Now there is trouble in Alotau (PNG).

[Opua Kiwi]

I very much enjoyed my day in Alotau last year.

 

Very interesting cultural festival put on for us passengers;

Wandered a couple of km out of town to a small resort on the water for a beer and lunch;

Back into town, changed some $ into Kina and then bought some sports gear to take to the Islands;

Spoke with locals erecting structures in preparation for the 40 year independence celebrations;

Another beer at Alotau Hotel;

Wandered back to ship via the small harbour talking with some locals from the small boats.

 

Everyone I spoke with were friendly.

Edited August 1, 2016 by Opua Kiwi

[mrs and mrs]

He seems so bitter about your treatment of him as well.:rolleyes:

 

he'll be apples,will prob send him off to Washington,or SIBERIA.:eek:special envoy.

[MicCanberra]

I very much enjoyed my day in Alotau last year.

 

Very interesting cultural festival put on for us passengers;

Wandered a couple of km out of town to a small resort on the water for a beer and lunch;

Back into town, changed some $ into Kina and then bought some sports gear to take to the Islands;

Spoke with locals erecting structures in preparation for the 40 year independence celebrations;

Another beer at Alotau Hotel;

Wandered back to ship via the small harbour talking with some locals from the small boats.

 

Everyone I spoke with were friendly.

Sounds like a lovely way to spend the day.:D

[MicCanberra]

he'll be apples,will prob send him off to Washington,or SIBERIA.:eek:special envoy.

 

More like PNG the way he is going now.

[NSWP]

More like PNG the way he is going now.

Indeed Mic, Uncle Kev 747 would make a good Australian Consul in PNG. Give him some SAS and an armoured car in lieu of the AFP and Mercedes.

 

I really don't know why they called him Kevin 747, the PM's official RAAF Aircraft has never been larger than a Boeing 737. No 747 Air Force One, like Mr Obama, who said Donald Trump?

[mrs and mrs]

Gherkins,spec tomatoes.

 

He will get all the protection he needs in Siberia via Spetsnaz,disquised as babushkas.

 

 

https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?&id=OIP.M91aad5d5d45f62b35510500cafde19bfH1&w=300&h=225&c=0&pid=1.9&rs=0&p=0&r=0

[MicCanberra]

Indeed Mic, Uncle Kev 747 would make a good Australian Consul in PNG. Give him some SAS and an armoured car in lieu of the AFP and Mercedes.

 

I really don't know why they called him Kevin 747, the PM's official RAAF Aircraft has never been larger than a Boeing 737. No 747 Air Force One, like Mr Obama, who said Donald Trump?

 

Yeah, you are right. And as for the reason of the name, he was travelling to do his job. You would expect a PM and/or a foreign Minister to be travelling overseas a lot for official meetings.

[MicCanberra]

Gherkins,spec tomatoes.

 

He will get all the protection he needs in Siberia via Spetsnaz,disquised as babushkas.

 

 

https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?&id=OIP.M91aad5d5d45f62b35510500cafde19bfH1&w=300&h=225&c=0&pid=1.9&rs=0&p=0&r=0

 

LOL, if you squint, it looks a bit like him.;)

[Bpos]

I very much enjoyed my day in Alotau last year.

 

Very interesting cultural festival put on for us passengers;

Wandered a couple of km out of town to a small resort on the water for a beer and lunch;

Back into town, changed some $ into Kina and then bought some sports gear to take to the Islands;

Spoke with locals erecting structures in preparation for the 40 year independence celebrations;

Another beer at Alotau Hotel;

Wandered back to ship via the small harbour talking with some locals from the small boats.

 

Everyone I spoke with were friendly.

 

PNG should be and could be one for the foremost tourism destinations in the world for the country is so diverse in so many ways.

 

Unfortunately it is not for many reasons - still we can only hope it will get better one day. Law and order being one of the main problems.

 

I lived there for three years from 1967 in Port Moresby (Murray Barracks, Boroko to be exact) and it was not safe then - it is diabolical now.

 

At least I had the opportunity to travel widely in PNG and am glad I had the opportunity to do so then. I hope to get back on a cruise in my lifetime.

 

Meri belongum mepella one - not safe at all - em tasol.

[SinbadThePorter]

PNG should be and could be one for the foremost tourism destinations in the world for the country is so diverse in so many ways.

 

Unfortunately it is not for many reasons - still we can only hope it will get better one day. Law and order being one of the main problems.

 

I lived there for three years from 1967 in Port Moresby (Murray Barracks, Boroko to be exact) and it was not safe then - it is diabolical now.

