The Cricket

My 86 year old sister decided to give up her house in Central California and move into a retirement suite. My wife and I drove up from our home Southern California, and spent a week helping her sort through her life-time collection of stuff.

Outside near the front door on the veranda where my sister now lives is a row of chairs where residents often sit and watch the local comings and goings. The chair nearest the door is usually occupied by a rather sober looking elderly gentleman. I am a person who likes to make verbal contact with people I meet and so every time I passed by I would make some comment to him about the weather or the news – to see if I could get him to talk. Every comment I made was either met with a small unemotional grunt or just a blank stare.

On the last day while sorting through a box of junk, I came across a small item which I had not seen in at least 50 years. It is a small toy made from two pieces of metal. The top piece is shaped like the back of a large bug and the other is a small spring-like flat piece. When the device is squeezed between your finger and thumb, it makes a loud clicking sound. It used to come in boxes of Cracker Jacks and breakfast cereal. I can still hear my dad say “would you kids stop clicking that noisy contraption, it’s driving me crazy”.

I showed the toy to my sister and slipped it into my pocket.

On the morning we were leaving to return home, we stopped at her new home to tell my sister good-bye. On the way out, three gentlemen – including the quiet one – were sitting by the door. I reached into my pocket and said: “gentlemen, I found something while sorting my sister’s stuff yesterday, and I wonder if you know what it is”. I pulled out the toy and clicked it a couple of times. Two of the men who were usually talkative remarked that - yes they had played with it as a child. 

Suddenly the quiet one perked up, and leaning forward and pointing at it, spoke with considerable emotion and authority: “Sir that is a cricket.  It is what we used during the Battle of Normandy to identify ourselves to our fellow soldiers”.  He then lapsed into his usual silence – but with a far-away look in his eyes and a smile on his face. It was, after all,  just a cricket. 

Petersen’s 2010 South-West Pacific Adventure

Chapter 1
Well, it is about time I catch you all up on our travels. But first a bit of background: Loma Linda University School of Public Health – where I teach – is doing an off-campus MBA in Hawaii and in Guam. One of the required courses is biostatistics – which I teach. So I get the tough jobs!

In Hawaii I will teach Sunday from 9 AM to 6 PM and Mon – Wed from 5-10 PM. Then on to Guam and do the same the next week. We will then go on to Palau for a week of vacation. So on Jan 7 Eileen and I leave LAX (Los Angeles International airport) for Hawaii on Continental Airlines. Actually, we drive down to LA Wed evening and stay in our daughter’s condo down town and she (Lucyndi) drives us to the airport in the morning. She has this neat condo on the 23d story with great floor to ceiling views of LA. Between us we have 3 checked bags and two carry-on’s each. We expect security to be tight, but we noticed no change. We did this same trip two years ago.

Eileen does not leave our traveling nutritional needs completely in the hands of the airlines. She had packed a lunch for our trip to Hawaii – kept cool with one of those jellied ice packs you put in the freezer overnight. Guess what – the ice pack went through security with no problem. After getting there, I questioned TSA about that – and was told that recently the TSA has determined that frozen liquid is not a security risk – just don’t let it thaw out! OK!

Jan 7: Hawaii. We have booked a very nice B&B just a 5 min drive from Castle Hospital, where I will teach my class. We have some very good friends in Hawaii (Pete and Jane Cheeseman) that we lived next door to and taught within Canada during the 80’s. Jane’s sister is the former First Lady of Hawaii, so on Sat we have lunch with Pete and Jane and the former Governor and his wife. There are 38 students in my class here – all professional people. Teaching statistics in 4 days is a challenge for both the teacher and students, but all goes well.

Jan 14: Thursday afternoon we leave Hawaii for Guam. We will cross the International Date Line, so this week will only have 6 days. We arrive in Guam 10 PM Friday evening. Not to worry, on the way back our week will have 8 days. We are staying in the SDA mission guest house. Very convenient to the Bank of Guam building (3-min drive) where the class will be held, and very good internet connections. Our cell phones would be very expensive to use here in Guam but we can buy long distance calling cards to call the US for 4 cents/minute, and we have a phone in our room. We rent a car for $35/day.

There are 22 students in the Guam class – again all professional people – nurses, engineers, and insurance industry people. Very good class with lots of personality. We spend or off-teaching hours touring the island and snorkeling. It rains often during the day – but no mind, it is warm – and this is the dry season of the year, we are told. 10 min heavy rain, then 30 min of hot sun. It is very windy the whole time we are here. While here we are warned of an impending cold snap. It is predicted to get down into the high 60’s – the worst cold in 20 years. When things get that cold you worry about survival!! Should have packed my long-johns!!

