Norfolk Island Reverie

November 2, 2008

Allow me a wee

indulgence to distract you while I keep my lovely floating feeling of Norfolk

Relaxation alive……imagine a cliff-bound island firmly fixed to an under-sea

mountain range. A upgraded World War II airstrip on a patch of flat ground

capable of allowing 737 jets to land brings an odd assortment of visitors from NZ

& Oz (the ‘nearly-dead & the newly wed’ so the locals say!)

There’s no Harbour as such…all local boats get cabled up out of the

water onto a jetty & put straight on trailers to go home to ‘lean-to’s’,

or sheds if their owners are particular! So, no ‘Marinas’ or flash

boats here!

In the old

days of Pacific Cruise Liners the Tax Free Haven status of the island meant a

lot more than it does now although try telling the locals that their prices don’t

match duty-free in Oz airports! I DIDN’T…… truly I didn’t…but

since I checked the airport booze prices I knew it to be so! You can buy

a weird assortment of International goods here ..there’s even a SCOTTISH

Shop Bonnie May.. I got some u-beaut teensy weensy screw-drivers at the Swiss

Shop (great for fixing spectacles when the screws get loose!) Mebbe, they’d’

even work for when the OD kicks in & causes a loose screw in the Brain

department!! I have my doubts about the age of some of the Perfume Bottles I

saw! Got some gorgeous little Italian Leather Sandals (you know girls, strappy

things with almost no leather but cost a BOMB) at a Bargain price (must’ve

been last year’s stock I suspect!) Also brought home some lovely pieces of

traditional ‘Tapa’ Design Sarongs for my hot summer days!

The weekly

local newspaper runs stats on Island Population figures…divvied up by

categories…Islanders, Permanent Residents but not island born, Temporary

Worker Residents, Visitors etc….Total population usually hovers around

the 2000 mark! Since the Island has 150 kilometres (around 70 – 80 miles

) of road that’s a fair bit of space per bod!

Just WHO owns

Norfolk Island is a matter of opinion (mostly LOUD & historically inaccurate!)

Even Aussies need a passport to get in! That is in spite of the Island being an

Australian Territory… the Island itself begs to differ! They pay no Tax

therefore get no Welfare benefits from the Oz govt BUT they do get lots of

Special Funding to help out! The argument goes back to the days of Queen

who invited the starving inhabitants of Pitcairn Island (of Mutiny on the Bounty

Fame!) to move to Norfolk Island. The Pitcairn people accepted & have

always believed she intervened for them to OWN the Island totally…. However

Norfolk had previously been used by England as part of Australia’s Penal

Colony & as such was never up for grabs…only ‘lent out’…when

the Pitcairners realised they’d not have total control some of them

returned to Pitcairn & the rest stayed on Norfolk & took up their Land

Grants. Having Land Grants of an acreage is NOT the same as controlling a WHOLE

ISLAND …. BUT the displeasure remains & every Aussie visiting

the place is aware of it!

The locals

really have a lot more in common with New Zealand since the Pitcairn folk have

a strong Tahitian bloodline. It was very easy to pick the Bounty descendants if

they had scored the beautiful Polynesian genes. The Mutineers off HMS Bounty

kidnapped women from Tahiti & took them for their wives as they wandered

the South Seas looking for a place to hide from British Justice back in 1788-ish

Now you might

be wondering how I managed to RELAX at all…… aah just look at the

photos I will post of where Ray & I stayed in our lovely private villa with

STUNNING views! We hardly had to move… we just flopped about.. read…

took to our bare-tyred hire Car for leisurely jaunts around the beautiful Island…

avoided ALL the ‘Mutiny on the Bounty’ Themed shows that spun the

grossly inaccurate myth of the poor hard-done by Sailors of HMS Bounty causing

them to Mutiny all those years ago!

We were lucky

enough to be on the Island for it’s local Agricultural Show where all the

local produce, animals, Islanders & Visitors mingled. Instead of Hamburger

Stalls there were ‘Fish-Fry’ Stalls…loved it! I think every

Chook & every Horse & Rider won a prize of some sort, ‘cos

there’s so few animals there’s something for everyone! The only 2

Turkeys won the ‘Best Turkey Pair” of the Show..funny that!

