Don Bosco Hill (Pek Pek Mountain) 19th October 2008.

A good sized group showed up this morning to go walking around the local Dame Carol constituent. We drove down to the Badili Police Band Barracks (Taikone) and from here, wandered upwards passed the Old Lighthouse and over to Horse Camp village and the muddy beach where the locals were collecting pipis.

From Horse Camp we then followed around the stony beach to Vabukori Village and after chatting to the locals we then headed up Pek Pek Hill and then (for some reason) back down to Vabukori, for another chat to the local crew. We wandered through the Village and then headed back up passed the Football Field and back up to the old Lighthouse. Here, we then headed skyward in the hot sun with the temperature touching 40C, before sitting on top of “Old Baldy” Hill or Don Bosco Hill as it now appears.

A quick walk around Gabutu and past Konebadu Beach back to Taikone and then back home. A good hot walk in the sun, perhaps it is time to walk the death march again?

Taurama to Pyramid Point. 24.08.08

Yet another great walk by the POM Bushwalkers. A group of only 11 started, 10 only completed unfortunately, and we headed out from Taurama Barracks and bombed straight up and up and up until we reached the World War Two gun emplacements of Pari Village, a prime location for any ship trying to attack Port Moresby via the Basilisk Passage. Fortunately for the people of Moresby, no attack ever eventuated and the guns on top of Pari Village were never fired in anger.

From the dizzy heights of the gun emplacement looking over the late Sir Billy Skate’s old residence we continued towards the village of Taurama and the home of the Surf Club. It was an up and down wander in the sun but with a cool breeze, luckily. From the Surf Club, some of us ventured up to the top of Pyramid Point where we sat for a while, told some stories and just soaked up the view. It was peaceful up on top of this hill.

A flat road walk back saw us finally reach the end of our journey. A good hot, hard walk but full of good views of Moresby, Ela Beach, Bootless Bay and the whole Motuan coastline.

Varirata. 03.08.08

Considering the tough walk to Imita Ridge yesterday, and the fact that I am planning on walking the entire Kokoda Track soon, I decided that today would be a good measure to see how I fared with two decent hit-outs in two days. So, myself and one of my good Sogeri friends did a brisk lap of Varirata.

The overnight rain had made Varirata quite greasy and the odd tree root and rock caused the walking to be cautious in some sections of the track. We firstly walked out to the bottom lookout, and then headed in a anti-clockwise direction, we followed the boundary of the park. Upon reaching the front gate, we then ducked back into the forest and completed the circuit track. This was my first time along the circuit track and it was a great little loop despite the numerous trees which had fallen across its path.

We bombed along and covered the 10kms in 4 hours, reasonably good going considering the slipperiness of some sections where the pace dropped to a crawl. Literally.

My legs were feeling okay after the two big walks over the weekend, where I covered nearly 23kms in around 9 hours. Bring on Kokoda.

Imita Ridge 02.08.08

Some of the local crew decided it was a good time to walk to Imita Ridge and back, the weather had been kind of late and the reports coming in off the track told us that it was dry going. So DN, GF and I headed off with the local crew made up of a bunch of young Papuans and a young Jimi girl to keep GF company amongst what was a bunch of lads.

Arriving at Ower’s Corner, it was a veritable market place with the local Koiari people selling all sorts to the EE crew coming of the track. PNG Treking Adventures were down at Goldie and there were one or two teams just starting, so the grounds at Ower’s were pretty busy. One of our crew had suffered a bit with some Malaria, so he volunteered to look after the gear back at the carpark including our refreshments for our return.

I led the charge down the first steep descent from Ower’s waiting for the young lads to take over, and as soon as there was a gap they were off. You could tell that they were now Moresby Boys as their runners didn’t offer as much grip as they were going arse up on a few occasions. I think our Jimi girl was the only one to stay upright despite busting a thong on the mud of Imita.

We reached Goldie pretty quickly and thankfully I thought as my legs were not enjoying the shaking of descending for so long, give me a climb I cried. At Goldie, we waited for the Victorian Police Crew and their team who looked like they were having a good time although one or two Coppers looked worst for wear, especially the one with the broken bone in her hand. We then crossed the river and started the climb up and over to Uberi Creek.

