LIFESTYLE

Fascinated by pilots and planes

By PAUL MINGA
WE ALL have our own ways of doing things out of personal interest or just for the love of them and in following our hearts’ desires.
Interests and hobbies may be the same under certain circumstances but in most instances they differ from one another.
As for me, I had a list of things that I consider as hobbies or interests and I do them with a passion such as letter writing, watching TV, traveling, doing gardening, reading newspapers and magazines.
But there is one more thing I love to do nearly every day. This is an interest I had then as a primary school student back in the 80s but it is still with me to this day.
Promise me you will not laugh if I told you what that is! Some may wonder why a grownup like me would continue doing what many have done only as young school children growing up.
Well, let me say not every person was born the same way, therefore you cannot oppose someone else’s interest or view of doing what his or her heart desires
One of my hobbies or interests now as a middle aged person is to be as near as possible to an airport so that I can get a view of neatly dressed pilots and the different aircraft – fixed wing and choppers alike.
I’m always fascinated to look at pilots and aircraft every time I go to an airport. Today it is Jacksons Airport, Port Moresby.
To be honest, I do this out of respect for the airman’s profession and the invention of an unbelievable machine that moves swiftly in the air without flapping its wings as birds do.
I have so much respect for pilots upon sighting them in their work wear – both nationals and expatriates. I always have respect for pilots as they are professionals who have scored top grades in maths and physics subjects.
They are looked up to as among the top five per cent of students during their school days.
Another thing that fascinates me very much when seeing pilots is their dressing and appearance.
They look awesome with the ID cards hanging from their shirt pockets with hardly any stain on their white uniform shirts. I just love seeing pilots in their smart uniforms and admired profession.
Sometimes I wish I were a pilot myself.
My interest to be as near as possible to the airport to see pilots and aircraft has been inbuilt in me and I will continue to go after it until the day I die.

• Paul Minga is a freelance writer.

Kua sells art to travellers

By PAUL MINGA
AS A young lad Bari Kua left behind his place of birth and childhood in a typical highlands village in Chimbu’s Salt-Nomane district and now calls Port Moresby home.
I had been keenly interested in this Chimbu native upon noticing the 70-year-old and his wife trying to pin up for display beautifully painted art work opposite the Gateway Hotel in Port Moresby.
On a recent morning walk up to 7-Mile, I mistook Kua, his wife and a young woman as family members of a PNG artist. What made me think they were related to an artist was that they were putting up beautiful paintings of PNG faces, fauna, flora and landscapes.
Being impressed by the awesome artwork display I approached Kua for an interview and to my amazement I found out that Kua was not related to any of PNG’s top artists but was only acting as a retailer selling what he had bought from artists like Robin Osiah, Robert Kua and others.
Kua left his village as a young lad and migrated to the capital city in search for fortune and a job in 1971. He said after few years, he learnt to drive and that enabled him to be a driver full time.
During his stay in the city, Kua said almost half his active years were spent sitting in the comfort of a driver’s seat, clinging onto a steering wheel, shifting gears and having his two legs doing their assigned jobs on the accelerator, clutch and brake pedals. This has been a norm for him on a daily basis from his active years up to his last job in 2008.
Kua’s career as a driver had spanned almost three decades and seen him driving for various companies, PMV operators and the Department of Works.
He loved his job but could not find further employment because of his age. However, as an alternative way to put food on the table for his wife and family, Kua decided to retailer the work of some of PNG’s top contemporary artists.
Kua’s frequent customers are visiting tourists and international travellers coming or leaving through Jacksons Airport.
His other line of customers are guests from the nearby Gateway Hotel and other people traveling to and from 7-Mile.
“It’s a family affair when it comes to the display and sales part of our little venture,” Kua says.
“Sometimes we all come here to do sales; other times some of us have to stay home to get other jobs done while one or two persons do sales.”
Kua and his wife are easy to locate outside the Gateway Hotel any day.
Do stop by for a chat or to buy a piece of local art from them.