MU MU AND THANKSGIVING 30th November 2008 Yes I know I said it was the last blog, but the chaos experienced yesterday is worth relaying.I hope we can find some steam for John while we're home, or he'll surely explode!! It all happened on Friday.Please bear in mind that by 3 weeks ago we had given the staff at least 3 in-service sessions dealing with the preparation and completion of the new reporting system.Please also bear in mind that John and I, plus other ...

TEA COSYS AND DRESSING GOWNS! November 27th 2008 Nearly every local here wears a hat, no matter how hot it is.They all look good too, however tatty, dirty or bizarre. They range from pink, wide brimmed straw ones with fruit and flowers sported by men young and old, to brightly coloured angora ones. The other day a man had one on that looked like a Christmas cracker hat - no joke attached!! If they haven't got a hat, they drape something over their head, from a ...

TRUMPETS, TRUCKS AND KARAOKE 15th November 2008 We finally got the ticket times changed in Goroka.It was not without event.On the way down, the PMV got a flat tyre.We pulled over and there was great consternation amongst the bus crew as to where the spare was located. (we were deeply impressed that there was a spare tyre!) This was eventually located and released - bald, but it was round!We arrived in Goroka without further mishap, successfully sorted our tick...

FIRE! November 2nd 2008 The flight schedules have been changed for Christmas, so we needed to visit an Air Nuiguini office to get our tickets changed.The choice was Goroka or Mount Hagen, so we opted for the latter, as we've only been there once before, and that was when I sprained my ankle.We planned to visit the market, which is allegedly the best in the region and we'd heard a rumour that not only was there rhubarb available but asparagus too!!After sorting ...

SLAUGHTER! 20th October 2008 Grade 10 are taking their exams next week (GCSE equivalent).There has been little in the way of lessons taught all week, in fact, it's been more like a Butlins Holiday Camp than a school (do they still exist? Butlins I mean?).Things haven't been helped by the threat of a teachers' strike, which would affect the examinations, so teachers have been coming and going all week to this union meeting (where no decision was made) to that un...