The really

adventurous can kayak, snorkel or go deep-sea fishing or even trek on the

nearby deserted Island. Since nearly all of that involved ABSEILING

down or up to get to the action I gave it a big fat MISS… instead I had

my own personal MASSEUSE come out to my Villa & give me a Deep Tissue

massage….get the idea!

Sunsets were

our other fave activity… oh & did I mention READING…..flopping

about…..MORE flopping about…..The rest of the World seemed oh so

far away……oh . & the Air Temperature was PURRFECT…as was

the seafood..did I mention FISH….lots of yummy local fish…battered,

steamed, grilled, spicy, not-spicy…..FISH FISH FISH!

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah

if only I can keep the floaty feeling going… now where did I put that

BOOK! Mango Tea anyone!

Cheers,

SGIO

in

Oz

IPF:

Fibrotic NSIP/UIP ??

Reynauds'

May

2007

November 2, 2008

That was not even nice, rubbing that all in. lol.

Sounds like an incredible trip and I'm sure the escape to such an

environment has done you lots of good.

I had to go look for more information and pictures and such. It's

beautiful.

>

> Allow me a wee indulgence to distract you while I keep my lovely

floating

> feeling of Norfolk Relaxation alive..imagine a cliff-bound island

firmly

> fixed to an under-sea mountain range. A upgraded World War II airstrip

on a

> patch of flat ground capable of allowing 737 jets to land brings an

odd

> assortment of visitors from NZ & Oz (the 'nearly-dead & the newly wed'

so

> the locals say!) There's no Harbour as such.all local boats get cabled

up

> out of the water onto a jetty & put straight on trailers to go home to

> 'lean-to's', or sheds if their owners are particular! So, no 'Marinas'

or

> flash boats here!

>

> In the old days of Pacific Cruise Liners the Tax Free Haven status of

the

> island meant a lot more than it does now although try telling the

locals

> that their prices don't match duty-free in Oz airports! I DIDN'T..

truly I

> didn't.but since I checked the airport booze prices I knew it to be

so! You

> can buy a weird assortment of International goods here ..there's even

a

> SCOTTISH Shop Bonnie May.. I got some u-beaut teensy weensy

screw-drivers at

> the Swiss Shop (great for fixing spectacles when the screws get

loose!)

> Mebbe, they'd' even work for when the OD kicks in & causes a loose

screw in

> the Brain department!! I have my doubts about the age of some of the

Perfume

> Bottles I saw! Got some gorgeous little Italian Leather Sandals (you

know

> girls, strappy things with almost no leather but cost a BOMB) at a

Bargain

> price (must've been last year's stock I suspect!) Also brought home

some

> lovely pieces of traditional 'Tapa' Design Sarongs for my hot summer

days!

>

> The weekly local newspaper runs stats on Island Population

figures.divvied

> up by categories.Islanders, Permanent Residents but not island born,

> Temporary Worker Residents, Visitors etc..Total population usually

hovers

> around the 2000 mark! Since the Island has 150 kilometres (around 70 -

80

> miles ) of road that's a fair bit of space per bod!

>

> Just WHO owns Norfolk Island is a matter of opinion (mostly LOUD &

> historically inaccurate!) Even Aussies need a passport to get in! That

is in

> spite of the Island being an Australian Territory. the Island itself

begs to

> differ! They pay no Tax therefore get no Welfare benefits from the Oz

govt

> BUT they do get lots of Special Funding to help out! The argument goes

back

> to the days of Queen who invited the starving inhabitants of

> Pitcairn Island (of Mutiny on the Bounty Fame!) to move to Norfolk

Island.

> The Pitcairn people accepted & have always believed she intervened for

them

> to OWN the Island totally.. However Norfolk had previously been used

by

> England as part of Australia's Penal Colony & as such was never up for

> grabs.only 'lent out'.when the Pitcairners realised they'd not have

total

> control some of them returned to Pitcairn & the rest stayed on Norfolk

&

> took up their Land Grants. Having Land Grants of an acreage is NOT the

same

> as controlling a WHOLE ISLAND .. BUT the displeasure remains & every

Aussie

> visiting the place is aware of it!

