Papua New Guinea Map

 

 

      Map of the Pacific

latest picture: September 16, 2010

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61  Leaving Lae for Madang, we

drive through the wide Ramu Valley

towards the strange mountain scenery

of the Finisterre Range, caught in

the soft morning light

 62  Not a single case: Again and again

people who read about us in the

newspaper “The National“ stop along

the road to shake enthusiastically hands

and give us a warm welcome

63  We cross wide, slow flowing

rivers – here the Leron River, a feeder

of the huge Markham River (PNG part 1- picture 51) – in an open landscape that

provokes the sensation of freedom.

Couldn’t it be also in Alaska?

 

The wonderful kindness of PNG’s people is one side, but unfortunately there is also a less pleasant side: The safety! It is not only a problem in cities like Lae or Port Moresby where everybody is discouraged to walk around. It concerns also driving overland where assaults on busses, trucks and cars by so called “raskols” (bandits) are common. We know and knew about this danger! But we also know that certain risks are part of our adventure. Nevertheless, we are a bit worried about the 200 miles of uncertainty lying in front of us until we reach Madang. The firsthand story of a young Polish couple arriving from Madang the day before our departure doesn’t help either to make us feel more relaxed: They tell us that there was a huge tree blocking the road at a narrow passage but that their driver managed to go around it and escape. Did the trunk just collapse or was it logged purposely? How should we behave in a similar situation?

64  Scattered modest hamlets appear

now and then in the beautiful mountain

scenery: In the upper Markham valley

 65  Adapted to the indigenous

construction style: A modest church

made of woven pit-pit grass

(miscanthus floridulus) in a tiny

village in the Ramu valley along

the route Lae-Madang …..

66  ….. and a bottle shop of the same

“architecture – a common sight in rural

areas. This one lies in the province of

Madang where all have been closed

down, while in the province of Morobe

they stay open for 7 days a week,

because the brewery is in Lae

 

It is Monday morning, August 30th, 2010, 7am – clear skies promise a beautiful day. We are ready for our next leg. There is just one last phone call we want to make: To the “Guard Dogs” – one of the many security companies – to ask if they know of any irregularity along the Ramu Highway. “Should be OK” – is their appeasing reply. At this early morning hour, Lae is crowded with people walking along the streets and accumulating at bus stops. Bicycles and motorbikes have not found their way yet into this “last frontier” country. When we leave the bustling city, the road becomes lonely – and with it more dangerous, at least the next 25 miles until the airport, which is a stretch famous for hold-ups. Therefore, we decide to drive with the grilles on, which is quite normal in PNG. Only when we leave the airport behind us, the stress drops off little by little, the window screens get removed and seeing the beauty of the landscape and the bizarre mountain scenery lying in front of us, the joy of traveling takes over.

67  In a mountain village of the

Finisterre Range where also the

busses stop for a short refreshment,

three girls are selling taro

 68  The carburetor gets too hot and

produces bubbles – the engine dies and

gives no sign of live anymore. The police

stops and tries to help us – unsuccessfully.

There is talk of towing us to Madang

when Emil spots the “corpus delicti”:

A control wire to the starter felt off coincidentally at the same time

69  Wherever we stop, curious

faces surround our LandCruiser

 

Herds of cows - called “Ramu Beef” - graze peacefully in the treeless Ramu Valley, single dome-shaped trees stick out majestically from the plain, birds of prey circle above our heads and the hills that frame the valley glow in green, brown and red colors in the softness of the morning sun. A long missed sense of openness takes over on the dead straight good tarmac road. Again and again we pass small colorful markets, clusters of simple thatched huts scattered in the plain. Women carrying heavy “Bilum” (string bags) walk along the street where there is not a single dwelling in sight far and wide.

