Mark_Murphy Meanderings

Well this time it is only the Murphy person on this trip. I am off to Tabubil in PNG to teach Certificate IV in Training and Assessment to 12 Nationals from the Ok Tedi Mining Company. I am quite excited at the prospect of dealing with a new culture and climate. From their CV's they are all very well educated and hold some form of trade certificate ot degree in fact I feel a little under educated compared to some of them. Time will tell as to how the course will go but I am sure I will give it a red hot go as usual. I finished my contract at Sargeant Transport on the Friday the 28th of May and then flew out to Cairns on the morning of the 30th. Oh I still managed to spend the Saturday out out in the Wombat State Froest doing a road closure for a rally. Life is never dull lately! Sunday afternoon we (Myself and Brad Shaw from GippsTafe) headed out to soak up the atmosphere and some liquid of the Cairns waterfront. The food was delicious but it must of been very salty as we seemed to have to drink alot afterwoods. Then of course we had to dance alot to get rid of all the excess liquid - my version and I am sticking to it! Monday was a slow start, then a haircut (search fee) for me and a quiet coffee and morning tea before returning to the Airport for the Dash 8 flight to PNG via a fuel mstop on Horne Island. The flight felt slow and after 2 hrs we stopped off at Horne Island for fuel and then on to Tabubil with a sceduled flight time of 1.5 hrs weather permitting. Well the weather wasn't permitting so we had to head back south for about 45 mins until the rain and cloud cleared enough for a descent into Tabubil. And what a descent it was! Traight down a hole in the clouds and hey presto we were in a narrow valley over a river and flying very close to trees, banks and the water. Awesome scenery and very very close up! We followed the river for about 12 klms until we got up to the strip at Tabubil. He flew it like a crop duster - an absolute buzz and I figured he din't want to crash just as much as I did so I just sat back and enjoyed the show. Haven't had a trip like this since the high speed taxi ride when we landed in Rome. On arrival in Tabubil we laboured through the customs check, thorough but slow, and then we were dropped off at The Lodge which is very basic accomodation but clean and sufficient. After the mandatory induction session we were taken to the Hash Harriers Club where we were welcomed by all and sundry and of course initiated into the club. You have to skull a glass of beer and what you fail to drink you have to pour over your head. It is called having to do a 'Down Down" My head stayed dry!