We were treated to a dolphin watching trip (saw lots) and a banana boat ride and a try at kayaking on the ocean. Hope to do more of that in Palau, next week. Lots of WWII history here. Also a very big military presence. In the next couple of years all the Marines (17,000) from Okinawa will be moving their complete base here. The economy is expected to boom. Guam is a USA protectorate (like the District of Columbia and Porto Rico).

Jan 21; 8 pm we leave Guam for Palau. Our plane will stop for an hour in Yap. Palau is south-west of Guam and close (450miles) from the Philippines. We get off the plane in Yap to say we have actually been there! We get to Palau about 10 PM. We have made arrangements for someone from the SDA mission to meet us. We will be staying in a mission guest house. So here we are in Palau.

The population of the Republic of Palau is 20,000 souls – about the same as Loma Linda. It consists of 10 islands with a land area of about 200 sq miles. However, we quickly learn that Palau has something that Loma Linda does not have - as many wild chickens as people. Half are roosters and at least 500 of them have set up camp directly under our bedroom window. These roosters have determined that about 3:00 AM is the appropriate time that visitors from California be awakened, and believe me they take their assignment seriously.

Now Eileen has a very low tolerance for discomfort, and also likes to sleep in – especially on vacation. So about 5 AM I am searching for my pillow when I spot a stack of pillows on her side of the bed with a body and legs protruding. I look under the stack of pillows only to find my wife with ear plugs stuffed in her ears and a thick bath towel wrapped around her head. She is muttering something. The only words I can make out are “those Roosters”. Guess she is too long from the Saskatchewan farm where she grew up to remember the enthusiasm they can generate before sunrise.

Oh, I failed to mention that the house we are staying in is right in the center of Koror, the largest city in the Republic – just behind the post office, right next to the central police station and fire department and two blocks from the national ministry of education and the Supreme Court.

So long until Chapter 2 from the South-West Pacific

Eileen and Floyd
Petersen’s Western Pacific Adventures #2What we have learned:

1. Prices of food and other consumer goods is very expensive in Hawaii

2. Prices in Guam are about half that in Hawaii. Casual men’s clothes are less expensive in Guam than in CA. I inquired about the difference in prices between Hawaii and Guam and was told (in Guam) that it was because Hawaii is the most unionized of any state. I thought Guam would be more expensive because of extra shipping.

3. Guam has a lot of dogs. Palau has almost as many dogs as chickens. The dogs all seem very docile.

4. People are friendly in Hawaii. People are very friendly in Guam. People are VERY VERYfriendly in Palau. Everyone greets you, and tries to help you. People wave as you drive by. Kind of like it was 60 years ago where I grew up.

5. Lots of reminders of WWII in Guam and Palau. Peleliu – a small island a few miles south of here is where the fiercest battle in the Pacific took place. In Sept 1944, 15,000 men were killed on this 5 sq. mile island.

6. Word on the street here in Palau is that the US recently paid Palau $55 million to take 4 Guantanamo detainees. The presidents Brother-in-law who was recently released from prison here in Palau was put in charge of them, is the story I heard.

7. Babeldaob – the largest island (153 sq. miles) has a population of 5,000. Most of the 153 sq. miles interior consist of large rolling hills covered by dense tropical jungle and is not inhabited. The people live in small coastal communities. The vast stretches of uninhabited land are impressive.

8. Lots of birds in Hawaii, few in Guam and Palau. Rare to see a cat in Guam and Palau. Maybe the wild chickens ate all the cats! Maybe the birds are all hiding in the jungle.

9. Traditionally Palau was a matriarchal society – the women owned the land and managed the money and picked the men who ruled.

10. One feels like taking a cool shower every half hour.

11. Internet is slow here in the evening. The internet café a block from our house opens at 6 AM and has a special for $1/hour until 9AM. It is quite fast in the morning.

12. About half of the population of Japan is here in Palau on holiday.

13. You think restaurant servings are big in CA? Come to Palau! You can hardly see your significant other over the pile of food here.

14. Beetlenut! It’s the thing to chew here. What a mess!. I asked a lady in the store what it would do for me. She said “the first time you would feel a little Dizzy – a real good feeling – you must try it”

Yesterday we did a day trip to the Rock Islands. Spectacular! The Rock Islands are a group of about 200 small Jungle-covered limestone islands that look like green mushrooms rising out of the ocean; Some as small as an acre and some several sq. miles. Many have small lakes in the middle. Jellyfish Lake contains thousands of jellyfish which don’t sting. We swam among them (for an extra conservation fee of $15). We did a lot of snorkeling on the reef. Lots of sharks here we have heard.