70  The 100ft high Coastwatchers‘

Memorial at Kalibobo Point is

Madang’s landmark. It is said to be

visible as far as 15 miles from the sea

 71  View from the Madang Lodge

over the coast towards the Bil Bil Island

72  The huge Banyan tree along the

Coastwatchers’ Avenue provides

shade in the tropical heat

 

At some point, we shift from the Province of Morobe to the Province of Madang. It gets drier. Cacao fields with its yellow-brownish fruits appear, followed by widespread “Ramu Oil” palm oil plantations and “Ramu Sugar” sugar cane fields, which are partly harvested and newly planted. We make good progress and manage an average speed of 30 miles/h until the moment where the road branches off Eastwards and follows the “Ramu Nickel” wastewater pipeline towards the spectacular jungle that covers the Finisterre Range, which has to be crossed. From its very beginning the good road changes into a washed-out narrow gravel road with countless very steep ascents. At some stage, our heavily loaded LandCruiser manages the steepness only in low gear with the result that – due to the lack of cooling air – the carburetor overheats and produces air bubbles. We have only one option: To cool it slowly down with wet rags. When we want to re-start the engine, it remains silent.

73  Emil and our LandCruiser pose for

a picture at Madang’s Coronation Drive

that stretches beautifully for some miles

along the coast. Lined with wind curved

palm trees, it deserves its noble name

 74  Madang is also known as

“bat’s city”. They populate the

towering casuarinas trees

around the city. Apparently

7’000 are living here

75  Our LandCruiser is the star in

front of the supermarket in Madang.

People’s interest on our epic

journey is overwhelming

 

At this very moment a police vehicle from the opposite direction arrives and stops. That’s the last thing we need! Three men jump out of the car and walk straight away towards us. “What is the problem” we are asked. After we explain that the starter doesn’t work anymore, they simultaneously put their heads into the hood and debate for a while what to do. However, none of them finds a solution. Finally they decide that we have to be towed to Madang. “We don’t want to leave you behind with a breakdown in this infamous region” is their unanimous comment. They already stop the next truck. Emil with his head still deeply under the hood yells at the same time excitedly: “I possibly got it!” He discovered a small loose cable. “Let this be the cause”, I pray. And, thanks heaven, it is! Re-connected, the “sound of music” of our engine fills our ears again! The police share our joy. They didn’t ask for the papers that we don’t have! Their only concern was to help us.

76  At the “Jais Aben Resort”, situated

12 miles to the North of Madang, we find

a touch of South Pacific charm …..

 77  ..... watching a heavily

overloaded canoe heading to

the small offshore island …..

78  ..... and the sun rising beautifully

behind the tiny island

 

The following few remaining dusty ascents turn out to be an easy task for our car, and the only river that needs to be crossed before we reach the tarmac road doesn’t cause problems either, due to the low water level. Then we finally find ourselves rolling relaxed and happy through the coastal plain towards Madang. For the 210 miles from Lae to Madang that a minibus usually covers in 6 hours, we needed 8½ hours net driving time. We stay also here at the Lutheran Guesthouse like in Lae and eat the untouched sandwiches that we prepared in the morning because we were too busy with driving to be hungry. Then we shower the dust from our bodies and at 8pm we already turn off the lights. Nervous tension, heat and dust took their toll!

79  In the well kept garden of the

“Jais Aben Resort” tropical flowers

grow in abundance, also the Heliconia,

one of our favorite flowers …..

 80  ….. and another flower

where its beauty lies in its simplicity

81  A young swallow is recovering

from its first (?) flight attempt on

shiny red blossoms

 

Madang, the city of the flying foxes, how it is also called, lives up to its name already the first morning. Shortly after 6am, huge swarms darken the sky. The birds arrive from every direction towards their roosting place. Much to our joy, some choose the tall casuarinas right besides our guesthouse, and immediately, the tree is full of those hanging and chattering fellows. It is said that there are around 7’000 populating this city.

82  A good reason for a smile: Liliana is

looking forward to enjoy the Jumbo Pizza

at the Coastwatchers’ Hotel in Madang

 83  The swimming pool of the “Jais

Aben Resort”, overlooking the lagoon

and the small offshore islands …..

84  ….. Emil is sitting at the restaurant, where

we take breakfast, lunch and a ‘sundowner’,

enjoying each time the atmosphere of the Pacific

 

According to Lonely Planet, Madang has the reputation to be called “the prettiest town in the Pacific” and the place in PNG where it is safe to walk around, what was not the case in our previous three city-destinations of Port Moresby, Mount Hagen and Lae. Is it not weird that our feelings are – as it often happens – exactly the contrary? The badly potholed streets in downtown and the little appealing buildings do not live up to this reputation. Neither does the fact that we have to be alert all the time of pickpockets who work in groups and chose us as target. Nor does the first-hand story from a German sailor who anchored near the Madang (Boat) Club since a couple of days and was robbed last night. “Madang is not anymore what it was two years ago”, confirm quite a few locals with whom we talk about it.

