Our Town

So we've been very slack in sending pictures of our current home-town, Alotau. Last weekend Jane wasn't feeling great so we had a quiet day and spent some time walking around town, going to the markets and watching the soccer...and we took a few pictures for your viewing pleasure.

This picture is of the market place where we buy lots of locally grown fresh fruit and veggies such as bananas, cucumber, tomatoes, yams, pineapples etc. This is one of my favourite places to go - depending on what's in season you can get some great buys! Pineapples for K4 (under $2 AUS) in season. And bananas!!! well you can get a whole bunch for between K1.50 and K2 - the only banana crisis here is which bananas to choose.

The market is at the bottom of one of the main streets of town in this street there are 3 supermarkets, 3 general/department stores, 2 banks, the post office - almost sounds like the big smoke, but infact that's about it. There are also lots of people chewing betel nuts, and hence lovely red blobs in the gutters from the spit. Something one gets used to quite quickly in PNG.



On the way home from the markets there is always something happening on the sports field. On weekday afternoons plenty of people will be practicing and fooling around, and on the weekends there are soccer games all day with crowds and people selling food from popcorn, to banana chips. It's actually quite a nice view.



The other permanent fixture in town is Habona. Habona is probably the only person known to the whole of the Milne Bay Province (and some people in other provinces) apart from the governor. He's a little bit long long (tok pisin for crazy), but he's also alot of good fun. He always in the know about what's going on in town, and doesn't miss out on a social occasion - in fact we think he might have teleporting abilities as he always seems to be everywhere. He also likes to help out where he can, some days you're likely to see him packing shelves at the supermarket, another working as security at one of the local dances, or even helping to direct traditional dancers at the Hagita Show. The photo here is from Kaure's 2nd birthday party where Habona happened to turn up... A party in Alotau isn't really an occasion unless he does.



More coming soon we might post some photos of Jane and Cam's workplaces. Also Independence Day this Saturday, so no doubt there will be plenty going on in town. Rumour has is they have both a "greased pig" for you to try to catch and a "greasy pole" with prizes at the top if you manage to climb it! Fun times in Alotau.

Before finishing Cam needs to add a brief note about fish...did everybody notice that there was not one single clownfish in the last post...such self control is remarkable, but unfortunately Jane does not have it. Here is one that she took on her latest dive.



Quite good actually, oh and just in case you were wondering what she looked like with her new BCD, (or what a BCD actually is... {Bouancy Control Device: the vest thingy that hold the tank on and helps you float and sink}) her she is...