background, you will notice that we are 35kms away from our destination, Musula.

This is where I had to munch into my first two cakes of Bikpela Wopa biscuit (this is the locally manufactured biscuit - its got a very bland to no-taste at all but somehow I like to have it on long walks and it goes very well with Orange Tang juice. I carry heaps of Orange Tang in my back pack always).

I thought it was only I that was going through this until we stopped for a rest 2.5 hours later.

Some of the local boys have never walked this way before (except for my main man in the above picture) everyone including me were a newbie.

We walked another 5 kms along this unused, overgrown logging road (by now I was tripping on the creepy vines every 10 steps or so as my legs got heavier by the minute) and by the time we were to turn into a bush track, off the logging road I was knackered - I was not going to take a picture of the scenario too as I was not in the mood by then.

The main man said we had to keep moving (by then it was 2 pm pushing 3pm) in order to get to some proper shelter before dark and the probable rain.

We got to the location at about 3pm but then first we had to cross the Turama River (which by when near the hills was fast flowing and the stones in the river were so big they were not even rocks but boulders. So you can imagine the river water rushing past and into this boulders and the force of the swirl around the rocks - I wonder how the mothers and children cross this river to go making sago or to walk down to where I just came up from!!!!!)

I did not bother to take pictures here,as it is, by then I was totally drenched, tired, hungry and then some. All I wanted was to get out of the wet cloths, soak my body in hot water tub ( or something close to it) and go to sleep with my feet up.

The leaches were no solace and I was itching all over.

We arrived at a resting place where the lead man said we'd have rest and walk 5 kms more up the hill to Musula (the villages was just over the top of the small ridge).

I acted as if I was not listenng and started stripping off my wet cloths and unpacking rice and tinned fish which prompted everyone else to decide we over night. The boys cooked a big pot of rice and we openned two 777 mackerel tinned fish and just had that straight out of the can. That is serious hungriness if you ask me..................

Banana leaves acted as plates and we had a big serving of the rice and tinned fish - for those whose experienced the taste of rice in the bush, it is definitely good.

We walked up the ridge the next day to get to the village......and came across this huge tree that was felled by the wind (whew!!).

3 hours later we reached the village..............................

And the people were a curious but friendly lot who were welcoming as well. It was a surprise when some man knew me from long ago when we did some drilling work (didn't know I was that well remembered, but the feeling is good though).

My mate from some 8-9 yrs back is now a councillor in this village. Here he is leading his village in constructing the official dais/ stage for the independance celebrations - but back then you should have seeing us; rough, loud, silliness and most of all disobeying and or bending rules was what we got high on.

I guess as you get older you get milder (or is it wiser??

Everyone came down to the small airstrip to see me off................

and I departed then with a swollen ankle, two cucumbers, a pineapple, a water melon and a long sugar cane that I gave away to the pilot.

'SINCERELY APOLOGISE,' means Something else.......

2010-10-24T23:42:00.001-07:00

‘We Sincerely Apologise,’ means you’re EFFED!!!!

This is a sample of email sent by my administrations to the Airlines of PNG for the service that they were providing which is getting frustratingly worse each and every day – week in and week out!!!

What is happening I have no idea but you get reasons for delays and cancelations due to technical problems, shortage of aircrafts, pilots running out of flying hours etc; etc; etc - all sorts everyday now. Then to add salt to injury APNG get passengers fitted into aircrafts running another sector hoping for a round trip that never happens, luggage’s loaded onto aircrafts scheduled on a different sector (ensuring passengers will catch it at the other end), inform passengers 2 days after the flights are cancelled, change sector schedules and the list goes on………..of course poor Papua New Guineans having no other options of third level service provider had to just make do with this service. Need you be told about the airfare prices too………it’s as if you are paying to cross the continent in two places with premium overnight stays in the choicest of accommodations!!!!

Its getting bloody worse – to be honest it is coming to stage where loyal passengers are coming to loggerheads with the front office staff – even the odd isolated APNG agent (mind you this person is not a dedicated APNG employee – more self employed) get abused by his own local people for the ****up of APNG Operations.

So if you are sitting out there at the airport with an APNG ticket and the voice on the PA system goes, ’APNG sincerely apologises……blah, blah, blah etc,’ you know very well you are seriously ‘EFFED’ in a big way.

Sometimes you can just pick up the tone of embarrassment on the voice coming from the PA (this person knows it’s time to look for a better employer), and then there is the tone that comes on very smart and with a don’t-give-a-EFF attitude – this one has a very narrow brain space and has no other job options in life; the best he/ she can hope for is stay there until death crosses his/her path.

So spit back our money as quickly as you swallow it at the purchasing counter. Oh and SMILE while you are at it……………..

(Reservations) / Operations / Accounts,

Airlines PNG

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

We had only been informed on Mon.10th May that CG5373 ......... dated Friday 07th May '10 was cancelled without notice. It was very disappointing to us and the operating team as it has disrupted the Doctor's program and work scheduled to be carried out there. As well as that, the related logistics and costs incurred to get him in and out. We had people in the Aramia District all waiting for the distribution of medical supplies. ADI Doctors Australia has voluntarily provided such service to the people in remote communities of PNG. They might reconsider such services if frequent cancellation of flights was an issue here.

We hope that won't happen again but to look forward to a better consistant service in the near future.

Provided below is the copy of the ticket and we request for a refund for unflown sectors at your earliest please.

Thank you

----- Original Message -----

From:

To:

Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2010 10:26 AM

Subject: Emailing: Online Booking - Booking Confirmation (2)

Please do not respond to this email.

e-ticket Itinerary, Receipt and Tax Invoice

Airlines of Papua New Guinea Limited GT7584

We have made the following booking for you:

Booking Reference:

Date of Issue: 20/04/2010 10:23:25

CONTACT INFORMATION	PASSENGER INFORMATION	FLIGHT TICKET NUMBERS
		ETKT626 ................../01 ETKT626 ................../02 ETKT626 ................../03
Tel: POM TRAVEL/3213400/

DEPARTING:

Date	Fri 07May 10		All Times Local	Flight-Number	Cabin (book class)
From:	Kiunga	Departure	12:15	CG 1311	Y (q)
To:	Daru	Arrive	13:20

Rules Flight 1: CORPORATE ADVANTAGE (Q) Flight and date changes are permitted at any time and no change fee is payable. The new fare must be of equal or higher value than the original fare. If the fare for the new booking is higher than the original fare, the difference in fare must be paid at the time of changing the booking. Name changes are permitted at any time free of charge. Re-routing is not permitted. The fare is fully refundable (a refund administration fee of PGK110.00 or AUD50 per passenger applies) or the amount may be held in credit for further travel for up to 12 months from the date of issue of the original ticket. Full payment must be made within 24 hours of making the booking. Failure to check in for a PNG domestic flight by the deadline, not showing up for the flight (no show), or failure to board the aircraft after checking in for the flight will incur a fee of PGK165.00 or AUD85.00 per passenger payable at the time of rebooking, or deducted from any refundable fare amount. Children (2-11 years) pay 75% of the full adult fare. Infants (under 2 years) who do not occupy a seat travel free of charge. Infants occupying a seat pay 75% of the full adult fare. .

