This is part of the fourteenth section of our around the world trip. Today was a day of mixed successes and inconveniences. Airlines PNG wouldn't let us board without an onward ticket PNG immigration rules which is pretty normal, and airlines are often fined for carrying passengers without one. We purchased a fully refundable return ticket, and showing how silly some rules are we cashed it in on arrival to Port Moresby, negating its purpose, but the funds won't return to our credit card for another week.
The connecting flight to Lae was delayed, almost two hours while they changed a tyre and worked on the brake lines, not a confidence builder, so we arrived at Lae airport after dark. There were many westerners on the flight, all appeared to be either mine support workers or missionaries, and were collected by waiting vehicles.
We caught a balus bus, the airport public bus, stopping at most hotels in town we noticed how full their car parks were with 4x4's, and felt the mining boom has arrived in Lae, gateway to most highland mines. It had taken 14 hours from leaving last night's bed to tonight's and we ate at the hotel, no-one of sane mind walks Lae after dark, and there are no taxi's in the city, the second largest in PNG.
It was a friendly walk to the nearest bus stop, people offering us morning wishes, and again walking after we hopped off the bus at the markets, heading for the shipping agents. The bike had arrived on the 9th, a week ago, and had been stored at the wharf warehouse. Henry Kabala of Deugro PNG, shipping agency, welcomed us, arranged for his customs clearance staff to assist, and after a meeting with Sibabel Kobua, manager of revenue, customs operations, we were given permission to import the motorcycle, temporarily, without duty.
Paperwork, much paperwork was being completed while Kay and I, after clearance to enter the port area, uncrated the motorcycle with fifty dock workers looking on and offering assistance where required. The crate was stored at the wharf for onward shipping. The motorcycle's battery was low and wouldn't start the bike, but a jump start trolley, generously offered, did the trick and we were riding in Papua New Guinea by 3. Our hotel, along with all others, is surrounded by a high fence, many have razor wire on top.
