I leave Australia for New Guinea

An Ansett-ANA T-Jet takes me to New Guinea

It’s been a while since I’ve been on an International flight and I board the Ansett plane with apprehension. I don’t know what awaits me in Papua New Guinea but I’ve come to Australia not knowing what to expect so I guess the feeling is similar. The flight is pleasant and when we land a few hours later and disembark at Port Moresby Airport, I find out what I can expect. The temperature is very high, in the mid 30’s and the humidity is very high as well.

It’s Saturday when I arrive and Willie Steiner, the other electrician and a Swiss compatriot from Basel meets me at the airport. We climb into his ute and drive 50 metres to the Gateway Hotel.

I need to pick up Mathew, he says, but first we have a beer. I don’t object, it’s so very hot and humid. We park the ute and walk up the stairs to the lounge bar. There are some more Carrier fellows there, mostly sheet metal workers and we have a few beers and a counter lunch, before Willie says it’s time to go. We go back to the ute. Willie whistles and  a small black man comes running along and jumps in the back. Hey, Matu, meet nu-pela boss-man, Willie says to the black man at the back. That's Mathew, one of our our boys, he says to me. Mathew just stares at me, says nothing.

You don’t mind if we just go and have a look at a job, Willie asks me. No, of course not, I reply. I suggest Mathew sit up front with us, I’m worried about him at the back. Don’t be silly, Willie says, the boys always travel at the back, they’re used to it.

We drive towards Boroko but head towards the Army Camp. There we’re greeted by an Australian soldier at the guard house who obviously know Willie because we drive straight through and the soldier just smiles and waves to us. We continue through the base until we come to an unfinished building.

Willie takes me into the unfinished plant room and tells me that’s where I’ll be working next week. It’s very hot and reminds me of Mt Isa.

Mathew is no longer on the ute. Willie calls his name, we wait for a while but Mathew is no longer here.

Don’t worry, Willie says, he’s gone walk about, he’ll find his own way back. With that we’re back in the ute, heading towards town.

Are we going to Port Moresby now? I ask, No, we’ll go to the flat and settle you in, then we go to the Boroko RSL for a few beers, he replies. That’s fine with me in this heat I think.