Going to the canteen without chilli is like going to the canteen without clothes on.

This is what Bob told me today when I told him that I left my sauce at the office!  May be I couldn’t finish my meal was because I didn’t have my sauce!

Here’s my dinner (before and after)

However, the bread and butter is consistently good!

I didn’t feel very busy at work today – well, not busy enough!  My throat is a lot better, not really sore anymore, but have a cough

At lunch, I had watermelon.  Stacking them up lets me cut all of them at once!

Then I listened to Branco explain something to Duncan.

It’s really fantastic listening to him explain things in so much detail.  He leaves today, so it’s something I’ll miss.

This morning, the bus took so long to come, a small van came though…

Then 2 buses showed up after… it feels like the buses are becoming more and more infrequent.

It’s awesome here, you should come!

Unwell but getting better!

Woke up to the sound of footsteps outside.

Looked at the clock.

6:20am! Out of bed an hour late!

Why didn’t my alarm go?

Checked my phone… 16:00

The clock reset when I changed the battery.

Rushed and got to work 10 minutes late.

Throat was feeling worse, and I was feeling extra tired since I didn’t sleep well.

Fortunately, I had that hour extra sleep!

Had a training course this afternoon.

I’m going to go to sleep soon.

There’s no water

There’s no water in my room right now.

When I got back, I had a quick shower, then the water ran out.  There was only a few drips left which I used for brushing my teeth.

I’ve got a sore throat coming.

Tired.

Sunday Funday Waterfall

Slept at 2am, woke up 7:15am, had breakfast before the canteen closed.  Then came back, updated my blog, went to Hotel Koniambo for lunch.  We all had burgers, it was nice!

We also found that it was a good way to offload our coins.

Then we went to look for a waterfall which Ray had gone to before.

It was an easy hike with only a few stream crossings.

Then we got there.  It was slippery getting up those rocks.

Once we got up there, there was a nice pool we had a lot of fun in!

The edge felt like an infinity pool.

We took a lot of photos… and then started taking videos (coming soon).  As you can see, we had a good time.

Videos to come soon…

Australia Day in New Caledonia

Yesterday, January 26th was Australia day.  I brought along some flags from my last R&R in remembrance of Australia day and handed them out.  Someone asked whether it was Australia’s independence day, but no, it was Australia’s dependence day – our national day.  A good reason to celebrate!  Something like:

[26-Jan-1788]

*** FirstF1337 has entered #Australia ***
<Indigenous>Hello FirstF1337! Welcome to #Australia.
<FirstF1337>O hai thar locals! All your base are belong to us!
*** FirstF1337 changes topic to: ‘#Australia now belongs to King George III!’
<Indigenous>lolwhut? We been here for like forever, you just got here and takeover?
*** FirstF1337 sets mode: +b Indigenous*!*@*.*
<Indigenous>You can’t do that!
*** Indigenous has been kicked by FirstF1337 (Bugger off, we’re full)
*** Convicts has been invited to join #Australia ***

In the afternoon, I was walking back to the office, and I observed someone standing on the manlift handrail to reach the top of a beam.  He was being supervised by someone wearing a red helmet (safety).  I stood next to the safety guy and the observers realised I was watching, so told the handrail-man to come down.  Then I told the safety guy “Raise the manlift so he doesn’t need to climb on the handrail”.  He replied “Yes” and began to raise it.  I walked off, and turned around, and he was at it again!

Look closer:

At least he was wearing his harness and was tied-off to the handrail… I checked again later and he was sitting in the manlift.  Maybe too many people watching.  Maybe it was safe, and maybe he does it all time, but I do not feel comfortable to allow someone to do that.

In the evening, we went to Rob’s place for Australia day and his farewell gathering.  t was great to be off-site for the night!  Fortunately I was wearing my insect repellent (so only got a few bites on my ankles).

The prawns were really good, it was so relaxing sitting on the mat talking.

Pizza and Post office!

