The Adventures of Sunshine Gypsy: Namatanai - Part 6 Lots of Little Extras

This is the last of the blogs in this mini series and is, therefore, a bit of a mix of different things I thought worthy of sharing so please forgive the lack of cohesion.

I once learned to drive a stick shift during my junior year of high school in the parking lot during my composition class (yes, the teacher was aware I was having a driving lesson and agreed to let us skip mainly because we didn’t give him any other choice when we walked out of the class and also under the understanding that if we were caught he knew nothing about the situation… oh, and we had to bring him back a Pepsi). But that was 10 years ago and we never made it out of the parking lot. Here, everyone drives a stick. I’m not sure there are any automatics in town… I haven’t seen any that is. Melanie and Belinda were kind enough to offer to teach me to drive a stick. Unfortunately for me, driving here requires more thinking than simply shifting gears while maneuvering the clutch. For starters, instead of sitting on the left side of the car and driving on the right side of the road, it’s reverse so you sit on the right side of the car and drive on the left side of the road. (I still catch myself going to get into the passenger seat and find myself disoriented when I open the door to see the driver’s seat.) Secondly, though you’re supposed to drive on the left side of the road no one does. You drive on the side with the fewest pot holes unless another car is coming in which case you veer toward the left side until they pass and then resume driving where ever the road is smoothest. Thirdly, some of the roads aren’t paved which makes for an offroading adventure.

Action shot

My first drive I not only managed to NOT stall out which I was very proud of (I saved that for every other driving lesson) I also went offroading and lost control of the car for a brief second as we went sliding down a dirt road only to reclaim control and continue on our way. It was all very exciting. In the last 2 weeks of driving lessons I’ve driven on my own 3 times. Each time I was terrified I’d walk back to the house only to inform them I’d totaled their car, but Melanie and Belinda obviously have more faith in me than I do myself because they handed me the keys and I set out as though I’d been driving a stick shift forever.

Another action shot

This has also turned me into a 16 year-old newbee driver again. “We’re out of milk? … I can go get some… No, no of course I don’t mind driving to the store.” Or “You’re going to the hospital? ... Well, I’d be happy to give you a lift … Yes, I am aware the hospital in only 100 yards away, but it’s hot outside and I just thought you might want a ride to avoid the heat.” Any excuse to drive and I’m on it!

One morning I woke up and walked into the kitchen to see breakfast being made. Eggs and toast. Nom nom nom. Only, there was no power so how does one toast bread when there is no power to run a toaster? Well, if you’re Melanie and Belinda you use a metal-catch-all-thingy-ma-bob (yes, that is its technical name). Put it over the stove and place the bread on top of it and waahh-laaa… toast.

Breakfast is served... mmmmm

While doing the hausik sale I saw a woman in a lovely meri blouse (meri=woman… woman’s shirt) that I had to have. I asked where she bought it and she explained that she made it. I asked if she had more and she directed me toward the section of the market where she sold her meri blouses. I found another one that I loved, but not the one she was wearing. After declining to accept the one she was wearing, (yes, she did offer to go home and wash it then give it to me the next day) she offered to make me one from the same fabric. The next day she delivered the freshly sewn one that I’d requested and the one from the market that I loved and she just so happened to be wearing one she’d made for herself that matched it. I put mine on and captured this Kodak moment of the two of us matching on film.

Twinsies!

One weekend we decided to come back to Kavieng for a going away party for an expat couple that has been here for years. The party was held on Nusa Island which is a small island resort with bungalos and a beach bar… it’s pretty impressive! Nusa Island is filled with adopted animals… dogs, birds, annnnnnd a cus cus. It was here I encountered my first cus cus and Oh. My. Goodness. they are adorable! I want one! In fact, I’d like a pig and a cus cus. Bruce said yes to the pig but Monica said no… no pig for me. Then when I asked for a cus cus Monica’s reply was “Yuck! They stink!” and I took that as another no. That did not stop me from holding this little guy and dreaming about a baby cus cus of my own. (For those who don't know, Bruce and Monica are my pseudo aunt and uncle that I'm staying with while here.)

The road back to Kavieng

The baby cus cus having some paw paw

Melanie with the adorable little cus cus

Pre-cus cus Belinda found a giant fishing lure and asked what kind of fish could be caught with it. Melanie promptly demonstrated by hooking it into my hair. Naturally, I squirmed like a fish as Belinda reeled me in, though, sadly, there is no photo of this.