Summer Holiday

Need a holiday – where should I go? Somewhere sunny and warm, by the ocean and with views of a smoking volcano – yes, could be Madang but maybe different, lets say Kokopo in East New Britain. I also had a free return airticket from the new airline’s launch event in Madang to use. Stayed in the central Maclam hotel, no views and shabby compared to its sister beachfront resort but which was 15 minutes walk away and considerably more expensive.

The trip was delayed a week while the deputy town manager tried to get money out of the treasury for us both to go on Council business (and because he had relatives there to visit) but that week the treasury were not issuing any cheques while doing some audit so I was happily on my own.

Kokopo did not dissapoint and I was able to walk into the local government offices and chat to staff. The recent central market development and adjoining bus layby was very attractive and imaginative in design with timber used for construction and cladding, toilets, kaikai bars, first aid post etc, paving throughout and well drained and all with ramped disabled access. Not having a surrounding fence added to its friendly character

On the parks and open spaces front, apart from the attention given to maintenance the use of palm trees and attractive concrete seating were noted

A visit was made to Rabaul around the bay from where most of Kokopo’s residents came following the 1994 volcanic eruption. That half of the town which had been submerged below the volcanic dust was deserted apart from 3 hotels and under the grey skies of that day looked depressing and reminiscent of Chernobyl (not that I’ve ever been there), nevertheless worth the visit.

Walking in Kokopo I felt completely safe though on just one occasion I was warned not to go on my own to a particular vantage point but my informant was happy to take me there to get my photograph. On another occasion a teenage girl approached me, wanting to practice her English but unlike Madang that is what she wanted to do, and to help me find good sites for photographs.

On leaving my hotel, the Bank’s electronic system was down and the staff were happy to just take my telephone number and ask me to pay the outstanding amount into the Hotel’s account when I got back to Madang.

Rabaul residents

The Market

View from Kokopo