NEXT-FLIGHT:

Date	Fri 07May 10		All Times Local	Flight-Number	Cabin (book class)
From:	Daru	Departure	15:05	CG 5373	Y (q)
To:	Awaba	Arrive	15:35

Rules Flight 2: CORPORATE ADVANTAGE (Q) Flight and date changes are permitted at any time and no change fee is payable. The new fare must be of equal or higher value than the original fare. If the fare for the new booking is higher than the original fare, the difference in fare must be paid at the time of changing the booking. Name changes are permitted at any time free of charge. Re-routing is not permitted. The fare is fully refundable (a refund administration fee of PGK110.00 or AUD50 per passenger applies) or the amount may be held in credit for further travel for up to 12 months from the date of issue of the original ticket. Full payment must be made within 24 hours of making the booking. Failure to check in for a PNG domestic flight by the deadline, not showing up for the flight (no show), or failure to board the aircraft after checking in for the flight will incur a fee of PGK165.00 or AUD85.00 per passenger payable at the time of rebooking, or deducted from any refundable fare amount. Children (2-11 years) pay 75% of the full adult fare. Infants (under 2 years) who do not occupy a seat travel free of charge. Infants occupying a seat pay 75% of the full adult fare. .

NEXT-FLIGHT:

Date	Sat 15May 10		All Times Local	Flight-Number	Cabin (book class)
From:	Balimo	Departure	11:45	CG 5352	Y (q)
To:	Kiunga	Arrive	15:40

Rules Flight 3: CORPORATE ADVANTAGE (Q) Flight and date changes are permitted at any time and no change fee is payable. The new fare must be of equal or higher value than the original fare. If the fare for the new booking is higher than the original fare, the difference in fare must be paid at the time of changing the booking. Name changes are permitted at any time free of charge. Re-routing is not permitted. The fare is fully refundable (a refund administration fee of PGK110.00 or AUD50 per passenger applies) or the amount may be held in credit for further travel for up to 12 months from the date of issue of the original ticket. Full payment must be made within 24 hours of making the booking. Failure to check in for a PNG domestic flight by the deadline, not showing up for the flight (no show), or failure to board the aircraft after checking in for the flight will incur a fee of PGK165.00 or AUD85.00 per passenger payable at the time of rebooking, or deducted from any refundable fare amount. Children (2-11 years) pay 75% of the full adult fare. Infants (under 2 years) who do not occupy a seat travel free of charge. Infants occupying a seat pay 75% of the full adult fare. .

PRICING	PAYMENT
Total of (1) Passengers	Form of Payment Cheque
Price PGK 1831.82	Payment Amount PGK 2025.00
Taxes and Charges PGK 193.18
Total Price PGK 2025

Agent Name:

Agent ID:

Agent Office: Port Moresby

VERIFICATION STAMP (IF REQUIRED) ___________________________________

CHECK-IN TIMES
Check-in will open 2 hours prior to the scheduled departure time. You must check in NO LATER THAN 60 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time. You will not be able to check in after this time. Arrival after this time, not showing up for the flight (no show), or failure to board the aircraft after checking in for the flight will result in loss of the fare with all fare types except Premium Economy (E class) and Corporate Advantage (Q class).

All In a Holiday

2010-09-10T15:45:00.000-07:00

It was good to finally get a full 8 weeks spell back to my island home of Samarai after having been in and out usually 2 weeks at most the past two years.

The island had been experiencing heavy down pours for more than usual months that everyone on the island including the surounding islands were very frustrated.

I suppose the more frustrated ones were the mothers as most of their washing took longer to dry out and even if it did it had that wet feeling with it.......others couldn't bring in the garden kaikai to the market and fishermen were unable to get out to sea as much as they would have wanted to.

For the island itself - it was really and truly soaking wet; as wet as I had never seeing it before - so much water everywhere it flooded places that never experienced flooding.

Couple pics here to show the flooding:

The Catholic Catechist house - Paul Titus

The Arada's Family block

Samarai Oval Looking towards old Kinanale Guest House - (Dart Street)

Samarai Oval looking towards Area Manager's house

Grade 3 & 4 Classrooms flooded (School BOM Chairman Tom Togisi. on the left and Cyprian Kaisa, School PNC Chairman on the right)

Inside of Grade 4 classroom flooded

My first 4 weeks was in the rain as well and yes I was just getting to that point when sun started poking its face out and shined on the island so the next 4 weeks was good for me, plenty of sunshine, plenty of beaches, plenty of blue sea.

And I could go cruising on my prized racer bike.

On a positive note there have been some developments on the island - the government wharf with its surrounding sea walls has undergone major repairs and it is good see some improvements to the public amenities. Some pics here of the wharf:

We now have Digicel network on the island too, with the Digicel tower been erected on the mountain slope at Sariba just above Dagadaga and Sidudu Community School. So if you are out fishing, on Doini Island (I dont know if Ware Island can get the signal), Dekadeka, Gonubalala or anywhere on Samarai Island you can talk to the world. Only if the contractor that is supposed to refuel the gennies that powers the transmitter forgets to refuel or is late then the network blacks-out - which is becoming the usual already.

So I can do phone interviews whilst having a picnic:

I had a grand 4 remaining weeks on the island mostly just laying back and taking it slow before having come back to work.

Will be posting my adventerous long walk crossing the Gulf Province into the Western Province next including photos.

Science or God

2010-05-21T16:42:00.000-07:00

This is a true life story of a man who believed in sciences and the Darwanian Theory of 'Evolution'.

Do you still really believe that science can create from its on 'discovered' material to 'put life' into a new independent being!!!!

I Was An Atheist

I STILL remember that day in the early nineteen-forties when I was just five years old. All the children and their parents in my hometown in central Sweden were invited to a Sunday-school feast. The children were asked to contribute to the program with some form of religious entertainment. Since I played the accordion, when it was my turn I struck up a popular waltz. My audience was not very enthusiastic. Afterward I was told that it was a sin to play such music and that I should feel ashamed.

Many times in my early childhood I was told that it was a sin to do certain things, but nobody told me why. Thus blind fear of God rather than love for him began to fill my heart. This fear made me shun religion, even though religious teaching was a prominent part of regular schooling. During my first years at school the so-called Bible lessons were more like imaginative tales. It was interesting to hear about the miracles of Jesus and his disciples, but I was never convinced that those things really happened.

Time for confirmation came when I was fourteen. It was my first close contact with a State Church priest. The only memory I have of him is that he was irritated, nervous and a chain smoker. Preparation for confirmation was more a matter of routine than an opportunity to establish faith in God and the Bible. On the day of confirmation I was far more excited at being a possessor of a new camera and a new suit than at being a partaker of the Holy Communion.

