Bought ticket to Cincinnati, Ohio

After learning that Maku and I couldn't go with Vince, Nita and their family, the Ambassador bought us our bus tickets to Cincinnati for the PNG July 4th Bung. What a wonderful person! Below is our itinerary:

PASSENGERS
Mr Solomon Kantha $98.00 Adult
Mr Maku Komun $98.00

AdultCREDIT CARD BILLING ADDRESS
Evan Paki
511 Lowell LN
NW, Washington, DC 20016
United States(202) 739-4667

Pick up ticket(s) at the following station at least one hour beforeboarding. Tickets may be picked up at either the counter or Ticket CenterExpress kiosk. Kiosk pick up available only for transactions with cardholder traveling.

WASHINGTON GREYHOUND STA1005 1ST ST NEWASHINGTON, DC
PAYMENT Subtotal: $196.00Gift Ticket Fee: $15.00Tax: $0.00Total: $211.00

INFORMATION Here is your arrival and departure information, including any connecting bustransfers:
-------------Trip to CINCINNATI, OH-------------
07/06/07 12:45am GLI-4447 * Depart WASHINGTON, DC
07/06/07 06:50am GLI-4447 * Arrive PITTSBURGH, PA
07/06/07 07:30am GLI-1685 * Depart PITTSBURGH, PA
07/06/07 11:45am GLI-1685 * Arrive COLUMBUS, OH
07/06/07 12:20pm GLI-4381 * Depart COLUMBUS, OH
07/06/07 02:15pm GLI-4381 * Arrive CINCINNATI, OH

-------------Return Trip to WASHINGTON, DC-------------
07/08/07 06:15am GLI-1150 * Depart CINCINNATI, OH
07/08/07 08:10am GLI-1150 * Arrive COLUMBUS, OH
07/08/07 08:45am GLI-1679 * Depart COLUMBUS, OH
07/08/07 12:45pm GLI-1679 * Arrive PITTSBURGH, PA
07/08/07 01:25pm GLI-1602 * Depart PITTSBURGH, PA
07/08/07 06:40pm GLI-1602 * Arrive BALTIMORE DOWNTOWN, MD
07/08/07 06:55pm GLI-4311 * Depart BALTIMORE DOWNTOWN, MD
07/08/07 07:50pm GLI-4311 * Arrive WASHINGTON, DC

Note: * denotes Carrier and Bus Schedule Number.GLI: GREYHOUND LINES, INC.To pick up tickets, the recipient must present both valid photo ID and thereference number (displayed above).Pick up tickets during station hours.The password you chose for the Gift Ticket Order is displayed here. It isyour responsibility to communicate this password to the ticket recipient.Will Call Password: kyte4945This ticket purchase confirmation page is NOT a ticket. You must be issued aticket to board the bus.Please arrive at the station one hour prior to scheduled departure,depending upon its hours of operation. If you will be checking baggage,please visit the counter in advance of the scheduled departure time. Seating is first-come, first-served. In case of insufficient seatingcapacity, passengers will be placed on succeeding schedules that haveavailable seats.You have chosen to pick up tickets at the station or designated stop. It issolely the passenger's responsibility to pick up tickets in advance oftravel.Please retain this receipt for your records. For more information about bustravel, please consult the Travel Information section of greyhound.com. Forgeneral schedule information, call 1-800-231-2222.Tickets are non-transferrable and, if presented for transportation by anyperson other than the one for whom it was originally purchased, will be voidand may be confiscated by a Greyhound agent or authorized employee of anybus carrier over which the ticket is issued.Thank you for choosing Greyhound.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Please visit these other websites for your additional travel needs:Greyhound Package Express - for shipping services across the United Stateshttp://www.shipgreyhound.com Greyhound Canada - for travel and shippingservices across Canada http://www.greyhound.ca

Rotary function at Hotel Washington

Alisha and I went with the Ambassador to Hotel Washington for a Rotary function. On the way we picked up a WWII veteran who fought in PNG. They introduced us at the reception. The ambassador is an active member of the club and spoke for a few minutes. We returned to the Embassy and I faxed a condolence letter to the NZ High Commission for Bernard Narokobi. I tried faxing it to Narokobi Lawyers in POM but it didn't you through. Will try again tomorrow. Jude the Embassy driver sent the original letter by mail to NZ.

Visit by PNG Travel official

PNG travel official visited the office today. He returned from PNG 2 weeks ago. He has been taking tourists to PNG for the past 27 years. He said he'll be doing his final tour travel with tourists next year. The ambassador gave me some work today including drafting a condolence letter to the Narokobi family for the passing of their mother Regina. She died tragically from cancer.

Pwapei in Oklahoma/Leo called from HI

Getting lazier to write this freakin event everyday.

