I awoke to Al asking what time I had to be at the airport. I rolled over to look at my phone and almost had a heart attack when I realised I had slept through my alarm and was already late for my flight to PNG.
After getting ready in record time Al drove me to the airport (bless him!) and I was checked in and waiting to board well before time.
The flight to Moresby with Air Niugini was a pleasant surprise. The aircraft was new, the plane was small (but not too small) the food was good and the guy sitting next to me wanted to chat the whole way. Well maybe the last part wasn’t so great but at least he wasn’t snoring!
Arriving at Moresby was like arriving at most small Asian airports. Walking out into the humidity it reminded me of arriving in Phnom Pehn. The smells and sounds of the tropics…..aaaah. Following the relatively lax immigration, customs and quarrantine we headed over to the domestic lounge, a whole 200m down the road. The domestic terminal was a beacon of disorganisation and the sign on the way in was worthy of a photo, only I forgot my camera. It read:
Domestic Passengers
And
Weapons and Ammunition
This way
Welcome to PNG!
The flight to Lihir Island was in a Dash 8 and slightly less luxurious than the previous Air Niugini flight. You have probably heard me remark before that my Yolngu bretheren from NE Arnhem Land have a ‘smell that is all their own’….well I can now tell you that the New Guineans have their own individual scent as well. A small plane with 25 other New Guineans is one way to accelerate your cultural experience.
Our digs on the Island were better than anything I stayed in in Gove. The OBS boys and I shared a duplex which had three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a split level living area. AC all around and high ceilings to perpetuate the cool air only led to our high level of comfort.
After getting ready in record time Al drove me to the airport (bless him!) and I was checked in and waiting to board well before time.
The flight to Moresby with Air Niugini was a pleasant surprise. The aircraft was new, the plane was small (but not too small) the food was good and the guy sitting next to me wanted to chat the whole way. Well maybe the last part wasn’t so great but at least he wasn’t snoring!
Arriving at Moresby was like arriving at most small Asian airports. Walking out into the humidity it reminded me of arriving in Phnom Pehn. The smells and sounds of the tropics…..aaaah. Following the relatively lax immigration, customs and quarrantine we headed over to the domestic lounge, a whole 200m down the road. The domestic terminal was a beacon of disorganisation and the sign on the way in was worthy of a photo, only I forgot my camera. It read:
Domestic Passengers
And
Weapons and Ammunition
This way
Welcome to PNG!
The flight to Lihir Island was in a Dash 8 and slightly less luxurious than the previous Air Niugini flight. You have probably heard me remark before that my Yolngu bretheren from NE Arnhem Land have a ‘smell that is all their own’….well I can now tell you that the New Guineans have their own individual scent as well. A small plane with 25 other New Guineans is one way to accelerate your cultural experience.
Our digs on the Island were better than anything I stayed in in Gove. The OBS boys and I shared a duplex which had three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a split level living area. AC all around and high ceilings to perpetuate the cool air only led to our high level of comfort.
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