MJ's, Parramatta

Spent yesterday with Maria Julia driving south along the coast until Kiama to see the Blowhole. On the way visited the Royal National Park, Sri Venkateswara Temple and Nan Tien Temple.

The day before booked a 10-day trip to Papua New Guinea (PNG) with Niugini Holidays. It's a custom-made tour taking into consideration our preferences not to spend (too much) time on the beaches and not to visit WWII sites, but rather the tribes and the village- and wildlife in the Highlands. Also the budget and safety concerns shaped the outcome quite much, e.g. we won't have domestic flights landing into fog-filled valleys where the pilot would have difficulties finding the runway, and the lodges where we stay have staff that is exclusively composed of non-cannibals. For reasons of high cost we decided to skip climbing Mt. Wilhelm and not to go to see the wigmen tribe.

This is the current (final?) schedule:

1. Flight: Cairns -> Port Moresby -> Mt. Hagen
2. Nature walks around Kumul Lodge to spot birds of paradise, orchids and marsupials
   
3. Transfer to Magic Mountain Lodge (via Mt. Hagen)
4. Village visits; Sing sing
5. Public Motor Vehicle (PMV): Mt. Hagen -> Goroka
6. Visit the Asaro Mudmen
7. PMV: Goroka -> Madang
8. Visit villages around Madang
9. Visit islands and snorkel around Madang
10. Flight: Madang -> Port Moresby -> Cairns

This afternoon will fly to Cairns.