 

At least I had the opportunity to travel widely in PNG and am glad I had the opportunity to do so then. I hope to get back on a cruise in my lifetime.

 

Meri belongum mepella one - not safe at all - em tasol.

 

I'm on Aria at the moment. Alotau was a bit of a washout even before the "shootout". It was pouring rain most of that morning.

 

We've just left Conflict island without successfully anchoring due to wind and high seas.

 

Quite a few disgruntled passengers.

[OzKiwiJJ]

I'm on Aria at the moment. Alotau was a bit of a washout even before the "shootout". It was pouring rain most of that morning.

 

We've just left Conflict island without successfully anchoring due to wind and high seas.

 

Quite a few disgruntled passengers.

 

That's a shame. The one thing you can't control on a cruise is the weather :(

 

Hope the rest of your cruise goes well.

[lagoon380]

On the Jewel in 3 weeks time to Alotau and Conflict Islands, I would be very disappointed to miss the Conflict Islands, Alotau not so much.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Here's hoping you have nice weather, then. :)

[lagoon380]

Yes, fingers crossed for good weather but cruising in the rain and wind is still better than work.

Edited August 5, 2016 by lagoon380

[MicCanberra]

I'm on Aria at the moment. Alotau was a bit of a washout even before the "shootout". It was pouring rain most of that morning.

 

We've just left Conflict island without successfully anchoring due to wind and high seas.

 

Quite a few disgruntled passengers.

 

What a shame. I bet the queue at the guest services desk and the shorex desk were long.

[MicCanberra]

On the Jewel in 3 weeks time to Alotau and Conflict Islands, I would be very disappointed to miss the Conflict Islands, Alotau not so much.

I wish you luck with the weather.:D

[SinbadThePorter]

Latest update.

 

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-01/png-police-say-hostage-situation-was-a-hoax/7678396

 

Apparently there wasn't a gunman after all, it was a hoax.

 

That won't make P&O very happy. :rolleyes:

 

It looks like the story of the Alotau robbery being a hoax is itself a hoax dreamt up by the authorities to keep them from looking bad.

 

PNG Air confirm that a robbery took place and employees held hostage.

 

Currently we are on the way back to Brisbane, plowing through what looks like 4 metre seas to me.

[OzKiwiJJ]

PNG Air stated there had been an armed robbery but no mention of hostages.

 

The ABC article said that four females were found locked in an office, but implied they weren't hostages.

Edited August 5, 2016 by OzKiwiJJ

[mrs and mrs]

Or maybe locked themselves in for safety.

 

Where theres smoke there is usually fire.

Edited August 5, 2016 by mrs and mrs

[OzKiwiJJ]

I suspect it went something like this:

Armed robber holds up airline office.

Staff either lock themselves in an office or are locked in by armed robber before escaping.

Police are called, assume armed robber is still there.

Tear gas is fired.

Eventually police discover armed robber is long gone and "hostages" aren't actually hostages.

[mrs and mrs]

I suspect it went something like this:

Armed robber holds up airline office.

Staff either lock themselves in an office or are locked in by armed robber before escaping.

Police are called, assume armed robber is still there.

Tear gas is fired.

Eventually police discover armed robber is long gone and "hostages" aren't actually hostages.

 

OR

Armed robber holds up vege shop.

Staff are asleep in an office or are locked in by armed robber, who then realises that he is in wrong shop and is holding a banana.

Police arrive, slip on banana skin(left by escaped robber).

Police decide to lock themselves in room with a box of fruit and have brunch.

Police lose key, and fire tear gas to attract attention, and gas themselves.

Staff wake-up and release police.

Staff go back to sleep.

Police grab box of bananas hoping to attract robber again.:eek::eek:

[MicCanberra]

Bunch of fruits by the sound of it.:p

[NSWP]

What a shame. I bet the queue at the guest services desk and the shorex desk were long.

No doubt a bit of 'CONFLICT' on board between pax and guest services/Shorex staff.

 

e.g. 'I want a refund', 'We could have tendered there', 'Been fishing in bigger seas than that,' 'I want to speak to the Captain.' Heard it all before, pass the popcorn Mic.

[MicCanberra]

No doubt a bit of 'CONFLICT' on board between pax and guest services/Shorex staff.

 

e.g. 'I want a refund', 'We could have tendered there', 'Been fishing in bigger seas than that,' 'I want to speak to the Captain.' Heard it all before, pass the popcorn Mic.

 

Funny, my wife just asked if I wanted some popcorn and I said not just yet, I am about to look at CC for a while and may need it for later.;)