Extended Middle School Trip

Posted on March 8, 2015 by Kriste Rose

Ally and the other MZS middle-school students left jobsite this afternoon for an extended field trip to Cairns, Australia. When they arrive there tomorrow morning, they will be met and picked up at the airport by staff members of Small World Journeys, an Australian-based educational tour group dedicated to turning classroom lessons into hands-on, minds-on learning adventures.

An in-house teacher tailored and prepared an extensive itinerary constructed from the school’s curriculum for the weeklong trip. The students will explore the natural world around them while reinforcing and expanding their existing knowledge of ecosystems, biodiversity, specialized adaptations, and sustainability. The uniquely crafted activities are sure to keep them engaged and excited about ecology.

The students and teachers will stay in a hostel for six nights and a rainforest lodge for one night. Every day, they will get up and venture out to a new destination. Some of the destinations include hiking through Wooroonooran National Park to see a treasured collection of plants and animals exclusive to Australia, visiting Mossman Gorge and Daintree Rainforest to observe the specialized adaptation of the curtain fig tree, and snorkeling around the outer Great Barrier Reef to see how marine geomorphology creates cays and islands. The most significant activity is Thursday’s excursion to James Cook University Research Station. There, the students will have the honor of collecting scientific data that will be used and published by James Cook University and UNESCO (The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization).

Including travel time, this will be a short 9-day trip for Ally and a very long 9-day absence for Chris, Kylee, and me. Ally is only in Timika (where the group is spending the night), but we are already missing her and looking forward to her return. Perjalanan aman, Ally!

Ally heading toward the bus that is taking the students and teachers to the lowlands. They will stay in Timika tonight, and then fly to Cairns tomorrow morning.

Ally heading toward the bus that took the students and teachers down to the lowlands. They will stay in Kuala Kencana tonight, and then fly to Cairns early tomorrow morning.

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A Field Trip to Kuala Kencana

Posted on March 3, 2015 by Kriste Rose

Kuala Kencana (KK) is a small town in the lowlands that is owned and operated by the company to support its mining operations in the highlands. Just like Tembagapura, it’s securely situated away from the general population. It has residential complexes for its employees and their families, a school, mosque, church, grocery store, clinic, sports facilities, swimming pool, and golf course.

The girls had an opportunity to visit KK last week when they went on a two-day field trip to the lowlands. In joint activities with the KK school, the students spent the first day participating in Sports Day activities on the school’s campus. The activities included relay races, obstacle courses, cargo net climbing and track and field events. On the second day, the students journeyed by bus to mangrove swamps where they rode in boats, planted trees, and tried spotting crocodiles.

The girls returned to jobsite dirty, exhausted, sunburned, hungry, and (much to my dismay) photo-less. Just the way they should have after a short, action-packed trip.

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Fortune Apple

Posted on February 20, 2015 by Kriste Rose

Yesterday, Chinese communities around the world quietly bid farewell to the horse and passionately welcomed the goat. Characterized as an auspicious animal, the goat is kind, benevolent, helpful, trusting, and has a strong sense of kindheartedness. Its quiet influence signifies a year of promise and prosperity.

The festivities and celebrations of the Lunar New Year are deeply rooted in luck, prosperity, and fortune. Lion dances are preformed to frighten off evil spirits. Red envelopes, filled with money, are exchanged for prosperity. And food (including long noodles, dumplings, sweets, and fruits) are eaten for good fortune.

During a quick trip to the grocery store yesterday afternoon, I hastily grabbed an armful of Fuji apples (they’ve become a staple in our home the past week because of their unusually crisp texture and sweet, juicy flavor). The big, round nuggets of goodness were gently tossed into a nondescript produce bag and placed in my cart without further inspection. When I arrived home, I pulled the apples from the bag, removed them from their white styrofoam cages, and started placing them in a fruit bowl. To my surprise, and total excitement, I noticed that one of the apples was embellished with Chinese characters. A fortune apple! How cool is that?!

