It is Sunday, October 2nd,  and we are in Sydney,  Australia.  We took a speedboat from Finschhafen to Lae on Thursday,  October 30th,  and then flew from Lae to Port Moresby on Friday, October 31.  The speedboat ride was MUCH better coming back than it was on the way out.   Sunny skies,  light winds and a relatively calm sea added up to a much easier trip.  Our last night in PNG was spent at the Lutheran guest house in Port Moresby.   It was located on a very busy and noisy street and had a pack of guard dogs whose frequent barking certainly would have discouraged robbers and most assuredly discouraged sleep.   All-in-all,  it fell well short of being the lap of luxury.  However,  the Pastors of the Papua district were meeting at the guest house for a retreat, and so we were able to spend the evening visiting with them.  They concluded the evening with a prayer service and we joined them.  There could not have been a better or more fitting way to spend our last night in PNG than in worship with that spirit - filled group of Pastors.   It continued a theme that we found running throughout our time in PNG.   The travel and accommodations left a lot to be desired, but the people were absolutely delightful and a joy to be with.  We arrived in Sydney late Saturday afternoon Sydney time and took the train into the city.   We are staying in a hostel near the Sydney harbor bridge and the Opera House and managed to get tickets to a concert by the Sydney Chamber Orchestra in the Opera House this afternoon.   It was a real treat,  but left us feeling like we were on a different planet than the one where we had just spent the last two weeks.   I have already received emails both from Walter and from President Rabisang thanking us for coming,  inquiring about our well-being,  and wishing us a safe trip home.   We grew very close to them during our time together in Finschhafen.   We will take two more days in Sydney,  and then begin the final leg of our trip home on Wednesday.   All of us are looking forward to sharing the stories,  pictures and lessons learned with congregations, groups and individuals back in Kansas and Missouri.   The first two pictures are from the boat trip out of Finschhafen.   The third picture is from the roof of the hostel in Sydney where we are staying.   This blog posted by Gary Teske.