Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Bonefish and Facebook

I don't Facebook, but Tony has a face/page/profie (what is it termed?) which was set up to promote our business, Tony's Island Adventures.  Unfortunately for the business, Tony and I are hopeless at Facebooking and most things electronic and so the Facebook thing lies dormant most of the time.  Occasionally I will check to see what my two oldest sons are up to.  I want to make sure there are no dark outpourings that make sense when it's too late.  
     Often emails come from Facebook about so and so wanting to be friends or a comment by such and such.  Delete.  If I know the person, I'll flick them an email and have a good, old-fashioned e-conversation.
     Tony rarely Facebooks anything.  Last New Year he posted photos of bow hunting practice on Entrance Island, but that's about it.  
     This is where my story starts.
     Last Tuesday, 10th, Tony flew off to the Kiribati or Christmas Island which I understand is most of Kiribati.  He's on PD to learn how to catch bonefish with a fly rod.  I think it's a fly rod. A rod of some sort, anyway.  Bonefish, Tony told me, are a holy grail-type target for fisherpeople and there are plenty of bonefish in the Torres Strait.  A booming bonefish charter industry in the Strait comes to mind, yes?
     But there is one problem with Torres Strait bonefish - they're not fooled by a lure or fly.
     They are easily caught in nets (cast or set nets???), but despite hours and days of Tony trying to catch them with a rod, they have remained elusive.
     Hence the trip to Christmas Island.  He is learning how to catch them with a rod so he can offer bonefishing charters. 
     Or so he tells me.  It could be a giant fib, a clever plan hatched to get away on his own for eight long days of fishing on a small tropical island and claim he is working.  
     I'd love to know how he is going and what he thinks his chances are of catching bonefish at home, what a small, Pacific island is like, whether he is missing his family.  I am missing him dreadfully after our eight days together, alone, in Brisbane.
     But I have no idea where he is, other than Kiribati, or how to contact him.  
     He last phoned from Fiji on Tuesday, 10th September, waiting for his flight to Kiribati which left close to midnight.  
     I haven't been worried because I follow the ABC website and whenever Australians get into trouble overseas, there are always reports from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
     So far, so good, nothing.
     Last night, I was surprised to receive an email about a Facebook post from Tony Titasey.  So I logged on and there it was, a post from my darling.

being on xmas island is a awesome place,especially when you are fishing for bone fish. love it

Tony's gapu is desperate to speak to him.  I posted back.

Hello, my dear husband. Is that you posting information on Facebook about your professional development experience in Kiribati? Is there any possible way you could make contact with your family who haven't heard from you since Tuesday, 10 September. Your children are missing you. Much love, your wife.

No reply.  Then this today.

Tuesday today another great day of catching bone fish a total of 69 for the week. tomorrow flying home

I thought he was coming not tomorrow, Wednesday, but Thursday. I posted back. No reply.
A call or an email would be nice.
Oh, well.  We'll see him Wednesday or Thursday.  I won't care that he hasn't called.  I won't care than Kibby has driven me bonkers as his behaviour spirals further out of control as he misses his dad.  I just want him back.
I've been doing the single mum thing and working fulltime (new to teaching, obsessing about lesson delivery and managing behaviour, stuff that comes with being a Type A).  I am knackered.  I need Tony home to deal with his son.
If he would respond to a bloody Facebook post, I'd be able to communicate with him.

5 comments:

  1. That's where Jodie and JJ are living I told Tony when he first said he was going to Kiribati They are still in the navy and although third world Jodie likes it In fact didn't want to come back to Oz in December Hope kibby enjoys having Dad home for the school holidays :)

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  2. Tony asked after Jodie, Australians and a navy base, but the only non-Islanders were the few people running the accomodation. He was on Kirimati.
    What island are they on?
    He did say the third world conditions were difficult to take considering how easy life is here.
    But he still has a big smile on his face.

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  3. And Tony got back late yesterday and Kibby has announced he has a stomach ache (so he doesn't have to go to school on the last day of term)!!

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  4. They live at Tarawa and I think that is on Kiribati Hope Kibby is well :) and enjoying Dad

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  5. They live at Tarawa and I think that is on Kiribati Hope Kibby is well :) and enjoying Dad

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