Thread: Employment Opportunities

Originally Posted by kaa45

couldn't be a Collingwood supporter......he has two eyes

Kaa45,

I thought it had to be more of a mental incapacity, than a physical one?

You know, when all things are equal....a question of stupidity, over one of.....having no other choice....

Originally Posted by BBC

Bushwanderer,

The Sudan might be a question as a tourist just now. I know DFAT has put out a heightened warning, following the announcement from the Intl Criminal Court yesterday...it might be questionable from a travel insurance point of view. Khartoum is normally well out of the way but there were some recent 'up your nose' incidents made by southern militants into the city.

SNIP


Cheers,

BBC

Sorry BBC,
I just saw this post.

Your warnings are well-heeded (I saw an item on the news, recently, about how the Sudanese President (whose name escapes me) is making himself unpopular, internationally).

It looks like Erika should try to also contact Tony Park in order to get his insights (which seem to be further south in the continent).

Many Thanks,

Hi BBC,

I've been reading your thread for hours and am amazed by your ability to chronicle your life and experiences. You're a damn good writer and that comes from one who writes for a crust. It is a pleasure to read you.

If you ever decide to turn your words and images into a book, or books,
you wont have any trouble finding a publisher.

And as the others have said, keep going, we love this thread.

Quiggers.

Originally Posted by Quiggers

Hi BBC,

I've been reading your thread for hours and am amazed by your ability to chronicle your life and experiences. You're a damn good writer and that comes from one who writes for a crust. It is a pleasure to read you.

If you ever decide to turn your words and images into a book, or books,
you wont have any trouble finding a publisher.

And as the others have said, keep going, we love this thread.

Quiggers.

Quiggers,

Us backwoods Turkey Boys don't write real proper like....

That would have to be the most polite and civil comment ever made by an Alstonvillean to a Kyogle boy......who failed his HSC English. Ta muchly..

I'll relay the comment to the previous Australian Ambassador here in Afghanistan...he and I, were both in the same class at Kyogle High School....just goes to show to what ends of the earth a lack of local employment will drive you!!!

Cheers,

BBC

Great stuff BBC
Im with Quiggers.A book is a great idea,with the pics and the stories you have PUBLISHED here it would be an interesting read.
If you ever do put a book out,make sure you draw our attention to it.Im sure many here would buy a copy just going on what you have given us sofar.
KEEP IT UP,best read on here at the moment
Andrew

One day went tried to drive around the lake that is defined on any topographical map as being east of Los Palos. During the dry, this lake almost dries up. We were stopped from driving around though, by a swift flowing stream. Checking the map we could see the stream was connected to the lake but, welled up from the ground. All the land around the lake is a limestone plateau and no doubt absorbs so much water during the wet.

This stream was flowing surprisingly strong, despite being in the dry. Looking at the map, the stream flowed into the jungle and then, as it approached the coastal range......it went back into the ground. Apparently it flows into the ground and then wells up into the see, as there is not river bed on the far side of the mountains....we know because we drove there....a disappearing creek.

There was a Europe based NGO who are looking at harnesssing the stream flow with hydro plant to provide a local power network.

Anyway, the stream prevented our passage with the Toyotas but, the locals had fashioned their own bridge for crossing. Quite a marvel of bush engineering.



Locals crossing with their means of transport:





This little old gentlemen was returning from a day out in the bush foraging for some bush tucker.



...interesting tubers...not cassava...anyone have a clue?

East Timor, geologically, is a vey active piece of turf. Being, as it is, the leading edge of the Australian continental tectonic plate shoving itself up into Asia. The mountains are quite sharp and rugged in relief, compared to most anything you will find in ancient weathered Australia.

It is definitely part of the continent though, with similar vegetation, eucalypts et al on Timor, but 15 km distant across to the island of Atauro, none. Atauro is volcanic; Timor is not. the strait between them is reputed to be 5km deep. Geologically active.

You can occasionally feel tremors but they are regional in effect and have originated away from Timor. You are reminded of the relative newness of the country when you look at the geology on some of the mountain tops....you find fossils of coral, and much of the base rock is limestone...the tropical reefs ringing the shore are being progessively pushed upwards.

The western part of the country is more high and rugged. Maliana sits deep in a valley, and as you drive south to Suai, you turn off to a very backwoods/backwards place called Bobonara. My younger brother had been located here with 5/7RAR in 99/00...he had not been impressed.

Bobonara though, has something unique. It sits on a ridge, deep in a valley on its southern side there are thermal springs. The glory days of the springs had been under the Portuguese, and they had built a stone pitched road, a guest house, and had created a swimming pool and a bath house around where the springs issued from the ground. Now....it is a place for the locals to wash their laundry..free hot water!!!







These are some of the carefully irrigated rice paddies on the road to the springs:

East Timor, has two remote territories. One being the enclave of Oecussi, which is on the same island, further to the west on the coast of West Timor, a left over from the Portuguese who used to undertake their exploring and trade by establishing ports and 'fortelezas' to protect their trading interests.

16km NE from Dili lies the island of Atauro. It is different from Timor in that their christianity is Protto, unlike the mainland where the Cattleticks rule with a 99.9% strike rate.
The Portuguese used to use Atauro as a place to exile people and it also served as a leper colony in the past. So, it has a mixed past and is quite used to the dregs..like us.



Located on Atauro is a wonderful local venture where they have built an eco-resort called Tua Koin, to engender local employment for the people. An Australian lady has been there from the outset giving guidance and mentoring amongst the local community.

Transport is to and fro by local boats.







The strait in between is alive with marine life. Travelling both ways we sighted whale and dolphin pods.





As Atauro is approached you come across this pretty spectacular set of cliffs. The water is as deep as...!

Measure the height of the cliffs by the canoe with people at the base.















Tua Koin is a simple collection of locally constructed huts facing out of the beach toward the main island. It was interesting to speak with the Australian lady who was there mentoring with them. The original layout proposed by the village elders was to construct a fountain...and then build the guest accommodation in a circle around the fountain...ignoring the view over the ocean! It just goes to show the different appreciations made of local settings. The locals find it a bit hard to understand why the tourists could be bothered to climb the hill behind the village for the view...
"Why?...that has always been there...!'







All guests dine centrally in this open area. The food is all local and delicious, with local coffee available at all times.



My apologies for this photo. I was trying to show what the accommodation is like.

I suppose it is also graphic evidence of how active K1W1's can be...if you poke them hard enough and repeatedly. It is a rare photo....he has his eyes open...and he isn't snoring. The rest of his family are hanging around Bondi.



Here is the communal shower, simple and beautiful. Where else can you eat a banana and have a tub?





Then, the return to Dili:



This was the boat that had been leased by the UN to sail in and provide accommodation for UN staff. 2004 when the Tsunami hit Indonesia, the tide went in and out 4 times in one day at Dili, and this boat was momentarily, and precariously, sitting on the harbour bottom!



If you ever travel to East Timor....visit Tua Koin.