Pwapei arrived in Oklahoma yesterday. Called me today and we chatted. Thinking of visiting DC and then NY.

Leo called from Hawaii. He gave me O-Shen's number and I called Os and we chatted. Said he completed his album and they are working on the cover and printing. Should get a CD before I go to PNG.

Front Page/Mai Thai dinner

Went out to Front Page (night club) with Muse on Saturday night. We tried calling Maku but only reached his voicemail.

Had dinner at Mai Thai restaurant today. Muse's last dinner. The girls (Abby and Fotu) didn't come with us. They went to some Malaysian restaurant. Nino wasn't in.

Last day at work for USSP-ET interns

Today was the last day for work for the USSP-ET interns in DC. They'll be leaving for NY next Monday leaving me as the only one from EWC-Hawaii at ISH. The ambassador didn't come in today. Only Vero, Alisha and me. PJ must have left for NY to visit his girlfriend coz he's not in the room.

Dinner with Meg Taylor

Left the Embassy at around something to 12.15pm. Met Maku at the Dupont Circle Metro station. We caught a cab to the Thai Kingdom retaurant. Muse and Abby joined us a few minutes later.

When we finished I ...(to be continuted)

Visit to EWC-Washington Office

At 2.10pm today we visited the EWC-Washington office. Spoke with the staff there namely Mark, Barbara and the new Director. He seems to be a nice guy. Muse also gave his long-beaked echidna presentation. After the visit Gene left us and went to his apartment. The rest of us went to Rumours for a drink. We later went to the Union Station to watch a movie. It was the Fantastic 4. I hate the movie! Didn't feel too well today as I am really tired and didn't do any work.

ISH new director

I was invited today to a welcome reception for ISH's new director. i however turned down the invitation as i was so tired. I did some work on my papers in the office today. it wasn't an interesting day. as usual, i was so tired in the afternoon after i returned from work. the dinner was good though. i slept for an hour after dinner and then woke up to do some work.

Gene's Visit to the Embassy

Gene came to the Embassy today at around 11.30am and we had a chat with the ambassador at the Embassy's conference room. After a few minutes of chatting we went to the Front Page for lunch. Gene came up with his Pan Amercian stories and got the ambassador really interested. We had a good time.

After lunch I came back to the office and tried to work for a while. I decided to call it off for the day at 5.00. The ambassador and Alisha were still in the office. There were only 3 of us.

Mt. Vernon/Pacific Island Night

Went with the group (Abby, Fotu, Gene, Nino, Carla) to Mt. Vernon yesterday. I was up early and went to have breakfast. When I went down at 9.30am the girls were still having breakfast. Was a bit pissed. Eventually they were done and we went to Mt. Vernon. The place was refurbished unlike last summer. There was a new visitor center. And it was splendid! We were supposed to go to Alexandria for lunch but Fotu was in a rush so we had to drop her off at ISH. After we left her we went to this Vietnamese restaurant and had lunch.

After lunch we went and dropped Nino off at his Embassy bldg. Abby, Carla, Gene and I then left for Safeway to do the shopping for the Pacific Night. We came back dropped the stuff off and went to FDR Memorial (Franklin Delano Roosovelt) the only US President to serve for 3 terms. We then left for a tour around DC's ghetto area and Gene dropped us off at ISH. I was very tired and went straight to bed.

Boring Friday!

Worked today. Vincent, Diana and Mary will be taking leave. The office will be boring with only Vero, Alisha and I. I have to finish my paper this weekend. God! I can't believe I took this long. Talked with the ambassador in getting some remuneration while working for the Embassy. Have to discuss this with Gene to seek the State Department's approval.

East Timor Seminar - EWC-DC Office

Today was one of my boring days at work. I left office and went to a seminar on Timor Leste today at the EWC Washington DC office. I met Mark Borthwick and Barbara. There's also a new director who replaced Mutia. Gene and Nino were there. Nino and I walked back to ISH after the seminar.

6 Flags America!

Riding in a rollercoaster is an experience of a lifetime. The Embassy had a staff outing today and I skipped the State Dept visit and the visit to the National Geographic Society to go to the 6 Flags America today with the PNG Embassy staff. I was a lot of fun. We rode on most of the rollercoasters. I particularly like the Superman and the Batman rollercoaster rides. We finished late around 7.15pm and drove back to Washington DC. On the way we stopped at KFC and Joe's Pizza for dinner. They dropped me off at ISH around 10.00pm.

Office Printer working!

