There's definitely a few similarities between PNG and Chuuk... the largest being, the impact of western colonisation (in this case, American). Poor ol' Weno suffers badly from an array of western concepts... like unemployment, homelessness, alcohol abuse, STDs, petty crime, American pancake mix, Californian vegetables (not much is grown and sold locally).....and the list goes. It makes a stark contrast to the beauty of the surrounds.

It also suffers from corrupt and self serving bureaucratic assholes but to add insult to injury it throws in an over use of restrictive legislation....

We had anticipated, having landed in the wreck diving capital of the world, to be able to have partaken in some of these easily accessible and spectacular dive sites, but alas...... twas not to be. You see Chuuk state has declared the entire lagoon a national monument and one cannot dive the wrecks without a licence ($30.00 per person) and a guide obtained from an authorised dive operator ($250.00 per day...or roughly $140.00 per person for a couple of dives off a banana boat).... pretty bloody steep when you're on a cruising budget and have boat repairs to attend to!


So instead we've been amusing ourselves with some reef diving and snorkelling, which has been pleasant and relaxing but not quite the marvel we'd anticipated....

On the plus side however we did manage to obtain a new water pump from New Zealand (NZ via Hong Kong, Korea, Guam and then finally Chuuk) that Ralph has already installed which looks to be behaving itself very nicely. So we should be able to head on outta here tomorrow after we check out (another opportunity for Customs to incur over time) and we'll island hop our way across the pacific for a bit.... Pulawat, Pikelot then Palau (might even make it to Yap before Palau but didn't wanna spoil the alliteration).

So it'll be goodbye to Chuuk... and thanks for the DHL.

PS: If anyone anchors opposite the Blue Lagoon Resort watch out for South Easterlies cause you'll have little or no protection from them, anchor to the right of the Odyssey mooring bouy (local dive liveaboard) coz on the left you'll run aground, buy your beer from Vins store just beyond the dive shop in the resort grounds ($2.00 cheaper a can) and be prepared for ALOT of banana boat traffic!