Baskets from PNG

[Sparky74]

I’m slowly recovering from what I expect is influenza which I succumbed to on our recent cruise. In time, I'll try to give some tips for Papua New Guinea. It certainly is a beautiful and fascinating place. Lovely people who exist with very little material wealth. A third world country (is that term still politically correct? 🤷‍♂️) on our doorstep. We are keen to visit there again and hope that it continues to offered as a cruise destination. 
 

When we disembarked in Brisbane we noticed that many passengers submitted their souvenirs for inspection by Boarder Force. Timber carvings seemed allowed into the country without too much issue. Baskets were another matter and we observed several large transparent garbage bags of surrendered baskets.

 

So our top tip for PNG would be, don’t buy the baskets!

[Ozwoody]

That's interesting @Sparky74

Wonder what is the problem, is it the material or the process they use to make them.

ie: something in the dye's?

 

Thanks post some more when you can.

 

John

[arxcards]

Anything that is made from hardwood will be easily inspected for borers, then OK to keep if none are present. Baskets, or anything woven such as prayer mats, are often confiscated for eggs, small insects, seeds they contain within. I have seen a prayer mat from the islands shaken onto a white cloth to demonstrate, with dozens of bits of debris coming out. Drums are another popular confiscated item - usually the timber is OK, but has improperly treated hide attached.

 

The same applies for stuff purchased at markets on any of the Pacific Islands. Some will even give you an approved by Australian quarantine certificate, which is not worth the paper it is printed on.

[Sparky74]

We watched with interest as a Boarder Force agent spread white paper on the bench and then shook a basket over the paper. The basket ended up in a large plastic garbage bag with many similar baskets. 

[Aus Traveller]

10 hours ago, Sparky74 said:

We watched with interest as a Boarder Force agent spread white paper on the bench and then shook a basket over the paper. The basket ended up in a large plastic garbage bag with many similar baskets. 

I have often suggested that anyone who buys a basket or woven hat should hold it over the white bed cover in their room and shake the he.. out of it. If nothing falls out, then it will be OK. Hopefully if eggs etc fall out, then they will all come out at that time. To be safe, when you get home with the item, put it in the freezer for a day or two.

 

With timber items, the Quarantine Dept is looking for wood borers. These can easily be identified by the tiny holes they leave. Sometimes sellers will insert a small tack into the hole to camouflage it so if there is a tack in a spot where there is no obvious reason, it is likely hammered into a borer hole.

Edited August 28 by Aus Traveller

[Mycruiseobsession]

Great info @Sparky74

I have never had anything confiscated, have been to PNG several times, but I used to live there and have had a lot of experience learning what quarantine do and don't  allow.

 

@Aus Traveller has good advice in regards to the white sheet.

 

I did a cruise to Kiriwina this year and brought back several items including mats and baskets. Even a coconut hat that initially was still green.

 

I do however take a torch and can of surface spray. Give them a good inspection and fumigation in the bathroom.

 

If I am in an outside or balcony room I will then leave items up against the window/door to get the sun.

 

 

@arxcards Is right about thorough inspection and making sure items are not made with prohibited products. The kundu drums for tourists have started to be made with artificial skins now, so those are the ones people want to look for. The ones made with lizard, fish skin etc will most likely get confiscated due to it being a protected species. 

 

 

Edited August 28 by Mycruiseobsession
Typos.

[cruiser3775]

I bought back some beautiful wood carvings from Kiriwina and  woven bag from Rabaul. I washed the bag in my sink on the ship, and sprayed the carvings with Bushmans. Also inspected them carefully for borer holes. All items were inspected by Aust Quarantine and passed OK.

[Gwendy]

18 hours ago, Sparky74 said:

I’m slowly recovering from what I expect is influenza which I succumbed to on our recent cruise. In time, I'll try to give some tips for Papua New Guinea. It certainly is a beautiful and fascinating place. Lovely people who exist with very little material wealth. A third world country (is that term still politically correct? 🤷‍♂️) on our doorstep. We are keen to visit there again and hope that it continues to offered as a cruise destination. 
 

When we disembarked in Brisbane we noticed that many passengers submitted their souvenirs for inspection by Boarder Force. Timber carvings seemed allowed into the country without too much issue. Baskets were another matter and we observed several large transparent garbage bags of surrendered baskets.

 

So our top tip for PNG would be, don’t buy the baskets!

Sorry to hear you have been ill.  I have also succumbed to a nasty chest infection, started on Saturday morning when we disembarked/. Lots of coughing in the last few days around the ship.  Get well soon.

[Sparky74]

1 hour ago, Gwendy said:

Sorry to hear you have been ill.  I have also succumbed to a nasty chest infection, started on Saturday morning when we disembarked/. Lots of coughing in the last few days around the ship.  Get well soon.

Thanks. Not having a great day today but maybe I over did it by mowing the frond yard yesterday.

I ended up missing Conflict Island. DW when ashore and said it was lovely but I stayed in bed and coughed and sweated, and sweated, and sweated... I was off my tucker (which is highly unusual) and the following night DW reckoned I was about the same colour as the sheets!

[Jean C]

14 hours ago, Sparky74 said:

Thanks. Not having a great day today but maybe I over did it by mowing the frond yard yesterday.