It was a great day and the track was dry. Until we got to the slopes of the Golden Staircase and Imita Ridge, then it got muddy, slippery, sticky and a whole world of fun. The barefoot toes scraping the Red Clay of Sogeri looked more like the hands of Trekkers had clawed their way up the maddening steep slopes. The young lads in their runners, were continuing to run up each climb whilst us old guys plodded on behind. After 2H 40m, we made it to the top of Imita, we rested a while, chatted to a group of trekkers which we had passed at Uberi, and then we descended back down towards Uberi, and Goldie River.

A brief rest at Uberi, where the lads practiced their latest breakdancing moves and gymnastics, and where we made friends with “Brownie” or “Snoopsie” the Dog who decided to follow us back to Ower’s Corner, we then made our way down to the Goldie River where once the Jimi girl and GF departed for the climb back up to Ower’s, all the lads went “as nating” and had a wash in the cool mountain stream.

Meanwhile, the rest of us were starting the big push up the final climb, and the 3pm rain started to fall. Concern about getting the transport out of Ower’s when the track was wet, meant we had to hurry up a little. Soon, the freshly washed and cleaned lads raced past us and ran up to the carpark. The rest of us made our way step by step. I will admit that the last section in the Kunai grass which is normally unbearable was okay with the misty rain falling. When the sun is out, it is brutal.

What a fantastic day, around 13kms in length and about 5 hours in walking time. Good times… good times.

Mt Diamond. 27.07.08

An easy walk, with a waterhole full of clean crisp clear water and only 20 minutes from Moresby. How cool is that?

There was a two hour walk there and back in Kunai grass and lowland sclerophyll forest but this added to the enjoyment as we negotiated a few stream crossings on route to our destination. And this was despite a few issues regarding land owners and the original track we were planning on following, but a lesson learned for next time.

The young students from the local High School acted as our guides and lead us into temptation before negotiations lead us away from the Lion’s Den and onto a path more prosperous. The amount of trekkers was huge with over 30 of us in total (including guides) trekking to our final destination; the Kiri kati falls. What a gorgeous location so close to town and really should be zoned as a National Park by the powers that be, if only such infrastructure existed…

Those of us with new walking boots for the Kokoda Track were able to test out the waterproofness, those of us with new digital cameras were able to test out their new equipment. Especially with the bird life on route to the waterfall and certainly the butterflies that flew around the falls themselves.

A great, easy day out.

Varirata. In July 2008.

The First Journey.

The POM bushwalkers arrived at Varirata on a pleasant Sunday morning with some cloud cover and cool temperatures. The freshly conceived plan was to circumnavigate the Park in a clockwise direction. We started out all keen as Mustard as we left the Park in order to find the re-entry point to our lap.

It wasn’t long into the walk where it was discovered that footwear was important as was trekking fitness, yet we all supported each other and survived to tell the tale. The first leg of the journey is a comfortable descent to a creek in which we rested up briefly. The dry season was well underway and the track surface was relatively dry.

From the creek, we headed up into the clouds and discovered a bit of rock scaling and a fairly steep technical ascent, before heading ever upwards towards Gare’s Lookout. From here it was decided to break up the group as one team would continue along the Boundary track and the others would descend back down to the team vehicles.

I chose to guide the crew back to the cars and it was here that we would head along the flatter part of the course to head off the rest of the walkers. We rejoined all together again, and returned to the cars.

About 7-8kms in travel meant for a good hit out for all concerned.

The Second Journey

A week later, around lunchtime, it was decided that a small group of Kokoda aspirees would head back to Varirata for a quick lap of the lookouts. Hastily we gathered up everything and headed east into the Sogeri plateau. At Varirata, we motored around the lookouts, firstly heading along the 30minute then left up to Gare’s and then back down to the vehicles.

The track was dry, yet there proliferated many fungi and again the cloud was heavy in the air.

A quick 6km loop of the track was a good tonic for a lazy Sunday arvo.

The Third Journey; Remembrance Day.

Remembrance Day fell on the happiest Wednesday of them all this year, and it was decided to honour the diggers by recreating our own little Kokoda by traversing the mud of the nearby Owen Stanleys and what better place then Varirata.

The Rangers of the Park must have known that a PNG MP was visiting on this day as they left the gatepost abandoned and were busy on brushcutters cleaning up the bottom lookout. They did a good job of it, long overdue but the outcome was decent. Not quite Bomana standard, but who am I to judge.

Anywho, the walk was fantastic, we left the carpark, headed for the bottom lookout, and then followed the track all the way around the boundary back to the Park entrance some 7kms away. We then turned around and retraced our steps making for a 15km total with some seriously technical climbing and descending. The Eastern side of the Park was considerably slipperier and tougher than the usual lookout loop.

