Still in a blur from the previous day, we arrived at Heathrow on Sunday night to check in the absolute minimum amount of luggage that experienced travellers are practised at packing, and were horrified to see a whopping 64kg register on the scales. Surprise number two was being asked for our Australian VISAs (excuse me!?!). Fortunately these can now be ordered paid for and collected over the counter in a total of less than five minutes. Hang on a minute, we aren't going to Australia, we're going to Papua New Guinea, we're only passing through Cairns. That'll be $20 please. Had we really spent a long time planning this trip?
Four hours later (2am), as all the passengers and luggage had to be taken off plane number one and loaded onto plane number two (identical, except for a few more working parts, evidently) we did begin to wonder about missing the connection at Singapore, and so the flight from Cairns, the onwards flight from Port Moresby, and inevitably our first week's diving. It's true, most of the ghosts are in the mind...
Safely arrived at Madang, on the north coast of PNG, our trip proper started off on Moonlighting, a dive boat belonging to Tony & Lorraine Collins. Tony is no stranger to spearfishing, and one day we were able to witness him narrowly beating the competing sharks to our supper. Our tour took in the islands of Long, Crown, and Bagabag, and included time for a little uninhabited island exploration. Seizing upon the nearest hanging vine, Ralph decided to try a tarzan impression, and got rather more than he bargained for.
The week's diving was great, Tony & Lorraine were excellent hosts, and we even got to name a new dive site. Our choice...
