carla's blog

Well hello there to those who haven´t given up on checking out this webpage b/c i am so slack!
After leaving good ol sydney town back on the 25th February i have manage to travel throughout northern india without getting sick!
I have slept under the stars in the Rajasthani Desert, and riden stinky camels....seen the majestic fortresses at Jaislamer and Jodpur and sipped on Lemon Soda throughout the country! India was amazing and being cought up there during the holi festival, having trains cancelled and having bright powder thrown in my eyes and face made me really appreciate being part of a group!

Hey All,

Well I am rounding down here and I am on my last 4 days :-(
I had a great week last week, with Ed arriving (project Director) and the finalisation of the PCC meeting. Everyone seems a little more relieved now. Apart from our ever sick manager, Rod, who has acquired Pneumonia! How one gets these colds and flu's here is od enough, but they're very common, due to the tropical climate, they seem to linger for much longer and mutate into more serious illnesses.

I had a packed weekend starting with a relaxing boozy dinner on Friday, where I had so much crayfish I could'nt finish it. Saturday was a lazy morning of scrambled eggs, and going to the markets. The markets sell fruit and veggies mainly and a few stalls with beaded necklaces and bracelets. I bought a great pineapple, a couple of mangoes, bananas and paw paw. The rest I cannot prepare as there are no cooking facilities in the hotel rooms, only a kettle! So for 6 weeks, I have been eating out, and eating fruit!

Well the past week has been intereting, and somewhat quiet as well. Hence the lack of entry.
Work has been consistant and since loosing my entire first two weeks work, busy.
I gained a cold which is going around the office and I was the lucky last person to catch it. The weekend was very quiet due to feeling very tired and dehydrated from the cold. I have moved hotels for one week, to the Pacific Casino. It is a little more removed from town, though is newer, and I have been given use by an expat returning to Sydney. I now have a car for a week also, and it is an interesting experience driving around Honiara. I am pretty sure i'll go to the beach this weekend as my head cold is clearing and i certainly have more energy than before.

Honiara- Hot and about to Rain. And that's enough talk about the weather!
I had a pretty full weekend, with some light work sat and Drinks at one of my collegues new house's Sat night. Where I met a few more expats and locals, met the skipper off one of the dive boats. Crazy guys.
Sunday was the main highlight though. I took my first dive - and where better than 20m offshore on the benigi!
Great! Fish galore and baby eels, flute fish and I can't name the rest!
My boss is great mates with the owner of the resort at Uepe, so hmmmmm....meant to be great diving (not sure about the sharks side of it!)

The morning has started off well, with Chai & bread with vegimite! A perfectly normal sunny day for Honiara.

Today started with Breakfast at the Lime Lounge, consisting of Banana Pancakes and a lime juice! Talking with the other very worldly and experienced people & meeting new people that they keep running into.
There is a great contingency of people working in the pacific who have worked in Papua New Guinea sometime in the last 30 years. I am beginning to understand the connections and way things work and how their lives operate, piece by piece.
Today will be relaxing and I am in at work, for a few hours. Then a rest and off to a local party tonight.
Most of my work party are off to the beach Sunday, so I am too. Will be great to see the beaches.

Well I have discovered spiders in my room, some quite small, and I have probably eaten some of these in my sleep and some a little larger! Lots of Geckos and other insects!
I have now moved up to the third floor of the Mandana, much better view though the room is much the same, I feel its better to not have people peering straight in.
Very hot today, and my 3 min walk to work created a puddle of sweat on my back.
I had a great nights sleep and plenty of vegimite toast for breaky this morning.

Well I had my second day, I have just been out for lunch at 2pm. I have lost my appatite being in such a hot climate. But I am eating at least 3 meals. So I am back from the lime lounge (an expats eatery) pretty good nosh...
Today was my first wander around town on my own, and yes anyone sticks out, and chicks even more so!
Colin: I will have to call you tonight and talk to you about my email. I have tried all day to email out. And I cannot do it, it simply won't allow me to reply or compose. This also occurred yesterday when I was able to write a long msg (to you) & then I went to send and it said "page not available", most strange!

Hello all!
Well I have landed safely!
The place is great & well HOT! I was sweating down my legs when I arrived at the airport!
I had a good meal last night, after an initiation with the other players, having some wine and sitting outside. I ate pumkin & pine nut risotto & tuna sashimi ! Yes I know raw fish on my first day, but I tell you it was some of the best sashimi I've had.
The hotels are fine to eat at. And you can get plenty of food.
I have been set-up in my own airconditioned office. Pretty cool actually!
Things are pretty quiet here & the people are very relaxed and happy people. The vibe is "slow down" to slower than queensland pace!

Hey Nicka - just wanting to say g'day and please use the diary...
Lots of love carla