Never a dull moment

It seems that a transmission mast linking communications between the north and south of PNG has broken down so no internet from Telikom for the last week – for that you need a large satellite disc as VSO have at their office here in Madang

News last week that the airport would be closing one day during the following week so that the runway could be repaired after a hole appeared. It seems that the bigger planes using the airstrip should really not use a runway of this length so they land heavily and brake hard to avoid going into Binnen harbour. At all events only the smaller craft can use the airport in the meantime and a number of people are finding there is no way out, especially as the only road just runs back and forth along the north coast but not to the capital Port Moresby.

Our visiting Australian planners arrived with their own travel difficulties but happily left before the present airport problems. I took them to a meeting with a major tuna canning factory but bossman had been called away to a meeting in Brisbane so I took them out into the countryside, got lost but met people (headmen and teachers) in a number of villages.  I took them to see the decaying Japanese war memorial with its stunning view across the sea to the Finistere mountains (Latin or Portuguese for ‘the end of the world’)  also to the feared Botanic gardens settlement set amidst luxuriant growth and around a good size lake – with 6’6” healthy Aussies I reckoned we would be safe and indeed were warmly welcomed, from there to the orchid gardens where the deputy town mayor resides and generally keeps the public out, he was in town somewhere so we didn’t get in – maybe just as well since the Parks officer found a python there a day or two later. I asked her to go back and get a photo but I she’s waiting for it to eat the deputy mayor first.

For the tsunami VSO evacuated all the Madang staff and local volunteers to a suburb 15Metres up and we hung about till the wave passed by. By the time we left our ocean-side restaurant it seemed clear that the wave would be no more than a metre high but the escape organisers were not going to let that stop their well planned exercise so we all dutifully complied and came back for a late bedtime after a 500mm wave hit the shore.  we also ferried a number of the resort staff, leaving just those who were on duty at the time - I think in a real disaster the idea of leaving others behind would be most difficult and of course it was that small part of the population who had cars or trucks who could move more than a mile or two. Still, all’s well that ends well.

...  I've also just had to give up a platonic relationship with local lady and her young son at the probably over protective insistence of VSO but persuading me that it is common for disappointed relatives in PNG to go in for chopping people up, sorcery etc. so that’s life.

Plenty more but for now just a note that a lady working for VSO went to the airport yesterday to pick up a friend and found that ‘rascals’ had driven into the protected car park and ambushed the mini bus of the luxury Madang Resort getting away with one visitor’s hand luggage, passport, laptop etc before driving away in front of everyone including the security guards.

another day another sunrise

Melisa street

Great North Motorway Bogia - Madang - Lae,  tasol (that's all)

Botanic Gardens settlement in town centre