Friday, 10th October.
A night at the university and then I leave to take the plane to Alotau.
Here's some decoration hanging on the rear-view mirror of a PMV.
My intention had been to seek C. warburgiana around the Alotau Bay and in the mountains, and take the opportunity to do some underwater photography because Milne Bay is world famous for its coral reefs. Then finally to go to Goodenough Island in search of Citrus wakonai just before leaving.
On the advice of Seb (a friend back in France), I decided to reverse the order and go as soon as possible to Goodenough. This choice may have been a good idea, as the following will show.
Having arrived in Alotau, I hitched a ride from the airport to the city. I immediately met two very nice Chinese who owned a department store in the city. They introduced me to their neighbour, a cargo-transit agent who dealt with movements in the port. He told me that one could wait ten days without a boat to Goodenough, but that a departure is scheduled this weekend. He shows me a place to sleep, the Transit Hotel. I am reluctant because usually I do not pay to sleep, but I'll see.
The Transit Hotel.
This is a building divided into 16 parts corresponding to 16 LLGs (Local Level Government). Each corresponds to one or more dependent islands of Alotau. This is not really a hotel but a local transit station between the islands and Alotau for goods and people. This is a very good idea. This type of project and organization is unfortunately often lacking in PNG.
This is the part of the building allocated to Goodenough Island.
It's a very nice and convenient way to get aquainted with the people of Goodenough. I installed myself there, and come back there every time I am in Alotau. The building consists of a screened porch where most people sleep; a room on the ground floor consisting of a dormitory, two showers and toilets; and upstairs a large dormitory and four single bedrooms. Except in the bedrooms, everyone sleeps on the floor. I sleep in the dormitory upstairs.
Saturday, 11th October.
I have found a boat to Goodenough which leaves this afternoon.
Arrives tomorrow morning at dawn.
I take the opportunity to visit Alotau. Here everything is different from the rest of PNG. People are smiling and friendly. Violence seems absent. For example, people walk the streets late into the night, which is unimaginable in Port Moresby and in other major cities. It's like summer in the south of France or Spain. Everyone is laughing, flirting, joking. I've never seen anything similar except at the university. The city is very clean and on a human scale. And best of all, there are no mosquitoes. 
There are three covered markets. This one is right next to the transit hotel, and this is where I eat.
From the quays I took some photos into the harbour water.
Megapodes eggs are very expensive, 5 kina, equivalent to € 1.50.
In PNG, everything is very expensive.
Megapodes eggs are very similar to duck eggs, considerably larger than hens eggs and with a stronger taste.
Here's our boat. This is the MV Goodenough II.
Just next door is the MV Goodenough I. The same boat Helena travelled on when she came here:
Loading the boat.
7pm and still not departed. Now they talk about 8pm or 9pm.
We'll see ...
At 9:36pm we leave for Goodenough Island.
A 12-hour journey.
This is what it's like onboard.
Map of the islands. Thanks Mike.
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