Blogs from Papua New Guinea, Oceania

After having lived and worked in Port Moresby for 12 years, in May 2012 I finally signed up with a Cairns based company called Kokoda Track Experience to walk the Kokoda Track. The trek was for 7 and a half days and we started from Owers Corner, just outside Port Moresby to trek through to Kokoda. For those that are not aware, the Kokoda track is where the Australian forces , supported by local Papuans, referred to as "the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels", stopped and pushed back the Japanese forces who were advancing on Port Moresby, which would have given them the launching pad to attack Australia. The track is only about 100kms long, but is harsh, muddy, wet and very undulating. Thankfully we had local porters who carried our backpacks and gear, mine porter wore thongs ... read more

Geo: -8.56473, 151.117... read more

It is a slow five hour drive from Mount Hagen to Goroka, on a poor road. Twice we were stopped at Police checkpoints. These are strange affairs to the westerner’s eye. The barrier is not raised until we have all chatted with the policeman, and the driver has paid a small bribe. When we arrive in Goroka, the weather has worsened and the surrounding mountains are invisible in swirling mist. It is hard to describe the Goroka Show, the pictures tell the story. Around 100 tribal sing-sing groups come together every year in this mountain town over the Independence Day weekend. On the morning of the first day, we spotted sing-sing groups in traditional dress on street corners - putting on body paint, arranging headdresses, practicing dance moves. But nothing could prepare us for the event ... read more

Saturday Rabaul We set a 6am alarm and went out on deck 6 and up the staircase one level to go to the bow of the ship. Sailing into Simpson harbour it was easy to spot the volcanic peaks that have done so much damage to Rabaul over the years and most notably in 1994. Mount Tavurvur is active still, puffs of smoke and steam visible against the early morning clouds. Rabaul is located on PNG's north-eastern tip in the New Britain province, where coincidentally the bride price is negotiated in shell money and it is a matriarchal society. The port area is all that really remains following the last volcanic eruption which saw a triple action of three peaks erupting covering the town in ash. No lives were lost this time compared to 1937 when ... read more

Thursday Conflict islands. Being so far forward in the boat any action that occurs happens next to our cabin, so 6-30am I was awake listening to the action of tenders being prepared for transfer of passengers to the island as well as the ship being held in place by the thrusters rather than an anchor. The Conflict Islands are a coral atoll 152kms off the tip of mainland PNG comprising 21 separate islands surrounded by a beautiful lagoon. Located 11 degrees off the equator they are mostly uninhabited, 30 people live on the island we visited today called Panasesa Island, small but with a massive air strip which was used in the 2nd World War in The Battle of The Coral Sea. A turtle hatchery is an important conservation aspect of this small island. These islands ... read more