I went to work today. Did some work today and an IT person was brought to my office by Vero to fix my printer. My office printer is now working but it's a Deskjet 3845 that takes forever to print a page even though it's a color printer. The folks at the office advised me that we'll be going out to an amusement park tomorrow. An Embassy organized activity. So I called Gene and he gave me the green light so I'll be missing the visit to the State Department and sadly Muse's presentation.

Queens Birthday!

It's the Queens B-day today and is a public holiday in PNG. All Commonwealth countries have the Queen of England as the head of state and therefore the Q-Bday is a public holiday in those countries. I didn't go to work today and the Embassy adviced me to take the day off. I was hoping that I'll do some work today but didn't do anything at all. It's one of my worst wasted days.

Visit to the Holocaust Museum

I went to the Holocaust Museum today with Karla, Abby and Fotu. We met at the lobby around 2.15pm after lunch and caught to Metro to the Smithsonian Mall. Abby and Fotu went ahead of Karla and I inside the museum. It was sad visiting the sights and seeking pictures and films of the Holocaust. There were 6million Jews killed in the concentration camps under Hitler's reign. It was unfathomable thinking how human beings could kill themselves like that. It was more shocking than sad for me. Sadly, these human atrocities are still happening in other parts of the world and the international community has given little attention to the plight of others who are being exterminated. It reminded me of the Burmese group at the House hearing earlier in the week who were seeking the US's help to stop the 50yr atrocities that are happening in Burma.

Recovering from Hangover!

I went out with Maku from the Auditor General's office in POM. Maku is here in DC for 3 months. We went to Rumours. The bar and grill that the Pacific Island ambassadors including Robert Aisi, Tara, Scott and I went to last summer. Maku paid most of the beers, Heineken of course, we drank till I was really drunk. I came back to ISH very drunk, struggled to have a shower and went to bed. My room-mate PJ from South Korea was also out and didn't come in. He arrived later during the day and told me that he was also drunk and threw up LOL.

Matu actually came to the office around 2.00pm and the ambassador and us went for lunch at the Mexican Restaurant. We stayed until around 4.30 and returned to the office. I clocked out early with Maku and went to ISH to change into my casual clothes and the two of us went to Rumours.

Congressional Hearing on Burma

Elisha the new intern at the Embassy and I attended the congressional hearing at the Hill today. The hearing was on the situation in Burma after almost 50 years of civil conflict. The Burma situation encompasses two dimensions. One concerning the military rule and abuse of human rights and the compromise of the various ethnic groups. It is really sad to learn of the military atrocities, rape and murder of the people in Burma. The group from Burma who gave the presentation are hoping to gain the attention of the US and the international community on the plight of the Burmese people.

Elisha and I went to the Union Station food court for lunch after the hearing. I had Indian curry rice with Beef. It's becoming my favorite. When we returned to the Embassy I didn't do any work at all. Almost fell asleep again around 3pm. Perhaps because I had a heavy lunch. I am now back at ISH in my room and am trying to do some work.

Enid's Birthday/Visit to Capitol Hill - Congressman Eni Faeomavaega

Today is June 7 in PNG and is Enid's B-day. I know she will be expecting a call from me but unfortunately it's really difficult to get a calling card here.

We met at the Union Station today. I arrived late and met the group at the dinning area. We went to the Rayburn House which houses the Congressmen and waited for Congressman Eni. He arrived 20mins later after a sitting at the House and had a chat with us.

Called Ponipate today at Office

I did some work at the office today. It wasn't very much but was progressive. I called Ponipate in Honolulu today at the office. He left his domitory and is taking care of an elderly in exchange for accomodation and food. I went out at lunch and bought a McDonalds pack. It wasn't a very interesting day. I came back, had dinner and went up to my room to take a nap for about an hour before start working again. I hope I do some work in my room.

New Intern at Embassy is half-PNG

We had a new intern at the Embassy today. Her name is Elisha is she is half PNG and Java (Indonesia). I was so tired today. Didn't some productive work at the Embassy but need to continue tonite. I met Ninou this afternoon and he told me about the East Timor girl who's studying in NY got drowned. It was a tragic situation.

Abby's BDay and Kayaking at Potomac

We went kayaking at the Potomac river yesterday. Gene, Fotu, Abby, Ninou, Muse and me. After kayaking we had lunch at Georgetown. Abby and Fotu left to do some shopping and the rest of us returned to ISH.

Meeting with Lutheran Education Association Executives

Perhaps the only highlight for the day was the meeting at the Embassy with the Lutheran Education Association (LEA) executives. Jon Laabs is the Director of LEA and he was in visiting PNG last month. The Lutheran Church in PNG is working towards setting up a Lutheran University in Lae. The seventh university in PNG.

I went to work this morning still very tired. Didn't do much at the Office. Got a Vanilla latte at Starbucks at lunch time. Went back to the office and tried to work.