85  A peaceful small rural village in

a clearance along the road to Bogia

 86  Even the tiniest ‘shop’ is protected

with grills. Here on the access road

to the “Jais Aben Resort”

87  A woman carries the ripe Papayas to

our car, which we bought from her roadside

stall for 2 Kina each (=US$0.80)

 

But the tourist oases do exist within the city and the contrast could hardly be starker, be it the Madang Resort, the Madang Lodge or the Madang Club where we love to shuttle back and forth for a seaside lunch – be it an Asian or Western meal. If we need to access the internet, we drive to the Coastwatcher’s Hotel at Kalibobo-Point, where we are attracted especially by their mouthwatering jumbo pizza. Opposite sits the 90ft. high Coastwatcher’s Memorial – Madang s landmark – which is said to be visible as far as 15 miles offshore. What we however like the most is the Coronation Drive that runs along the coast for about two miles. With its wind bent palm trees, it lives up to its name.

88  A long drawn-out black sand beach

at the “Malolo Plantation Lodge”, about

26 miles North of Madang along

the road to Bogia

 89  Palm tree coves, which often are

used to produce copra, are in abundance

along the road to Bogia – together with

the mountain backdrop a scenic sight

90  A lagoon at Alexishafen, a

place that was badly

damaged during WWII …..

 

After six days we continue towards Bogia – a seaside village lying 125 miles Northwest of Madang, where the road ends shortly afterwards at the Ramu River. But we do not make it so far. After 9 miles the sign “Jais Aben Resort” arouses our interest. We branch off the main road and struggle for more than a mile through a badly potholed earth track and think already of turning round and going back when we spot another very promising sign: “This way to paradise”. Who can withstand the temptation? We end up at a lovely bungalow resort with a touch of South Pacific flair and decide to stay for a few days: Bogia doesn’t run away! No doubt our guardian angels were once more involved when we took that decision: Exactly the night we would have spent in Bogia, the village was ravaged by a gale-force storm, causing two deaths and 19 destroyed homes, among them also our booked guesthouse!

91  ….. a rusting reminder

of WWII at Alexishafen

 92  ..... a bomb that was found during

the construction of the “Jais Aben Resort”

93  Peaceful scenery at the

Alexishafen Catholic Mission

 

That we still get to see Bogia, though from the air, is another story: At the “Jais Aben Resort” we meet the captain of a US Army Team (Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command) that currently is searching for bones and sculls of missing people around the place of an American airplane wreck from World War II near Bogia. Their tent camp is in a bush clearing and once a week, a helicopter stationed at “Jais Aben Resort” is flying there with food supplies and other necessities. And we lucky people are invited to join one of those flights, one way taking 50 minutes. What a unique experience looking down to the rugged deeply forested mountains below us and the tiny bush settlements in the middle of nowhere. How do this people live, how do they survive? All too fast the blue canvas of the camp and the marked position of the airplane wreck come into view. We reach our destination and land near the camp.

94  At “Jais Aben Resort” we are invited

by the US Army to join a supply flight by

helicopter to a camp Northwest of Bogia,

where a team is searching for bones of

missing people at an American plane

wreck of World War II …..

95  ..... from the air we enjoy the

stunning view of the tiny offshore

islands near Jais Aben …..

96  ..... and fly towards white

clouds that are piling up

 

Mothers sitting around with partly naked children are greeting us a bit shyly. They are from a village about an hour’s walk away. After the supplies are unloaded, we are allowed to visit the wreck of the bomber and the “soil washing device” where indeed the “bonemen” found sculls from the crew of the crashed plane – tiny pieces we would not even recognize as such. They are recovered with the help of the villagers in a hard, time-consuming work by washing the soil through a grid with pumped-up river water (like gold panning). The bush mission of the 15-head team lasts 30 days. Then they will return to Hawaii, their current army base. After an hour, always followed by the eyes of the locals, we take off again and the friendly pilot of the US Air Force flies some extra circles for us: Over the small settlement of Bogia with the background of the stunning, perfectly formed volcano of the nearby island of Manam, to the palm fringed coast and the many offshore islands – a wonderful experience!

