Dear friends,
Perhaps it's the cool breeze that sways the hammock one lays upon, gently rocking me from side to side. Or the constant presence of the hues of turquoise waters merging seamlessly into the varied shades and shapes of green trees, available anytime I flick my eyes over the horizon of the book I'm currently perusing. It could be the murmur of the waves as they roll over the sand beneath me, punctuated by the occassional hum of a speedboat bringing passengers to and from this tropical paradise. The very presence of a variety of land and marinelife, too, certainly raised my spirits: horn-billed pelicans hopping delicately down the stairs to feed on pieces of banana out of our hands, parrots of several varieties adorned with skin warm to the touch, falcons gliding elegantly through the air, with a feather making a graceful descent towards us as they glide overhead. And then I ask, how could one possibly not be serene in such an environment?
Time has flown - it has been over a year since I first set foot in the land of a thousand journeys. For this edition, I revisit one of my favourite provinces in PNG, New Ireland.
One of the great things about PNG is how many different things one can do, even in a seemingly similar situation. Spending an entire weekend at Nusa Island Retreat was simultaneously relaxing, and quite fulfilling. Upon arriving at our breezy hut overlooking the sea, we spent the first few hours touring the island and interacting with the multitude of friendly animals that co-habited the island. From gangly dogs to parrots with injured wings, each being had a story to share. Horn-billed pelicans were somehow convinced that my toes were edible, and we watched a slightly wounded hawk tear apart a quick meal.
Pulling up a canoe allowed us to paddle to the various other islands (the 2 behind the surfer kid), and take in a gorgeous sunset. On the way to the 2 islands, we stopped for a quick snorkel to see a shipwreck 4m deep, and had a peek at the sunk airplane (7m down). We also had the chance to explore a nearby island. Aside from lush terrain, ancient war relics (the large cannon in the picture) allowed us to dwell on what the island had been like 70 years ago. We moved onward with our tour of the adjacent island, climbing up a short stretch of rocks to look over a blowhole in action with cycles of around 2 minutes.
We spent the rest of the time relaxing - playing with starfish that surfaced beneath our hut, watching a variety of people row canoes between Nusa and Kavieng, silhouetted by a beautiful sunset, and rallying on a beach ping pong table. While laying in my hammock, I wondered: How is it that in this outwardly rustic appearing eco-lodge, one is drawn into such unimaginable serenity?
Perhaps it's the cool breeze that sways the hammock one lays upon, gently rocking me from side to side. Or the constant presence of the hues of turquoise waters merging seamlessly into the varied shades and shapes of green trees, available anytime I flick my eyes over the horizon of the book I'm currently perusing. It could be the murmur of the waves as they roll over the sand beneath me, punctuated by the occassional hum of a speedboat bringing passengers to and from this tropical paradise. The very presence of a variety of land and marinelife, too, certainly raised my spirits: horn-billed pelicans hopping delicately down the stairs to feed on pieces of banana out of our hands, parrots of several varieties adorned with skin warm to the touch, falcons gliding elegantly through the air, with a feather making a graceful descent towards us as they glide overhead. And then I ask, how could one possibly not be serene in such an environment?
