This series of blog posts is part of the A to Z 2019 Blogging Challenge in which I will write snapshot memories of my early married life in the then Territory of Papua New Guinea?
The ground crew rush to the aircraft
“Take this box to Hagen”
“What’s in it?”
“Mosquitoes from the coast”
Aghast the tourist asks
“What happens if those things get loose in here?”
zzzzzz zzzzz I suck your blood! Image from Pixabay.
Zzzzzzzz the annoying whine of a mozzie round your ears
Hope you’ve taken your Camoquin.
Ours is stored in a maxi Pablo jar –
To avoid the risk of poisoning –
Rationed out each Sunday.
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Tinka and Tabitha
The dachsund and the acrobatic cat
Enliven our early mornings
A PNG butterfly. Image from Wikipedia
Shredded tissues from one
Shredded butterflies the other
A colourful snowstorm in the bedroom.
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Now an adult cat, Tabitha decides to wake me up
And my eyes open to a kitten emerging onto my chest
No respecter of the delivering fur-mum
She is deposited promptly on the floor
My memory is that it was near Anzac Day…why?
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A Goroka event draws crowds
Meet up with Aunty Lee and
Let’s go see the gumithon…
Inner tubes and crazy passengers
Hurtle down the chilly river.
Ferry crossing PNG style – between Kerema and Malalaua (Gulf District). All government vehicles were spray-painted (or bought) in this dark blue colour.
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A late night phone call frightens us
News of a colleague’s murder and
Name confusion in the panic
Anxiety and sadness follow.
————–
We head to the movies
To See Easy Rider
(Of which I remember nothing)
What did the bishop say to the Prince? I’m lost for words! Independence ceremony at the Catholic Cathedral, Port Moresby 1975.
At the Goroka Cinema
Next to the Zokozoi Hotel.
And our truly weird movie experience
Papillon – for our anniversary
The only time we’ve walked out of a movie, I think.
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“Mummy, there’s bugs in my room”
“No there’s not, go to sleep”
Afternoon nap time in Moresby
Eventually I check it out
He is sound asleep with the small fan
Whirring away in flames, sending black specks
Over the space to their bedroom. Whoops, good save.
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You might think there’d be a zoo in PNG
Instead we took friends to the croc farm
Where we also saw cassowaries and
Magnificent Birds of Paradise
Day to Day we saw little fauna (frogs, snakes, geckos, possums)
And some ordinary birds
It may that many zoological specimens wound up as costumes.
Perhaps more quirky and weird than zany, but life was never dull in PNG.
Such interesting times, thanks for the A-Z trip down your memory lane. It was quirky, zany and certainly not weird.
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Thanks Carmel….didn’t we do well to make it to Z, both of us.
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Such memories. There were some pretty confronting movies made in the ‘70s. I remember the prisoner eating cockroaches in his dungeon. Hardly light entertainment.
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Indeed! Hardly good material for an anniversary date night.
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Really? Delivering mosquitos? Is that a joke or am I just gullible? Whichever, Congratulations on a successful round of A-Z!
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Thanks Wendy. No, you’re not gullible…it really happened and the American tourist was totally stunned. It’s a story that’s regaled our friends and families for years. Another quote that day, when they told us a larger plane couldn’t fly in the weather (green electrical-storm Sky): “what’s a Twin Otter?” “That little bitty thing? Those things crash you know”. Well, not yet, said my other half. As you can probably tell we got quite blasé about some risks.
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Loved your PNG memories. I was in Bougainville for awhile, so enjoyed these.
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Thanks so much..you probably have some similar memories.
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I remember going to see “Easy Rider” I remember bits and pieces. Riding the bus with his dead friend. It was warm weather, I was living in my first apartment on my own. I was 22 and my cousin and I went together. I’m sure it was the only movie we saw together.
Congratulations on finishing the challenge!
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