Papua Highlands 9 Smoke Was Painful To My Eyes

We slowly made our way up. We passed through a small village growing various vegetables like garlic. A bit past the village, Penius decides to take a nap so he finds a bit of grassy area lays down and goes to sleep for 30 minutes. Meanwhile it was starting to rain with rain clouds obviously moving in. You could see them coming through the valley. Eventually he gets up and we move on. We find the next village where we would stay. It was a mix of western and traditional homes. 

He didn't seem to know where to go (which was strange as he had been here dozens of times before as I found later). Eventually he figured it out as the children came out to watch us. He found what passes for a hotel here.

As it was still only drizzling I headed out for a bit, and wandered into a walled home area, but the rain picked up so I headed back. Penius did the same as the day before cooking the same things in the little hut. I tried to stay but the smoke was painful to my eyes. 

Ralf Kreuze
(to be continued) 

Papua Highlands 8 The trail was wet

Then we headed down the steep slope, and slippery and difficult it certainly was. The trail was still wet and with lots of loose rocks with a steep grade. It was a constant balancing act as you skidded down the trail. Penius actually outpaced me a bit here for once as he deftly made his way down with naught but flip-flops. I had my trail shoes.
We got to the bottom past some more traditional homes to a rickety looking bridge. It did use steel cables but the supports holding the cables were random tree branches/trunks propped up. Quantity over quality. Many of the boards were rotting and already broken through. Thankfully however there was a cable thorough the middle and the sides as well as hand rails.
After having reached the bottom, inevitably we had to go back up the other side of the valley (from top to bottom is about 800m elevation). So back up we went as the heat was in full force pounding on us. Vegetation was scarce and resembled a dry meadow and shade 

or a breeze were occasional.
Ralf Kreuze

(to be continued) 

Papua Highlands 7 Old Men With Kotekas

So I headed  off to the viewpoint, down the mucky reeds in the village and up the side of the hill. I found the viewpoint and he was right, best view of the valley I got on the trip. I took my photos, and then so another potential viewpoint ahead. I was rather enjoying going at my own quick pace so I walked along for some distance, by a couple of the old men with kotekas (and while it did cover their member, that's all it covered). One such man was working his field and a few were just walking along the path. Only old men do it, so it is a traditional dying out. Within 10 years I suspect it will be nothing but a memory. 

I managed to get out to the 'viewpoint' but most of the view was blocked by one hill or another. You could see snippets of the river down below but not much. Nonetheless I enjoyed just doing something that didn't take an excessive time. (granted it did take about 1.5 hours).
I got back to the Kuring village and sat there eating lunch and taking a chunk out of my water. I bought a decorated koteka (I was assured it was unused) from a local man as well as a bamboo knife.
Ralf Kreuze

(to be continued) 

Papua Highlands 6 He Was Also A Dwarf

In the morning, Penius cooked fried rice and shortly after we took off. This time it was much more slippery from the rain. The soil here is largely clay with a thin topsoil that is easily washed away if exposed (aka a trail). We clambered up the path to the main trail and then we were on our way. Penius forgot the eggs so he headed back while I walked ahead. I got out to a nice viewpoint with a breeze while I waited as locals passed me by as they headed to and fro. 

One person was a bit of a strange sight. It was a old man who was naked except for his koteka (think penis sheath), except he was also a dwarf. By this time, Penius caught up and we walked along. Eventually we came to a village called Kuring (I think). Penius told me there was a beautiful view up ahead but that our destination was to go down to the river.
Ralf Kreuze

(to be continued) 

Papua Highlands 5 Food leftovers

It happened to be a local pastor who rents out his room. By the time we got inside it was pouring rain. I was hoping to go do some exploring as I had just spent 4 hours doing what would take me less than 2, but that plan was drenched.

Penius went off to cook food, and to his credit, it was well made. He made a vegetable dish, cooked rice with egg, and a few other things. He was surprised at how little I ate, and I was surprised at the sheer volume he ate. He packed his plate as much as could fit 3 times over and was still hungry. But we had a lot of food leftover nonetheless so we gave it to the pastor's family.
There were plugs but no electricity (not that I expected any) and the home itself was a more western style house. As it got dark I headed to bed.
Ralf Kreuze

(to be continued) 

Papua Highlands trek 4 I was getting annoyed.

And off we were again. Shortly after the roadway ended and we headed up the mountain side along a little trail. It was difficult but Penius certainly made it seem difficult. We had ladies in their 60's carrying heavy loads passing us easily. I was getting annoyed. 

He never really talked or gave information. If I asked a question it was a short curt response or he didn't know.
Lands here were divided by stone walls presumably to stop the pigs from escaping/entering. The walls could range from 1-2m high and used no mortar. Just stones placed carefully on each other. 

There would be a few sticks or branches that worked as a ladder to get over (if a branch placed diagonally can be called a ladder).
After going vertical for some time, we got to a horizontal trail which we followed for a while through a couple small villages. A few drops of water were falling from the sky, when we veered off the path to the first homestay.

Ralf Kreuze

(to be continued) 

Papua Highlands 3 Male pride

We started off over the rocks to the other side where the road resumed. We walked along for some time, passing various farms and homes. My guide throughout was a very slow walker especially by NG standards. He was young and fit with dreadlocks down the back, but didn't like to walk fast and seemed to need to take a long break every 5 minutes. I would ask him if there was a problem, but he just grunted. Male pride. 

