On flight Mt Hagen to Goroka - a stop at Mount Aue

Mount Aue

On board the Twin Otter mostly teachers for school here ( plus Doug and Jacky and two New Tribes Mission Bible translators originally from US who are usually in the Philippines, going to Goroka - as we are!)

Approx 300 people in the village.

No regular flight to this strip - other than fly with MAF there is no other way in or out but to walk .but they call if need or have someone sick

2 days walk to Kundiawa - including a lot of up and down and crossing rivers (!)

Much discussion -all in Tok Pisin - about what we will then take to Goroka. Just two new people get in. They want to bring a couple of bags of coffee and several other bags.

There is a lot of discussion with the MAF contact/agent on the ground....

One of the pilots says he has lots of reasons why we says we should take the stuff as someone is ill and hasn't any money to send the freight and the original list the pilots have is all changed ...

They cross out the list, add new things, discuss more, calculate how many kina should be given for these revisions..

Radio calls back to Mt Hagen base and weighing all the bags and items follows in light rain..

Clearly sometimes you can't foresee what might happen once you've landed and how long all this will take !

Meanwhile Doug and Jacky chat with ladies in pigeon and Ruth takes photos and laughs with the kids who want to see their pictures ..!

Two ladies who have been chatting with Jacky give her some pineapples as we climb back on board :)

Taxi round. Lots of waving from the strip. Full power (which you can really feel in an 'Otter'). Off to Goroka.

 flying "over trees which look like broccoli"