Following the PT6 course in Sydney I was expecting to return to PNG. During the course I was still awaiting my work permit to come through. Come the end of the first week of the course, I received news that my work permit had been issued after a three month wait. Which was a big praise point. It looked like I would be able to return to PNG on my second attempt following the course.
1. View from one of my rooms at Treetops in Cairns
My entry visa had expired, but was normal practice for it to be extended to be able to enter the country again to renew it. But come Monday afternoon in the second week of the course, I learned that I needed to apply for a new entry visa due to a new rule change. Straight away i went to the local police station to get my police check sorted out as that takes two weeks to be processed. During the week I did the required medical tests and examinations after the course. Following the course and being in Sydney for fifteen weeks, it seemed the best option was to fly up to Cairns and work out at Mareeba until the new visa came through. Mareeba is MAF’s maintenance facility supporting the Asia Pacific region, focusing more on heavy maintenance. It is over 60 km’s from Cairns, about a 45 -60 minute drive depending who is driving.
2. Hangar section of MAF Mareeba
I arrived in Cairns on the Tuesday after the long weekend, not being too emotional on leaving Sydney. Not sure if it was due to being emotionally drained, or it gets easier to say goodbye each time or I had been in Sydney for an extra five weeks. I started working out at Mareeba hoping to get my visa in time to return for MAF PNG’s annual conference. The visa should only take four days to be issued, but the main thing was waiting for the police check to come through. The police check came through on time the second week in Cairns. But the following week cutting it close to conference it seemed it would not come due to another delay. So my third attempt to return to PNG seemed not possible. I was quite gutted on hearing of another delay, one due to paperwork, that I would not make it to conference. It was then that I started to get a little frustrated.
3. P-40 Kitty Hawk at Mareeba Warbird Adventures (sounds amazing flying over, couldn’t imagine an entire squadron)
The week following conference, arriving to Mareeba one morning I recieved news that my passport and visa had arrived in Cairns. It was a bit of a shock as it was a little sooner than expected, but a relief. It seemed like every possible delay took place along the way with my work permit and entry visa in delaying my return to PNG (but I’m sure there could of been others). What was a ten week planned time in Australia turned out to be nineteen weeks. But in that I was able to do so much, I was able to do the PT6 course plus attend JJ and Soona’s wedding, was able to take care of everything that needed to be done while in Sydney and I was able to spend almost four weeks in Cairns working at Mareeba. In the end I just had to accept each delay as it came.
4. Flag Staff Hill lookout at Port Douglas (didn’t do too much sight seeing, but did drive up to Port Douglas one Saturday afternoon)
My time in Mareeba was quite good, as most jobs I did were a first for me and was able to get back into Engineering. But it was good to get to know the guys better there or get to know those I didn’t know. So my highlight in Cairns was working with the guys in Mareeba. Winter in Cairns is very nice and I quickly adjusted to life there. I flew back up to Mt Hagen via Port Moresby last Monday. In Sydney I didn’t really feel like I fitted in there or had my place there. But arriving in Mt Hagen was like arriving home. So despite the changes and long delays, I am grateful for the way God worked it all out, for His provision in all that I was able to do and to be home.