On Thursday 24th January, I received this note:

I ordered a case for my phone, and I have to pick it up from the post office.   A few fantastic things:

1. The post office is off site, and I don’t have a car to go there.
2. They are open 7:45-11:15 and 12:15-15:00 Monday to Friday, but I work Monday to Saturday 6:30 to at least 17:30.
3. They have given me 15 days to pick up the delivery, and they give me the notice 8 days into this 15 days.
4. Fortunately, Jonathan has kindly permitted me to use his car to pick it up! So I’ll try to go there during next week, after lunch time!  Thank you!

On Friday, I went to the Chinese canteen for lunch.  Ribs!

Then we went to Pete’s for pizza! It was so big, and so good!

This is Duncan, Andrew, and pizza.  We ordered 4 pizzas for 7 of us.  Lots of pizza, lots of fun!

My attempt at posting a video

Let’s hope this works!  Some clips from Sunday’s snorkelling!

Contigo Swish

My old drink bottle was really old and smelly, so mum told me to buy a new bottle, and that it had to be BPA free.

I went to Myers and saw some bottles on special.  I narrowed the choices down to a stainless steel bottle, and a “Contigo Swish”.  The stainless steel bottle had a 750mL capacity, and looked solid (if I dropped it, it might bounce, or dent, but not crack).  The Contigo Swish had only a 500mL capacity, but has an “autoseal”.  I was imagining myself squeezing from a stainless steel bottle, so went to the Swish.

There’s a big white button you press and the seal opens for as long as you hold the button down.  I thought that this would be very useful for me (grabbing the bottle with one hand, drinking and putting it back without having to screw/pop up a lid).

Here you can see the opening (grey seal which is displaced when you press the button).  The other blue thing you see at the top covers a vent which opens when you press the button, to displace the air while water flows out of the drinking opening.

It’s got a rubber grip at the bottom… in case of an earthquake? 

The lid comes off revealing a mouth as wide as the bottle, which makes it easy to fill.  Screwing on the lid feels like it’s securely fastened on, and won’t leak out either.

I like how it’s thin, so I can put it in my pocket when not in my pouch.

Fancy water holder huh?

I had a good lunch today

I had a good lunch today, but didn’t take a photo.  It was rice, chilli con carne, mashed potatoes and some overcooked broccoli.  I put gochujang in the mashed potatoes! hor hor…  I’m going to have dinner at the Indian canteen tonight (7:30pm!).

I didn’t get to go out to site today, spent the whole day stuck in the office

WonderfulSunday!

The plan was to meet at the bus stop at 6:15am, so after getting ready, I went to the western canteen for breakfast.  I got there at 5:55am, and it was to open at 6am.  There were a few other people waiting outside there, but when they saw me coming, one was point away and talking to me in French, telling me that I’m Chinese and I shouldn’t be there.  After showing him my badge and telling him and his mates that I usually dine at the western canteen, they were ok.  When going in, he was infront of me, and his badge didn’t let him in at the turnstile.  I wanted to tell him that he wasn’t allowed in… ha ha.  I controlled myself, didn’t want to get in any trouble.

I rushed 2 croissants and 3 pain au chocolat into my mouth and went to get my stuff.

I was in the car with Thomas, Reden and Jonathan.  First we went to buy some supplies at Kone.  When we were there, a guy on a bicycle asked a few questions and I think he wanted to sell beer.  Then some people came and asked if I was Korean and tried to hand me a magazine, which when I realised “the Watchtower”, I said no

When the busload of people from site came, they ran into the store.

‘

We headed off to Poindimie, it was for Ola’s birthday.  It was a windy road.

Arrived there and spent an hour trying to get a fire going (all the wood there was damp).

Jonathan was fishing.

He quickly caught fish!

Played in the water and then later the rest came. 

A nice barbeque was cooked, and crabs which they caught last night, and then Thomas cooked bak kut teh!

Then played in the water.

Eskylid surfing.

Then went snorkelling.

Lots of fish! Check it out!

I’ve got a video, but need to find out how to share it!

After snorkelling went back to where we were and had noodles.

As beer isn’t allowed on site, we had to finish it first.

Then packed up and headed back.

On the way back, we stopped at a point with rocks and waterfall.  It was nice.

 

Then stopped at the petrol station before arriving back and had some icecream.

Got back to my room, had a quick shower, then had dinner.

What a great day!

It’s time to sleep now!  Goodnight!