SUNDAY PAPERS AND BACON BUTTIES!

7th March 2010

It's Sunday morning and we still have no water and when politely asking John if he would go down to the shop, buy the Sunday papers and make some bacon butties for breakfast, I got a rude response!The washing has to be done, as we are running out of clean, sweat and dust free clothes.Washing involves pulling out the twin tub and John lugging bucket upon bucket of water from the water tank up to the house.Not far at all, just heavy and repetitive, while I have the labour intensive job of washing and rinsing. All went well until half way through a wash, the electricity went off!

A much needed tea break was called for and John was mollified by a shortbread which I had baked the day before.We're becoming quite resourceful with the lack of water, filling the toilet cistern with water we have washed in and even syphoning used water from the washing machine for this purpose.The electricity eventually deigned to resume and even stayed on long enough for me to do the ironing - how I hate that job, in the steaming heat and on a table, where John's shirts do not turn out as pristine and crease free as we would wish. The positive thing is, that at least we don't have to wait long for things to dry, in fact, I hang out shirts and the like on the balcony where they are in the shade, otherwise they become done to a crisp in no time.

It's week 6 of term 1 next week and school has been going for about 2 weeks, but some schools in the Province haven't even resumed yet, as a result of poor road conditions because of landslides and flooding.We were puzzled at the beginning of term when the ancillary staff were appointed by the Board of Governors.Mainly because one reappointment seems quite an ill man, though we were informed it was as a result of over indulgence in marijuana and many of the others, including the guards, are often missing and not doing anything, so we were puzzled at their reappointment.We questioned one of the management team about this and were informed that the ancillary staff are local landowners and because the school is on their land they consider it their right to be employed by the school.If they aren't, then the management of the school is subjected to threats from the locals!

We found out too, after doing a workshop on delegation with all the head teachers in the Province, that when the task of registering pupils who had passed their exams and were therefore entitled to attend the secondary school was delegated to staff members, it was found that these members of staff were accepting bribes from students who hadn't passed their exams and registering them.It seems that no part of this society is free from corruption.

We have been donated some money to purchase a TV and DVD player for the school - an attempt to aid the improvement of spoken English.We went to Goroka to purchase the said items as, surprising though it may seem, there are no catalogues to order from here with next day delivery!The only way is a four hour round trip on a PMV, but we indulged in lunch which eased the pain.We were also very lucky, as we were able to purchase the TV at half price as it was the last one of its kind, which meant we had enough money over to also buy a music centre - so we were delighted with our luck.

The next job was to organise to borrow the school truck (an open backed lorry) to collect the goods.This was achieved and we set off with the school driver, 4 guards and two teachers, who preferred a jolly in Goroka to a day's teaching.On the way we gained several wives, children and assorted wantoks, so ended up with quite a party.The highway road conditions were worse than usual because of heavy rains, causing landslides and parts of the road to collapse.Opportunist rogues used this chance to block the road and demand money in return for 'mending' the road, which consisted of a few clods of mud or stones pushed into a few potholes.At this point we were quite relieved to have the security of the locals aboard and we got through the two roadblocks unscathed and without having to pay money.

Upon arrival in Goroka, the arrangement was that we would do a few bits of shopping, as we had some stationery to buy, then we would phone the driver when we were ready and he would pick us up and we'd collect the TV etc.We didn't want these goods to be on the back of the open truck whilst we were driving around town, for obvious reasons.The rest of the passengers disappeared into town to do their own things.According to plan, we duly rang the driver on the completion of our shopping.Over an hour later, he turned up!We collected our purchases without mishap and then set about collecting everyone, who seemed to be scattered all over the place and no sooner had we collected a few than they went off to find the others, who then appeared and we ended up finding and losing folk on a regular basis.

This was all very well, but the afternoon rain clouds were gathering and we were anxious to get away in order to keep the purchases dry on the back of the truck - luckily it contained a tarpaulin which we lashed over the TV etc as, sure enough, the heavens opened before we had got very far, but though the boxes got pretty damp, no harm was done and we arrived back very late, but in one piece.Before we can give it to the school though, a secure housing needs to be built, otherwise the goods are likely to 'disappear', so we've currently got this huge box containing a 29'TV in the middle of our kitchen, cum living, cum dining room, which doesn't allow much room for manoeuvre.

This week saw our first school visit since Christmas.A remote school which we expected to reach in about two and a half hours in a 4X4.The majority of the road has been much improved since we first arrived in Simbu, but then it deteriorates into little more than a track.We were about 45 minutes from our destination, when we were met by a truck coming the other way filled with mud splattered men, who advised us that the road wasn't passable further on and they had to turn back - they advised us to do the same.We recognised that we were in a much more powerful vehicle than they were, so decided to plough on.We reached a mud bath caused by a collapsed culvert.We held a pow wow, surrounded by a crowd of locals, offering various bits of advice (see photo) and decided it might be possible to get across, but with the likelihood of rain later, getting back could be very dodgy.Leaving the car and walking on our own was equally risky, so we decided to ring the head teacher and ask if some students or a teacher could come down to meet us, then we were quite prepared to walk to the school, leaving the car with our guard.

After trying to get hold of someone at the school with no luck, we decided to cut our loses and turn back.Meanwhile, Philip had entertained the crowd with some fossil specimens he had collected which he was intending to deliver to the school, along with a magnifying glass, which caused great amusement and curiosity.We later discovered that the head teacher had lost his phone and by the time he remembered we were coming, it was too late to do anything about it!

However, the next day we had a successful and uneventful visit to a school, reached by an hour's journey on a PMV.Though it was slow and dusty, it got us to and from our destination unscathed and we were able to undertake a very successful workshop.Tomorrow John is tackling a 4 hour trek over the mountains to visit a school, setting off at dawn with Philip - strongpela men!!

Well, it can't be long before spring will be in the air once again.I'm sure it will be a welcome relief after the severe winter - I hope garden plants have survived.Plans are well underway for our return holiday.We finish here on June 30th and then holiday until we return to UK around 3rd or 4th August.We're meeting up with Lisa and Simon in Thailand, followed by a visit to Cambodia and Laos before being homeward bound via Bankok.Very exciting!

It looks like rain, so must get the washing in.

Best wishes from the Intrepid Mountain Man and me.