When Eileen asked our guide what she should do when encountering a shark, he said not to worry, all sharks in Palau are taught to be vegetarian. I saw one small shark which paid me no notice. They seem not to annoy people here. Tomorrow we want to be dropped off among the islands with a kayak and just paddle around and snorkel at our own pace. The water is warm –around 83 degrees – and very clear.

Jan. 25: Today we played Survivor. We had a boat drop us off on an uninhabited tropical Island with a nice beach (uninhabited until 11 boatloads of Japanese arrived at noon) . We had a 2-person kayak with us and our lunch. Wanting to survive alone, we quickly paddled to another island. We did a lot of snorkeling. Suddenly we discovered we had some company who seemed unusually interested in us. Sharks! Had about half dozen circling us. Strange feeling to have one about 4 ft long charge right up to me. I put out my hand and with a flick of his tail he was gone. Glad Eileen was with me out there! She is a great adventurer. These are all small sharks – up to about 5 ft long. Nothing to worry about we were told. Saw giant Clams weighing 200 lb we were told.

We have two days left. Back out into the tropical waters tomorrow. Will keep you up to date

Eileen & Floyd in Palau

Petersen Adventure in the Western Pacific #3Jan 26: Today was the best ever. Palau includes about 200 uninhabited small islands called the Rock Islands. The islands are limestone and many look like a toad stool. They are high and covered with very dense Jungle including many large trees. There is almost no soil on the islands and all the jungle grows right on the rocks. The limestone is very porous. Much of the jungle is great vines. Most of the islands are 1-500 ft high with almost vertical sides. The base of the islands are smaller than the tops due to the wave action of the sea. Many large sea caves along the sides. Very few beaches. They are all close together with channels going everywhere. Just a boat ride through them is an incredible experience.

We had the diving company drop us off on a small sand beach in this beautiful lagoon. Everything was just perfect. Warm day with a little cloud cover. Not much wind. Quiet – no other people around. No commercial noise. Wonderful snorkeling among the beautiful coral. Water was calm (mostly) and very clear. We kayaked to a couple of nearby sea caves. We could actually paddle right in. We learned later that one episode of Survivor was actually filmed here. It was everything one envisions about an off-the-beaten-track South Sea paradise. A place and experience one wishes would never end.

But on that little beach among the incredible natural beauty, were grim reminders that this now peaceful paradise was not always so. Several Japanese concrete pillboxes with large holes blasted through the sides silently tell of a death struggle here 65 years ago. A small episode in a giant clash of ideas ending in violent death, happened right where we stand. Nature has made a valiant attempt to cover over the madness of man, but only with limited success. The words of a 1960’s song came to mind: “Where have all the young men gone?...Gone to graveyards everyone. When will we ever Learn? When will we ever Learn?”

Things we have learned while here:

1. During the WWII battle for Peleliu, from the Japanese garrison of 15,000, only 240 solders made it off the island alive. The US lost over 7,000 men. The US had vastly underestimated the size and tenacity of the foe.

2. Palau, now an independent nation of about 22,000 people (plus 5,000 foreign workers and a lot of visitors – especially from Asia) live on 10 inhabited and 200 uninhabited islands consisting of 196 sq miles of land. Palau also claims 1.5 million sq miles of ocean as territorial waters. Territorial waters extend 200 miles beyond the outer reef. So how does 22,000 people (GDP/person = $10,000/year) maintain a nation – not to mention supervising 1.5 million sq miles of ocean? Massive foreign aid. The US gave Palau $450 million over the past 15 years, partly in exchange for permission to locate nuclear weapons here – which I am not sure they actually ever did. Japan along with other Asian nations pour in money. Australia provides a patrol of the 1.5 million sq miles of ocean with one small navy boat. Last year they caught a fishing boat with 200 illegal headless shark Carcasses on board.

3. Car theft in Palau is almost unheard of. Everyone leaves their keys in their car, we were told. Well, think about it – only one paved 55 mile long road around the country. Not too many places to drive a stolen car without being noticed. Besides, everybody knows everybody.