>

> The locals really have a lot more in common with New Zealand since the

> Pitcairn folk have a strong Tahitian bloodline. It was very easy to

pick the

> Bounty descendants if they had scored the beautiful Polynesian genes.

The

> Mutineers off HMS Bounty kidnapped women from Tahiti & took them for

their

> wives as they wandered the South Seas looking for a place to hide from

> British Justice back in 1788-ish

>

> Now you might be wondering how I managed to RELAX at all.. aah just

look at

> the photos I will post of where Ray & I stayed in our lovely private

villa

> with STUNNING views! We hardly had to move. we just flopped about..

read.

> took to our bare-tyred hire Car for leisurely jaunts around the

beautiful

> Island. avoided ALL the 'Mutiny on the Bounty' Themed shows that spun

the

> grossly inaccurate myth of the poor hard-done by Sailors of HMS Bounty

> causing them to Mutiny all those years ago!

>

> We were lucky enough to be on the Island for it's local Agricultural

Show

> where all the local produce, animals, Islanders & Visitors mingled.

Instead

> of Hamburger Stalls there were 'Fish-Fry' Stalls.loved it! I think

every

> Chook & every Horse & Rider won a prize of some sort, 'cos there's so

few

> animals there's something for everyone! The only 2 Turkeys won the

'Best

> Turkey Pair " of the Show..funny that!

>

> The really adventurous can kayak, snorkel or go deep-sea fishing or

even

> trek on the nearby deserted Island. Since nearly all of that

> involved ABSEILING down or up to get to the action I gave it a big fat

MISS.

> instead I had my own personal MASSEUSE come out to my Villa & give me

a Deep

> Tissue massage..get the idea!

>

> Sunsets were our other fave activity. oh & did I mention

READING...flopping

> about...MORE flopping about...The rest of the World seemed oh so far

> away..oh . & the Air Temperature was PURRFECT.as was the seafood..did I

> mention FISH..lots of yummy local fish.battered, steamed, grilled,

spicy,

> not-spicy...FISH FISH FISH!

>

> Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah if only I can keep the floaty feeling

going.

> now where did I put that BOOK! Mango Tea anyone!

>

> Cheers,

>

> SGIO

>

> in Oz

>

> IPF: Fibrotic NSIP/UIP ??

> Reynauds'

> May 2007

>

November 3, 2008

, , ...how fabulous does all that sound!! You really do write so descriptively, I feel like I was peeking over your shoulder at all there was to see. Thanks for sharing that, I loved hearing about it and I'm so glad you had a wonderful getaway!

Beth-Moderator

Fibrotic NSIP 06/06 UCTD 06/08

"Take chances, make mistakes and get messy!"

Miss Frizzle

To: Breathe-Support Sent: Sunday, November 2, 2008 11:00:04 PMSubject: Norfolk Island Reverie

Allow me a wee indulgence to distract you while I keep my lovely floating feeling of Norfolk Relaxation alive……imagine a cliff-bound island firmly fixed to an under-sea mountain range. A upgraded World War II airstrip on a patch of flat ground capable of allowing 737 jets to land brings an odd assortment of visitors from NZ & Oz (the ‘nearly-dead & the newly wed’ so the locals say!) There’s no Harbour as such…all local boats get cabled up out of the water onto a jetty & put straight on trailers to go home to ‘lean-to’s’, or sheds if their owners are particular! So, no ‘Marinas’ or flash boats here!

In the old days of Pacific Cruise Liners the Tax Free Haven status of the island meant a lot more than it does now although try telling the locals that their prices don’t match duty-free in Oz airports! I DIDN’T…… truly I didn’t…but since I checked the airport booze prices I knew it to be so! You can buy a weird assortment of International goods here ..there’s even a SCOTTISH Shop Bonnie May.. I got some u-beaut teensy weensy screw-drivers at the Swiss Shop (great for fixing spectacles when the screws get loose!) Mebbe, they’d’ even work for when the OD kicks in & causes a loose screw in the Brain department!! I have my doubts about the age of some of the Perfume Bottles I saw! Got some gorgeous little Italian Leather Sandals (you know girls, strappy things with almost no leather but cost a BOMB) at a Bargain

price (must’ve been last year’s stock I suspect!) Also brought home some lovely pieces of traditional ‘Tapa’ Design Sarongs for my hot summer days!