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Fortune apples are sold during Chinese New Year. From what I read, fortune stencils are applied to the apples while they are still growing on the tree. The skin around the stencil ripens to a beautiful pinkish-red, while the skin under the stencil remains pale yellow.

I returned to the grocery store today to buy more fortune apples, but I couldn’t find any. Not a single one. It appears as though the unusual, and more expensive, fortune apple was mistakenly mixed in with the ordinary variety at a processing facility in China. I’m convinced it’s a sign of good luck coming our way!

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Lost in Translation – Part II

Posted on February 10, 2015 by Kriste Rose

Here are a few more pictures of expressively challenged signs and messages that we’ve stumbled across at jobsite and during our travels. After our last collection of pictures (Lost in Translation), we found that there’s a lot of fun looking for blunders, gaffs, and mangled messages in signs. In fact, it’s turned into a little obsession for us to find and collect pictures of near and completely lost translations.

Made in China. Wrapping paper that I bought at the hobby shop to wrap a baby gift. I'm not sure what it meant to read, but it, clearly, wasn't translated properly.

Wrapping paper that I purchased at the local hobby shop.  I’m still confused by the intended message.

This is the packaging from bubble swords that the girls bought in China. I'm glad the toys can't eat because I didn't want to return to jobsite with pets.

Packaging from a bubble sword that the girls bought in China. It’s a good thing that it couldn’t eat because we would have had a hard time getting it through customs.

Do you remember where you were and what you were doing when the sun went out? The girls were watching an episode of Spongebob Squarepants when the world came to an end.

This message appeared on the TV screen after the connection was lost. Do you remember where you were and what you were doing when the sun went out? The girls were watching an episode of American Ninja Warrior when the world briefly came to an end.

This message isn't translated incorrectly; I just thought it was funny that the obvious was stated.

This message wasn’t translated incorrectly; I just thought it was funny that the obvious of having to step up and down the stairs was stated.

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Visa Run

Posted on February 4, 2015 by Kriste Rose

We just retuned from a short trip to Singapore to renew our visas. With numerous stories being told of some employees experiencing a quick, 24-hour turnaround, and other employees experiencing a long, frustrating wait (up to 4-6 weeks), our fate was left in the hands of the Indonesian Embassy. We had nothing but an indeterminable amount of time to kill in the “Fine City.”

Fortunately, luck was on our side (although, an extra 3-4 days in Singapore would have been spectacular). The day after submitting our passports, we were informed that our visas had been processed and approved. The scheduling of our return flights gave us two full days to go shopping (including, of all things, buying much needed and wanted dishwasher pellets) and to see a few of Singapore’s little gems. During that time, we explored Little India and visited Gardens by the Bay.

Little India

The street that leads into Little India.

The street that leads into Little India.

An ornate Hindu temple in Little India.

An ornate Hindu temple located in the middle of Little India.

Sometimes we see and experience strange things during our travels. While we were in Little India, we ate lunch at a little restaurant called The Jungle Tandoor. At first sight, it reminded us of the Rainforest Cafe. After a closer look, we started to realize that the Singaporean Indians don't seem to be in touch with their ancestral roots. Our first clue should have been when we passed through the front doors, which were flanked by Native Americans. Inside, the dining room was scattered with animals from the rainforest (including monkeys, elephants, toucans, and lizards). Then, we noticed polar bears, dinosaurs, bald eagles, and seagulls mixed in with the grouping.

Sometimes we see and experience strange things during our travels. While we were in Little India, we ate lunch at a little restaurant called The Jungle Tandoor. At first sight, it reminded us of the Rainforest Cafe. During closer examination, we started wondering if the Singaporean Indians are having a hard time staying in touch with their ancestral roots. The front door was flanked by Native American Indians, not Indians from India. Inside, the jungle-themed dining room was filled with palm trees, ferns, and animals of the rainforest, including monkeys, elephants, toucans, and lizards. Then, we started noticing things that didn’t quite belong, including polar bears, dinosaurs, bald eagles, seagulls, and an Indian chief swinging from a vine. With all that said, it was an entertainingly quirky restaurant with good food!

