Sunday 25 April - ANZAC Day

I fear that my last entry may have seemed a bit bland! Was concerned that it might take too long to load but in fact it was quite quick. But since sending I find I have written loads of notes to add so hereI am again and I'm on holiday!!!

As I sit here and write the sea is getting really rough but the mountains on the other side of the bay are clear for the first time. It's strange to me that when the weather is dull and overcast the sea is like a mill pond but when really sunny it gets rough.

My biggest concern so far this holiday has been what to eat and is the laundry coming back today! A large basket costs kina 20 about £4!! One of the really good things is that the heat is dry not like Madang which is humid and so Ken has acclimatised very quickly. Even walking in the heat is not unpleasant which brings me to our "walk" yesterday. Well we visited East Cape, as I said earlier the southern most point in PNG and is the point nearest the Solomon Islands. It's also near the China Sea and is where the ships go through to Australia. From there we went to see Auntie Betty who was in the garden so much apologising for her untidiness! She went to change to take us to the caves. Now we thought short stroll as nothing had been said about shoes and we were in flip flops!! Off we set in the midday sun oh, forgot to mention our guide is 7 months pregnant!! That's Patricia, from the hotel, not Auntie Betty! We walked up the hill and down the hill or as it had just rained slid down the hill. Then Ken stumbled and broke his flip flop! Auntie Betty to the rescue to mend it and give a helping hand! We eventually got to the caves after about three quarters of an hour walking! Inside there were skulls although not too many! The story is that until the missionaries came they buried their dead standing upright with just the head above ground which they then placed a clay pot over! Once the skull came away from the body they put it in a special house near their doorway. Now the missionaries didn't like this and so they continued on the quiet and hid the skulls in the caves, good on them I say! Also some skulls were from their cannibalism. Nice one hey?

Now we have to return but no mishaps this time. Back at Auntie Betty's was a baby in a bilum hanging up in the shade. This baby girl was born in January a month after her father, Betty's son was murdered in Port of Moresby in December. Betty had told me all about this on our walk.So we left there for our private beach for lunch, yes after skulls lunch time! Another "walk"but this time scrambling down volcanic type rock in a gorge! And Ken really went down and made a real mess of his hand, blood everywhere. Soon sorted though and being Ken no fuss.

Just had to move off the deck as "things" from the tree keep falling on me! More people die here from coconuts hitting them! Well these are only small nut things but boy do they thunder down in the night! Jeeny, one of the receptionist come boat tour guide was telling me that one couple from Port of Moresby were so frightened they couldn't sleep as they thought they were being attacked by gun fire!!! The nuts don't worry the toad who decided to take up residency on one of the patio chairs the other night! Bright green like the one I had in our bathroom but that still doesn't endear it to me!

So what else can I fill you in on? Oh breakfast. Superb range of fresh fruit and when we got our fish they cooked it for dinner and breakfast free of charge!! The jam and marmalade comes in small shells which I have been picking up off the beach to copy the idea! They are everywhere and Ken is despairing of me getting them home!!! There's only 20 and two bits of coral. I'll carry them and he'll say, as always, and who is carrying what you were carrying before??

Getting really rough but rather nice to sit and watch. Laundry back phew!!! Photos loaded so all set to add to the BLOG as the signal is pretty good in the restaurant area.

Then I'll persuade Ken to let me check my mobile! Had two texts from Ben in Rabaul boasting he was on top of another volcano, doesn't count as it's only tiny!! And then the other night a call from my Raikos Headteacher!!! Ken was tickled!

Oh and yesterday we saw some dolphins in the Bay!!

Shower time and then big meal decisions to make but they now have salad!!