Day 2 - Bulolo, PNG Highlands

Our day started early with a 9 am flight to Bulolo with TropicAir.  It didn't take very long to load our luggage and we were all aboard ready for take-off.  Now, I have to tell you, I'm not fond of small planes and although this plane seated 8 it was with some trepidation that I boarded the plane and took my seat.  But all my worries were unfounded as we had terrific flight to Bullolo, even though we flew through some heavy cloud.  Our pilot, Matthew, took off and landed the plane without a single bump and we all congratulated him!

Our plane

All aboard

Leaving Moresby

White out!

Flying into Bulolo was fantastic.  We flew through a long, densely forested valley before making our turn towards the airstrip.  We were greeted on arrival and made our way to Tony's home. The colonial style home with beautifully manicured lawns sits atop the highest hill in the township.

Looking down the hill towards the village from Tonys house

Stepping inside the home, the air-conditioning was a pleasant relief. We were shown to our rooms and then made our way to the dining room for a refreshing chicken salad lunch.  After lunch we all piled into two cars to be driven to PNG Forestry for a guided tour around the mill.  We started our tour from the beginning when the logs are brought into the mill to be eventually turned into either plywood or sawn timber.  We also visited the furniture factory where some beautiful pieces of furniture were being assembled and looked over the beginnings of a timber bridge.  We then went to look at the new boiler that is almost completed.  The steam from this boiler is used in the plywood process.

Explaining the plywood process.  I had no idea how plywood was made and now have a great deal of respect for the process.

Each sheet is carefully checked for knots and faults and filled with putty

Lining up the log as it comes into the mill.  The laser cross has to be perfectly centrally aligned at both ends.  Can you see the mirror at the other end of the log?

These three timber girders are the beginning of what will become a very sturdy bridge

The furniture factory.

We then drove a short distance out of Bullolo to check out the cattle that are feed to the residents of the community.  Of course, as cattle growers, we were very interested in this. We were also taken for a drive around the 9 hole golf course.  It is a credit to the groundsmen who keep this course in tip top condition.
We arrived home to have a shower and a short rest before drinks at the Bulolo Golf Course Clubhouse.  I thoroughly enjoyed sitting on the back deck, sipping rum and coke, and looking out over the lush golf course.  My son and daughter in law would have loved this place!

Bullolo Golf Clubhouse

After a couple of drinks it was back home for cocktails and nibbles before sitting down to a three course meal prepared by a local chef.  We feasted on soup, followed by a choice of roast beef or roast chicken with either vegetables or salad and ended with fresh fruit and cheesecake.

The beautiful wood panelled dining room

Hot Buffet

Cold Buffet

The wine and conversation flowed easily and it seemed all to soon to say goodnight to or wonderful friends and tuck up in our very comfortable bed for the night.  We were already excited for what lay ahead the next day.

I'm back!

We have just returned from our holiday to PNG and Singapore.  We spent five days in PNG and six days in Singapore and could easily have stayed for many more days in both places.  As far as the two countries are concerned, you could not get two more different.  PNG has a population of almost 8 million living on 462,840 sq kms and Singapore has a population of 5.8 million living on just 719 sq kms.  Singapore was originally 581 kms but has increased its size through land reclamation.
Over the next few days I will write a little about the places we visited and my thoughts on each.  I wish that I could have taken my laptop to write a little on my blog each day, however we had strict weight limits to adhere too.  Anyway I will do my best at remembering each day.
Day One began on Wednesday the 7th June.
We had pre-arranged to pick up two of our travel companions from Kuranda so that we could drive together to the airport for our 11am flight to Port Moresby aboard Air Nuigini.  When we left home that morning the temperature was hovering around 10 degrees celsius.  When we arrived in Port Moresby it was 30 degrees and that was pretty much the temperature for our whole holiday!
We had all purchased our flights in November last year when Air Nuigini ran a very "special" rate for business class seats. We were very grateful for this fare that included access to their lounge areas as we spent many hours waiting for flights....more than we had anticipated!

Micheal, Kate, Jane and Philip in the Air Nuigini Lounge

When we arrived at Cairns International Airport our friend Jane was already waiting for us so we quickly made our way through check-in and customs.  We all did some duty free shopping, mostly wine and champagne, because we were warned it was very expensive to purchase in PNG.
Our flight was on time and although the plane was old, the service was good and the food quite reasonable.  It was only an hour and a half flight to Moresby and the time passed very quickly.

Our flight meal

Port Moresby from above

Port Moresby looks very similar to Townsville from the air.

Our host and friend, Tony, was at the airport to meet the five of us and I felt a little sorry for his wait as it took us ages to pass through customs.

The highway from the airport to downtown Moresby

View from Tony and Linda's apartment

A Panoramic view

Tony took us straight to his amazing apartment overlooking the harbour, and after showing us around, made his departure back to work.  We had strict instructions to be ready by 5pm for a harbour cruise aboard the company boat.  It was a birthday celebration for Tony's daughter as well as a get together.  It was here that we finally caught up with Tony's wife, Linda.
It was a fabulous balmy night about the boat.  The champagne flowed and the food just kept coming.  Amongst other things we feasted on seafood and sushi.  The company was lovely and the night seemed to end all too soon.  Tony told us that we would have an early flight to Bullolo the next day so a good nights sleep was called for.  A brilliant end to the first day.