Gardens by the Bay

The Super Trees during daylight.

Singapore’s Super Trees during daylight. A walking structure allows visitors to walk at the same height of a rainforest canopy, offering fantastic views of the gardens and the city.

Ally standing in front of the gardens' Super Trees.

Ally standing in front of the gardens’ Super Trees.

The Super Trees at the Gardens at the Bay at dusk.

The Super Trees at dusk, taken on the walking structure.

The Singapore Flyer (on the left) and the Super Trees (on the right).

The Singapore Flyer on the left (which we rode during last year’s visa trip) and the Super Trees on the right.

After leaving Singapore, and before going back to jobsite, we were required to stop in Timika to complete biometrics (fingerprints and photos) for immigration. Our one-night stop turned into a three night and four day delay. Timika wasn’t our preferred location to be stuck, but the girls enjoyed shopping for Papuan artifacts at the wood-shops, going to the Timika Mall (which consists of, maybe, 8 stores), and chasing frogs by the pool.

Kylee trying to locate a frog that jumped from her hand to her chest.

Kylee hanging out at the Rimba Papua Hotel pool. She was trying to locate a tiny frog that jumped from her hand onto her chest.

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Relocation

Posted on January 22, 2015 by Kriste Rose

On January 1, 2015, two police Mobile Brigade personnel and a Freeport security officer were killed in an attack led by an armed gang (allegedly) affiliated with the “Free Papua” separatist movement. The government immediately deployed a joint security team that included the Polri (the National Police) and TNI (the Indonesian Military) to investigate the attack and control the situation. Within hours of the attack, the team started disbanding illegal mining operations along the Kabur River because the government suspected the miners of supporting the separatists.

The Kabur River, which runs from the mine to Timika, is a prized waterway for illegal panners. It’s admired by the panners because of small gold particles that can be pulled from the water using centuries old placer mining techniques: panning and sluice boxes. As a result, the river is saturated with illegal panners and their camps and equipment. The three pictures below (of illegal panners working in the Kabur River) were taken during Ally’s field trip to Banti last November.

Panners

Panners

Panners

In an effort to suppress the illegal panning operations, the military took action by removing the panners and then setting fire to their camps along the river and their gardens in the surrounding jungle. On January 14, 2015, the Jakarta Post reported that one thousand panners had been removed from the river basin and sent back to their home villages. To ensure that the panners do not return, security posts have been established along the river banks.

After twenty consecutive days of burning, the fires appear to have stopped.

Fire

Fire

Fire

The information written in this post was extracted, and then summarized using my own words, from articles published in the Jakarta Post. Also, my personal opinions and views do not reflect the views of Freeport-McMoRan Inc. or any of its subsidiaries, affiliates, business partners or related business entities.

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7693 Miles from Home: The Movie

Posted on January 17, 2015 by Kriste Rose

7693 Miles from Home: The Movie, will not be released in a theater near you, but short videos of our adventures in Indonesia (and beyond) are now available for you to watch in the comfort of your own home.  We’ve uploaded about a dozen videos to our sister site, 7693 Miles from Home, on YouTube.

A Sampling from 7693 Miles from Home: The Movie

Travel between the highlands, where most employees live, and the lowlands, where the airport connects us to the world, is a big part of life at PT Freeport Indonesia.  When luck is in our favor, we get to make the trip via a quick, scenic, and adventurous chopper flight.  When weather is bad, or other factors work against us, we’re stuck with a 2-3 hour ride in an armored & windowless bus on the road shown briefly in the video.

PTFI has a close connection with many of the local Papuan tribes in the Timika and Tembagapura areas.  One of these is the Kamoro tribe.  Each year Tembagapura hosts a Kamoro Art & Culture Program, featuring traditional Kamoro dancers, foods, carvings and sculptures.  The girls really enjoyed the event, including trying new and unusual foods.