97  A cluster of huts in a forest

clearing situated in the “nowhere”.

How do the people survive? .....

98  ..... another settlement

surrounded by nothing

else than dense jungle …..

99  ..... the tent camp of the

“bone men“ near Bogia

 

“Riots close down Goroka town!“ and “The Lae Chamber of Commerce and Industry has advised its members to exercise extreme caution when traveling along the highway” are the headlines in the “Post-Courier” of Friday, September 10th, 2010 – exactly three days before our planned departure to Goroka. At the same time there are reports of fierce fighting between two warring tribes that caused the temporary closure of the highway. What now? We decide to return to Madang on the following Sunday and investigate once more on Monday about the current security situation.

100  The remains of a wing at the

crash site of an American airplane

in World War II near Bogia …..

101  .…. Liliana stands in front of the

„soil washing installation“ in Bogia: It’s

hard work to recover remains of bones

in the soil by washing it with pumped-up

river water – analog gold panning …..

102  ….. a picture of remembrance

with some villagers at the camp. They

live about an hour walking distance

away and assist the “bone team”.

In the back is “our” chopper

 

The information is not bad. Therefore we start early morning to our second crossing of the Finisterre Range and its following Markham Valley, this time in opposite direction. In Watarais we branch off and the climb to the Eastern Highlands begins. Immediately the road starts to twist and turn to the Kassam Pass at an altitude of 5’250ft., revealing beautiful views back to the Markham Valley. Continuing through the rolling hills thatched round huts appear, recalling Africa. Everywhere vegetables grow, even on the steepest slopes.

103  On the return flight, the captain

makes some loops. Below us lies the palm

fringed Hansa Bay near Bogia …..

104  ..... and.the small coastal

village of Bogia, situated

115 miles Northwest of Madang

105  ..... in the East rises the 5’928ft.

high and beautifully formed volcano of

„Manam Island“, which erupted last time

in 2004 and displaced 6’000 people

 

We are about 130 miles from Madang when drivers coming from the other direction make “funny” hand gestures. Alarmed, we stop one of the vehicles to get some information. “There is looting going on in the next town of Kainantu”, we are warned and advised to inquire about the situation at the next police station in Yonki, about 16 miles before Kainantu. When we arrive there the officer tells us that they just received the all-clear message. With us is also a convoy of about 20 fuel tankers that had parked along the road. It just starts moving again. Also a convoy with heavy construction machinery gets on its way. This reassures us in some way. Nonetheless we are not very comfortable when we see the scary crowd of people hanging around, when we reach Kainantu.

106  A small settlement along the

Northwestern coast, nestling

between palm groves

107  Large parts of the highland

region are still covered

with impenetrable forest

108  Birdseye-view of the “Jais Aben

Resort” before landing. In one of the

bungalows, we spent a relaxing week

 

Luckily, in the middle of the town, the road branches off to Ukarumpa, the 5 miles away “Little America”, as the PNG headquarters of the American founded “Summer Institute of Linguistics” (SIL) is also called. There we booked two nights in their guesthouse, because the more than 200 miles long journey from Madang to Goroka is definitely too long for us to be driven the same day. Ukarumpa is a fenced-in Western-style village of a mission organization that set itself the goal to translate the bible in as many languages of the world as possible. Worldwide there are 6’912, and PNG alone has 820.

109  ‘Hitting the road’ again from

Madang to Goroka: Our Land-

Cruiser climbs towards the tropical

Finisterre Range – here still paved …..

110  ..... and constantly up and

down hill on a rough road through

lush vegetation …..

111  ..... towards the flat and wide

Ramu Valley with a good tarmac road

 

The missionaries, mostly a man-wife team, are flown to remote bush villages by helicopter or plane for three months in a row (the first time with an allowed weight limit of 725 pounds per person, including the own body weight!) – where, with interruptions, they learn the people’s language during the period of 15 to 20 years. In the course of this, they develop an alphabet and translate then the bible into a language not written before. Enjoying a strawberry (!)-pineapple fruit salad and a home baked banana cake at the home of the Swiss family Irene and Roland, we learn more about their pioneer life in the remotest bush. Looking at their pictures, we can nothing but admire them!

