We had a full days tourism in Port Moresby with our driver Raphael. He was introduced by Stephen as SDA- we had to ask -seventh day adventist. No beetel chewing, alchohol drinking or smoking so very reliable.

We started with a visit to the nature park, which is a very nice out of town park near the university with aviaries and lots of animal  sculptures  made from plastic waste. The polution problem looks like it is just beginning to be adressed -this park being an educational leader. The aviaries filled with PNG exotic birds were wonderful, with birds of paradise, parrots, lorikeets, hornbills, cassowary and the wonderful Lawes Parotia. One parrot was very cuddly.

We followed with the museum which had been renovated recently. We had read that it was still closed for renovation but luckily our leaflet was a year out of date.  The PNG carvings have been a highlight of museums in New Zealand and New Caledonia and those here  are just amazing. The masks are so elaborate and intricate. It is a relatvely small collection in a well designed 1970's concrete building.

A nature park worker mentioned that there was an orchid collection at the adventure park so Raphael took us there next. The adventure park has a ferris wheel and water slide among its attractions but the national orchid collection was pretty amazing- they also had some aviaries and a wandering pelican.

We finished our tour with a very good craft market for a gift top up session.  Raphael instructed us to leave our valuables in the car in case of muggers-we didn't see anyone looking particularly dodgy. 

There isn't really a city centre to Port Moresby- we drove past the impressive parliament building and smart new APEC conference centre and along a beach front with  volley ball courts, but is all spread out and lacks a focal point. The majority religion is SDA and there are some prominent churches but no one main cathedral.