The post about our Australian Roadtrip featured one of Ally’s wildlife selfies. It was a great shot of a nice moment between her and a kangaroo at the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in Brisbane. As this video illustrates, it was not an easy shot to get.

Cairns Australia is home to a large population of Spectacled Flying Foxes (bats). The name is appropriate; they’re huge. Most of the family was fascinated by them. I was not as enthusiastic.  I’m even less enthusiastic about posting this video, but Chris loved the bat “experience.”

If you’re interested in seeing more videos, click on this link.

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Cairns, Australia

Posted on January 11, 2015 by Kriste Rose

People flock to Cairns to enjoy the surf-soaked beaches that lead to the ultimate oceanic experience, the Great Barrier Reef. Commonly known as Australia’s “Blue Outback,” it’s an extravagant underwater maze created by more than 3,000 reefs and 900 islands.   Visible from space, the Great Barrier Reef spans more than 1,400 miles, and is home to the world’s most bountiful marine life.

Its expansive and diverse topography offers visitors a dizzying array of underwater experiences; snorkeling above vibrant coral formations, diving into deep chasms of water, swimming with crowded schools of fish, exploring timeworn shipwrecks, and spotting grey-tipped reef sharks. We spent two nights and one full day in Cairns on our way back from New Zealand. With all of the possibilities listed above (and more) it wasn’t too difficult pursuing our ultimate Cairns’ experience – grocery shopping. That’s right, grocery shopping!

Our suitcases returned to jobsite, bursting at the seams, with groceries. Kraft macaroni and cheese, Ranch dressing, maple syrup, coffee beans, Heinz ketchup, and mint jelly. Lard, tahini, lemon juice, gravy mixes, brown sugar, and baking soda. Icing sugar, tortillas, chocolate chips, various spices and seasonings, flaked sea salt, and molasses. Walnuts, shredded coconut, chipotle Tabasco sauce, green Tabasco sauce, and liquid smoke.

We always look forward to our compulsory excursions to the local grocery store when we leave jobsite! Needless to say, it’s a little easier to find what we are looking for in Australia than it is in Thailand, China, or Vietnam.

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Queenstown, New Zealand

Posted on January 4, 2015 by Kriste Rose

After stepping into and laying eyes on the resplendent sights of New Zealand, one can easily understand and appreciate Peter Jackson’s vision for Middle-Earth. Defined by snow-capped mountains stippled in rich hues of emerald and gold, traversing rivers stained in variegated greens and blues, and vibrant meadows etched in valley floors, her imposing beauty was his perfect muse. Bolstered by the naturally sweet air, Queenstown is magical. So uniquely magical, that crossing paths with a hobbit (or two) wouldn’t have seemed out of the ordinary.

A view of Queenstown from a pass leading into Skippers Canyon.

A view of Queenstown from a pass leading into Skippers Canyon.

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A mountain view from the Kawarau River.

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The snow-capped mountains and quiet meadows of Queenstown.

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The rivers and lakes in and near Queenstown are stunningly indescribable bodies of water that look like liquid opal.  This picture was not altered in any way.  Like any picture, the real thing is always more beautiful than the picture.

Queenstown’s rugged landscape and spectacular beauty beckons outdoor enthusiasts from all corners of the world. We found common ground with other adventurists and filled an entire week with (rational, level-headed) activities that appealed to us. We rode the Skyline Gondola and alpine slide; went white water rafting down the Shotover River, quad biking along a mountain slope, and speed boating through Skippers tight canyon walls. It was a perfect blend of excitement and entertainment for our family.

Skyline Gondola and Alpine Slide

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A cloudy view of Queenstown from the top of the gondola.  Our first day in Queenstown was cold and rainy.  Luckily, it warmed up the next day, and stayed that way until the day we left.

This is a picture of Chris going down the alpine slide.

Chris going down the alpine slide.  This photo was taken by pure happenchance.  Kylee and I were standing on the observation deck when we saw Ally fly by.  I tried to capture a picture of her, but it was too late.  A few seconds later, Chris sped by and I was able to get a picture of him before he disappeared around the corner.