Our boat awaits us

Tony, Kate and I.  The start of a brilliant holiday.

Coral Coast Triathlon

The Coral Coast Triathlon is Australia's oldest triathlon and it starts and finishes on the iconic Four Mile Beach at Port Douglas.  It is such a lovely place to hold a triathlon and the weather today, despite the forecast, really was perfect.  Is it any wonder southerners flock to this area at this time of the year.  The Coral Coast Triathlon is the lead-up to the 70.3 Triathlon held next weekend in Cairns and the triathletes seem to enjoy this short course.
Philip decided at the beginning of the year that he wanted to do this one and I'm sure he was pleased that he did.   This is his third triathlon in as many months and will probably be the last for 2017.  Hubby had me out of bed quite early (for me!) this morning so that he could be at Port for the 6.15 am sign-on and numbering that was very well organised and took no time.  After setting up his bike in the transition area we made our way along Four Mile Beach to the starting point.
It was a glorious morning and although the surf looked rough, by the time the race started it had flattened out considerably.  Philip was not happy with his swim time and struggled with his stroke.  We talked about this after and he is going to go to Swim Fit classes next year.
After the 750m swim it was a quick run to the transition area and on his bike for the 20km ride that he did in very good time.  The course is very flat, unlike the previous triathlon in Yungaburra that is very hilly!  After the bike ride it is a change of shoes and then straight into the 5km run along Four Mile Beach.  Once again Philip did it easily and crossed the line in 5th position for his age group.
I am always so proud of him as it is no easy feat to complete a triathlon.  Something I could never do!

Pre-race nerves

Setting up the buoys for the swim leg.

And they are off!

Philip on the second lap of the bike leg

End of the bike leg

Start of the run leg

One lap down, one to go

Heading for the finish line

What a week......!

Whewww.  This week is finally over and what a week it's been.
On Monday the bitumen road was completed and while that was happening we fired up the new chipper/mulcher and used it to mulch the trimmings from the geisha girls along the shed wall.

Tuesday we had friends come for lunch.  I cooked up beef rolls and spiralized some carrot and zucchini to go with it, along with a potato bake.  Our friends brought a lovely "bubbly" to have with lunch.  I recommend this one - Clover Hill.

These beef rolls are stuffed with a mixture of sausage meat, beef mince, b

Wednesday we drove to Townsville for an appointment with the financial adviser.  We stayed in our room on Wednesday night to watch State of Origin and really wish we hadn't!  It was disappointing to see Queensland lose.
Thursday we had our early appointment and then drove home but not before we had a delicious breakfast at Raw Energy.

Eggs Benny

We drove home via the Atherton Tablelands as we had to pick up meat from the Tolga Butcher.  We normally have the mobile butcher come to slaughter and cut up our meat but this time we decided to try something different.  I must say it was a whole lot easier.

We had lunch at a great little place in Atherton called Troys Coffee Lounge.  It is highly recommended if you are ever in the area.  I ordered "Micheals Hamburger", and it was home-style cooking at its very best.

Friday I caught up on some work in the office after our meeting with the advisor and then quickly showered and dressed to run down to Port to shop groceries and post Marco's birthday present.  What a lovely surprise I had at the post office to receive a Mothers Day care package from Marco and Suzie!

Saturday, surprise, surprise was actually a quiet day and a good day to catch up on the washing and ironing to be packed in our suitcases in readiness for our upcoming trip to PNG and Singapore.

Roadworks

We finally have an all weather bitumen road..... and it has only taken ten years 😁
The decision to bitumen the road came this year when we had an exceptionally heavy fall of rain during the wet season that "washed out" the road very badly.  It would have been very expensive to repair, almost as expensive as laying bitumen so it was a no brainer really.
It took three days to form the road ready for the bitumen.  A local friend did the job for us with the use of his excavator, bob-cat and a borrowed roller.  We used our tractor with the spray tank to keep the road damp and it worked well.  I hadn't realised that there was quite so much work involved in road formation but when the men from Pioneer arrived to lay the bitumen they were very pleased with the foundation so it was worth taking the time to do it right.
The process of laying the bitumen is quite involved.  First comes the tip truck to lay the black stone screening that is then rolled into the road.  Next comes the spraying of the bitumen, by hand in places where the truck can't get close enough.  The last load of screenings is then laid over the bitumen and then rolled.  We chose red stone as the top coat as it blended nicely with the road that we already have in front of the house.  I love how the finished road looks.  We still have to finish with filling a few gutters with stone on either side of the new road but there is no rush for this.

The road formwork begins

Philip rolling the formed road

Our little tractor used for watering

Top dressing the bitumen with the red stone

The last roll

From this.......

To this.....

And this.....

To this.....