Belief in God Completely Dissolved

The following years at a senior high school did not strengthen my belief in God. The religious lessons were given by a priest who openly confessed that he did not believe all parts of the Bible, including the creation account. He said that the Bible was written by men, and therefore it should be read with a critical attitude, as one would read any other book. I found the evolution theory taught in biology lessons an acceptable alternative to the Bible’s account of creation. I learned in the study of modern history about the efforts of professed Christian nations to destroy one another. These things influenced me toward an atheistic attitude.

More faith-ruining experiences were to come. After graduating from senior high school, I was called up for military service. The army chaplain explained that war was a necessary evil. He said that a soldier was a servant of God because Jesus said that those who took the sword would perish by the sword, and there must be somebody to wield that other sword. He stressed that war was instituted by God as a means to realize the true religion. I thought: If Christianity is no better than that, I can do without

So that boy who had a disappointing experience at Sunday school grew up to become a young man fully convinced that religion is a fraud, and that modern science eliminates the need for God. I had experienced what many others have, and reacted much the same way as they do. I raised my forefinger and asked, “How could there be an Almighty, all-bountiful God up there when we have so much corruption and wickedness down here?” To me there was only one answer to that question: There is no God!

Marriage and Outlook on Life

This atheistic outlook naturally marked my manner of living. I married a girl with about the same attitude. Since the path from mother’s womb to the grave is so short, we reasoned, “Why not try to get as much as possible out of life while we are still young and vigorous!”

We did not look upon marriage as a very serious institution. We thought that morality must be a personal matter. The two of us could have fun together, but also apart whenever we liked. We thought we were really free. Our whole outlook on life was materialistic, and even my profession was of a materialistic kind. I was a systems analyst at a computer center in Stockholm. We assisted big companies to plan for future financial advancements.

An Unexpected Visitor

Then one spring day in 1963 someone rang our doorbell. I opened the door. A neatly dressed young man modestly introduced himself as a minister, one of Jehovah’s witnesses making calls to stimulate faith in God. My first thought was: “Poor fanatic, you’ve come to the wrong place.” But there was something about him that kept me from closing the door. He did not look like a fanatic. He appeared so normal, so natural, so relaxed. “All right,” I thought, “let me at least show this poor fellow that he has got hold of the wrong end of the stick.”

So I let him in. With my wife listening from the bedroom, I began to vent my indignation concerning God and religion. “How is it possible to believe in God when scientific research and logical reasoning cannot verify him?” I asked. I told him that most of the faith I had met in religion had been a desperate faith, a hypocritical faith, or a faith against better judgment. I showed him that Christianity must have failed, for it had not been able to stop corruption, wars and violence any more than paganism had.

I went on like that for quite a while, and when I thought that he had enough to consider me a “hopeless case” and prefer to leave, he just calmly nodded. He told me that he could well understand my opinion and that it was shared by many persons nowadays. That took some of the sting out of my argument, and I could see that this was not the first time he had run into a discussion of this type. So with a mixture of curiosity and skepticism I let him speak.

Christendom Not the Same as Christianity

He told me that we first had to distinguish between true and false worship before we could judge the matter. He said that even if so-called Christianity proved to be false and unreliable, it did not mean that there is no true and reliable Christianity. “There is a great difference between Christendom and Christianity,” he said. “Christianity cannot be condemned by what Christendom says or does.”

Pointing to the distinction between Christendom and true Christianity, he observed: “It is true that Christendom has suppressed people, but not Christianity; that Christendom has waged war, but not Christianity; that Christendom has failed to stop the moral breakdown, but not Christianity. The Bible does not support Christendom. On the contrary, it prophetically condemns Christendom.

“Just consider how Christendom has misrepresented the Lord’s Prayer,” he continued. “She has prayed: ‘Our Father which art in heaven,’ but she has not practiced interracial brotherhood. She has prayed for God’s name to be sanctified, but she has not even acknowledged that God has a name. She has prayed for God’s kingdom to come, but she has patriotically supported her own kingdoms. She has prayed for God’s will to be done on earth as in heaven, but she has sought to carry on her own worldly policy. She has prayed for her daily bread, but how willing has she been to share her abundance of ‘bread’ with starving people? She has asked God to forgive her her debts and sins, but how ready has she been to forgive and forget in her own conflicts with others?”

I certainly noticed that this young man was not smoothing things over, shutting his eyes to facts or twisting things like most other religious persons with whom I had discussed this matter. To be honest, I had to agree on these points as they well reflected my own experiences. But I wasn’t going to become a believer that easily. The mere failure of Christendom did not prove anything about the existence of God. So I raised the question: “How is it possible for modern man to believe in God when scientific research and logical reasoning cannot verify him?”

“That question I would like to take up with you next week,” he said.

His Second Visit

I had nearly forgotten about the whole thing when the Witness called back. With my wife again listening from the bedroom, the discussion began. At the outset I declared my belief in evolution, and I felt backed up by the whole scientific world. However, it seemed as though he had given this considerable thought, for he said that it was important to make some distinctions as far as science is concerned.

“On the one hand,” he said, “there is the science that discovers, observes and describes facts about nature. Such science does not in any way conflict with belief in God as creation’s great Originator. On the other hand, there is the so-called science that interprets and tries to explain the origin of things by means of hypotheses and theories. Such science often denies a Divine Originator. A true Christian believes in exact science, which discovers, observes and describes facts, but he cannot unhesitantly take a hypothesis or a theory for granted, let alone build his outlook on life upon it.”

I had to admit that I had not considered evolution as only a theory, which, of course, it is. But I still felt that it must be a rather probable theory, and I told him so.

Chance or Creation

The Witness then made me agree that if we excluded an Intelligent Originator behind creation, we would have to rely upon chance as the guiding factor in creation. “How probable is chance?” he asked.

“Well, there is something called calculus of probability to solve that problem, “I replied, feeling more on my home ground.

“Yes, and let us take an example of such a calculation,” he said. He picked up a magazine from his briefcase, and read: “Another scientist computed the probability of a single protein molecule (one of the molecules essential for life) arising out of chance. As stated in the book Human Destiny, it would take 10 to the 243d power [1 followed by 243 zeros] billions of years for this to happen! Since scientists estimate the age of the earth to be a few billion years, there would not have been enough time for this to occur!”

He paused to let this sink in thoroughly, and then read on: “The same scientist says: ‘One molecule is of no use. Hundreds of millions of identical ones are necessary . . . If the probability of appearance of a living cell could be expressed mathematically the preceding figures would seem negligible.’”

“If that is so, “I said, “how do you explain that so many scientists believe in evolution?”

“You certainly use the right word when you say they believe in it, because they cannot prove it,” he replied.

“But their belief must be better founded than your belief in God,” I protested.

