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  Well, Sunday today and had decided to go to the zoo. Lots of attractions in Chiang Mai, but nothing suited. There was bathe with and feed the elephants, where you roll around in the mud with them and see them working. You have to buy a change of clothes and then wash afterwards. Mmm, No. Then the half day tour of the 3 temples and the people of the tribe who grow their necks long (much like a group in Africa). That sounded interesting, but no, it didn’t run until Thursday and I’d be in an aeroplane back to Melbourne. So the zoo it was. I decided to take a TukTuk, you’ve all seen them, a triangular chassis built on a motor-bike frame. No seat belts, seats at the back and enjoy flying along at speed with your bottom almost at ground level. So off to the zoo at about 9:30 am. We haggled about the price and agreed on Bt150 (about $7.50), but once the poor fellow had a manoeuvred his way through the city to the zoo, I felt sorry for him and paid what he had first asked for, which was ...
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 Trip to Thailand Day 7 and 8 Oh no! More travelling. But wait this is just a little way down the highway! From Phetchabun North to Lom Sak and then West up the mountain to the temple. As Peter mentioned the road actually was originally single lane and with the trucks it would have been a difficult and hazardous journey. Now, however there were two lanes up and three where it was steepest and enabled us to easily pass trucks on the steep gradient. Once we reached the temple itself, Peter decided he didn’t want to see the giant Buddha and temple again so he parked the car while the ladies and I took off into the temple. Remove your shoes at the entrance gate, where a pair of socks (provided) if you like or go in bare feet, this is sacred ground. We walked around the viewing platform before presenting ourselves to the main temple. We filled out an envelope and inserted our offering. The girls held the envelope between their palms and offered it to the heavens. They then took it over ...
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Trip To Thailand - Day 1 and 2

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 Trip to Thailand Part One 9:30 minutes to Thailand. Couldn’t complain about the service, stewards male and female were kept busy with supplying us with meals (there were two meals on the flight-both chicken and rice). Those of Muslim faith and Indian extraction had all ordered special meals according to their faith, which meant the “eat anything” passengers were left until last to be served!  Don’t sit in row 46, every time the food came near us, the steward disappeared in to the back galley to replenish, then started serving liquor to the forward section AGAIN. We al watched with baited breath as the food cart craft towards us. Two steps forward, 3 steps back. Finally lunch arrived for our row. I was seated with a couple from Australia travelling to Thailand to celebrate a wedding. He was Australian and she was South African. Lunch being over I felt the need to visit the toilet. Unfortunately, the remains of my lunch being on my lap, plus the complimentary pillow and blanket...
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 In July 2011 we celebrated 50 years since the founding of Derimbat Primary School, something I am proud to have been a part of (1965, 1971, 1972).  During the celebrations I was lucky enough to capture much of what happened in that time. I am sorry that it took so long to post some footage as some of the participants have left us. I thought a short collection of the dancers would be a good start. I cant promise to post frequently as Melien still needs support and I have only 2 hands to help, but I will try.
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 Today 22nd December 1923, John Andrew Groat married Alice Maude Sturtevant at 12 Lawrence Street Brunswick-Witnesses Dorothy Sturtevant (my Auntie Dorrie on mum’s side) and Mabel Groat (Aunty Mab). John Andrew Groat (known as Jack) would be grandfather to Paul, Dorothy, Andrew and Mary and great grandfather to their children. Also grandfather to Clinton and Charles Groat and great grandfather to Harrison Groat; grandfather to Christopher Bryant, Simon, Nicholas, Alistair and Joanne Reilly as well as great grandfather to their children.
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Naringel Primary School 1964

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1964 - Naringel Primary School Naringel Primary School was my first posting after graduation from my E Course in Rabaul. The course was only 6 months long but the lecturers were very experienced teachers or administrators (one was a educational psychologist and primary teacher lecturer from Sydney) so we did not lack expertise on the staffing side.  I was picked up at Momote Airport by Mr Percy Jensen  who was the Education Officer for Manus District (as it was called then) and driven to Lorengau where I would stay with Mr Jensen until the next day. After breakfast, the next day Mr Jensen drove me to Kim Foon and Sons where I set up a monthly account to dinau food and supplies until my pay came through. Because there was no electricity at the school, I bought a kerosene pressure lamp, a primus kerosene stove (there was only a wood stove at the house in Naringel at that time) , a kerosene iron and a new wick for the kerosene refrigerator! Every seemed to run on kerose...
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Location: Naringel, Manus Island, Papua New Guinea
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