September 27, 2009

Our sincere apologies for the lack of updates on the website....there has been many reasons (or excuses) for this, but it is certainly not what we expect from ourselves...so hopefully we can try to make up for it a little.  A picture is worth a thousand words, so....

Eric snapped this candid of two Papuan children up at the Tembagapura helipad.  We see quite a few Papuan children here in Tembagapura...they are usually helping their parents carry things (including little brothers and sisters).  These two were busy checking out the new helicopter that has arrived on the island to help out...more about that later.

So, we have been in a bit of a time warp lately, which is probably the main reason we haven't posted much on this site.  Due to some "issues" that tend to plague many third world contries (including this one), we have been unable to leave the highlands, as the road to the lowlands has been closed to regular civilian traffic, so we haven't been able to get down to catch a weekend in the sun, see different scenery, or take a quick holiday somewhere off island.  Our world for the past 5 months has been restricted to a 6 mile stretch of road here in the highlands....from mile 68-Tembagapura (where we live) to mile 74 (work).  Couple that with the normal boredom of living in a remote area...and you can imagine that life can get somewhat dull, and there really wasn't much going on besides work, trying to cook food (some form of chicken, with whatever vegetables that we can scrouge up), sleeping, and sitting around thinking about what to do on our next vacation...  We were starting to feel a little closed in, and maybe even getting just a touch weird...it all changed today.  Life has resumed...for one of us, and there is light at the end of the tunnel for the other.

HELICOPTER DAY!

Cherine has a company business trip in Australia, so in order to get to the lowlands to catch her flight, she first needed to catch a ride on one of the company helicopters in order to get down.  There are thousands of people living here in the highlands, so getting a seat on the helicopter isn't something that is done easily, nevertheless she did get a seat, and caught her ride down, and is on her way to experience such amazing things as DIFFERENT SCENERY, GOOD FOOD, SUNSHINE and other such abnormalities.  She was obviously excited to get out, and Eric, having a school boy-like infatuation of helicopters, was probably even more excited than Cherine...even though he didn't actually get to leave.  The jungle must be getting to him.  So anyhow, in his excitement, he took hundreds of pictures of the helicopter activities, so better illustrate to our loyal followers the enormous complexities of helicopters...uhh...landing, taking off and etc...  (well...it seems complex to him anyhow). 

So here's Cherine's helicopter approaching the helipad (a Bell 212 if there are any other such helicopter infatuated viewers): 

Here's where it gets complicated, people have to walk over to the helicopter, find their seat, and get on.

Cherine somehow overcame the complexities of boarding, and finds her seat.  Seriously though, doesn't she look relieved?  Visions of vegimite sandwiches and meat pies dancing in her head no doubt.

Then, the helicopter takes off!  Cherine is whisked away to FREEDOM!  As you can see, it is very cloudy here, which dramatically limits the ability of helicopters to fly up to the highlands.  There is typically only 2 hours per day of flying weather up here, so that does put a restriction on how many people can get up and down (8 per trip, 2 helicopters, half hour round trip...you do the math).

Eric, blissfully unaware of how difficult life will be for the next week without supervision from Cherine, hung around the helipad, watching more HELICOPTERS!  Here's another company helicopter on approach (a Bell 412).

This particular helicopter was carrying critical supplies up to the highlands.  It is actually quite amazing, since the start of the "issues", the company helicopters have been flying every available minute they can, full of people and critical supplies.  There has even been bundles of fresh produce hauled up in them, which are quickly snapped up in the grocery store.

As previously explained, the combination of the limited flight window, the number of seats available on the helicopters has put a strain on our existing helicopter operations.  Keep in mind, that before the "issues" the company helicopters were kept plenty busy doing things other than hauling people and supplies from the lowlands to the highlands.  They support our operation, as well as provide transport, supplies and other such support to the remote Papuan villages in the area.  We needed to boost our heliops capacity by at least double, and the company was able to find a heavy lift helicopter already working on the island.  It is a Russian MIL MI-8 helicopter, the thing is massive, capable of carrying 25 people at a time.  It finally showed up this afternoon...and guess who saw it come in and land on its maiden flight to Tembagapura, and HAD TO TAKE A LOOK!

Eric wasn't the only person who saw the ungainly looking purple and green beast land at the Tembagapura helipad, there are many other obvious helicopter enthusiasts who needed to inspect this machine.  Obviously there are a lot of people up here who know their quality of life will improve with the extra helicopter support.

The smiles say it all!

Ummm...the kid in the proverbial candy store?

After allowing everyone to take a look, the Ukranian pilots lit the engines and took off (yes, this beast can FLY)...up the vally, then turned and made a high-speed run back down the valley to the lowlands.  The backdrop of the helicopter is Mt. Zaagkam, with Tembagapura below.  Perfect illustration as to why we need helicopters up here.  It is pretty hard to get around up here, and if the road is closed...or there is no road, then you need to fly.

Anyhow, it looks like our situation here is improving!  Not only will it be a bit easier to go between the highlands and lowlands, but Eric himself will actually get to ride on one of these helicopters in a week and a half!  We'll be going out on vacation, back to the US!  Not sure Eric realizes that or not...we probably had him at "helicopter".

September 23, 2009

9/9/2009

Finally!  A sunset!!

September 6, 2009

Flowers at our apartment.

 September 3, 2009

First order of business: Happy Birthday to my Grandma! 

Second order of business: Hello to Fans and Fams of the Zimmers! 

Third order of business: We apologize for not updating more.  It's hard to have interesting experiences to share when we're stuck at home for 2 months straight while the road that goes anywhere is closed.  I promise to try to do better!