“Imagine,” he said, “that the most skilled scientist in the world could handle molecules like a bricklayer handles bricks, and that he only had a pile of protein molecules to work with. Do you believe that he could build a cell of hundreds of millions of such molecules? Could he make it live, grow, propagate and leave to its offspring its own, and only its own, characteristics? You know that he couldn’t.

“But, according to atheistic belief, that which not even the most skilled human intelligence can achieve, occurred by mere chance. How well founded is such a belief? The only conclusion is that those who believe in it must have an extreme desire to believe in one direction, and to refuse to believe in another direction.”

When the young Witness left that night, I did not know what position I would take in the coming discussion. Anyhow, he left the Awake! of April 22, 1963, that he had quoted from, and I decided to read it to see what deficiencies it might contain. However, as I read I became more and more impressed by the logical reasoning in the material, and it really made me do some rethinking.

Man—Wonderfully Made

Our discussions went on week after week. I can still remember when we discussed how wonderfully man is made. It was indeed sobering to consider our human body of billions of living cells constructed in such a fantastic way to cooperate harmoniously in all its parts. And to think, too, of its ability to love, rejoice, think, discover, remember, reproduce and to express its inmost thoughts and feelings by means of the spoken and written word, smiles and tears, song and music and spontaneous or carefully planned actions.

This discussion made me realize what a tremendously vast gulf there is between unconscious life and conscious life, not to mention between a protein molecule and man. It finally created in me a desire to have someone to admire and thank for all this, someone higher than merely what can be seen around us.

A Changed Way of Life

After some time I agreed to study the Bible with the Witness. This, opened up new fields of evidence for the existence of God. The historical accuracy of the Bible, its harmony, its elevated style, the fulfillment of its prophecies and God’s purpose for man and the earth—all this made a deep impression upon me as time passed.

My wife, who so often had eavesdropped in the bedroom, soon began to take part in the study. After a few months we began to attend the meetings at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The time also came when we attended one of their assemblies. Here we met a group of Christians forming a great family of many nationalities, of all ages, of different professions and social backgrounds, but free from dissensions and antagonism. The faith and activity they have in common unite them in a fellowship of which we could hardly have dreamed.

We began to find new meaning in life, increasing its value to us. A wonderful future opened up. Our newfound faith made us dependent upon God, instead of upon ourselves. This dependence became a corrective in our lives, and this has been a real blessing. It has helped us to become mentally and, as a result, physically clean. Our marriage has become more stable, more important to us. We have established full confidence in each other, and feel much better equipped to bring up our little son. Having made over our thinking, and dedicating our lives to Jehovah God, we feel a closeness to God as a real Person.

This is no sentimental idealization built on a desperate faith or a hypocritical faith or a faith against better judgment. It is a reality built on a balanced, genuine and well-founded belief in God. That is why I now can say: I was an atheist, but I will never be one again.—Contributed.

Samarai Anglican Church

2010-03-25T03:26:00.000-07:00

Samarai Island was declared as a Heritage Island by the Government of Papua New Guinea in 2006. The Prime Minister, Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare at the time when making this declaration, vowed that all historical sites, monuments or buildings would be restored. I believe that was one of many reason's why the Samarai Restoration Committee was established as well (I am still trying to get hold of the Declaration paper by the PM then and will post it as soon as its available).

Since then, very little has been heard about the Samarai Restoration Committee or its activities. We do know however that one member (a permanent island resident, Mr. Ernie Evernett) pulled out of the committee as he says, 'it was nothing but talking rubbish and drinking beer at Alotau in all meetings his attended.'

The island lost it's monumental Catholic Church structure (its the blue building with slates of glass almost obscured by the white house) some many years back. The island inhabitants at the time where a bit backward, communications unlike now, tourism an unknown venture and most probably the Government and 'the Church' most ignorant. I really don't know which but still we lost the original Catholic Church building.

The Anglican Church on Samarai Island has a history of its own. The architecture of a bygone era and a monument in itself. Infact it is the oldest building and the last of its kind on the island (I believe).
History has it that during the second world war when all buildings were put on and razed with fire for fear of the mpending Japanese invasion - the Anglican Church was the only building that did not catch burn down (although was set alight too) and eventually was the only building left standing. Of course, the Japanese never once came near the island (and when it did, they dropped two bomb sticks that completely missed the island) nor was the island bombed to simmering as was often 'mistakenly' penned by latter Pacific war historians.

Until 4 months ago, the Anglican parishioners practically stopped holding services in the building as the slates on the roofs were literally falling inside the building.
Three weeks ago, the parishioners got word that the Cardinal General of Anglican Church will visit Samarai and will do a 'Reconsecration' of the Church/ building.

This means he will officially declare the removal of all items holy from the building. Church services are and will now be held in the rectory next door.

What about the monumental building?

We are told that the building will be left to fall into pieces all on its own - it will not even be pulled down.

The 'working group' are currently making arrangements to make contact with the Vice Chancellor of University of Technology (who once lived on the island himself) to utilise it's architect/ engineering department (students) to help in renovating the building to its old self.

Following pictures of the building taken only recently (17th March 2010) will tell the true state of the building:

Samarai Reunion, Samarai

2010-03-22T14:34:00.000-07:00

Recently, and only just now a 'working group' was formed made up of a core group of seven (7) people identified & nominated (who will have voting rights) with memberships open to anyone (residents & or ex-residents) that are interested, have links to the island (whether real or imaginary) but most of all "especially has the heart for Samarai Island, China Strait and the neighbouring islands & mainland communities.

Interested memberships has no voting power (by the way) when it comes to making decisions about anything or everything that comes before this core 'working group' BUT can of course contribute positively on ideas, suggestions, critiscisms etc during meetings.

The core group of seven (7) have a couple of things in common:

1. they are permanent full time residents on the island making Samarai Island their home.

2. are concerned about the general up keep of the island

3. are aware that sitting on their backside and watching the island plus some historical monuments fall apart is hypocritical.

A profile of each of the individuals will be posted at a later time when all relevant interviews/information are collated and approved by the group as correct (I do not want to be sued for posting wrong and degrading profile descriptions!!). Names of the core seven are listed at the end of this post including the three (3) people nominated as treasury/ book keepers who are by default identified as signatories to the bank account that will be open shortly (Bank account is not openned yet at the time of this post).

Pity I am unable to post a copy of the first meeting minutes on today (as I honestly do not know how to do that yet) but if anyone is interested to look-see the copy of the meeting minutes - email me or post your comment with an email address and I will forward to you in PDF format (so you dont change anything!!)

The aim of the group is:

1. raise awareness of the state of the island and it's surrounding island communities,

2. promote it's history including sites of historical significance

3. promote tourism activities

4. co-ordinate/ manage small project activities that it nominates to fund and do

5. liaise with those living elsewhere concerning their interests, links to the area

6. facilitate information

Note that the group does not see itself as replacing the district tourism authority, the government or the Samarai restoration committee for that matter. It will be non political, non religious, non profit and would be as informal as possible in its activities which mostly be basic and otherwise complementing the bigger picture of the said authorities or bodies.

