Another Third World

Dear hearts,

It is a weary Miss Mich just returned from the wilds of the Louisiades, the eastern most islands of PNG. What a whirl wind journey…

Overnighting in that wild west frontier town of Port Moresby, Miss Mich felt lucky to escape with her scalp and dignity intact. Lucky for her, the lovely Mima and her foreign correspondent took Miss Mich under their ABC wings and treated her to a pedi and voddy at the only hotel in town. Dinner followed at the Yacht Club with the Kokoda Cowboys and sauced up ex-pats, some of whom were rumoured to be packing heat down the back of their pants. Now Miss Mich is no stranger to heat in said pants, obvi, but usually in the front of said pants…

The trip in the fortified ute to the super marche was quite the experience. Mima giving Miss Mich the tip to smile and be ever so careful to breeze through the throng of Nationals with the least provocation to what can only be described loosely as a shed of sorts, with seemingly out of date comestibles and some very dubious looking vegetables. Luck would have it we were only after Ginger beer for the Moscow Mules and Pringles as the perfect accompaniment. The comparison to the National food market as we tootled our way home tempered Miss Mich to describe forever more the original market as the David Jones Food Hall in comparison to the burned out hole in the wall offered to the locals.

The islands were another matter altogether. Friendly faces, sweet children and the Misima Showcase provided the perfect weekend's entertainment. The 40 young ladies competing for the title of Miss Misima was quite the cultural experience. Traditional grass skirts, baskets on their heads and lots of bare breasts had the yachties paying strict attention and the judges in fierce debate. Lots of traditional dancing and chewing of Betel nut made Miss Mich feel worlds away and in another time.

A little respite from the constant round of official events was an early sail with the Green Guru to Kumata, the sweetest little island 11 nm off Misima. A snorkel on the fringe reef to spy on sting rays and all the little fishy’s, followed by a wander through the village with a trail of little sweeties giggling behind made the morning a pleasure and the long trek back to home worthwhile.

The wisdom for Miss Mich from this small snapshot into the return of third world travel after way too many years in Business Class is surely that one can have the best fun and the most attention in something as simple as a grass skirt and a basket balanced on one’s head.

Enjoy less with more and Thursday.

Love
Miss Mich