Mijts Blog

This week I have decided to also start contributing to our blog – just to post what I have been doing to fill in MY time in Kokopo.
On Monday, Tuesday and Thursday I went to a local Secondary school where I am doing volunteer work – teaching 5 classes a week of Year 10 remedial English. Resources are scarce but I found some abridged copies of ‘Born Free’ in the storeroom so we are working with that. The girls are really enjoying the book and the classes – especially as I was able to take in some photos that I took whilst I was on my African safari last year. They were quite amazed and fascinated when I showed these two in particular – generated a lot of discusson!

On the three days that I am at the school I also teach a small group of 4 and 5 year olds (mostly children and grandchildren of teachers) for about one and a half hours each day. These little ones are VERY cute, speak next to no English and I have very little Tok Pisin – makes for interesting sessions. They can now say ‘My name is…’; ‘Good Morning Maria’; ‘I can run.’;’I can hop.’; ‘I can skip.’ and sentences like that. Glad there are no photos of me demonstrating these actions (as I do!)

I usually play golf on wednesday but the lady I play with was out of PNG on holidays so instead, I got out my box of paper scraps and made some cards.Thought I might share them with you.

Its a clear sunny Saturday morning so decided to go out and take some photos around where I live in Kokopo.

Some photos of the jetty in front of local tradestore, Tropicana, one with kids having swim and the other is of fisherman trying their luck. Every day is crowded like this from sun up to sun down.

Couple of photos show the market where get our fresh fruit and vegetables. A new market has been built and likely to start operations soon.

And of course a photo of the volcano showing it has died down completely. Photo is fom Kokopo looking towards Rabaul.

Jetty in front of Tropicana

Jetty in front of Tropicana

Kokopo Market Saturday Morning

Kokopo Market Saturday Morning with local buses waiting out the front

Kokopo Market Saturday Morning with truck load of passengers.

Kokopo waterfront

Volcano has stopped

The wireless connection to the internet has been broken for most of last few weeks, Telikom here had problems with the EVDO network, initially triggered by storm damage but series of ongoing breakdowns. Looks like now fixed.

Has been quite wet here since I got back in early January, but then it is the wet season. But today the weather has changed and it is a clear, hot sunny day.

Volcano is still not doing anything, occasionally bit of steam but thats it.

My camera will be back end of next week so hopefuly will be able to post more photos then.

Betel Nut Seller with pipe at Namatanai

Going home after shopping

Labur Jetty and the Rosinante

Arrived back in Kokopo, Maria is still in Brisbane for few more weeks. Needed to get back here to work on the year end accounts for the company I work for.

Unfortunately I don’t have my Olympus camera – its back in for repairs. Its a Olympus mju1030SW and I’ve been very disappointed in it. It was meant to be a tough durable camera capable of being dropped and going under water etc etc, but has proven to be quite fragile and prone to breaking down. Its warranty will soon run out and I won’t be getting another Olympus once this one comes back and fails again. So no photos for a while.

Some photos from the Kokopo to Kavieng trip. One of the boat, with Maria standing on the wharf with our bags and welcoming committee. Out in the distance and out of sight is Kokopo. Another photo is of Betel Nut sellers at Namatanai. Final photo is of some locals going home after doing some shopping at the local trade store at Namatanai.

But the news here is that the volcano has stopped all activity. It stopped around New Years Day and has become dormant, not even any steam as happened in the past. No minor earthquakes or sonic booms or anything lately. So looks like it has run its course.

Finally arrived back home in Brisbane last Saturday. Tokua Airport was closed, ended up being a four hour boat trip from Kokopo across to Labur on New Ireland. Then another 4 hours by car across to Namatanai and then up to Kavieng. Overnighted in Kavieng and caught early morning flight to Port Moresby and noon flight down to Brisbane. All in all quite an adventure.

Now wait and see what situation is when I head back there in early January.

Also turned off ability to leave comments as was getting hammered by spam. I’ll see if I can get this sorted out in next few days.

Volcano few days ago

Photo above was taken a few days ago from near front of our house when volcano was quite active and pumping out some ash accompanied by sonic booms as it clears itself.

Shared some icecream with our housegirls kids, was a hot day.

Toshi and Kaylin enjoying icecream

On Friday the wind changed direction and ash is now blowing this way and across to the airport. Air Niugini was quite quick to respond and flights cancelled from Friday afternoon until further notice. Hope its open again by the time we want to head home for our Christmas break on December 12.

If the airport still closed then option either spend Christmas in Kokopo or take another route home. The best one seems to be by taking a 2 hour banana boat ride from Kokopo across to Namatani and then catch PMV (public transport) for 4 hour trip up to Kavieng and then fly to Port Moresby from there. Wait and see what happens.

No diving this weekend, had huge storm last night with lots of rain so would have reduced the clarity of the water.

Looks like the wet season has arrived.

Looking over Rabaul towards volcano.

Overlooking Rabaul

View along the road near Rabaul

Couple of weekends ago went over to Rabaul and took some photos. The ash problem is as bad as ever, just falls like snow over the area. The top photo looks across towards the volcano where the bottom two photos were taken.

Pre ceremony entertainment

Students singing and accompanied by the schools Bamboo Band

Graduating students march up to ceremony area

I was invited to attend the OISCA Graduation ceremony on 14th October 2009. The school is located about half hour drive from Kokopo up near Warangoi. Around 80 students graduated.

The company I work for sponsors some of the students. The school is run and largely funded by the Japanese and trains students in best practice agriculture.

It was a really hot and humid day. The entertainment before the ceremony including elaborately dressed dancers plus lots of singing. Was meant to start at 9:30 but was almost 10:30 before it actually started.

It was very well organised and was attended by some important people like the Japanese Ambassador and Sir Julius Chan. Unfortunately had to leave early as had commitments to finalise accounts for our head office in Japan.

Little Pigeon

Quite weekend. Saturday morning went out to Little Pigeon Island, did two dives and some snorkelling. Photo was when snorkelling. Spent Saturday afternoon on drive out to Rabaul, they have had a lot of ash fall on them in recent weeks and not looking too good. And today went and played 9 holes at Kerevat Golf Course. So was good weekend.
Its Sunday evening here and just starting to rain. Been hot and humid all afternoon so should cool things down a bit.

The volcano had quitened down quite a bit – just putting out some steam. But in recent weeks has become more active. Lots of sonic booms which are quite loud and rattle the house. And increasing amount of ash coming out. Was in Rabaul last night and was falling like snow. So far wind still blowing the ash away from Kokopo, but wind is expected to change in next few weeks and changing direction sending the ash this way. Which will last until around April next year.

Photo taken of the volcano last week.