The groups name identified during the meeting is Samarai Reunion, Samarai (with a comma) and during its first meeting also nominated WestPac Bank, Alotau as its banking facility.

And now shall I introduce names of the core seven (7) who have the voting rights and will drive us all. note that non of them will have official titles as all agreed in the meeting that this is an informal group and having titles is bullshit. Leadership is naturally following the seniority as it is on the island, of course we have other senior citizens that the core group can refer to as and where need be. The names without further ado:

1. Ernie Evernett - longtime resident, self employed (marine/ boats)

2. Rodney Abaijah - longtime resident, brother to former MP Josephine Abaijah

3. Maggie Tanaka - longtime resident who just loves Samarai Island

4. Maggie Sigamata - longtime resident, self employed (runs Samarai island Canteen)

5. John H. Marco - resident for the past 27 years, self employed (fuel servicing)

6. Paul Titus - former councillor (3 terms) and a very active youth coordinator.

7. Betty Andrew - born, raised and married on Samarai, current councillor, active youth coordinator;

The treasury/ book keeping team of three (3) whom are also signatories to the (yet to be openned) bank account are:

1. Carter Tanaka - wife of Richard Tanaka, longtime resident

2. Mary Abaijah - wife of Rodney Abaijah, longtime residents

3. Cypirian Kaisa - husband to Maggie Sigamata, self employed.

And lastly, ME MYSELF & I am the unofficial scribe, link, mail boy between you interested ones out there and the group on Samarai Island itself as I rotate back to Samarai Island from work breaks often enough as I live there.

Also there is TOBY AIWATI (facebook, emails etc) who can do the same I am sure as he also travels back to Samarai quite often too as he is a resident of Samarai.

The groups first priority right now is to raise awareness to everyone and anyone out there about the historical monument - Anglican Church building on Samarai Island.

Briefly, we have been recently informed that the Cardinal General of Anglican church will be visiting Samarai Island with the view to 'RECONSECRATE' (I believe the term is) the Anglican church (which means take everything holy i.e alters, the cross, holy water basins etc) and llet the building fall piece by piece. All Anglican Church services will be held in the rectory next door.

More of this with pictures in the next post........................................stay tuned!!!!

2010 And We Are Going Downhill!!!

2009-12-10T16:12:00.000-08:00

We are now trying to kill our own 'WatchDog' the person who is responsible for 'pulling up short' politicians, high public office holders etc...................I will bet K500.00 those behind the scenes trying to pull this off are some 'high office holders' and politicians and although relevant law & order agencies will get some very good information and evidence - those found to be even a little involved will never be brought to justice or if they do .....the cases will go through all sorts of loopohles, adjournements, etc and die out.
http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/3963
Even our mentor 'father- figure' Australia is giving us 'the finger' in some departments because our elites are all good-for-nothing, pot-bellied, double chin flopping, money mongering, corrupt idiots.
http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/3923

It is becoming more and more obvious that the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea (never mind the laughable titles as Chief/ Sir/ Turakikil or whatever it is that the Tolai's have bestowed him with) is loosing it.......................I strongly suggest someone close to him (maybe his daughter Bertha for what she's worth??) tell him in confidential terms that it is high time he should walk out now and walk out while he still has some respectability left from the fast dwindling number of Papua New Guinean support. You can get the feeling that he is starting to get on some very seriously raw nerves when you hear some unemployed, illiterate, drunk, youth who is a known criminal playing a game of pool at 2 mile hillside tuckerbox say very knowledgeable things like how he sets up some Commission of Inquiries and not allow it to conclude by replacing Chairmans or suspends the inquiries, the purchase of the Falcon Jet, what happenned to the Maladina/ NPF case, the Speaker let loose on gagging debates and when the drunk youth mentioned about the early adjournement of the parliment thereby breaking the 'mama law' it took me by surprise and really hit me that Michael Somare is really starting to get on some very very 'roots fella's' nerve. And this is only one fellow speaking his mind; multiply that by 'how many thousands' of unemployed youths. Never mind the employed youths and those that can read the newspaper or at least has the time to watch the 6pm EMTV newspaper.

We talking those street youths that has no reason to watch news, read newspapers etc; but look for opportunities to make some rich, moneyman, businessmen, politician's life miserable.

I can read all this and do my best to make informed judgements/ conclusions and decisions, not so for the person I am exempling here - he and his friends knows that there is money to made (and big money that is) in making personal lives of this politicians miserable; and to hell with their own personal lives, they dont have anything loose and nothng to gain for that matter. If they come out with a little, they know its only for a short while: its the 'Livin On The Edge' feeling that they want in this vacation.

Read on the misery............................................

http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/3896

http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/3570

http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/3900

And this are the moneyman (landowners) that will be targets also by their own kinsfolk (if its not happening already)

http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/3837

http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/3740

http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/4104

The LNG project can take care of their medical/ health services plus staff - let 'em work on their own land....................let them do the surgeries,, doctoring and what have you by themselves!!!

Sheesh, there are places like Woodlark, The Engineer Group of Islands, the North Coast Rabaraba in the Milne Bay Province that would deserve this service - and its more paradasic here.

What idiotic idea to go there in the first place anyways???????

http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/4105

And we still carry around the attitude and mentality that only expatriates can do this...............sigh!!!

http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/3986

Anyway, I'll keep building more shit house as more 'shit people' will be coming...................someones got to do it (and get paid do it!!!!!)

Merry New Year celebs and catch on the flipside.

DaDog!!!!!

AIRLINES PNG (formely Milne Bay Air)

2009-12-08T15:24:00.000-08:00

I have to say this and say it out aloud I should.........................."AIRLINES PNG" DOES NOT CARE ABOUT THE LOCAL PAPUA NEW GUINEAN. It just wants its hard earned money.

I am an avid traveller (both business & pleasure) within PNG and I choose to fly with APNG everytime when and if there is that choice available. You see there are sectors that APNG do not fly so I have no choice but to fly with the politicised 'toilet tissue' airline 'Air Niugini'.

The reason is simply that APNG before it changed its name was the Milne Bay Air (MBA) and I am a hard core Milne Bay fan. Second, I am a shareholder (not big for its standards but huge from the view of my pocket!!) so would like to think I am contributing to my own company!!!?? In contributing thus far, I would justly appreciate a good service (they do a good job the pilots) by the people who stand out front and face the paying customers - especially towards their own kind - the local Papua New Guineans.

I'll tell you my recent experience before I conclude with what I assume is happening between the check in counter and the ticketing reservations staff (especially at Port Moresby's Jacksons Domestic Terminal).

Coming off from Tabubil (APNG Dash 7), I checked-in the next day to fly to a Western Port on the twin ottter. My access luggage was K675.00 (alot of money compared to the size & weight of the cargo if you really physically look at it but anyways). Having paid this in company signed check I proceeded to the departure lounge for the scheduled 6.30am - mind you, to catch this flight I had to be up at 4am!!!

