Sentani, Again, and On

Saturday, March 15, 08
I spent the remainder of Thursday catching up on some email, checking with Sue about a medical issue, and restocking my money supply.
Friday, I flew Trigana Air from Wamena back to Sentani to be in position to continue on to Timika (There is no direct flight between Wamena and Timika). On the Wamena-Sentani flight, there is no screening of my person or luggage. The cockpit door is unlocked. No one instructs about seat belts or such things. It was very casual flight.
Now, in Sentani, it is Saturday and I am picked up by Soleman to be transported to the airport, one kilometer, on the back of his motorbik. Covering half the distance, it begins to rain hard. By the time we arrive at the terminal overhang, we are both drenched. With me laughing all the way, Soleman must be wondering about the sanity of Americans. Inside, the terminal is a steam bath. Once on the plane, Garuda Indonesia, I have a seat on the aisle. Next to me are two young women. It rapidly becomes apparent that they have never been on an airplane, especially the young woman sitting next to me. She sits erect, chest pounding, heart rate above safety limits, biting her knuckles, and fear written in her eyes. I show her how to work the seat belt and indicate the small things we take for granted - tray table and seat recline. She isn't interested. A weak smile escapes her mouth. Takeoff has her lips moving inaudibly in prayer. Her eyes watch every movement as I pull down the tray as a snack is passed out. There is a large part of me that wishes she had not needed such exposure with our technical age. I find myself internally objecting to what is happening to her. Why isn't there room for the "old"? Yet, here she is and this is now her world too. When the snack boxes are removed by the flight attendants, I tell her to keep what she hasn't eaten. She gives me a worried smile and again bites her knuckles as we land.
To meet me are Iain Wilson, Diana his wife, and their three boys - Yali, Sami and Irian. I will be staying with them in Kuala Kencana. In the picture they are L-R Yali (7), Irian (4) and Sami (6).