25a. Splitting up in Papua New Guinea / Glitch in Travel Plans (10/24/2024)

Route from Brisbane to Port Moresby, Rabaul is circled

        Today is the first time that mom and I went our separate ways, and it is because we have different goals. She has a list of places on her bucket list that she is going to, even if it’s only for a few hours. I don’t have that bucket list. I am happy not to travel if I don’t have to. 

        While mom took two flights today to cross the Admiralty Islands off her list, I stopped after the first flight. We both exited immigration in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. I turned left to go find the hotel shuttle, and mom turned right to walk to the domestic departure building. 

      I was ready for some me time, to be honest. I have moments where I am so honored to be on this trip with mom, and I know that my sister is feeling that she hasn't had a similar opportunity to create such memories with mom.  On the other, less public hand, there have been moments that I get annoyed, frustrated, impatient, and altogether ready be home. This morning in the Brisbane airport was one of those moments. Based on her extensive travel history, she has some immutable habits that most of the time don't bother me. However, on days in which we woke up at 5:00 am to get to the airport, the security lines are long, and I'm hungry, these same habits lead me to do some deep breathing exercises and walk ahead. 

      The first one, getting to the airport before flight check-in desk is even open can be annoying, but we really don't have any leeway to miss flights. This makes sense. The second one, her luggage packing system, is usually not an issue. We each do our "thang." This morning, the Brisbane security system flagged her suitcase and it was opened up and rerun through the x-ray.  This messed up the "system," and while I've gone through passport control and think she is right behind me, she's still back at the x-ray machine repacking her bag. Ten minutes later when we have found a place to wait near the gate, she was at it again - opening up her bags to re-reorganize. I tried to wait patiently, but damn.  Can we at least get coffee? We have two hours before the flight and the bag repacking could be done after breakfast, right?

A lovely mosaic at Brisbane Airport

Mom reorganizing her papers

Bird of Paradise on the side of Jackson International Airport

             I checked into the Airways Hotel and Residences, and felt myself relax. The hotel is situated inside a full residential compound and has it's own spa, park, health club, and park with walking trail. I made appointments for two spa treatments and chilled out in the room until it was time to go get my pedicure and facial. The cost for both was less than $100.

Room at Airways Hotel

Pool and restaurant

Pool deck again

View of airport runway from the rooftop breezeway

            The treatments were lovely, but not exactly what I was expecting based on experiences at home. There was no big massaging pedicure chair and magazine to browse. They used a simple black leather Ikea-looking reclining chair and a clay basin on the floor. Wifi was spotty and there were no magazines so I was forced to - gasp - spend time with my own thoughts. Perhaps that was what triggered part of this post. The facial experience was also slightly less than I had hoped for. The room was cold, the bed was flat with out knee support, and the therapist put warm rocks under my shoulders that ended up digging into bone. Nonetheless, I appreciated that she carefully avoided the Moh's procedure scar on my face, and I left the spa with glowing skin and a relaxed, positive outlook.

Bliss Spa lobby

Ginger tea served during pedicure

Massage bed for Thai massage.
Note handles above the bed to be used when the therapist is walking on clients' backs

                 The relaxed feeling lasted for about 30 seconds after I walked out the door of the spa. I checked my email and mom had forwarded a notification from AirNiugini that they had canceled her flight back to Port Moresby in the morning. Not only was she not going to make our connecting flight back to Brisbane, but they also didn't provide any replacement flights.  And so began two and half hours of sending messages back and forth to mom's cell phone while I used my finely honed research skills to come up with a solution. It was Thursday night, and we needed to be in Brisbane on Friday so we could make our flight to Norfolk Island on Saturday morning. Norfolk Island is on Mom's "must see" checklist, and flights do not go every day. 

Uh-oh!

          In the end, I came up with three options, sent an email to our specialist travel agents (AirTreks) and packed up. We were both going to need to talk with airline staff directly at the airport in the morning since there was nothing more we could do on our own. I had two reflections on the situation as I was falling asleep. First, that we have been lucky this is our first "situation." Second, that I missed her. She wanted me to continue on our original itinerary, and she would catch up with me early on Saturday at the Brisbane Airport. But why would I want to go hang out in Brisbane without her. I was no longer interested in schlepping to the downtown Brisbane hotel or using the sunset river cruise tickets alone. I started the day ready for some time alone, and I ended the day wanting to reunite as soon as possible.