By 9.00am we were still waiting without any information of what was happening - in the meantime out in the tarmac I could not see any twin-otter planes standing by.
By 10.00am we were informed (in a hurdled group as if in a basketball team peptalk session) to check back at the ticketing counter for further information; and this was not until one of us had to actually front up to the ticketing officer.

Anyhow, having got to the ticketing counter, we were told that we would depart at 2.45pm, that is after the twin otter that was doing another sector returns.

We did eventually boarded and headed for our destination. After 1hr 30mins and only 20 mins out of our first port of call, the 2 x pilots had to turn the plane back as there was an electrical problem and would affect the night flying (since they would be returning in the dark if they were to complete the schedules) - thus we flew another 1hr30mins back to POM. We were told that our flight would be rescheduled to 9.00am the next day.

Rightly so, I was provided accomodation at the Lamana Hotel as I was a transiting pax.

The next day, come the time to depart at 9.00am, we found out that some half of the pax will share another sector flight whilst we shared with the other sector! - and I thought we had a plane dedicated for our selves!! This is where all the 'fuckups' happened I suppose.

When I got to my destination, I had only the laptop bag I had as hand carry BUT ALL MY LUGGAGE WORTH K675.00 REMAINED BACK IN POM!!!! The reasoning was that because we had to share another sectors flight/plane their luggage got priority over ours. We were told that our luggage would be brought in dribs & drabs depending on the weight etc; etc.

Its been a week now and as I write/ post this article I am still waiting for my luggage. I have also heard that 3 out of the 7 pieces of luggage I have has gone missing (and right in that APNG Domestic Traffic Office - you note in APNG website that the traffic/operations and cargo section staff work together!!!) they are really in cohorts to rip you off!!.

Now get this...................when you check with your lugggage, the check in clerk will check in everything you got plus alll those other passenggers cargoes too (do you wonder if he has already a limit on the weight he should be working on??). You hhave paid for you access luggage and everythings checked in so rightly so everything should GET ON THE PLANE - YEAH!!!! Not so. By the time come time for loading - THEY FIND OUT THEY HAVE OVER CHECKED IN PAX CARGOES/LUGGAGE.
Now pay attention here....................if you are assumed a non threat and have paid too much already - they will not inform you that they will offload your cargo (the money is split between the ticketing officer & the reservations clerk at the paying desk).
Otherwise, you will be informed that you will have to take off some of your cargo/luggage (which they will say will come in later which will either be very very later [after you have spent an untold expenses chasing iit up] or will get lost and never turn up - in which case they still split the money!!!).

This is the typical experience that many rural semi-literate Papua New Guinean APNG traveller is living with. It is made the more complicated (aside from being semi-literate) by the lack of communications, the distant to travel between the closest agent/airstrip and the village, the APNG Agent being uninfluential with the airline managements and the desolation of some of the communities the airline service.

I am fortunate that I will get back to Port Moresby at some stage even if my luggage dont get here and as any typical PNG would do to vent his frustration will manhandle the ticketing person.

Now don't get smart with me and tell me to be patient so on and so forth because if some of my luggages have gone missing, there is no way I will be compensated - all they will do is push all kinds of paper in my face to fill in and hope that this will tire me out and finally give it up - a good manhandling, broken noses and bodily abuse is compensation enough..

Infact I've got my bail-out money (plus police bribes) ready, so I can walk in and walk out.

Bush Tucker

2009-08-04T04:57:00.000-07:00

My mate (whose just arrived from Brissy) and I went bush with some locals and tried living of the land, the way they do it - although I have not made any attempt to get pics of our eating the bush tucker for various excuses you would give no never mind, but we did enjoy ourselves.....................

The tractor ride (because the roads only accessible by tractor and not a 4WD landcruiser [who said that!!]):

On the way we saw a big group of local men pulling three canoes down 5km to the main Aramia river (thats quite a distance to cover, come to think of it)

On this day our local boys were lucky to have a Papuan Black snake which was 1.5m long and very very dead:

Then they came across a goanna, not so huge they said but would provide substantial protein for lunch,......... yeah right!!!

Everything eventually got cooked (sago and rice included) and layed out -

Then everyone went straight into eat.........................................hungry we all were! who says no...........

After that we all packed on the tractor and rode down to camp, shower, real food and sleeeeeep.

That's when I started feeling funny and thought I was going colour blind and checked, but it was no joke - I was colour blind (you seeing the same????)

AAaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...............................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Balimo, Western Province

2009-08-04T04:11:00.000-07:00

Recently I went down river to Balimo to pick up some friends coming in from Port Moresby on the regular Airlines PNG flight. As always in this part of the country, rain - although the locals say is seasonal, is like a forever thing for a non local like me. To me rain just doesnt stop...................

Balimo airstrip like most third level airstrip (what does that rating mean, I have no idea) does not have a terminal so [passenger arriving or departing (with their luggage/ belongings) can be either dry or wet - whichever the case at the time maybe.

Since the parking bay is about 50 meters over to the other side from the road that leads to town - one has to walk across the airstrip itself (from the road) to meet the plane and its passengers. Imagine doing this whilst it is raining.

Good thing it was not raining at the time my mates came in so although they looked a bit sheepishly shivery it was not at all bad and they did smile!!!!

It was a good thing we already had a good relationship with the Local Government Administration so we got get a ride to Balimo town which is 5km from the airstrip; like driving down river but by vehicle and along the way you do get to have a lot of curious onlookers always wanting to get the first glimps of the new faces in town; tsh, tsh -

Pollies do the 'musical chair dance' and I had a SNAKE!!!!

2009-07-29T04:24:00.000-07:00

While the National Alliance led coalition Government goes into 'standby mode' coughing up to - what a friend in the media industry says - close to 'K200,000' as 'buy back payments' (better still bribes)..............this is whats happening with some of its said to be priority facilities:
1. Kwikila High School is closed because foods run out;
2. A college dormitory outside Port Moresby, is burnt to ashes and 60 odd students will spend the night outside
3. Kerevat National High School which passed out students in the likes of the current Governor General maybe suspended because of facilities condemned in 1994 not updated yet - http://asopa.typepad.com/asopa_people/2009/07/dangerous-keravat-school-faces-closure.html

And on a more personal scenario I had my own woes and crises - we had a SNAKE in camp right over the table where we have our breaky, lunch, dinner and daily conversational get togethers. Some pics of it should liven this misery:

The first peep and first sighting -

Then speared first (to prevent it recoiling) and quickly arrowed asit sticked it's head out:

Speared and arrowed in various places it was quickly pulledout of the ceiling (it still resisted strongly):

Speared and arrowed its still coiling on the floor:

Tumu Timbers Development Limited

2009-07-27T18:37:00.000-07:00

Tumu Timbers Development Limited
Landowners of Kamula Doso, I mean the real on the ground illieterate grass roots have 'no effing' idea what this is all about.
All they care about is how much money they can get from the trees on their land - be it logging or 'money long sky' (as Ilya puts it). Now Ilya has been put off track by his AAP people I believe for bringing this to light (because some people might/ could be sued!! what travesty for telling the truth!!)
I am not from Western Province and I dont really gve a rats ass about the province to be quite honest; but I work here and live close to the area of Kamula Doso and talking to the people here; they have no idea about what all this Carbon Trade thing is or how it works.
All they know is that they will get money for all the trees that are curently standing in the forest (literally each one of them).
They are ignorant of the fact that Mr Kirk as the 'elite landowners in POM' endorsed is a conman with a shifty back ground and that the Director for Carbon Trade Office (or whatever it is called) has now been sidelined because he has made deals that is not legislated and that their is NO LEGISLATION or ACT of PARLIMENT as yet regards the Carbon Trade process.

