Sunday 15 March 1953 Breakfast at 7:30A.M. Kides Hotel (tea, apple juice, poached eggs & fat bacon). Bus at 8:15. Launch to seaplane tied to buoy at mouth of Russell River. Smooth take-off at 9:30. Circled over Cairns. Passing over inner reefs & small islands--surf wash very evident from air. Over the outer Barrier Reef at 10:45 A.M. Took 2 pictures of foam lines & shallow green water surrounded by blue water. Now angling NE over the Coral Sea. Scattered cumulus cover. Sun visible. Sky hazy. Lovely colors in sea on approach to Port Moresby--set in series of shallow indentations of coast--low hills (cone shaped) rise from water. Customs no trouble. Room at Papua Hotel--modern open-air cream color tropical hotel 300 yards from ocean. Arrived at Pt. M. 1:50. At 2:30 Mr. Ryan--Mgr. of Burns Philp --took me & his 3 children up into the mountains to see Rouna Falls, Romana War Cemetery, & Memorial to men who were killed on Kokoda Trail campaign. The falls are the site of a group at the Museum. Much open savannah on way up. Rain forest chiefly along streams. Above the falls you can see line after line of mts. running into the interior. The Papuans are a poker-faced lot, some fine specimens, many with bushy hair (saw one with bird-of-Paradise feather in hair). All wear lava-laves (long skirts) red cloth favored. Women wear gingham dresses or grass skirts. Took pictures of children. Looked at golf course (9 holes by the sea). Good dinner. Fish & lots of lemonade. G.& I went to beach to cool off in the trade winds--soft air. Monday 16 March Port Moresby to Samarai: 300 miles by flying boat. Up early. Breakfast at 7:45. To air office to weigh luggage--then to launch to ship. Off at 9:00. Circled Pt. M. (took picture) & then off along coast. Could see airport inland & S. ends of series of scarps. Rouna Falls up one of these valleys. Day fair with scattered cloud cover. Becomes wetter (more rain forest as we go east). Mt. Suckling in sight for 1/2 hr, then Dayman (where we are heading)--extensive upland, then Mt. Simpson & a number of lesser peaks to west. All clothed with forest on S. slopes. Joan asked Capt. to fly over her father's plantation (cacao, coconuts, rubber). Many large plantations along coast. Pattern of trees as seen from air very distinct. Glimpse of Milne Bay to N. & 4000 ft cloudy mts. near E. end of island. Then we were over Samarai--a tiny dot of an island set about with many larger islands--all in a blue sea. Len met us on wharf; also Ken Wynn (transport man); and George Miller (A.H. Bunting). Went up to Robert Bunting's home (near center)--he is in England--for a cold drink. Day very hot. Then up to Miller's home, where I am to stay, for lunch with "Dusty" & his fiancee. Beautiful breeze swept location (on 100 ft hill) looking north through China Straits. Whole house open air. Worked on boxes in P.M. Met many people. To club for ginger beer. Dinner at home and an evening of good talk. G. & Len" at Bunting's. After Ailsa went home "Dusty" and I collected Geckos from ceiling of house. Geoff not interested. Wrote letters to Kay & Dory. Sleep under nets. Very few insects. No screens. Tuesday 17 March Samarai. Up at 7:00 A.M. Sorted out my personal box & put aside material for food box (e.g. lime juice powder). "Dusty" (George) & I had breakfast at 7:45. Down to P.O. to send off letters 1 & 2 with diary pages to Kay. Also stereo(1) to Rochester for mounting; stereo(2) to Flushing (not to be mounted) --send to Archbold office. Flying boat taking mail this A.M. Terr. of Papua has its own stamps. "Small boy" (young Papuan house boy) carried my duffle down to Bunting warehouse. Spent morning listing & sorting my equipment. Ken Wynn's boy sharpened my machete. We have all our boys now. Cook boy is said to be