Trip to Kundiawa

Early start for us all and two vehicles to take us into The Highlands. Eventually left at 6:45am. The first part of the journey is our route to Brahman and after the turn off we normally take it was new countryside for us.

Quite quickly we travelled along the Ramu Valley with spectacular views of mountains all around [what do you expect in a valley I hear you say!!!]. Very rich agricultural land with signs showing that cattle are raised, saw sheep [a first] palm oil and sugar cane. Then we started to climb up into the mountains. Breathtaking and camera going all the way! Unfortunately we couldn't stop so many pictures were taken through the window but they are fine and I have selected a few for you to see.

The houses were no longer built on stilts and are round. Gardens everywhere [this is where all the vegetables are grown] and some seemed to be stuck to the side of very steep slopes.

Visually the people look more harsh of feature and not quite as pretty as the coastal people. Seemed to have more people sitting around than we see here as well.

Stopped for lunch in Goroka but no time to look around. Nice lunch in nice hotel which is in the album. Then off again. Went through 4 Police checks but all uneventful [this is the land of rascals ie bit like bandits!!]

Can't describe just how beautiful it all is. Amazing mountains. The highest we climbed to was 2450 ish metres and it started to get cold, well colder!

We eventually arrived in Kundiawa at 4:30pm and were met by friends who had done their In country orientation with us and who are leaving shortly [only on a years placement]. The hotel made me think of a wild west scene with huge gates and lots of guards! We were put in the Executive Wing I don't think!! Cold showers ripped sheets but hey ho. Everyone else was boasting about their lovely rooms! Anyway the next evening we were told we were moving to another room as we didn't have hot water! No mention of the fact that Charlye, our American volunteer had slept in the room opposite and that had a rat run over her feet!

Battered from the rough ride up to Kundiawa we slept OK. Dinner had been good even though it was in a room set out for 20 people and was in fact the dinner planned for the final night!!!!!!!!!! They had got it all wrong which we were told was quite normal! In the town of gardens and growing stuff for Madang breakfast was bread for you to toast yourself with not a bit of fruit to be seen!!! Soon got that sorted. So off to our conference. Stayed tuned and move to the next entry!!