We walk into the Domestic Terminal at the Port Moresby Airport and the first thing we notice is that we are the only white people anywhere. We can’t figure out where we to check in so Murray asks an employee with a vest on and he directs us to a line and tells us check in opens at 7:30. It is about 7:15 and we are second in the line. A lady with two children pulls in beside us and asks if we are going to Alotau and I say “Yes, are you?” And she says “Yes” with a big smile. She is from there. She seems tickled that she is going to where we are going as once inside the boarding gate area, she comes to sit with us. Her little girl watches us with huge eyes.
One employee was controlling the lines for two check in counters and did a pretty good job of it. Friendly guy. The lines are held behind the queue ribbons and only two people are let through at a time for each counter. It prevents mass pandemonium at each counter, I think.
Once we are checked in, we proceed through security. They are doing the procedures but it is pretty lax. Murray walked through the metal detector and the light turned red, but nothing was done about it. Maybe they figure a white guy is not a threat. All the carry on bags went through the X-ray but I did not see one get pulled aside to be checked.
There are four gates, but only two seem to be used, and mostly just one. After watching several plane loads board, we think the system is very efficient. No ID is being checked, just boarding passes. The ceiling is acoustic tile and the PA system is pretty good, so all the announcements are understandable. They have their systems down pretty efficiently.
We are early for our flight, so sit and people watch. We are counting white folks. For the number of folks who board flights, the proportion of light coloured skin is extremely tiny.
I enjoy seeing what the women are wearing. Many of them have dresses in bright and wild fabrics. Many ladies, and men too, are carrying a big bag in bright colours and knit or crocheted. I remark to Murray that the green one would make a great throw pillow on our living room chairs. mmmmmm…..
Our flight is called and we take off early. Looking out the window of the plane shows me the countryside is quite hilly and untraveled. No logging, no roads, virgin forest, many streams winding to the ocean. Settlements are located on the rivers or near the ocean. Fisher people.
We are in Alotau and it is 36C, hot. We are taking it easy today and tomorrow will get a ride to the centre of town. We will walk around in the morning for a short while and get a ride back to the hotel. That is the plan….we will see what the morning brings.