We finally arrive in PNG in the morning sunshine, negotiate our way through the reefs and anchor at Bagaman Island in clear turquoise waters, and the last 10 days are instantly forgotten. This is Sam Abel’s place, Sam’s known Hans for years, probably since he first started coming here 10 years ago, I met him last year and he looks like Samuel L Jackson, so I think he’s dead cool. The people here have very little, particularly Sam’s family as so few yachts anchor on this side of the island. Most people anchor at the village on the other side of the island since it’s in the cruising guides – yachties are sometimes quite similar to backpackers with their Lonely Planets. The kids here are dressed in rags - big dirty t-shirts full of holes falling off their shoulders - but you can make their day with a balloon and a few lollies. The families have no money to buy basics like flour, tea, sugar or rice, all they have is what they can grow in their gardens – cassava, taro, sweet potato, pawpaw, coconuts, cooking and eating bananas, and ibeka – and fish of course.

I spend my days here swimming and snorkeling, and playing games Priscilla and Emmanuel on the beach - they're amazed by our pale skin, hairy legs (not mine I hasten to add) and the fact that we wear shoes. They giggle and call us 'dim-dims'....

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