Bui Chew

Okay so this photo looks like I am on a "B movie" horror flick, but it demonstrates the chemical reaction of the 3 ingredients.

Here am I chewing Bui for the first time, Yuck!! But it's fun....This foto was taken at Kokoda.
This is where the hike began for us.
We drove out of Buna in a PMV, after spending 2 days relaxing there. We drove for around 4 hours stopping in Popendetta along the way for snacks, lunch and to pick up some extra food items. We arrived at Kokoda town just after 3 and camped out at the hospital (actually we got to stay in one of the units they weren't using, complete with cold showers and toilets!!) just on the outskirts of the trailhead.

The group walked over to view the memorial site and the museum located near to the hospital. We got a 'before the trek' group shot, looking quite clean and eager to start hiking.

Just before supper, was the time I got offered some bui, so Shannon (one of the guys on our trek) and I chewed and chewed and spat and spat (trying our best not to gag on the pulp and modifying our spitting technique). I kept getting the thumbs up from our amazing group of Papua New Guinean porters. I think they were surprized that I tried it (Long Long Mary) because most western women turn it down for fear of the red teeth (I assume).
It was definitely an experience for the books. The extreme dry mouth you get from the bitter bitter, betel nut, then the acrid heat from the Lyme (not to be confused with lime) and Mustard bud. All mixing together in your cheek to create a 5 minute buzz.....It's a very social event in PNG to stand around and chew. What a neat culture!