Ally looking forward to another trip down the alpine slide.

Ally, wet and cold, but looking forward to another trip down the alpine slide.

Family Adventures White Water River Rafting

The four of us dressed in wet suits, fleece jackets (Kylee and me), life jackets, and neoprene booties. The scene from the Fellowship of the Ring was shot here.  It is the scene where Arwin helps Frodo cross the river to 

The four of us dressed in wet suits, fleece jackets (Kylee and me), life jackets, and neoprene booties. For those of you who are Lord of the Rings fanatics (yes, I’m talking to you Rose family), a scene from the Fellowship of the Ring was shot here.  It is the scene where Arwen carries Frodo across the Ford of Rivendell to protect him from the forces of evil.  It was a twenty second scene that took one week to film.

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Starting our rafting trip down the Shotover River.  We are in the raft on the right.

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Hitting some rapids.

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Taking a short break before heading back into the rapids.

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The rest area had a rock ledge where people could climb up the rock face and jump into a deep pocket of water below.  Ally was the only one in our family who embraced the freezing waters.

Off Road Adventures Quad Biking

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All lined up and ready to go!  I love the way that Ally and Kylee are rock’n their industrial black gum boots!

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Ally looking over her shoulder, making sure the rest of us are keeping up.

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What’s not to love about quad bikes and deep, muddy river beds.

Skippers Canyon Jet Boat

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The beautiful Shotover River running through Skippers Canyon.

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A closer view of the Shotover River.

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Ally and Kylee preparing for the jetboat ride.

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A picture of a different group going upstream.

When we weren’t engaged in pulsating activities, we were enjoying simple, quiet moments along the lake that paralleled the hotel.  We walked and rode bikes around the lake, fed ducks, took pictures of pink flamingos (that were really buoys) and grey whales (again, that were just buoys), and watched the girls climb and swing from trees.

Ally found Gandalf's staff near the lake and used it to lean on during our the walk.

The girls enjoying one of many walks that we took along the lake.

Ally biking along the lake trail near our hotel.

Ally biking along the lake trail.

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Ally and Kylee found a swing near the lake that they enjoyed playing on during down time.

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Ally and Kylee feeding the ducks near the hotel.  By the time we left, the girls had several of the ducks trained to visit them on the deck in front of their room.

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Another one of Ally’s wildlife selfies.

Before making our final departure from Queenstown, we found the (much required) time to stop at its most touted restaurant, Fergburger.  After a 30 minute wait in line, just to order, and then another 25 minute wait, to receive our food, it was worth every second.  The Fergburger was one of the best burgers that we have ever eaten!  For what it’s worth, an article in CNN.com proclaimed Fergberger “the best hamburger joint on the planet.”

Kylee contemplating another bite of her giant burger. She had probably only taken two or three bites when she started feeling full.

Kylee contemplating another bite of her giant Fergburger. By this time, she had probably only taken two or three bites of her burger and she was starting to feel full.

Queenstown was an ideal place to find extreme beauty (and ducks), experience extreme activities and adrenaline fueled fun (and ducks), and eat extreme burgers (no duck burgers).  We would love to return to New Zealand and see more of it.

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Meri Kirhimete!

Posted on December 25, 2014 by Kriste Rose

Merry Christmas from New Zealand!  

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The spirit of Christmas is abounding in Kiwiland, but not with profusely decorated trees vying for attention, with larger-than-life ornaments imbuing magic and excitement, or with strings of colorful lights appearing to never end.  Instead, Christmas is celebrated by subjecting oneself to the most extreme activity that the heart can handle.  White water rafting.  Bungy jumping.  Sky diving.  Canyon speedboating.  Cliff jumping.  The options are endless.  But, one thing is for sure, Queenstown at Christmastime is not for the faint of heart.