Not sure if he was just lazy or if there was something else.
We would stop several times to get the betel nuts for him, or cigarettes, or candy. Eventually we came up to the police stop where they took my suran jalat photocopy for records. They had a strange bird with a vague resemblance to an owl tied up.
A few minutes past we were at another police station and they got my last photocopy and stamped it.
Ralf Kreuze

(to be continued) 

Papua Highlands 2 Voracious Appetite

We crammed into the bicycle rickshaw and were ridden along a bumpy road to the local market to buy some food. 

We bought a huge bag of veggies, some eggs, rice, seasonings, fruit and some biscuits and snacks. We brought well more than we needed for the 3 days. I could've lasted about 2 weeks on it. My guide ate about three times I did however so i was feeding his voracious appetite.
So we headed off in a crammed packed bemo full of old ladies and young children. Imagine a pickup truck with a cover. Then fit 30 people. That's what it was.
The ride took about an hour or so, and given the excessively long bus trips I've taken up to this point it seemed rather short (although going back was another story). We got off at what appeared to be a washout from a rock slide that took out the road.
Ralf Kreuze

(to be continued) 

Papua Highlands 1 Wamena

I got on the flight. The aircraft was a tad sketchy and had the front half of the passenger section taken out for a rigged up cargo hold (all supplies to Wamena are flown in). 

The airport was basic but still decades ahead of any PNG airport I saw. I went in, got my Suran Jalat signed by the police. I found a guide and negotiated a price. It was quite high and while his guide fee was reasonable, his prices for food, hotels and transport was way beyond what it actually cost. So I negotiated to pay him his fees and then would pay for everything that was needed, at cost. This ended up cutting my costs in over half.
So after it was negotiated, he calls another man over to be my guide as he was unable. I left my belongings (locked with nothing of real value to him) with him through the hotel he works through and then went off with the other guide, Penius. Quite the ironic name as you will soon see.
Ralf Kreuze (to be continued) 

Tasmania Travel Memories 2

I spent 10 days in Tasmania and split my time in 3 days on my own, eventually I decided to join a 5day tasmania tour and finally stayed 2 more days in Hobart on my own. Although I was overall happy with the tour,  I am not really a tour person and sometimes found it pretty limiting, especially with the time available for visiting places. Tasmania is easy to get about, I would  travel around  by car, which is probably the best option if you have a travel companion.  if you instead want to travel tasmania solo, then I would use the tasmanian public transportation, which offers a good bus network across the island or maybe look for a travel companion to share the car drive.

What I have seen in my Tasmania Trip

Tasmania has truly the most diverse landscape you can imagine of. The only thing you will not see in Tasmania is the Outback! It is the only australian state with no outback areas! Tasmania is a true paradise for hikers and nature lovers. Many people fly from all over the world to join Tasmania tours and spend some hiking escape weeks in the the tasmanian pristine wilderness areas! The diversity and the beauty of Tasmania enviroment is simply stunning.

Michela

(to be continued) 

Tasmania Travel Memories

Tasmania is a destination of its own! If you plan a trip to Tasmania you need first of all time and also to pick the right time of the year: the summer months, to fully enjoy this beautiful and diverse island. The winter in Tasmania is freaking cold.

I had booked my flight from Europe to Melbourne for middle of January, so as to be able to fly into Hobart a few days afterwards and spend  there 10 days. December-February is  the best period of the year to visit Tasmania; the weather is lovely with warm, sunny days, but it is obviously also the busiest time, so make sure you make your bookings for your Tasmania holiday a good time ahead.

You can reach the only australian state island either with the ferry to Tasmania which departs from Melbourne. Or if you prefer you can take a 40minutes flight  Melbourne Hobart, the capital of this remote land at the very edge of the world! A combination of both: Hobart flight on one way and the Tasmania Ferry on the other an be also a good idea.

Michela

(to be continued) 

Blue Mountains& Sydney Northern Beaches

The Sydney Northern Beaches – this is another part of the town worth visiting. You need a whole day to see them, starting from Manly you can stop at all the spectacular beaches, up to Whale and Palm beach. Definitely worth your time!
The Blue Mountains – to fully enjoy them you need to spend at least 1 night there. But if you ar on a tight time, make sure you leave early in the morning, there are daily trains which leave from the Sydney Central Station. Once you are there you will immerse yourself in one of the most beautiful national parks in Australia. Plenty of walking trail for any level of hiking expertise.
The Royal National Park – another great national park, south of Sydney. You can reach Cronulla by train too and spend the whole day day, take the ferry and cross over to Bundeena and start walking through the national park. There some good aboriginal self guided walks. You can, stay overnight and do some camping too!
Michela

(to be continued) 

Sydney and its surrounds

Sydney is that kind of city I can recommend to anyone who is on a tight time frame. You can manage to see much and the variety of places and things you can do ist just impressive. For sure you will not get bored in Sydney.
The variety of things you can do and see is huge. Either travelling solo or with friends or family, Sydney’s area is the ideal starting place for any type of travel in Australia.
Here below just a few of my favorite things I keep doing whenever I am in Sydney, it’s just a small part of the endless list of things you can do in Sydney.

The Spit-to Manly-Walk – this is a 10km beautiful bushwalk along the shoreline of Sydney Harbour. Along your way you come to a couple of lookouts with wonderful views over Middle Harbour and the city of Sydney. It’s ideal if you look for some excercise or just love walking like I do.

The Cogee-Bronte-Bondi-Walk – this is another great coastal walk, which you can do daytime. You can reach Bronte or Cogee by bus fromt Sydney city centre and from there walk along the path, stop at a few lookouts and relish the view and the tiny little bays. The Bronte-Bondi is a short nice walk. Bondi is the highlight of Sydney, is a nice place but preatty busy especially over weekends.
Michela
(to be continued)