Robert@PNG

Figuratively and literally! The Hospital is on the verge of
signing a lease for a house. We have been living in the Transit Lodge on the
Hospital grounds for the past five weeks and both of us are growing tired of
not yet having something permanent. There appears to be a shortage of rental
properties in Goroka town plus the rents in PNG for something half decent are
exuberant. The Hospital does have a limit on what they are able and willing to
spend and finding a property for the two of us has stretched the purse a
little. Although I did come over here single and as a volunteer, Hospital
management (specifically the CEO) have acknowledged my relationship with Eli as
permanent and have gone the extra mile to find and pay for something a little
better than a one bedroom studio arrangement.

In fact we have done rather well! A five bedroom standalone
home, close to town, secure and on about half an acre! A little run down here
and there so when we went to do an inspection today I compiled a list of things
to be “fixed” and I found out later this afternoon that the Hospital and
landlord have come to an agreement as far as the rent and my “new” landlord has
also agreed to fix everything that I had on the list. Besides the five bedrooms
there are also a couple of extra rooms in the outside area but still attached
to the house. An to top it off… a garden house at the back that looks like it’s
had people living in there. Phew…!!! 

Those of you back at home that have thought about visiting,
well now is your time!!

A bedroom each, an office, a meditation room and a spare
room for the odd visitor! And when the clan visits there’ll be plenty of space
out the back in the annexes!! 

I rather like how this chapter is unfolding!

On a different note, we are heading down to Lae shortly. Eli
leaves tomorrow morning (Thursday) via PMV and I will be catching an Air Link
flight around lunch time Friday. Got some outstanding business to sort out at
UNITECH and also want to purchase and bring back a printer; and of course the
mandatory beer and a steak down at the “yachtie” might be in order on the
Friday night. A few friends here and there I would like to catch-up with:
Peter, Sidia, Jerry, Atul and Sheika, Jethro, Roger and of course Sunny… (There
are never enough hours in the day!). I am hoping that the Hospital will
organize a truck to pickup my stuff whilst I’m in town which is still sitting
in boxes at Geoff’s. 

And… on the Friday afternoon there is a court case in West Taraka, Eli got her mobile phone stolen late last
year and they somehow managed to catch the culprit! To witness a PNG community
court is an experience in itself; justice, negotiation and listening all merged
into one!

And so on and so on…