My eyes widened as I walked around the store on center at
Ukarumpa. Marshmallows?? Campbell’s Chunky Soup?? Reese’s Pieces?! I snatched
up a box of Reese’s Pieces because you never know how long things will stay in
stock here. In addition to products that are available in PNG, the store ships
in some items from Australia and the US (which means $9 for a box of Cheez-Its
and sometimes waiting a while for things to be restocked!). I was so excited to
see my favorite candy on the shelf and to see a few things from home that I
hadn’t seen in several months.
As soon as we got back from the store, I tore into the
Reese’s Pieces and stuffed a handful in my mouth. To my chagrin, they tasted
like an attic! I feebly attempted to air them out all day and kept trying a few
here and there in the vain hope that they would somehow start tasting like
Reese’s again. Unfortunately, they never stopped tasting like an old attic.
That’s the risk you run into here, with grocery orders sometimes staying in
storage for a long time because they’re shipped by slow boat and then have to
go through customs. One time a supply of food got here tasting like soap!
Thankfully we haven’t had the Reese’s experience with any
other foods. And the fresh produce available is incredible! Three days a week,
local villagers come to Ukarumpa to sell their garden produce at the market.
Table after table is filled with pineapples, bananas, strawberries, passion
fruit, carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, sweet potatoes, beans, and on and
on… Beyond the food tables are displays of local craft items for sale, like
woven wool bags and wood carvings. Even if you don’t buy anything, it’s fun to
go to market just to look at the wonderful items available!
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