The weekly local newspaper runs stats on Island Population figures…divvied up by categories…Islanders, Permanent Residents but not island born, Temporary Worker Residents, Visitors etc….Total population usually hovers around the 2000 mark! Since the Island has 150 kilometres (around 70 – 80 miles ) of road that’s a fair bit of space per bod!

Just WHO owns Norfolk Island is a matter of opinion (mostly LOUD & historically inaccurate!) Even Aussies need a passport to get in! That is in spite of the Island being an Australian Territory… the Island itself begs to differ! They pay no Tax therefore get no Welfare benefits from the Oz govt BUT they do get lots of Special Funding to help out! The argument goes back to the days of Queen who invited the starving inhabitants of Pitcairn Island (of Mutiny on the Bounty Fame!) to move to Norfolk Island. The Pitcairn people accepted & have always believed she intervened for them to OWN the Island totally…. However Norfolk had previously been used by England as part of Australia’s Penal Colony & as such was never up for grabs…only ‘lent out’…when the Pitcairners realised they’d not have total control some of them

returned to Pitcairn & the rest stayed on Norfolk & took up their Land Grants. Having Land Grants of an acreage is NOT the same as controlling a WHOLE ISLAND …. BUT the displeasure remains & every Aussie visiting the place is aware of it!

The locals really have a lot more in common with New Zealand since the Pitcairn folk have a strong Tahitian bloodline. It was very easy to pick the Bounty descendants if they had scored the beautiful Polynesian genes. The Mutineers off HMS Bounty kidnapped women from Tahiti & took them for their wives as they wandered the South Seas looking for a place to hide from British Justice back in 1788-ish

Now you might be wondering how I managed to RELAX at all…… aah just look at the photos I will post of where Ray & I stayed in our lovely private villa with STUNNING views! We hardly had to move… we just flopped about.. read… took to our bare-tyred hire Car for leisurely jaunts around the beautiful Island… avoided ALL the ‘Mutiny on the Bounty’ Themed shows that spun the grossly inaccurate myth of the poor hard-done by Sailors of HMS Bounty causing them to Mutiny all those years ago!

We were lucky enough to be on the Island for it’s local Agricultural Show where all the local produce, animals, Islanders & Visitors mingled. Instead of Hamburger Stalls there were ‘Fish-Fry’ Stalls…loved it! I think every Chook & every Horse & Rider won a prize of some sort, ‘cos there’s so few animals there’s something for everyone! The only 2 Turkeys won the ‘Best Turkey Pair” of the Show..funny that!

The really adventurous can kayak, snorkel or go deep-sea fishing or even trek on the nearby deserted Island. Since nearly all of that involved ABSEILING down or up to get to the action I gave it a big fat MISS… instead I had my own personal MASSEUSE come out to my Villa & give me a Deep Tissue massage….get the idea!

Sunsets were our other fave activity… oh & did I mention READING…..flopping about…..MORE flopping about…..The rest of the World seemed oh so far away……oh . & the Air Temperature was PURRFECT…as was the seafood..did I mention FISH….lots of yummy local fish…battered, steamed, grilled, spicy, not-spicy…..FISH FISH FISH!

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaah if only I can keep the floaty feeling going… now where did I put that BOOK! Mango Tea anyone!

Cheers,

SGIO

in Oz IPF: Fibrotic NSIP/UIP ??Reynauds' May 2007

November 3, 2008

Lovely post, . It's starting my Monday morning out beautifully. Thanks.

Barbara McD

IPF Sept 08

Beautiful Western NC

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9

To: Breathe-Support Sent: Monday, November 3, 2008 7:33:10 AMSubject: Re: Norfolk Island Reverie