4. Keep a close eye on your wife if she is alone in the Kayak. Above, I mentioned that the water was mostly calm today. Well we were at the place where the lagoon joins the open ocean. I am out of the kayak prospecting for some good snorkeling. I look up in time to see a stiff breeze taking Eileen in the kayak around the corner of the cliff and headed straight for Japan. She wasn’t used to solo paddling the kayak. Some franticly shouted instructions on which side to paddle righted the situation. But the experience gave both of us a bit of a scare. Actually, the water was only waste deep but we didn’t think about that at the moment. We then took some time to practice paddling.

5. There is a lot of water out here.
Friday, Jan 29 at 1:10 AM we leave Palau. We will leave the rental car at the airport with the keys in it. We stop for 1 hr in Guam, and then on to Hawaii where we arrive Thursday evening, Jan 28 at 5:50 PM. So after traveling 4,800 miles, we arrive about 6 hours before we left! This week will have 8 days.

Until Chapter 4; Eileen and Floyd having fun in the Western Pacific
Chapter 4: Petersen’s Western Pacific Adventure

Monday, Feb 1. Back in Hawaii.

When we left LA for Hawaii a month ago, before we boarded the plane, the airline (Continental) announced that the plane was overbooked by 23 people. They were looking for people to give up their seats for a price. After boarding the plane, I noticed a lot of empty seats. When we got to Guam I asked the pilot about the overbooking and the empty seats. He said that we had 120 mph head winds the whole way and we needed the extra fuel so with all seats full we would be overweight. On the way back from Guam to Hawaii, we had 100 mph tail winds the whole way.

The day before we left Palau, we were driving around the countryside and came upon a new building with a very substantial high fence around it. First I thought I might be a prison, but then I noticed a US flag flying above. I said to Eileen that this must be the US embassy. We drove past, and then I said to Eileen “I wonder if the ambassador is in?”. We turned around and went up to the guard house at the gate, and I asked the guard if we could meet with the ambassador.

The guard asked me if I had a business card. I gave him my city council card. He phoned someone and in a few minutes we went through security and up to the front door of the embassy. The guard at the door said to the secretary “tell the ambassador the congressman is here”(he read councilman as congressman –or maybe he didn’t know the difference).

The Ambassador came out to welcome us into his office where we chatted with him for an hour. He had been stationed many places in the world, and knew about Loma Linda University and SDA’s. It seemed he was glad to have visitors to relieve the boredom. The Palau US embassy is the smallest US embassy in the world, he told us. He is the only person there from the US – of course he has a staff of local people. Actually, I had seen him in a local grocery store the day before – but didn’t then know who he was.

What we learned:

1. 17 years ago the US negotiated a 15 year ‘Free Association Agreement’ with Palau. The deal went something like this: In exchange for $15 million/year, the US could if needed, locate nuclear weapons and military personal in Palau. In addition, any Palauan could move to and work in the US permanently without a visa. Actually a number of Palauans serve in the US military. Remember, Palau is an independent sovereign nation. The same privileges do not extend to US citizens going to Palau, however. To be a citizen, or even own land in Palau, you must have one parent who is a Palau citizen. Being married to a Palauan or being born in Palau doesn’t work. That ‘Fee Association Agreement’ expired in 2008. A new one is right now being negotiated here in Hawaii.

2. Last Friday, the president of Palau signed into law a measure to increase the tax on a pack of cigarettes from $1 to $3. That is higher than all but 1 US state. The ambassador told us that there is also a move afoot to ban the sale of club soda. I asked why. He said that the government wants to get Palauans to cut down on alcohol use, and since club soda is the most common mixer for alcoholic drinks, the thought is by banning it, less alcohol will be consumed.

Now, back in Hawaii: Today we spent the day on the battleship Missouri. Cost: $40 each. It was worth it. Actually the cost to get on an wander around on your own is $20, but ours included a guided tour of many parts of the ship you don’t get to see on your own. Hard to describe the massiveness of the ship. The wheel house is enclosed in 16 inches of solid steel. The wheel house was off limits to visitors, but when no one was looking I snuck in and stood at the wheel.

Interesting to stand where General Mac Arthur received and signed the instrument of surrender which ended the WWII in the pacific. The person who signed on behalf of Canada, was a corporal – the highest ranking Canadian they could find nearby. He was so nervous, he signed on the wrong line on the Japanese copy of the document. When they got to the US copy, Gen. Mac Arthur stood by and made sure he got it on the right line.

Tomorrow we leave for home at 7 PM and arrive in LA at 5 AM.

It has been fun telling these stories. You couldn’t have enjoyed reading them nearly as much as we did living them.

Until our next adventure – Eileen & Floyd