Wild Dogs

The last few nights have been a bit hectic.  Nemo's mom is in heat.  She lives outside and is half wild, but does occasionally come into the house for a few hours.  By the house her and 2 other dogs wander from house to house and get fed, and are very tame and nice.  However since she is in heat she has attracted wild dogs from all over the island, which has caused lots of fighting.  This fighting has resulted in the dogs being beat up and howling into all hours of the morning, as well as very loud fights.  I have counted about 12 dogs trying to attack her now.

 

All this happens right under my house.  So to give her a break, and me some peace I brought her in and let her stay on the porch.  She enjoyed it for a day or two, getting nice food and water, but has since wanted to go back outside.  The cats at the house also do not care for her, but are quite intrigued by all the noise the dogs cause.  They constantly stay on the porch peering over the edge to see all the dogs fighting, while appreciating their own safety in the house. 

 

The cats however gang up on the dog in the house and pick on her, she is about 70 lbs, but is scared to death of the cats!  I think this shows just how much smarter and evil cats are.  So last night I returned home to find the dog inside the house, but I had left here locked on the porch?  She wanted to get away from the cats so bad, she broke a window to get in.  The cats regularly climb in and out of the slat windows, but the dog was too big and broke them when attempting the same maneuver. 

 

It sometimes feels like a zoo here and is a definatly a different world.  While trying to leave the house and let her out, all the dogs waited outside the door for me.  They growled and showed their teeth, and were not happy with me at all.  I had to open the door and scoot them away with a broom to let her out.  I can not wait for her to be calmed down again and all the dogs leave!

The first Rabbit in the Solomon Islands

There has never been a rabbit in the Solomons before today, but everyone agrees that the new shop dog Nemo looks more like a rabbit then a dog.  It is rumored his ears pick up tv stations from Australia.

Feeding The Cats

So everything here is a bit more difficult then at home, I guess that is what a third world country is like.  No paved roads, no cat food.  So feeding the cats is a little more difficult then opening up a bag, lets just say they eat all fresh food.  So there are three cats that allow me to live in this house.  It is defiantly their territory, but they are sweet and share it.  They are very loving but when you come home from work they know what time it is.  It is a bit obvious when you are carrying in a 5kg fish for them.  They smell the fish and come running, but first you have to prepare it. 

You have to take out the guts and the gills, defiantly a fun job to do before cooking your own dinner.  Next you need to cut it up to fit in a bowl to microwave (I think I am one of 5 people with a microwave here) if you don't have a microwave you can boil the fish.  After cutting through the guts and other fun things you microwave it for about 13 min, meanwhile the cats sit under the microwave watching it spin, they know what is happening.  After it is done cooking you toss the head and tail to the dogs outside and divide the fish up for the 3 cats in bowls, they follow you religiously at this point.  They are adorable and love the fish and show there love afterwards by sitting at your feet.  Pets here are a bit different since they are all half wild, so seeing them act sweet is always a nice change!

Luke

Nemo Walkem Around

Today was a fun day of doing some WWII tours for guests. We took six people around to see an old US Tank from the war, snorkeled on a Hellcat fighter shot down in the war, and then to skull Island. We ate lunch at a beautiful Island resort, Lola. Then spent spent some time hanging around the shop. At the shop there are two fierce guard dogs Nitrox and Nemo. Nitrox is an old girl that is pretty good at laying down and licking you when she feels like getting up, while Nemo is a puppy that has to be leashed so he does not run away.

Nemo has a very appropriate name because if you let him loose to run around he will be sweet and stay with you for about 10 minutes then when you turn your back he is gone. Today I noticed Nemo was not around and asked the staff, but no one had seem him. In pidgen they told me "Nemo Walkem about" Which meant Nemo left or "No Lookem Nemo" I have not seen him. So everyone about 10 people went looking for the naughty dog. Bradley found him about half way to the market. Nemo was in search of anything, there is lots of rubbish laying around that he would spend hours going through if you let him. Bradley then chased Nemo back to the shop, where Nemo promptly came in and gave kisses to everyone like nothing was wrong. The problem is Nemo gets regular baths and medicine while the streets he likes to wander are full of strays. The pets here are lovely and I love Nemo but playing finding Nemo everyday is a bit tiresome, yet entertaining. I will get a picture of him up, he has the largest ears I have seen on any dog, and shows his emotions through them, they are easily larger then his whole head!

Luke

Chasing the Needle in the S. Pacific

Today I had a special treat.  My company participates in a program launching data gathering equipment for US research group.  These things are called spray gliders, and it is a not propelled robotic sub that dives in the oceans for about 3 months at a time.  Today we picked up one that traveled hundreds of miles, and made about 700 dives since July 4th of this year.  They measure depth, temperature, salinity, and location.  They dive every few hours and when the come up the roll over so that fin serves as an antenna to send data to the researchers.

Now every few months they must be found and pulled out of the water to be cleaned and have the batteries changed.  That is what we did today.  Now when they are finished diving they send there gps coordinates every 15 to a satellite phone that we have on the boat.  It sounds easy but is a bit of luck when you are in a small boat in 5 foot rolling seas, your gps is only accurate to 20 meters, and the satellite phone is not as reliable as all might like to think.  Today we got lucky and spotted it in about 30 mins.   All that there is to spot is about a 6 inch tall orange fin pointing out of the water.  We found it and loaded it on the boat, it had small scratches and lost of odds and ends attached to, all in all it was a very successful trip.

