Friday, May 9: Another No-shower Quick Start; Up to the 7th Floor; Super Sunrise; Lean Buffet; Shuttle to Airport; Swift Checkin with Rueben; Gate Bingo; To Tari, Beefy FA; Paul the Manager; Ambua Lodge; Huli Village and Waterfall Hike With Steven; Birding Sans Birds

We had things ready to go, so after a quick shave etc. we went up to the 7th floor, where a glorious sunrise greeted us.

Curious about the airplane? It’s real, and attached to the 7th floor – well 6th, I guess, since it can be entered from there.

We did the breakfast buffet, but since I was finally getting concerned about my growing girth (Dana had been coaching me on it for several days), I opted for a little yogurt cup and some granola – well ok, also a small croissant and danish.

Back down at the room we got our stuff and went out to the lobby to wait for Reuben, who showed up without a car and accompanied us to the airport in the hotel shuttle. There was a long line of people waiting to get into the domestic terminal (security equipment at the entrance and cops only letting a few people get to that at a time) – not a problem for Reuben.

There were two lines, one for Bus class etc and another for other. We were other, since we had economy seats (all they had on our little plane) but Reuben got us past that check quickly, then whisked us through the security check, got us checked in and went with us to the internal security check to make sure we got through it. We did.

We entered a long departure hall that was filling up with people. At the end, opening onto the tarmac were 4 numbered Gate doors, with no one attending them. One incoming flight with passengers for a very large flight was delayed, holding up all of the other flights. Then the others started getting called. An amazing number of people streamed through the hall and passed through two of the doors while we waited, Finally our flight was called, likely down the priority list because of its size.

We got airborne pretty quickly, considering. Our FA was a huge guy who seemed out of place, especially on such a small plane. There was growing cloud cover as we went into the mountains, but when we landed at Tari the weather was ok.

I need to add that all along the way people were very friendly to us and downright kind, offering help and God’s blessing. While we were waiting for our luggage, a guy walked up to us in a well-worn jacket and said he was the manager at Ambua Lodge where we were to stay, as Indeed he was. Said his name was Paul and he was here to shuttle us up to the lodge, which he did, in an oldish bus, with John, our driver. Not an imposing impression.

Turns out that the lodge has been struggling to get going again after getting trashed by COVID when they laid off all staff, and, desperate for guests, it’s likely they now have to moderate hiring. After a short drive up 7000 feet we reached the lodge, which made a very good impression, exterior…

and interior.

Paul gave us a briefing and showed us to our room and we got settled and returned for a very nice lunch. Four places were set and we were later joined by a young Polish couple, Olga and Andrew.

The weather got a little wet, but around two we went down the hill in the bus with Steven, the lodge guide, to a break in the grass that led to a Huli village. We saw a woman planting a crop in a fresh, round earth mound…

one of many in what I had not realized was a crop field. Pretty sure the mounds are for aeration, but also where the debris from a harvested crop is put back into the soil. Steven explained that the soil is then so so fertile that no other fertilizer is needed.

We went on to a where other women were sitting together doing various handicrafts for essentials. They were wearing traditional clothing, and face painting etc. – likely for the pics. Per Steven, 25% of the population in the countryside still lives this way.

I will likely be using pics rather than photos for awhile. We will be beyond good wifi for several days, relying solely on our phones as hot spots.

Wherever we are going the kids love to come around – these as we left the village.

They love to shake hands, do fist bumps etc, and they don’t ask for anything in return.

We went on up the road to another path that led us into a waterfall.

Back at the place we hung our wet clothes to dry, did a little unproductive birding, and then miscellany til dinner – same after til turning in, Dana again quite early.