We celebrated Christmas, the Kiwi way, by joining Santa Claus on a thirty-minute jet boat ride through Skipper’s Canyon.  Our incredibly skilled driver sped over shallow waters, negotiated narrow canyon walls, and thrilled us with a handful of world famous Hamilton jet spins at speeds of 60km/hour.  Not a bad way to spend Christmas afternoon!

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Annual Rose Family Trivia

Best Vacation:
Our favorite vacation, by far, was to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Everything about it, from the food to its history, was uniquely unforgettable.

Most Memorable Toilet:
We have experienced some pretty unusual and unsightly toilets during our travels, but the most memorable one was in Phuket, Thailand.  It was a crude bucket-style toilet that employed two workers, a cashier (who collected 30 baht/person/use) and an attendant (who routinely emptied the buckets).  Toilet paper wasn’t even an option.

Favorite Form of Transportation:
The Mi-171, hands down!

Least Favorite Form of Transportation:
Armored buses, hands down!

Craziest Letdown:
Kylee was invited to join the school’s gold swimming team in October.  She was looking forward to participating in her first regional meet in Jakarta last month, but the school quickly pulled out of the competition after hearing reports of terror threats against international schools within the country’s capital.   

Favorite Family Quote:
“Normal, Pak.”  Everything about Indonesia is out of the ordinary, making it, surprisingly, ordinary.

Most Shocking Moment:
Kylee ordered a pina colada at a restaurant in Bali, as she has done several times before.  When the beverage arrived, she tasted it and gave it to Ally because she didn’t like it.  A few minutes later, after Ally consumed the entire beverage, she started acting strangely liberated and giddy.  Chris flagged down the server and asked him if the drink had alcohol in it.  He responded by saying that it did.  Chris pointed at Kylee and said, “She’s only nine.”  The waiter shrugged his shoulders and said, “Well, I don’t know how you do it in your country.”

Most Expensive Purchase at the Hero:
We paid the equivalent of $25.00USD for three grapefruit.

Newest Family Pet:
Walter, a 4 foot Komodo dragon, who quietly (and inconspicuously) lounges between the two couches in the living room, joined our family after our first trip to Bali in April.

Most Important Lesson Learned:
Never rent a car from a local, unbranded rental company.  Our rental car in New Zealand, an old, beat-up Mitsubishi Pajero, was given to us with NO gas.  The attendant told us that it was empty, so we could return it on empty.  Little did we know that the needle was, literally, sitting below the empty line (we were lucky to make it to a gas station 5 km away).  On top of that, we had to return it two days later, due to an oil leak, and then pick it up the next day.

Biggest Accomplishment:
We have already visited the top seven destinations that we set out to see – Vietnam, Australia, Bali, Beijing, Thailand, Singapore, and New Zealand.  As the new year approaches, it’s time to create a new list.  Where in the world should the Roses go?

Wishing you and your family the merriest of Christmases and the happiest of New Years!

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We’re on Vacation!

Posted on December 17, 2014 by Kriste Rose

Sorry-out-to-live-be-back-soonI’ll be back in two weeks to post more pictures and stories of our family’s adventures in Indonesia (and beyond)!

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Currency

Posted on December 12, 2014 by Kriste Rose

currency [kur–uh n-see, kuhr-]

Noun, plural currencies
1. the money that a country uses.
2. a specific kind of money.
3. the circulation of money for general use in a particular country.
Synonyms: money, legal tender, cash, bills, notes, coins, coinage, candy

Origin 1650-60; < Medieval Latin currentia

Example of Currency: “The Hidden Vally Hero uses candy as a form of currency.”

A handful of Kino candies in the change slot, ready to be given to the next customer.

Indonesia continues to use and circulate small value coins, but they are not very common at jobsite.  Instead of handing back change in the form of coins, the Hidden Valley Hero often uses candy to complete a transaction.  This picture shows a handful of Kino candies in one of the the change slots.

My change after purchasing laundry detergent and a liter of milk.

My change after purchasing laundry detergent and a liter of milk at the Hidden Valley Hero.

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