I ended up missing Conflict Island. DW when ashore and said it was lovely but I stayed in bed and coughed and sweated, and sweated, and sweated... I was off my tucker (which is highly unusual) and the following night DW reckoned I was about the same colour as the sheets!

Oh dear, you poor thing, it's not fun when you get sick, especially while on holiday. Get well soon and give the chores a miss for a while.

[Aus Traveller]

16 hours ago, Sparky74 said:

Thanks. Not having a great day today but maybe I over did it by mowing the frond yard yesterday.

I ended up missing Conflict Island. DW when ashore and said it was lovely but I stayed in bed and coughed and sweated, and sweated, and sweated... I was off my tucker (which is highly unusual) and the following night DW reckoned I was about the same colour as the sheets!

Sorry to hear you were so crook. Get well soon. 🙂

[Sparky74]

2 hours ago, Jean C said:

Oh dear, you poor thing, it's not fun when you get sick, especially while on holiday. Get well soon and give the chores a miss for a while.

The trouble is that the lawn isn’t going to cut itself. And the weather has turned so warm!

I think I'll try to. do just a little bit each day. At least I feel like I’m making progress. 

[OzKiwiJJ]

12 hours ago, Sparky74 said:

The trouble is that the lawn isn’t going to cut itself. And the weather has turned so warm!

I think I'll try to. do just a little bit each day. At least I feel like I’m making progress. 

Then again, it probably won't hurt it to grow a bit more for once. I read somewhere a while back that it is beneficial to allow lawns to grow a bit more in warm weather - I think it was something to do with protecting the roots or retaining moisture. 

 

Take it very easy! You don't want a relapse! I'm still struggling to recover from the cough I caught on the world cruise. I think I tried to do to much after we got home and paid the price for a few days  I'm being more careful now and are noticing the slow improvement.

[OzKiwiJJ]

I bought a small wooden bowl back from PNG a few years ago. It had obviously been treated against borer or whatever as it had a very strong smell. I declared it on our return and the customs guy had a good laugh - I had it sealed in layers of zip-lock bags so it didn't make everything in my bag smell. He checked it out though but it was OK. 

[Sparky74]

9 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Then again, it probably won't hurt it to grow a bit more for once. I read somewhere a while back that it is beneficial to allow lawns to grow a bit more in warm weather - I think it was something to do with protecting the roots or retaining moisture…

The trouble is that it’s getting difficult to see the house! 🤣

[buchhalm]

Back to the baskets!

Are people (under the age of 80) really buying those fugly things?

[Sparky74]

That’s enough mowing for today. Time for a rest!

[OzKiwiJJ]

You need one of these!

 

[arxcards]

11 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

You need one of these!

 

Even better if it is smart enough to return to the recharging dock and it mows a bit each day while you are cruising.

[Gwendy]

17 hours ago, buchhalm said:

Back to the baskets!

Are people (under the age of 80) really buying those fugly things?

 

11 hours ago, arxcards said:

Even better if it is smart enough to return to the recharging dock and it mows a bit each day while you are cruising.

Saw a lot of 30/40 ish people buying the string bags.   Couldn’t pay me to buy one.

[Jean C]

17 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

You need one of these!

 

My neighbour has one that looks like the same model. I was skeptical at first but 4 or 5 years on it's still mowing away and does a good job. Yes, it goes back to its docking station when it needs recharging, and comes out approx every 3 days to do its thing, rain, hail or shine 😊

[mr walker]

4 hours ago, Jean C said:

Yes, it goes back to its docking station when it needs recharging, and comes out approx every 3 days to do its thing, rain, hail or shine 😊

All good as long as it picks up the hose & anything else on the lawn, & can open & close the gates 😳

[OzKiwiJJ]

12 hours ago, Jean C said:

My neighbour has one that looks like the same model. I was skeptical at first but 4 or 5 years on it's still mowing away and does a good job. Yes, it goes back to its docking station when it needs recharging, and comes out approx every 3 days to do its thing, rain, hail or shine 😊

The one in my photo was spotted in Finland, at a lovely estate where our tour stopped for lunch. They had at least two of them and their lawns looked immaculate.

[arxcards]

1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

The one in my photo was spotted in Finland, at a lovely estate where our tour stopped for lunch. They had at least two of them and their lawns looked immaculate.

That one looks like one of the established brands, Husqvarna. For smaller lawns, they are pretty good value - but I wouldn't be game to let it out of my sight let alone have it mow when I am not home.

[Jean C]

Sorry, we've gone off topic. My neighbour's lawn is 2000m2 or half an acre. I didn't think the robo thingy would be up to the job but it's been reliable. Apparently, for the GPS models (not sure for next door's as their boundaries are set with buried wires), although there is nothing to stop anyone picking the thing up and taking it away, the GPS ones have a built in locator. We're in a gated community so we're pretty safe, however I wouldn't want one on a site with a lot of passing foot traffic and maybe late night youths who've been out on the town and are up for no good hijinks ( sorry, youths). The blades have to be replaced regularly and the initial cost seemed steep (about NZD5,000), but it's paid it's way.  You can set them to mow only when you want them to if that's what you want, and they sense and avoid any objects on the lawn so nothing is mown over my mistake. Pretty clever little critters!