The Bonanza Fly Away to New Guinea
by Maisie Grady
A fearless group of fliers – we could hardly wait.
A thrilling, exciting adventure lay in store for all,
As we flew across the water and over mountains tall.
A beautiful isle across the sea, but not a settled place,
Torn between the village life and that of white man’s race.
People left alone live in traditional state,
But the fences, rascals, crime, is something we all hate.
The weather is New Guinea can be humid, wet or hot,
It can be unpredictable, but it’s a pretty spot.
We saw happy, smiling children playing in the dirt,
And a young girl with her bilum, barefoot, in coloured skirt.
War cemeteries so well kept, museums and broken planes,
Tropic scenery, lots of greenery, became of frequent rains.
Over to Madang we flew, to Malolo by the sea,
What an idyllic spot to dive, swim or feel free.
Next day the scene changed greatly & I wished not be there,
The sea became rough, rain and wind filled the air.
I thought of Isaumi and what it had cost,
Just up the coast and all those lives lost.
We loved the village people with skin so chocolate brown,
Friendly happy faces – they seldom seemed to frown.
Our group felt pleased we could assist,
To provide some help for all they’d missed.
Sepik river forest life to us was all quite new,
Then the jungle beckoned & to the highlands we all flew.
Scenes that were spectacular – a cultural treat for all,
In the traditional highland village, we really had a ball.
The sadly came the time for all of us to part,
We’d had a good time together, right from the very start.
Now it’s farewell to New Guinea, a rare & unique find,
A truly great experience of the very best kind.