Port Moresby Things to Do

For our final New Year's Eve (bringing in 1982) in Papua New Guinea, we headed out to sea with our Australian friends in their 26-ft. schooner. This time, we went to Local Island not too far from Port Moresby. It had quite a nice sandy beach that beckoned quite a few people out on day-trips.

We were joined there by some other friends and, since we planned to stay overnight, just lashed the two boats together for one big party! A day in the sun and water with a few cold beers and then we watched the sun go down! Our two eldest daughters were in Malawi, Africa visiting relatives over the Christmas holidays, so we only had to tend to our 18-month old Papua New Guinea-born daughter!

It was an idyllic way to bring in a brand new year!

The original Port Moresbians, the Motu people lived in houses on stilts above the water. As you drive along the coasts, you will see suburbs like these. This one is farly modern and well maintained. Some are no-go zones for strangers and tourists.

This is in the heart of the city centre where banks and financial institutions are based. Although its the CBD, the atmosphere still has a country town feel about it with lots of locals loitering and sitting idly along the footpaths. The South Pacific Bank is quite eye-catching. Next to it is the Deloitte Tower which houses multinational companies in PNG's.

Go to Waigani suburbs where all the government office buildings are. At the centre is the PNG Parliament House. It's described as the best PNG architecture. Built in the mid-1970's the architecture is undeniably modern but with a local twist. The facade has the finest example of PNG artwork. This is Port Moresby's iconic symbol.

This is a wonderful place to enjoy the view of the harbour while having a few beers with mates and watching cricket or footy. It's often patronised by expats that sometimes you forget you're in PNG. It's very civilised at the Yacht Club. Great food and stay for the suset views against row upon row of expensive yachts.

We were not the only ones enjoying our perch above the waterfront. The locals turned out in great numbers as well and a few of them were up there with us for the view.

Port Moresby was a magnet for people from all over the country. However, because of the several hundred tribal languages spoken in various isolated communities, they needed a common 'lingua franca' so they could communicate with each other. This language was the very ingenious 'pidgin' English, which actually makes some sense if you use it long enough. A few examples:

How much does that cost?
Em i kostim hamas?
(Him he cost how much?)

When will the plane arrive?
Wataim bai balus i kam?
(What time by airplane he come?)

Where are you from?
Yu bilong wanem ples?
(You belong what name place?)

A real favourite of ours was Crystal Rapids on the Laloki River. Once again, this was up in the mountains of the 800-m high Sogeri Plateau in a nicely wooded area of rain forest.

The water was clear and cool and flowed over a series of very nice rapids, including this one which had a deep pool at the foot of the waterfall. Everyone had a great time jumping off and then clambering back up for another go. This park was set up with picnic areas so it was a very pleasant way to pass a Sunday afternoon before descending back down to the heat of the coastal plain.

Our middle daughter is in the air and the eldest is about to join her!

Being from the Maritime Provinces of Canada, I have always liked looking around harbours. Port Moresby was no exception, so we paid a visit one day to view two unusual vessels anchored there.

The 22,300-ton 'Fedor Shalyapin' was a Russian cruiseship touring the South Pacific, with its next scheduled stop in Sydney, Australia. She actually began life in 1955 when she made her maiden voyage from Scotland as the Cunard liner 'Ivernia'. When Cunard cut back on the cruise business, she was sold to the Russians in 1973. After a long and illustrious career, this old lady finally came to rest in Ukraine where she languished dock-side for a few years before being broken up for scrap in 2004.

In the foreground of the photo is a famous Tall Ship, the 150-ton 'Eye of the Wind', with her bowsprit sticking out toward the right side. This topsail schooner was originally built in Germany in 1911 as the 'Friedrich' and she has been around the world a few times since then. The 'Eye of the Wind' has also featured in the movies 'Blue Lagoon', 'Savage Islands' and 'The Bounty'. Little did I know that I would run into her over 20 years later at the Halifax, Canada Year 2000 Tall Ships regatta! Completely refitted in 2001, this vessel can accommodate 30 passengers.