STOP EFFING WITH THE PEOLPLE'S RESOURCES you money mongering leaching assholes and come down here on the ground.

Oil & Gas Explorations

2009-07-26T20:28:00.000-07:00

Recently our local company assisted a major JV exploration company to scout for and locate its first wellsite here in PNG. Prior to the JV delegation visiting the site, we went out and marked out the actual site itself and made the pathway bearable to walk - well at least.

The delegation's visit was to confirm the drill location and its associated facilities i.e: barge landing site, service camp accomodations and its facilities etc.
Our camp was built earlier on in mid 2008 to cater for the Awapa seismic survey (for the same JV) so a service camp was already in place with communications network setup - internet and telephone.

First a walk through the sago swamp (infested with leaches and mozzies) to the drill site location. On the walk we had an environmentalist who, if I may say, did a whole lot better then her male counterparts (see her looking back at others still coming through)

At the location we had a whole group of men from another village join us as well just out of curiousity.......... and while the visitors rested and quencehd their thirst some brief was in order to water down undue expectations (which always happen anyways) by the Managing Director of Firewall Logistics, Craig McCornaghy:

After locating the proposed drillsite, it was now time to locate sites for use to support and service the drilling operations. Sites for use as barge landing, twin prop helicopter laydowns (Chinooks, Mil 8 and Russian made Kamovs etc), refuel pads, accomodation/ service camps, road feasibility and the like so it was done by motorised dinghy as all of this sites would have to be near the main water way .......................................

Pic from R-L: Jake Marco (Field Operations Manager), Noel Buttler (JV In-Country Manager), David Holmes (AsiaPasific Project Manager), Paul Fendder (Drilling Manager), Don Lewis (Drilling Expediter), Silas (Boat operator).

I suppose another of every explorationist's inner most secret is to make sites for support services as paradisic as it possibility could so it becomes a 'home away from home' during the long haul of the drilling program so one does not get insanely homesick and fall out. And there is no better place to set that over looking the water - especially any kind of flowing water. It just beats the hustle bustle of a long working day and keeps the stress at bay...............................

And so it was down to decision time of picking out the best possible sites to have the civil works contractors to come out and work out their quotations.

Then it was back to each his/her own little office to plan for the whole works to start in a years time, hopefully sooner but then unpredictables like weather pattern, dry/ wet seasons, logistics schedules of the suppliers could throw the whole thing back or forward to uncomfortables levels.

Be back in abit with something more or else............................

To POM With Plenty Of StopOvers!!

2009-07-04T18:21:00.000-07:00

I recently left my field camp in Awaba, Balimo District in the Western Province of Papua New Guinea to travel to POM (due east) for a short break and at the same time put my laptop (which is practically my office) in for service (tell you that laptop story on another post).
Departed on Airlines PNG (the only third level airline servicing many rural locations and the pilots are brilliant!!) from Awaba and the first stop was Daru!! (yeah I know we went the wrong direction - further west - but I just enjoyed the ride having negotiated with the pilot).

We spent an hour while the fuel was been sorted out and the agent/ pilots decided whether some pax would be shifted to the Dash 8 (which was in Popondetta - the otherside of the country!!!) and risk the pax waiting forever or do Balimo return Daru and then continue etc; etc.........time was going towards 4.00pm already.

Anyways, we eventually got to Kikori, in the Gulf province (my former stomping ground) - the first Gulf port of call if you travelling in from the West or the last Gulf port if you travelling from the Easterly direction.

In Kikori, I noted the agent was absent and pax from there had to negotiate with the pilot instead. I overheard the pilot telling the pax (who apperantly have tickets bought in POM but have no PTA numbers) to call APNG POM office and confirm their travels as he was unable to raise his office as well though he tried at Daru (which I truthfully confirm he did try). Now that's something rare for pilots to do, especially a very reputable third level airline. I would expect private mision run pilots i.e MAF, North Coast Aviation pilots to do there own ticketing and manifests in remote strips. Anyhow, the pilot did mention to me (we made acquaintance in his previous flights where I provided jet fuel - left overs from ou survey work - when Daru ran dry) that we would stop over at Kikori just to let the four hopeful pax that they will have to travel another time.

Departing Kikori at time 4.40 m, after about half an hour on the ground we headed direct for Port Moresby.

We flew over Kerema along the way and I could just see the effects that global warming is doing to what once was a long point (Ipisi Point). This them Tairu'ma - the exact spot a popular local musician from the area (Robert Oeka) sang about 'mountain wara mix wantain solwara....Kerema yu no save, yu yet kam na lukim.'

50 minutes after Kerema, we were over POM and I took some disinterested pics of the city and the Freeway to my Hotel.

Crazy 'Bout Ma Mobile Phone

2009-06-19T17:36:00.000-07:00

It's been fascinating and somewhat childish (when you actually 'step back and let every one go past, actually flying fast passst' in my tiny view) and or roguely maddening how the modern gadget of having a personalised moblie phone has gripped Papua New Guinea. A very short few years back mobile phones was thought to be only for the excutives, working class (those big time ones) and those especially with money (gained either honestly or dishonestly).

Now everyone from a working person to an illiterate subsistent villager can own a mobile phone!!! No qualms there...............it is all well and good that we have made the big leap into the communication world and now can have access to those most isolated spots (although we have many blind spots to cover plus many other issues to sort out i.e costs, etc etc) but at least it's a step forward.

The cynicism starts when people start falling head-over-heels about the latest models and struggles to buy & own one; typically every month (even fortnightly!!).

Think of it, the mobile phone companies too come up with the latest model every month (even fortnightly) so poor idiots 'go with the flow'.

I remember reading a study somewhere a long time back by some professor of something (or rather), that the speed & constant shift in personal 'wants' (I want this, that and that and that....)

is a normal process of every growing child (to adolscent to teenager) especially those in the modern society (in PNG this would appropriately be urbanised children or 'town' children). Those who have children knows well the demands of a growing child. As they grow they become more aware of their grooming, of their friends (peer group) and the world around them which is greatly enhanced (and exaggerates) by the advertisements they watch and read. The term he used to tag this behaviour I believe is called a 'Fad' (at one stage I used to relate it as a 'fag').

