Thread: Employment Opportunities

Yep they grow across the tropical north. Seen them on Cape York and there are a number here in Arnhem Land.

Dale

Originally Posted by Stuuu

Yep they grow across the tropical north. Seen them on Cape York and there are a number here in Arnhem Land.

Dale

Thanks for that Dale,

I lived in Townsville and travelled further north, maybe I was not looking for them.

Cheers,

BBC

In Jan 2004, with 2 weeks notice, I received a Posting Order to go to Timor Leste to take up the position as the Senior Training Advisor to the F-FDTL (the Timores Military) for a period of 12 mths, it was to be unaccompanied because of the lack of housing, and I was to live and work at the Metinaro Training Centre, a short drive out of Dili.

The work was interesting, and the perks were good. We were part of the Defence Cooperative Program, while the rest of the ADF there were carrying weapons and were tax free, we didn't have to, could drink, and our allowances and leave conditions were more generous and also tax free.

The best part was our freedom of action. We could go where we liked, and were encouraged to, to 'fly the flag'. For which we had access to Toyota Troopies, and whatever local guides we wanted to take from amongst the soldiers...they were always eager to get back to their families for a weekend.

Enjoy the photos:



Yes...they have prawns in ET too...



The following shots are panoramic shots of scenery along the north coast road, heading from Dili to the east. The first is what we used to call 'Burnt Bus Pass'...because there was a burnt bus at the top of the hill:



The depth of water off the northern coast had to be seen to believed. The strait between was supposedly 5km deep.



Same shot, different light:



Same piece of land heading the other way, coming from Manatuto:



This is a panorama shot taken from the Bacau side of the airport, on the high limestone plain, looking down toward Bacau with the Matebain massif in the distance:



This is what they call 'O Ponto do Crocodilo' ...Crocodile Point...it is the other side of what is normally seen from Dili while driving along the coast road into town:



There is a road that goes south of Bacau and winds over the middle of the island towards the town of Viqueque, on the way there you pass through what they call 'A Vale do Mundo Perdido' ....The Valley of the Lost World:



The mountain in the clouds is called Matabein. It is a sacred mountain to the Timorese, and was a favourite hideout of FALINTIL..the Timorese guerillas fighting against the Indonesians. The Indonesians bombed this mountain heavily, and it is said there are still cluster munitions around there..slow bloody job to clear it!



Driving through Viqueque and on to the coast brings you out at Beaco and it's expansive beach. There are stark differences between the coastlines of the north and south coasts.

On the way into Dili from Metinaro one day, just before you start climbing over the range, and after the Hera Tech College, I ran into a host of cars and people. I stopped and luckily had my camera and I was able to watch the ceremonial guard for a flag raising ceremony...a little vignette of Timorese life:









I reckon the Guard Commander was chosen because he had shoes:







I was moving around to try and take photos without interfering with their ceremony...and then.....I saw this bloke...and I was surreptitiously using my camera to take shots without him knowing....and you thought you had a hard time finding boots to fit!!







Much more to follow...

Another weekend away with a couple of cars,

This was a pretty 'flash' construction...corrugated iron...normally thatched. This is typical Timorese village house construction..keeps the pigs out of the house.



Stop the car and the kids would always come out to check us out...this was a pretty poor village, the kids did not look the healthiest.







Further down the road we spotted this lady weaving her 'tais'..the traditional wrap of Timor.

She was beautiful, outgoing, and really happy for us to watch. We bought a couple of Tais of her.

One thread at a time.......



















We think this was her sister. You can see that she is a Betel nut user. You'd never see the men chewing it, they were into tobacco. Likewise, you'd rarely see a woman smoking....probably a question of what was available to them...betel nut from the bush, whereas the boys would have the cash for tobacco..maybe.









These were there houses:





Then we hit the coast...this is the south coast looking east..



and looking in the other direction with the road hugging the coast,



Check the handlebars out on this bloke......

Originally Posted by BBC

Thanks for that Dale,

I lived in Townsville and travelled further north, maybe I was not looking for them.

Cheers,

BBC

When I lived at Aurukun on Cape York in the mid 80s a guy wanted to start a plantation there using water off a river to get them to grow. Anywhere in Aust north of Cairns I think he said was ideal.

His argument was the price of cashews made it viable but you need the land and the water (esp in first 5 years) to do it. They don't like wind so he was going to ring them with mangoes to protect them.

Cashew pear is also very rich in Vit C which is an added bonus too.

Dale

Originally Posted by Stuuu

When I lived at Aurukun on Cape York in the mid 80s a guy wanted to start a plantation there using water off a river to get them to grow. Anywhere in Aust north of Cairns I think he said was ideal.

His argument was the price of cashews made it viable but you need the land and the water (esp in first 5 years) to do it. They don't like wind so he was going to ring them with mangoes to protect them.

Cashew pear is also very rich in Vit C which is an added bonus too.

Dale

Stuuu,

After seeing the cashews in Mozambique, I think the reason they have not been grown to any extent here is the amount of labour required. There is a lot to be done, from picking the crop, to the cooking off of the nut husk and then, peeling it off....and ultimately, if it needs labour in Australia, that is what we do not have enough of.

What the...? Obviously a tree of some significance.



These are some photos of kids at an orphanage in Gleno, fascinated by images of themselves.



This young fella is called Moses, he was cut with a machete, and lost his family during 1999...





Los Palos markets:



Bush meat...cuscus.







Ladies selling local tobacco: