Papua New Guinea

[Brendan]

Hi all, off to PNG for a job interview next week and looking to get some info from anyone who has been there lately.

There is a old thread but it's from 2005.

Job is a touring position with Air Niugini, 2 weeks on 2 weeks off in Port Moresby.

I know it's a very shit location but 2 months after getting made redundant I need to start considering everythinga dn this will allow me to remain in Melbourne.

[bush_basha]

i have been to madang and to port moresby, i was there with work so i didnt see much, in madang i have a couple of hours there, but in port moresby we had only a bus ride to and from the kakoda memorial. your right about it being a shitty location, my opinion i wouldnt work there or live there, there fires everywhere, most places have massive barbwire fences around, like jails, even a funeral home did, most people are out on the street because unemployment is very high over there, and everyone is high off beetlenut, lol.

[Brendan]

Well I took the job in PNG, been up here for 4 weeks, decided to do 5 weeks on 5 weeks off tours but am up here for 9 weeks this trip because there is heaps of work on.

Really enjoying it so far, the security situation is frustrating, nearly got robbed my first week when I forgot to lock my doors driving, guy opened the passenger door and grabbed my backpack, I grabbed it back and took off, lucky he didn't point a gun at me.

Other than that it good, the people I work with are great, both the expats and Nationals.

Company accomodation is good with a pool and BBQ area outside my apartment and a gym if I get keen. I'm in the apartmens attached to the Gateway Hotel at the airport. Also have a car provided by the company that we share. We have a core of expats who get together for a drink and dinner if we aren't working and have a good time, you'd go nuts without an outlet.

Working a lot of hours, I will have been here 4 weeks on Monday and this Sunday will only be my second day off, all 12 hr shifts so 72-84 hrs a week.

There is a nightlife here, from the bottom end of the market which is the Aeroclub at the airport (I started there :) ) to a couple of reasonable (and safe) nightclubs and there is also the yacht club in town.

So I'm pretty glad I took the opportunity to come up here, and the coin isn't too bad either.

[Pickles]

Glad it's all working out.
My wife was in New Guinea a year or so ago, when she trekked the Kokoda Track.
On the final night, before they flew home, the group went out "Clubbing"....the "local ladies" were right onto the Aussies!!!.....who were warned to be very careful...as the odds were that you would "get" more than you bargained for...if you know what I mean!
Cheers, Pickles.

[Brendan]

....the "local ladies" were right onto the Aussies!!!.....who were warned to be very careful...as the odds were that you would "get" more than you bargained for...if you know what I mean!

Yeah - the girls are always on the lookout for a new wallet.

I was spotted in a couple of minutes the first time I went to the Aeroclub as fresh meat, luckily most of them have heads like trucks so they are easy to resist.

It gets amusing later in the evening when they starting fighting over who was talking to you.

I know a few guys who have gone native up here and have married local girls or have local girlfriends - life with them is not boring to say the least, and if you piss them off they will deck you.

[QIKMIK]

I went to Port Moresby for work in 2005. We flew in around 2230 and hopped on a bus to the hotel. Unfortunately, noone seemed to know which hotel we were going to. We drove through town and ended up at the Hilton....big f*off fences, dogs and armed guards. We then found out that our hotel was about 200m from the airport in the other direction. :doh:

During our drive, the locals were just hanging around the streets. The next morning, we drove through town again to the Bomana War Cemetery and I swear the same folks we just hanging around, doing the same nothing they did 12 hours earlier. Bit of a shame really because it is such a beautiful country with heaps of potential.

Mick

[Brendan]

Back in Oz now - home 3 weeks early as my work permit was approved last Friday so have to exit the country to have my work visa processed.

Still enjoying it - here are a few pics...........

Night time in the hangar
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy343/mexiwi/PNG/IMG_0042.jpg
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy343/mexiwi/PNG/IMG_0045.jpg
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy343/mexiwi/PNG/IMG_0046.jpg

The heavy check aircraft I've been working on the last 2 weeks
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy343/mexiwi/PNG/IMG_0050.jpg
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy343/mexiwi/PNG/IMG_0052.jpg

And life outside the hangar........

Royal Papua Yacht Club
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy343/mexiwi/PNG/IMG_0054.jpg

Pool/Gym/BBQ area at the apartment
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy343/mexiwi/PNG/pool2.jpg

Having a couple of quiet beers after work
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy343/mexiwi/PNG/IMG_0073.jpg

[davus]

Be EXTREMELY aware of your surroundings, people around you, and your safety in general.

Car jackings, robbing, muggings, and even more serious crimes are comitted on a daily basis, more often than not against expats or tourists (including people working there). However they do

My cousin is AFP in port morseby, and even they will NOT drive after dark, nor will they stay out late. They might go out for dinner or something, but they are always back to the compund at a VERY reasonable hour.

They are not uniformed, so its not like they stand out.

Some of the stories I have heard from him chill the bone. I was offered a very very lucrative contract for 4 weeks over there, but after some of the stuff he told me, i turned it down............for me, not worth the risk. Each to their own, and im sure most people go there without incident.

But, if youre in the wrong place, at the wrong time, and not aware of whats going on around you, things can get very bad, very quickly.

Oh, and a word of warning, if you see a road accident....keep driving. Dont stop.

Dave

[Brendan]

Be EXTREMELY aware of your surroundings, people around you, and your safety in general.

Yes - it's not great - but common sense goes a long way. We've got day and night routes to the supermarket and if we have to go somewhere new our company driver takes us.

[cashie]

Good on you, glad you are enjoying it, make the most of it, i am certain you will look back later in life on this period as one of the fun times of your life.
What's your line of work, I take it you are a techo on aircraft of some sort?
Last time I was in PNG I pulled into Alotau on a Micronesian patrol boat to refuel. Not a lot there I will tell you...

[Brendan]

What's your line of work, I take it you are a techo on aircraft of some sort?

Yeah - aircraft engineer - do electronics.


Last time I was in PNG I pulled into Alotau on a Micronesian patrol boat to refuel. Not a lot there I will tell you...

We fly to Alotau - I haven't been out of Moresby yet. Once I settle into my pattern I'll stay on after my 5 weeks occasionally and do some tripping around - want to get out to Kavieng and go diving.

[WKGrange]

I love PNG yeh its not the safest but Australia isn't much better (epecially if your an indian in Melbourne). Have you tried out the Lamana yet (its around near the holiday inn) Friday nights are great there.

[toey]

was talking to a mate of mine yesterday who got back from png 3 days ago said the mine that he works at is always being shot at. in the last 6 weeks he was there they had 11 people shot and machinery is always being shot aswell. he said if it wasnt for the fact he is always underground apart from going and leaving work he wouldnt stay there.

[Brendan]

Have you tried out the Lamana yet (its around near the holiday inn) Friday nights are great there.

Spent a few Saturday nights there as Sunday is generally our only day off.

Nice place, and not bad scenery for PNG.

[Brendan]

Well, after 18 months the security situation caught up with me.

Drove into "secure" work car park 2 weeks ago at 6am. Parked car and got out, got bag, locked car started walking into hanger.

Saw someone running from gate but thought is was early crew, got better look and it was guy with a bush knife, went to run but he was on me, closely followed by guy with gun.

Put me down and kicked the shit out of my head, got a good black eye and bruising on my arms.

Took wallet, backpack with laptop camera ipod etc, took shoes, watch. Had car keys but they fell out of pocket and couldn't find them, took mates car as he had driven in in front of me.

Thought guy with gun was going to kill me, kept kicking me and was waiting for bullet.

In philippine sat the moment with my mate who was also robbed, he lives in Cebu.

Piss poor reaction from our f*ckwit Pakistani GM "was it a real gun", he'll keep, I know his address in Cairns.

Other senior management were more concerned, but no changes will be made so I'll go back from the philippines get my stuff and bugger off.

Was a good job with good people but I'd much rather be alive.

They found my mates car but not the perpetrators, which is a pity as the police would have killed them.

So looking for a job, yay.

[MarsVolta]

wow that sounds insane ! glad your ok and live to tell the tale.

[AndyP]

Good to hear your ok Bigfella....
Get yr ass back home & get some work over here instead ;)

[V8BEER]

Fark, lucky mate, like you said it could have been worse.

[dazzak75]

I used to work in PNG, I was up in the southern highlands, building the main camp for the airport to bring in all the LNG equipment, what finally made me decide to come home, was the safety issue, we had on our site, 1 arab and 1 chinese mechanic expat attacked, the mechanic had to get medivaced out as he got attacked with a machette.

We ended up having armed guards patrolling our camp, our other camp, had shots fired through it, and went into lockdown, we were in lock down for 6 days when the expats got attacked.

They know how to rort the system, and corruption runs rife through the place, if they want more, they do something to stop the project, and it doesn't matter what it is.

You have to be careful around Moresby too, it is not a very safe place, people get killed all the time, and as said previously, carjacking and robbery is second nature to them, they will do anything to get money, and if you show you have money, you will be a target, anytime anyday, it doesn't matter when it is to them.

[awesome _vzss]

Glad to hear your ok, that defently could of been a lot worse.
Defently a good decision to come back,just sad to hear a place like png which has a lot of good things going for it,be filled with such horrendous acts of crime and violence.

[motomk]

:( that does not sound good at all.
Glad you are ok. Are you still commuting to "Mexico city" occasionally?

[Brendan]

Well, I'm back in PNG after the Philippines trip.

Company is conducting a major security review and now I'm back into the work routine I'm feeling better.

Initial reaction was to just quit, but the job is one of the most satifsying I've ever had. So I'll see how i feel after this tour and let th company make th changes and reassess.
They are letting us work relaxed hours so we are travelling in daylight with escort so interim has been ok.

Will see how I go.

[Rick76]

Do you know any of these guys: Airlines PNG crash (http://www.news.com.au/world/passenger-plane-crashes-in-papua-new-guinea-report/story-e6frfkyi-1226166239176)

[Brendan]

Do you know any of these guys: Airlines PNG crash (http://www.news.com.au/world/passenger-plane-crashes-in-papua-new-guinea-report/story-e6frfkyi-1226166239176)


No, not personally, probably seen them down at the Aeroclub.

It wasn't one of ours, was the opposition, but I have a lot of friends who work there.

I have a fairly good idea what happened, but won't comment on it until the report comes out.

[old_mate]

my old man was supposed to head up there on friday for a stink in PNG - has been looking for work since he got made redundant from Sunstate.

For some reason they cancelled at the 11th hour.

after seeing this thread i'm kinda glad he isn't going!