Suffice to say, we in Papua New Guinea have put ourselves in that category (of growing children) in our rush to have that 'latest mobile phone on the market'.

I remember a best friend of mine (we went to school together and still live as permenant residents on the same island paradise) who once told me the rational he used to decide whether to buy a mobile phone with a camera ( after the seduction by flip-on phones, the camera/ mp3 etc phones did their 'catwalk').

He already had a mobile phone (very basic) and had already a digital camera; why would he want a phone with a camera and mp3 all in one (again)???

he worked it out that as long as he can make a call on the run (mobile) from point A to B that's all is needed!!

That rational goes well with me especially this last few years when mobile phones hit the market of PNG where I have been one of those 'standing outside and looking inside' and to be honest I quite like the view......................

Having said that, I still carry around my 9 year old Nokia (dont know what #) with its Japanese characters hardly worned out, that I fell in love with while transiting through Nagasaki. Mobile phones were a 'high class' thing at the time I had mine. Here's a sneak pic:

The Dead, The Living, The Prison, The Wild

2009-06-16T04:23:00.000-07:00

I was looking through pictures I took whilst on my recent R&R back home at Samarai and came across pictures I took of a funeral I attended at Kwato Island. The funeral was for a very nice lady (in my view not supposed to be gone this early anyway) who was also quite popular in the area; undoubtedly her proffession as a registered nurse opting to work in rural health centres her entire life up to her retirement was a big influence in her popularity.

As her coffin was taken out of her house on the way to the Kwato church for her last service and amidst the wailing of her immediate families and close relatives, I had this familiar thought creep back into my mind (a thought that ALWAYS comes back to me EVERYTIME I witness this funerals).

I know the crying is for someone you will not see, talk to, expect for, love (and every other thing you relate to with every other living human being in every day living) etc, etc etc, in a person. Of course you shed a tear or two even at a funeral for someone you don't know..............but have you thought about yourself?

Think for a moment.................whilst that person (now dead) does not need to worry about the daily burdens of everyday living, toiling and surviving (because of being in the state of being dead), we the living ones have to carry on facing the moments into the future!!!

Things in vain like, "right when I finish with this burial, I wonder if I have enough fuel to go back to Samarai," or "tomorrow will need to complete that project at work as I've taken the day off today," (like my wife did).

Many a times I suppose we should be crying more for ourselves (those living) then for those that are dead!!

Now on a a more serious note, can you swallow this!!!!

PRISIONERS ARE ACTUALLY LOVING IT BEING IN PRISON. SOME SERVE THEIR TIME, GET OUT AND COMMIT ANOTHER SIMPLY TO GET BACK IN!!!! You think they've gone loco??...........they get three meals a day, a toothbrush, soap etc. Never mind the beating they get before they get there!!!

I should also point to you the link of what a consultant had to say about the recent commotions about '50% of AUSAID money paying consultants'..........catch 'Missives from Port Moresby and beyond.'

And just so there is plenty to read and whilst I am at it I should tell you what's doing in my kingdom.
(Ryan! if you seeing this - the maid's left the lead Pilot, Matt's tent and now spends her time with Cathy competing for my attention!!!

In our camp office we have in our employment this admin assistant (just like the one you have that pops up on the screen??) whose last job description includes 'sleep all day' (note the 'time' status, if your sights good).

"O'oohK, (yaawwwwn & strrreetching) no more printing, photocopying, scanning aaand lets see yes no more faxing......I'll just the pull the cover here aaand..................

GONE.........

stiiiilllll gone.......................

For want of a name our Chef calls her 'Tiger'

(I never asked why & am not goig to)

And then we have our security personnel..........quite a smarty fellow always on the lookout whom I call 'Kokofa'. He is always hanging around the long drop toilet.

Hoi, who goes there...........??

BOOOOOSSSSSS!!!!! (Moses Salama)

Weather Extremes

2009-06-15T05:34:00.000-07:00

The weather here at Balimo, Western Province of Papua New Guinea is quite extra ordinary; went from one extreme to the other all in a 12 hour day!!!!

In the morning it was all greyish, windy and it looked as if we were in for a long miserable day.

By midday noon it was all white clouds, patches of blue skies and sunny.

At mid-afternoon the sunset was something else.

Selenapa wa!! (beautiful place)............. Seselena Luma (beautiful people)

Kaikai The Buai

2009-06-15T04:11:00.000-07:00

I had an opportunity to watch some of my expatriate workmates try out the PNG way of chewing betel nut. The pictures taken showed the various form of buzz they went through and make them look like they were auditioning for the next Dracula movie.

The best Dracular impersonator who will also have the luxury of spending 3 weeks in the mossie infested lagoons iiiiiiiiiiiissssssssss:

Da-da-da-da-

Love At First Sight

2009-06-05T05:33:00.000-07:00

I believe I am one of the most luckiest person, besides my best friend ('TJ') to be actually living and working out of the island of Samarai, Papua New Guinea. The first time I saw Samarai Island was when I visited with my father in 1980 who just got transferred from Port Moresby. I was on school holidays then...............and regretted it. Not that I hated it but because I was not to live there the next two years, as both my parents connived to have me complete my 6th grade in Port Moresby.

You see my father was with the Department Of Transports, Marine Division as a Marine Surveyor and was transferred to Milne Bay Province, based on Samarai Island. I suppose he was based there instead of the main centre Alotau, because three of Milne Bay Province's slipways at the time were located within it's vicinity and along the main domestic shipping route of China Strait.

The six weeks christmas holidays was a blur (come to think of it) but I remember well that I tried to do everything all at once in one day - especially the swimming. In fact I got very sick when I came back to Port Moresby and my mother being a woman of very strong personal opinion decided Samarai was not the place to be for the whole family and insisted my father seek to transfer back to Port Moresby!!! One reason I had to recover quickly to suppress her fears.

We moved and took up resident on Samarai in end of December 1981, my mother, two sisters and two smaller brothers and I went on to attend Cameron High School in Alotau the next year 1982.

We eventually moved to Samarai and took up residency on the 20th January 1982, and I got registered to attend the Cameron High School (at the time a premier high school) in Alotau.

The island's laidback lifestyle and the beauty of it's people is worth mentioning many times over, those in the past, those who passed through on a visit, those who have come to live on it and those who still live there, literally and in their memories.

See some old photo's here from ex-residents with fond memories.

- Photo's of Samarai '83 -84 and some recent ones.

- Old Samarai. Tales of time gone by

Some interesting links here you must follow to gain more insight of the island. I suggest you follow their links too - some are truly fascinating:

- Milne Bay Province. A facebook group formed for those who have connections with the province

- Samarai Isle. Facebook for people who have connections with Samarai Island

- Jack Medley. Who lived on the island a teenager and was married there. Read some fascinating stories of yester-Samarai