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Sailing for a change |
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That's probably a chance you get only once in your life: A sailing trip round Papua New Guinea and South East Asia on a 14m catamaran. That's a good reasons to leave the bike at home for a change and to proof ones seeworthiness ;-)
I will join me brother Joza und his wife Elli during September in Honiara (Solomon Islands) where they'll hopefully be waiting for me on their 2-year RTW sailing trip. The first target will be the Louisiade Archipelago and Papua New Guinea. The further journey is not yet decided, the Philippines or Indonesia are possible targets.
To visit PNG was a dream of mine for a long time, so I just couldn't withstand to invite myself on me brothers ship as soon as I heard they're heading for that direction :-) My sisters in love first reaction was "No bikes aboard" and that only couse I asked if there was space for a 2x1x1m crate on the deck ;-) The funny thing is that I'm preparing now more as if I'd be crossing the sahara on me own. The list of things I have to bring along is 2m long and includes such essential survival gear as Ikea curtains and swiss fondue cheese.
There's lot more about the ship and crew on me brothers web site (the design alikness is pure coincidence) and also a live report: kudielli.sailingsite.org
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Arrived |
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Well arrived in Honiara, Solomon Islands. 44h journey with stopovers in Singapore (boring and anoying) and Brisbaine. Weather's a dream, +- 35C. The whole world starting to dandle, might have to do with the water somehow ;-)
Last preps for the coming turn, heading north-west to the Western Provinces of the Solomon Islands and then, if the wind's ok, turning west for PNG.
Am the only crew member besides the captain and his wife so lets se what's awaiting me. Didn't had to swab the deck yet, but this might change as soon there's no escape for me ones away from any civilization :)
We're leaving tomorrow, Sunday morning, IF everything resolved, still waiting for the customs and the immigration guys. Everything is a lot more relaxed down here... Very very friendly people by the way, a lot different from ie Africa, NO hasseling at all and allways a smile for the silly gringos ;-) Btw, I'm for shure the most white person ever put a leg on this island. Think on next bike trip I will try to get out of the seftey clothing a bit more often...
For more infos have a look at the official log book of the trip: http://www.kudrna.ch
Cheers, Kudi in Honiara, 16.09.2006 |
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Gizo & Western Provinces |
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In Gizo, Western Provinces of the Solomon Islands. That part of the world is probably a bit like some people think of paradise... The sea, hundreds of islands with white sand beaches, palm trees, riffs, lots of strange creatures in the water (and some outside), very friendly people, sun, more sun and even more sun.
We sailed from Honiara in a week only aprox 300 miles. The first turn was accidentaly overnight (thanks to an anoying bigman who wanted money from us for just throwing the anchor), which is usualy not the best thing to do if this is your first night on a sailing yacht. I did thank to the chemical engineers who invented sea sicknes medicine. It was a bit a strange experience sailing, means moving AND navigating, in complete darkness. Something you're usualy trying to avoid in any case while on the bike. Do not think I will ever get used to that! But I'm geting slowly used to other things, like being outside, under the plain sky and not wearing any security clothes. Or that the world is moving constantly in all directions, sometimes qicker, sometimes slower. I'm only a bit concerned about the fact that it doesn't stop even when we're ashore...
The solomomns have aprox. 500k inhabitants, mostly living on any of the over 900 islands. Everyone is very friendly, always a spare smile for you, eventhough their grandfathers probably would have choped of your head and eaten it for supper if you looked queer at his daughter (no joke, they have a not-so-long-ago canibal history down here and people never get tired of mentioning that fact). But thanks to the brave missionars this is history. They're btw still here, or new ones from the United States of brave and honest America. Had the great honor to be able to listen to one of their prayers yesterday on the market place while waiting for the ATM to revive. Very simple message, the world is (nowadays) very bad, PROSTITUTES!, look at all the evil things everywhere (nowadays), PROSTITUTES!, only Jesus can save you, PROSTITUTES!, go home and think about Jesus, PROSTITUTES!, and so on. Very refreshing.
We're waiting for wind now. Our next target is the Louisiades, an archipelago in the most western parts of Papua New Guinea, aprox 300 miles south-east from Gizo. This is one of the most forgoten places on earth, at least from a touristic point of view. There are absolutely NO tourists exept a few yachts (and you can count them with one hand probably) because there is no other way to get there than by sea. A book and google search produced about 2 or 3 real links concerning the Louisiades, one from the 18th century when they were the first time visited (not occupied cause noone dared to stay there) and one from WW2 when the Ozies bateled the Japanese somewhere near. A friend of me brother, who is currently there and every morning on the radio "when are you guys coming", requested a hand drill, some kerosin (lamp fuel) and some tabaco as gifts for the locals. "You'll be the king of the island when you bring that over!" is his message ;-) Realy lookign forward to that!
Afterwards, means in one to tree weeks time, is currently open. Josef and Elli want to sail on north, with long term target Philippines. We were warned from mainland PNG, people are said to be not so friendly anymore (well, I'd say they probably become normal again after the very nice folks in the Solomons) and that the chances to get robbed increase. I've no clue what to do, there's still some homework I have to do until mid of October which will take me at least a week. We'll see, maybe I jump on one of the island hoppers and spend some time somewhere in PNG and SEA or even Oz.
The good thing: Summer is near down (under) here ;-)
Kudi in Gizo, 2006-09-26
PS: The pix is the background image of the computer in the internet cafe I'm in, but hey, that's REALITY down here!
PS2: No, I'm not geting old and am not thinking about writing a book, just waiting for a 48MB download to complete... |
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