112  Where the Ramu Valley meets

the Markham Valley near Watarais,

the road to Goroka climbs steeply in

switchbacks towards the Kassam Pass

(3’480ft.) and the Eastern Highlands

113  Two highlander ladies

walking along the road with

their traditional “Bilum” –

strong and expandable string

bags – full of merchandise

114  Even from the water,

we are greeted enthusiastically

 

After two nights, we continue towards Goroka. Just outside Ukarumpa, we see a parked police car. Spontaneously we approach it and investigate about the security situation for the coming 55 miles to Goroka. What we hear is not really motivating. The tension for the next 25 miles from Kainantu to Henganofi is still very high after there has been more looting in Henganofi last night, we are told. “Do you want us to escort you?” the police ask. “Is it that bad?” Emil wants to know. When they relativize it we decide to continue on our own. It gets very quiet in our car, none of us feels like talking. Our senses are always on the alert. Who knows what is expecting us around the next corner.

115

116

117

Homes made of bush material have different sights, but all fit well into their surroundings

 

We are driving through a heavily populated region – through the notorious Kompri Valley. Along the road there is one thatched hut after the other and the street is crowded with people. Some wave friendly, others glare at us close-lipped or shout something after us. Our first feeling is that here in the highlands people are less friendly than in the lowlands (later on it shows that it is just the case in the trouble section of the Kompri Valley). With the exception of a few broken-up spots, the tarmac road is good – luckily. Thus we do not have to drive at snail’s pace through this conflict area. This probably safes us when, driving downhill, a group of youngsters, equipped with machetes and sticks, comes along in the middle of the street and wants to force us to stop. Too bad, here we are fast enough! Emil pushes the gas pedal, honks and they disperse in all directions.

118  A village of simple thatched huts

nestles along a hill between Henganofi

and Goroka in the Eastern Highlands

119  The landscape gets drier and the hills

are bare, as we drive towards Goroka, the

capital of the ‘Eastern Highlands’ province

(>20’000 people, 5’250ft. altitude)

120  Mother and child have a look

through the window into our car

 

Our tension is still high when we reach the troubled village of Henganofi. But surprisingly the situation seems now to be under control. “How safe is the continuation to Goroka?” we wonder. At the next one-lane bridge we ask a driver coming from the opposite direction. “If you made it up here, you are now safe!” he replies with a bright smile and we smile back at these good news. We have still 30 miles to go until Goroka, which is situated at an altitude of 5’250ft. and is the main city of the Eastern Highlands. And this stretch is now really craving for water: Yellow grass, dead pine trees – a barren landscape that inspires us little. When mid afternoon we arrive unharmed at our destination and check into the Lutheran Guesthouse, it takes a load off our mind. Immediately we feel comfortable in our room with own bathroom for K150 a night (= US$56), including breakfast. Slowly we begin to relax and the thrill of anticipation of the forthcoming Goroka Show takes over.

121  Trucks are a common mean

of public transport (PMV) and

always packed to the brim

122  A shopping street in Goroka.

Everywhere is a crowd of people. They

come from their villages and spend

mostly the whole day in the city while

shopping and “people watching”

123  The open air market under

colorful umbrellas in Goroka.

These markets are always

packed with people

 

More websites from Papua New Guinea:

 

• Pictures from the first part of our Papua New Guinea trip from Milne Bay – (Port Moresby) – Mount Hagen – Lae

• Pictures from the second part of our Papua New Guinea trip of the Mount Hagen Cultural Show August 13th, to 15th, 2010

• Pictures from the fourth part of our Papua New Guinea trip of the Goroka Cultural Show September 17th, to 19th, 2010

• Pictures from the fifth part of our Papua New Guinea trip from Goroka – Mt. Hagen – Kumul Pass – Mt. Hagen – Goroka – Lae

Articles in newspapers about us in Papua New Guinea:

Article: "26-year journey around the world", Daily Newspaper "The National" - August 20, 2010

Article: "Travelling the world none-stop for 26 years", Daily Newspaper "The National" - October 21, 2010