Irian Jaya (Papua) versus PNG ...

[Chimbu chuckles]

Is ok Oz - what are friends for?

[AxelPNG]

Cross Border Traffic

I flew from DJJ to Vanimo in '97 (I think) in a PX F28. Took about 15 minutes.

I get to both Vanimo & Jayapura a few times a year and have seen the odd aircraft do the crossing. Bob Bates' P2-BOB in Vanimo a while ago on its way to/from Papua and a few Indonesian MAF types there more recently as well. Sight seeing from what I can gather.

Airlink did a once weekly flight from POM (via Daru?) to Merauke for a while.

There has also been a few reports of Indonesian military aircraft flying low over Vanimo & Aitape. Hercs I believe. Of course nothing official...

Not a huge amount of traffic. The land crossing is quite well organised now. The road from Vanimo is very scenic.

[troppo]

flying from vanimo to jayapura you can literally see a line in the dirt where melanesia ends and south east asia begins (read development)

[AxelPNG]

I cannot agree more. It is one of the worlds most strikingly different border crossings. On one side a sleepy seaside melanesian 'village', on the other a growing asian metropolis complete with rice paddies and bullocks on the city limits.

All in the space of 3 hours driving from A to B.

[ZEEBEE]

flying from vanimo to jayapura you can literally see a line in the dirt where melanesia ends and south east asia begins (read development)

Sure can...and though Vanimo is one of the safer places in PNG (at least it was), there's a marked contrast in the level of law and order between the two places.
If your visa is about to expire, a day trip to Jayapura is the best way to renew for another month.

[Animalclub]

Airlink did a once weekly flight from POM (via Daru?) to Merauke for a while

The POM Daru/Merauke flight was started way back by Airlines of Papua New Guinea... I believe at the insistence of John Wild. I was on the first flight loaded with US dollars to pay for all "fees".

[tinpis]

On one side a sleepy seaside melanesian 'village', on the other a growing asian metropolis complete with rice paddies and bullocks on the city limits.

Exactly.
PNG should have been given to the Balinese.

[Chimbu chuckles]

Now if you'd said the Ghurkas I would have agreed with you - don't you like the Balinese?

[Pinky the pilot]

Now if you'd said the Ghurkas I would have agreed with you

Suppose there would'nt be much of a raskol problem then Chuckles.

[tinpis]

Ok, Ghurka security forces, Balinese transmigrasi No Kong Kong.