More info on the glider is here http://spray.ucsd.edu/

Luke

Switching to the Left

You might read this title and be a little shock.  With all of the recent politics the left and right have both taken there stances.  My switching to the left has nothing to do with any of these things, I have switched to driving on the left side of the road.  The differences are subtle but are very prevalent at times.

 

For instances when getting into a vehicle to drive it, you look stupid when you get in the wrong side then have to get back out and walk around the truck to the right side where the wheel is.  Also while driving constantly reminding yourself which side to drive on.  You shift gears with your left hand, and operate the turn signal with your right hand.  I feel like it is the first time driving a manual since I have to think where each gear is.

 

These things in themselves can be easy to overcome, but with one exception.  That is when you are on an Island with no paved roads.  There are giant potholes to dodge as well as people, children, stray dogs, and occasional rubbish piles.  Now today I had the joy of driving through the bush for the first time, which is basically an unpaved road through the rain forest.  I only got the truck stuck once, but had to back up a muddy hill back to the main road since there was no time to turn around.  I popped into 4 wheel low and got out, marveling at the experience.

 

I am also training on driving the boats, which is not hard they are fun little 20-25ft boats with twin outboards.  But there is not much in the way of navigational markers, so learning where the reefs are is imperative.

 

It has been fun and exciting and I will keep you all updated on my latest feats of glory as I like to think of them.

 

Luke

Arriving in the Solomons

I have arrived in the Solomon's and even with all of my baggage, it does not appear that anything is damaged either! Now that I am here I am quickly learning how to run and operate the shop since my boss and his wife are going to Australia for 5 weeks soon. This also means I get to house site there lovely home that sits on a cliff overlooking the Pacific.

They leave on Monday and will return December 2^nd. That will leave me as the only American on the Island for Thanksgiving; I do have quite a house to host the party in though. I have met some other foreigners here most of them I met when I was here during the summer, or as it was winter here. The weather is great about 90 in the day and 84 at night, sunny and gorgeous seas. I have started driving some, and tomorrow will do some training learning how to drive to different Islands to get guests and avoid running the boat aground.

Luke

Aussie Land "A Dingo Ate My Baby"

Well, after 35 hours of traveling I made it to Brisbane, Australia on Friday here, Thursday back home.  The planes were uneventful, but the 13 hour flight to Tokyo was not Fun.  I flew from Atlanta to Chicago and had a Layover there, I needed to go back through security for the international flight.  It would have been uneventful but I was lucky to be chosen for the random security check.  As the TSA agent described it, they will go through everything I have.  I didn't think it would be that bad until they asked me when my flight left.  When I said it was in 2 hours, they replied "we will have to hurry then".  I made it through with all of my things, and after that the trip was pretty uneventful.

 

Australia is quite fun.  I am staying at a type of uni housing in which it is all people my age.  Yesterday I went to Byron Bay, a beachy hippie town south of the gold coast for the day to hang out, then stopped off in Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast.  In Byron bay we walked on the beach and went to a gorgeous Light house, and the most Easterly point on the mainland of Australia.  We had a bite to eat then went to a few bars before coming home.    Everyone here is nice, and is easy going.  I have noticed a few differences, like the have Tyres on their cars not tires, and you cook on a Barby not a Grill.  I have some good photos and will get them up next week.  As for now tomorrow I am going to try to take a bus to see a friend south of Brisbane and then on Tuesday morning I will fly to the Solomons to start work.  I hope all is well in the states and will get more up soon.

 

Luke

My first Kangaroo Experience

A Barbby not a grill

Aussie's showing up for the Barbby

Moving On

Well the past week I have left Florida and took a plane to Charlotte NC, then a bus to Raleigh.  It was exciting travels with no major hang ups.  My bags were sent to Atlanta however but John was able to pick them up at the airport to keep them from winding up in a warehouse somewhere.  In Charlotte I stopped by a Dive shop and saw some friends for lunch then continued to Raleigh.  In Raleigh I saw Theresa and Matt as well as my parents.  We ate good home cooked food(Great Job Mom and Theresa), and watched movies.  Theresa and Mom still found time to go shopping.  We did go and see the movie Step Brothers which I must say was better then I could have expected and defiantly one of Will Farrel's funnier movies.

From North Carolina I drove my parents Truck to Atlanta.  In Atlanta I went and met John at work and stole my truck back, I had missed it over the past 5 months.  John and I then Joined Mrs Shirley and her family for dinner where she made delicious corn beef and cabbage.  Grandpa would be and is Jealous I am sure. That night I went out with Mathew for a bit, then headed downtown to meet some old friends for some beers and pool at their new house.  It is nice to be back in Atlanta, it does feel like home, and nice to be surrounded by people who know you.  And get together some final supplies and things for the next year.

Whats Next?

Wednesday I head for Brisbane Australia, I depart Atlanta at 7:20 am and arrive in Brisbane at 8:00 am Friday.  The trip includes a few layovers one of which is in Tokyo for 8 hours.  I am hoping to go into town there but will have to play that by ear.  Catching my plane is defiantly the priority!  I should be in Australia for a week or two in which I will see some friends I met while traveling.  Then head back over to the Solomon Islands for a year.