We spend the day on 3 flights: Hagen-Sydney. 14 July

"May we remind you that smoking, and the chewing of betelnut is prohibited on this flight."   Public address directive on the Air Niugini flight from Mt. Hagen to Port Moresby.

A rather long and dreary day, punctuated by 3 flights:   Mt. Hagen-Port Moresby, Port Moresby-Brisbane, Brisbane-Sydney.  Only the 2nd one, to Brisbane was a tad late.   So Rachel has 2 flights left to make the wedding in Washington DC on time.   It's looking good that she will be wearing a slinky blue dress in the Greek Orthodox Cathedral in DC on 18 July.

We started the morning off in Hagen, not sad to leave dreary Mt. Hagen.    In Port Moresby we gather up our luggage, to recheck it for the two Australian flights.   While on the plane flying to Moresby we noticed a big group of whites on a National Geographic tour.   Each of the leaders and participants wore a big numbered, laminated tag, identifying them.   While this is probably a somewhat safer way to travel than as two lone women, we can't imagine that we would have had nearly the same trip as we did had we gone with a group.   Even after considering the drawbacks, we are glad we've arranged the trip as we did.

While waiting to retrieve our luggage in Moresby, I chat with an American-looking couple (who actually live in the Bahamas) and learn that they were just at Ambua Lodge a few days ago.   I tell them about our raskol experience, and they look quite alarmed.  No, no, they say, nothing like that happened to them.   They mention that one of their tour leaders is standing nearby and that I might like to chat with him about our experiences.   I introduce myself to him.   His name is Stuart Pimm, and it turns out he's a Professor at Duke, and knows Anne Yoder!   He's on the board of the Duke Lemur Center.   Small world, or what?   I show him that, in fact (tied around my waist as it's too hot now in Moresby for a fleece jacket) I'm in fact wearing the Duke Lemur Center Jacket that Anne presented me with.   He thinks this is brilliant.    We exchange some info about our trips, and he tells me that the group is off next to Rabaul (East New Britain, PNG) for a Mask Festival.  (I looked up photos of this on the Internet just now, and it looks like a wonderful event.)   Stuart is English, and he tells me that he's in the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke, and Chair of the Conservation Biology Department.   I explain that Rachel is just about to head off to Yale's Masters in Environmental Management program.  He clucks his tongue and smiles broadly, sorry to hear that "another one got away."   He tells me his website is www.savingspecies.org

A quick search on the Internet reveals that he's an avid birder, and knows a great deal about birds, biodiversity, conservation, global warming, etc.    One of his quotes:  "We have a moral responsibility to protect the world's 'special places' - those riches in biodiversity and most threatened by human advances.'  -- Dr. Stuart Pimm

I only chat with Dr. Pimm for a few moments, then quickly introduce myself to the photographer in the group, Chris Rainer (who is a Nat Geo photographer, and well-known.)   He's a nice guy, and I also see on the Internet that he's quite busy as a photographer.   We chat briefly and I return to Rachel, who is slightly annoyed that I've been off having all the fun 20 or 30 feet away, while she waits for the luggage (and faithfully guards our hand luggage).  Our bags come ofs the conveyer belt just then, and we quickly move on to check our luggage for our next connection.   I'm truly sad that we both couldn't have chatted with Stuart and Chris; I do think she'd have enjoyed those connections.   So sorry, Rachel!

I must admit that we generally get along quite well, better than one might expect.   Rachel has to be one of the kindest, most generous, most easy-going people I've ever met.  We're actually a lot alike, which is surprising, as you might think we'd get on each other's nerves.   But, remarkably, we don't.   We laugh together constantly.   And I can honestly say that we really have not had a cross word with each other the whole trip.   One for Ripley's.

The view from our room at the Four Seasons.   WOW!
That's the Harbour Bridge on the left (the one we climbed), and the
Opera House in the middle right. 

We have an uneventful flight to Brisbane, change planes running slightly late, and make the connection for Sydney.   We arrive in Sydney, meet our driver, and about 10pm, we arrive at the gorgeous Sydney Four Seasons Hotel.   We are shown to our room, a choice appointment on the 11th floor, in a glassed corner that overlooks (on the left) the Sydney Harbor Bridge (which we will climb tomorrow) and (on the right) the Sydney Opera House.   And a dazzling array of lights, not to mention the lovely harbor and a vast nighttime sky.   Stunning, stunning view, and we are delighted.   We collapse into our beds, and dream pleasant dreams.