Last year the company was approached to act as the agent on behalf of the (S)ailing (A)nd (L)ife (T)raining (S)ociety.
They’re now into the fourth leg of their tour. And, before setting sail for Japan, they thought- “why not stop over in the land of the unexpected”. They started in Rabaul, will tour West New Britain and the other outer islands- Madang is their last stop.
For a coastal meri (lady) like myself, there is something enticing about being on the ocean. And to be on a yacht like this, would make the experience that more pleasurable. Meet The Pacific Grace:

She arrived in PNG on the 15th of this month and Madang is her last port of call before departing on the 31st December and heading for Guam, Shanghai, Japan, Hawaii, then home.
A pretty cool way to see the world I reckon!!

To everyone else today – is a normal working day. But, across the the Coral Sea, our nearest neighbour (Australia) is gearing up for the renowned Melbourne Cup.

I’ve never been one to cast bets and the like. But, for some reason, today, I decided to tempt lady luck- plus, Kristine came in to discuss the odds.
Now, she’s a seasoned veteran, when it comes to this kind of thing. So, I watched her advise Tony (an employee) as to whom to select. Me? I was ummm and ahhh-ing the whole time.
Finally, decided on three:
1. Master O’Reilly
2. Zipping
3. Purple Moon

I have no doubt that the atmosphere at Flemington Race Course is electric and I’m sitting here shaking my head at the amount of money some people will be forking out for the single most important race- No. 7-2.00 Emirites Melbourne Cup 3200m.

We have a saying here – olsem, traim tasol – just having a go. No harm in trying, I say!

After 14 days of competition PNG finished fifth on the medal tally board, behind Fiji, Samoa, Tahiti and New Caledonia.
Team PNG came away with 38 gold medals, 24 silver and 32 bronze. These games has been the most successful campaign to date!!

I am delighted to report that Kris was a part of the gold medal womens team. In the individual pursuit she bagged the bronze in the plate event – the stage below the main competition status.

Never-the-less we, the family welcomed her home a sports hero at the airport flying the PNG and provincial flag proud as we drove out.

The next games is to be hosted by New Caledonia in 2011. PNG has put a bid in for the 2015, so we’ll just have to wait and see how that fairs.

Well done team PNG, you did us proud!!

Firstly, a little history. The Games were first founded in Rabaul in 1959. And the first games were held in Suva, Fiji in 1963. It is held every four(4) years.
This year they are being held in Apia, Samoa and I am so proud to say that my younger sister will be a part of the contingent we are sending! She is representing PNG in squash.

On the 25th of August the XIII South Pacific Games officially opens. With over 22 nations taking part, 32 events taking place and over 4000 participants, it’s sure to be an unmissable sporting event in the Pacific!

Both of my Parents have represented the country in previous games in Golf, so they know how exciting this time leading up to the games will be for Kris-she’s been training hard for it too (all the best mate)!!!

If any of you want to find out what’s happening in relation to game scores and that sort of thing, I’ve attached this site- simply click on it and enjoy what we around the Pacific call the South Pacific Games!

Click on Samoa 2007 and then click on Schedule and Results.

Today I was really wishing for quick responses from people that I’d contacted. The time is now 1600 and I still haven’t heard back from any of the people that I’ve either e-mailed or called. On the one hand, I still have to change my mind-set (things don’t get done quickly). But, on the other hand, its plain courtesy to respond when asked a question-right?

So, far the only one to get back to me is one of my contacts in Brisbane and he’s the furthest away!!

I have a couple of clients that want “Proof Of Delivery-POD” for documents that were sent to Port Moresby over a month ago. Why? Because the people that the documents were addressed to appear to have never received those documents!!
Naturally, you discover that what was sent got to where it was supposed to get to, it was simply received by someone else in the same department.

And that’s why it’s called “PNG Time”. After all the confusion has died down the facts have a tendency of presenting themselves-on PNG time!

After having lived in Brisbane for just under 10 years, I still marvel at the beauty of this little town of mine. Do I miss Brisbane? Yes and no. True, I miss the convenience of many things, like 7/11 corner stores, prompt services at the banks and so on.
But, I get to wake up of a morning, open my window and gaze out across the golf course, straight to the ocean.

On weekends we get to escape town and go to places much like this..

Well, just a quick update to keep you all informed. If you’re wondering why your dear Sjroep has been absent, it’s because… you guessed it… he’s sick again.
Sjoerd started feeling feverish on Sunday and, knowing his body quite well, he diagnosed an infection in his leg, which seemed to have been caused by a scratched mosquito bite on his foot, which must have got infected during the visit to Penda. When I visited him at lunch two days ago, he was still feeling rather sore and sorry, with a very red leg. But, rest assured, Petra is taking marvellous care of him. In fact, I’m getting the feeling he planned to get sick just to get some female attention.
By all accounts, the Penda trip was wonderful. I couldn’t make it due to travel restrictions but Petra and Sjoerd took off for their adventure on Friday and arrived back in Hagen at the weekend a little browner and happier for their village stay.
As for the lovely Petra, her arrival has been wonderful for all concerned. Sjoerd was seen dancing around his garden with Petra’s iPod the other day, headbanging to Rammstein. Needless to say, the neighbours were amused.
As for me, thanks to Petra, I’ve discovered stroopwafels!!! And I have to admit, I’m in love. I had a brief affair with an entire packet given to me by Sjoerd’s darling friend and it changed my life. Well, Sjoerd and Petra might’ve had one each but I managed to demolish the remainder of the packet within the week. I thought that was rather restrained. A week is a long time.
Ok, well stay tuned for updates. I daresay your author will be back at work and posting updates by the end of the week.
J

So, I thought I might as well just take over the blog.

Before Sjoerd left yesterday, he rang me on my office extension to let me know a lovely young Croatian man was in town who would like to be entertained for the evening. No, Sjoerd is not my pimp, he just thought I might be interested in meeting Davor because, like me, he’s a journalist. Unlike me, he takes some rather professional photographs for National Geographic publications (see: www.davorrostuhar.com). So just before I left the hospital for lunch, Sjoerd introduced us. Davor was indeed lovely. He quickly explained how he and a good friend Mare had just returned from trekking through the north west of Papua New Guinea and were desperately in need of a good meal. That’s when he said, “I have a strange request. Can my friend and I come to your house and make pancakes this evening?” Pancakes with some fresh faces? How could I refuse?
So Davor and Mare met me after work, laden with ingredients for a big cookup – and a cardboard box. That’s when things got interesting. What was in the box, you ask? Only this…

So you can imagine my amusement when Davor said,
“I have another strange proposition for you…”
The Croatians had met some street mangis (boys) near the hospital who sold them this fabulously large green python, which was now fast asleep and being swiftly carried to Hotel Poroman where I live. Apparently, they wanted to cook it. But not before we made friends with it first…

I felt terrible killing it later in my kitchen. And the meat was rather tough, so I can honestly say I preferred it alive. But Davor got some pretty funny pictures of me swinging my hefty bushknife to break the backbone in several places. Luckily he didn’t photograph me beating its head to a pulp with a heavy stone vase…

So, I think I can officially say I’ve crossed that one off the list. No more eating snakes for Jo.
But on the upside, the pancakes were delicious and it was lovely to have some new company (no offense, Sjoerd-o!)
J