20th October - last days in the Philippines

Tuesday 20^th October 2015

Our last few days in the Philippines were busy but we had time to wander around, being amused and confused.

Once again I was amazed by the products for sale in the beauty aisles of all shops.  The main ingredient is – bleach!

On a notice board in Davao, which is a very big city, there was a cheery photo of a carefree-looking woman.  I idly wandered up to read what she was advertising only to find she is WANTED for various heinous crimes!

Our last excursion to town began, as usual, with a ride to the ferry terminal in Dondon’s little van.  Usually there are two or three people, sometimes a squashy crowd of six or so.  On this occasion…there were fifteen of us large European types, some of whom had large gas canisters to refill, or bulky shopping trolleys.  We squeezy-squished in and off we went.  A young bloke following us on a motorbike was mightily amused; everyone in the Philippines travels like this – six on a motorbike, twelve crammed into a motortricyle, countless numbers stuffed into jeepneys.  So he was very pleased to see us doing the same.

19th October - not much new news re the hostages (Samal Island, Philippines) - all is well in Tasmania

Monday 19^th October 2015

Hobart flowers to cheer us up

I keep scanning the news sites for more info re the hostages but the most recent stuff is not very recent at all.  Basically all I can glean is:

The Armed Forces on Wednesday reiterated the government's position against negotiating with lawless groups after hostages taken from Samal Island appealed for a stop to the military operations against the armed men holding them.

On a more cheery note…on the home front, Zoe brought home the class animal, Kanga, last week.  Kanga is having a very exciting life, with each kindergarten class member in turn.  In Zoe’s care she has ridden a small white horse, learned to knit, been to the supermarket, and has gone hot-air ballooning in a splendid contraption designed and made by Eva.  And then on Friday …she went missing in action.  Nobody got too panic stricken.  Nobody except me…I have a remarkable talent for sweating the small stuff.  (In my defence I am not so very bad with the big stuff…)  I hunted high and low, making small sounds of distress and dismay.  Eventually Katy joined the search and very soon she found Kanga.

Here.

Totally invisible!

Zoe was quite complacent about the whole thing; couldn’t remember AT ALL having given Kanga a Fern Opportunity.

And back in Ocean View the workers have started on the 2XS Project.  Dear Cheene, the receptionist, sent him an email, very politely asking, “What is a cupboard?”  I suppose in the Philippines, so long dominated by the USA, they only know the word closet…

15th October - back inTasmania - ransom demands begin in the Philippines

Thursday 15^th October 2015

Cremorne Beach

First of all good news…

We are home, safe and healthy, surrounded by family

friends

Liz and Cam Morrisby!!

local beauty.

Model yachts racing on Risdon Brook dam

We have been to a very cheerful delightful wedding (see photo above of radiant bride and groom, Cam and Liz.)

And I have had a successful appointment with Gary, my wonderful Mac101 man so now my computer works!  My iPhone can connect to my computer!  My iPad is in hospital getting its switch fixed!  Joy!

But…we are still very anxious about our friends taken hostage in the Philippines.  I scan the news pages via Google every few hours.  And last night…a distressing photo…and a horrid youtube clip.

At least we can see that John, Tess, Rob and Kjartan are alive so…I suppose that is a blessing.  And now things are at least starting to get underway, with demands for ransom.

So I will continue to write this blog, with my usual trivial and personal stuff, as well as with as much updated information as I can find on what I hope will be the speedy release of the hostages.

9th October - sunny days in Tasmania - no news re the hostages

Friday 9th October 2015

I am very much enjoying so many aspects of Tasmania.

Family, friends.

Clear blue skies, brilliant sunshine, fresh crisp air, cold clean water gushing from the tap.

But I am still fretting over the hostages in the Philippines.  Somewhere!  Every day in check all if the news sites.  The latest one said, basically, wild goose chase, and unconfirmed reports, and...well basically nobody seems to have any idea at all.  Or they are not saying.

So...I will continue to enjoy my Tas Time in between scanning Google and Facebook for news.

7th October - back in Tasmania - hot and cold

Wednesday 7th October

We got back to Tasmania expecting to need our ugg boots and puffer jackets.

But no!!  The first two days it was as hot as it is in Davao, with a fierce north wind blowing and bush fires threatening many parts of the state.

Last night a very welcome cool change came through.  Who knows what next??

My computer is still refusing to let me in, and my blogsite sends me stern little messages in Tagalog.  I am not going to be able to do proper blog entries until I have seen my Mac101 hero, Gary, next week.

2nd 0ctober - last day on Samal Island, Ocean View Marina - Everest

Friday 2nd October

This is our last day in Ocean View marina until mid-March.

We are abandoning 2XS to a team of willing workers and expect to find a very smart and spruce boat when we return.

So what would be the best use of our time, let loose for a few hours in Davao, where the temperature is in the high thirties?

Yes!  The movies!  We sent to the iMax theatre in S&M shopping mall and watched a 3D rendition of Everest, based, all too closely, in the disastrous expedition in 1996 where 8 people perished.

We gasped and shivered and cried...it was great!  Then back out into the blistering heat for lunch at the Swiss Deli where we were able to read local newspapers.  

Sigh and sigh again...still no news of the hostages.

Tonight is the weekly communal BBQ in the marina.  Two new boats have come in. (Australian and American) so there is a whole new lot of conversation.

And tomorrow - up and away!

1st October - Ocean View marina, Samal Island

Thursday 1st October

No new news in the media...lots of stories and theories along the marina pontoons.  We have heard some heartbreaking first-hand witness stories but none if us wants to put anything out there in cyberspace.

The bad boys have access to cyberspace...

Everything was grinding to a halt here, without Kjartan, the manager.  Awful for the workers, who still have a living to earn.  Pete has managed to organise a team of carpenters, welders, painters to start on the long list of jobs he has in mind for the improvement and beautification of 2XS.

I am not much help in all if this organisation and negotiation.  I have done two loads of washing and have cooked thriftily, hoping to use up ingredients in a timely manner.

And I have been swimming.  Today there were choppy little waves which smacked me, a bit annoyingly, in the face on the way out to my halfway point.  But then on the way back the current and the waves were with me and I powered home like  Dawn Fraser in her heyday!

At the corner point of the seawall, where they are building a tall gun turret, the workmen were on their lunch break.   There were at least a dozen of them, all with fishing lines out.  I popped up to apologise for the disruption and they all very kindly pulled their lines back in so I could go round the corner and under the baffles and through the tiny gap between the wall and the gate.

Tomorrow we are having a day in town - lunch at the Swiss Deli!!