Mighty pleased to read them words from a long ago time. Yes, it's rather strange how that place took hold of so many for so long. I travelled all my live, but never again did I get involved so deeply.
Anyway, I worked for Hornibrooks, we carved out the Loloho as it is known and set the dongas amongst them beautiful kokonut trees. Actually it was me who set up the 399 genset and brought life to the place.
Before that we lived in the Bechtel camp, best I remember the beer joint. Old Jack from Canada was our leader. Before that we lived in the Hornibrooks Camp, just 100 yards down the dirt track towards the beach.
Yes, they did put things into your tea, in all the camps they did it. Only less in Loloho. Panguna was worse than an army set up. That was no place to live. Yes, I remember that beautiful freezer ship. As well as Urs Christen, say hello to him. The early days were full of fun, hard work as well, but never did I feel like that again and I worked and still work in many places in this world. I just settled down last year, lived in an motorhome. My wife is Shanghainese. Now we just moved in to a place in northern Guangdong, China (see map), right on a lake before the foothills. I just finished acupuncture in Shenzhen (see map), had 1600 needle stuck in to me over 5 weeks and a battery charger hooked up to 4 of them on each ocassion to get rid of my gout. I must say the mind is a very powerful instrument indeed. It will work because I want it to work. Knock wood.
Will talk later if you feel like, Regards Erwin erwinleo22@hotmail.com
PS: Ever came across a guy named Peter Trattner? Married to a Buka Lady named Joann. Believe he got a place in Arawa, well before things got out of hands...
[Webmaster's Comments: Peter Trattner still lives on Buka.]
