Landing in Timika

I am actually writing the next few blog entries on the 16th of June, but lets just pretend I was updating the blog daily...

We (me, two other teachers, and 18 students) landed in Timika, Papua at around 4:00 in the afternoon. We left for the airport at 4:45 in the morning, made a stop in Surabaya, and another stop in Makasar before finally landing in Papua. The trip is equivalent to flying from Los Angeles to Atlanta....a long flight, and a two hour time difference.

We were carted to the Sheraton Hotel, where we were given a presentation about the Freeport copper/gold mine, and then dinner, and then bed....

The town of Timika only exists today because of Freeport. Just a few years ago, there was nothing but jungle....and the jungle is DENSE, and I mean REALLY dense....I am amazed roads could be built let alone a town....anyway, more on this later....