Not for vegetarians

On the way home last week we stopped at a market shop to buy some fish. We ended up with a 3 lb red snapper which we roasted with lime, chilli, garlic, ginger and coriander. It cost $4.71!



While we were there waiting for the fishy to be cleaned, we watched 2 men fillet an 80 lb yellow fin tuna! It was HUGE! Yum. I'm glad the locals are eating tuna (it's the most common thing on restaurant menus too), and it's not all being taken by the many international fishing ships for export....

Ben doesn't like looking at whole fish - he thinks the eyes are freaky. So, being kind person, I pretend to throw them at him. Personally, I think the teeth are more frightening!



On the way back from lunch last week, I passed a funeral that had just finished. There were hundreds of cars lined up on both sides of the (extremely narrow) road so traffic was flowing at about 2km/h. Which was great, as I could check out all the booty that people were going home with. Funerals are really, really important on Pohnpei. I really don't understand the social nuances of society here, so I'll refrain from trying to explain how the traditional system of bringing things to funerals works. But people bring things according to their status, and then all the contributions (rice, pigs, taro....) are divided. Yep, including the pigs. Arrive whole and squealing, depart singed and sectioned. I saw lots of people walking to their cars with various parts of pigs in panadanus carriers (or with a head casually slung over their shoulders). There are some mighty big taro out there too, I must say.

Funerals can be a huge financial burden. Someone was explaining to me that they budget for a certain number, but if more people die in a pay period than planned it gets very tight. When I joked that it was indeed terribly inconvenient for people to die with no respect for budgeting processes, they agreed! I think the language barrier contributed, but..........

Git over here!

For all those whinging about the price of flights to Micronesia, a casual galnce at www.zuji.com.au reveals that one can fly to our fair isle for AU $1400 return ex Cairns (including taxes). Just type in that you want to fly from Cairns to Pohnpei (you have to go via Guam and Chuuk) and if you're staying less than a month, that's the price. More than a month and it's much much more (and we would probably be glad to be rid of you by then too).

Chuuk has arguably the worlds best diving, so getting a stop over there is a good idea. And now that I'm being paid US dallors, the $AU has hit a 17 year high.

SO BOOK!!!
(actually contact us first to make sure we'll be here).

Jo's trip to Fiji and Australia

A long time ago, I went to a conference in Fiji (at the end of Feb, actually!). I've always felt that Fiji was nearby, and living in the Pacific didn't change that. So imagine my shock when it took 36 hours to get there! Pohnpei - Chuuk - Guam- Carins- Brisabne - Nadi. And only one delayed flight (5 hours - yuk.) At least it was the Brisbane - Nadi flight so I got to set up camp at International Qantas Club and quaff Moet and Brie.

I was really lucky and was able to break the trip in Sydney on the way back, and spent a week with family and friends. My Nanna had just died, but I couldn't make it back in time for the funeral so it was really nice to spend time in Canberra with Mum and Dad and Marcus. I also got to see many great friends in Canberra and Sydney. Of course, I ate everything I missed living in Micronesia and was treated to incredible meals and lots of fine wines. I returned to the FSM in desperate need of a diet and a holiday.

I did one of those naff day tours in Fiji, given that I had never been there before and effectively had one full day to see the place. I was really pleasantly surprised - there was only myself and an Irish girl and we went to a small village and pretty much hung out for the day.

View from a hut in Fijian village.


Waterfall in Fiji - our teenage guide jumping off. I decided not to....


Very cool vines


I'm not much of a basket weaver....


Pretty ladies - with Katty in Sydney


More pretty ladies - with Sonia at a lovely picnic on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin, also attended by Mr Glover.

Our house...

is a very very very fine house.... no cats in the yard but if the rat poison doesn't work soon there may be.

We live on the top floor of a big house all the way out in U. It has an enourmous balcony/ patio thing which looks to the ocean. I'm in love.

Our balcony. The pretty flowers are on the vine that twines all the way up the stairs and along the edge. The view is to the ocean (duh!) and of some of our potted plants... local coriander, basil, lemongrass......


View to the ocean from the balcony, with coconut palm.


The little covered area on the balcony - where Ben spends his hammock time and where we can shelter from the frequent bursts of rain.


The lower part of our driveway - this leads to the lower part of the house, where Curtis, Missy and their 2 year old Logan live.


This is the 4WD only top part of the driveway, leading up to our back door and to the endless jungle. Well, endless for a few metres, then solid basalt cliffs. Terrifying to drive down, but fun. As an indication of how steep it is, to the left of the picture is a set of stairs so steep that they would never be approved in Australia. Good for the legs, but very bad after a few beers.


The house from the driveway. The bottom part is the house below, the top is our balcony. Hidden, but to the right of the balcony the rest of the house - closest is the lounge and kitchen.


Our lounge room furniture. I don't need to say anything more.


Our very stylish kitchen


The backyard from the back door


More backyard


The side of the house, the scary driveway is to the left.


The puppy, Back (!). Who has taken to barking at the jungle all night. Don't know if I want to muzzle him or be scared of King Kong peering down at us....

decisions, decisions.......

Some people have to make difficult decisions every day. Including me. This morning I had to decide:

a) what thongs* to wear to work? Brown, pink, red or white? (The mint green and brown polka dot ones are for special occasions only)

Answer -brown

b) for the car trip to work, do I listen to droning nameless boyband on the local station** or to Baptist radio ("that's the world news, now it's time for God's news!")

Answer- boyband. And I was rewarded with a follow up megamix of rock the kasbar, my lips are sealed, my Sharona, hey mickey and whip it.... the musics here are just insane. That took the 'songs I have actually heard before' tally well into double digits.

c) brightly coloured floral dress or brightly coloured floral dress?

Answer - given that I live in the second fattest nation on Earth*** and the muu muu is the ultimate in fashion, it's understandable that my fashion sense has shifted somewhat. I'll sacrifice my pride and post some pictures of my very interesing fashion evolution. But I'll put them on them later, as I can't post pictures from my new work computer for some reason. I hate Macs.

*thongs are footwear, you dirty minded non-Australians.
**Mix 88.1, it plays the best musics. Yes, musics.
***Nauru beat us, the bastards. There's always next year....... see
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/6/story.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=10425093