After 6 hours of bashing around, a few moments chatting to aforementioned MP, a discovery that another POM bushwalker had been spotted in the park and admiring the longevity of the POM twitchers we left the Park satisfulled of a good decent walk.

And we spotted a few more fungi.

Bomana to Mt Erima. Another Reconnaissance. 6.7.8

Upon return from cooler climes down south, I awoke on a bright sunny warm Moresby winter's day and contacted a friend who I was hoping would get me up the western face of Mt. Erima, as I have previously (with the POM Bushwalkers) walked up the Northern steps and was keen to see if it could be done. At the end of the day, I am sure you can walk up the western face but my guide today decided we would stick to the track and circumnavigate the large rocky outcrop not far from Moresby.

We departed Bomana and straight away, the track went uphill, along a dusty and often ash covered rocky escarpment. Up and down we trekked and slowly got closer to the base of Erima. The ash and dust was sticking to the sweat and sunscreen on our exposed skin, and the sun was in its normal Moresby mood, sending down its bright hot rays. The shade of Mt Erima was a welcome respite.

But then, instead of making our way up the western face as I had hoped, we followed a small track around the base which ended up along the water treatment fenceline where once I have trekked before from PAU. So, we then trudged up the sunbaked track slaloming around the steel posts which lead to the beacon on top of the rock. On the top, we all stopped and rested, before heading back down to the road and then back to the Bomana community.

Only 2.5hours in length, but it could be lengthened to make a decent walk for the POM bushwalkers, or could be used on those days when people need to return to Moresby early???

Hombrum's Bluff. A reconnaissance. 22.06.08

A trio of intrepid trekkers wandered out on an unofficial POM Bushwalk to scope new terrain for future treks. Our journey would start at 15 mile at the small village on the other side of the Laloki River near the Bluff Inn. The villagers assured us that it would be okay to drive our vehicles across an old World War 2 Marston matting bridge, but we preferred to leave the cars on the same side that the road was on. With car guards in place, we headed across the Laloki and up towards Hombrum's Bluff.

Our guides from the Village outnumbered us and this didn't include the kids who came along for the walk. Many of the kids had never climbed the mountain before and they were keen to see what the view was like, so they ran up the ever steepening slope. Unlike the kids, we took our time. Resting frequently to catch our breath, we would often turn around and admire the view as it was a clear morning with little high level cloud. We saw Wallabies and a Bandicoot and this increased the excitement with the kids, as the area we walked through was the local hunting ground and the men of the village hunted in much smaller groups then the one we were amongst.

Our original plan was to walk up to the top and then return in the same manner, but we were soon to discover that this was perhaps a one way track with a descent thwart with danger. The grass was very tall and feeling your way with your boots was a recipe for a trip and a fall on the way down. So it was decided to continue across the top of the ridge until we reached the Sogeri Junction, this added another two hours or so to the two hours of climbing.

After negotiating a ride back to the Bluff Inn and back to our cars, we were able to head home, tired, bleeding and sore. But a good walk, and a good challenge. Special thanks go to the "Queen" of the walk who was very supportive.

A tough start with a super steep two hours up hill followed by a lengthy undulating 12kms back to Sogeri. Will investigate another spur which may prove to be a safer descent and therefore making a good loop instead of walking to Sogeri...

Bisianumu Bushwalk. 15 June 2008

It was a pleasant day for a stroll around the topside of Sogeri, overcast and not too hot. A good sized group of us headed out from the old Rubber Farm and wandered off past the puk puk inhabited swamp and into the sclerophyll forest. It was dry and dusty.

After a good descent we found ourselves on the edge of a ledge overlooking the Goldie and beyond to Kokoda and the Owen Stanleys. We made her way to a waterhole below and rested up for a spell. Some of us indulged with a short swim in the fresh mountain stream, plunging our heads under the invigorating waterfall.

It was a good walk back up to the old plantation, a good steady, consistent walk, up a good steady, consistent grade.

Perhaps we will work out a way to put the waterfall at the end of the walk, not two thirds of the way through…

Seeya CB, thanks for all the walks. Cheers!

Bisianumu Water Fall. This Sunday June 15th.

See this Bisianumu Review for a report of the last time we walked out to Bisianumu Falls.

This is a "Go Pinis" walk for one of the original crew who was on that first bushwalk of the reincarnated POM Bushwalkers and we all had a great time. I seem to recall spending more time relaxing on the rock then walking to and from.

This time we will hopefully walk it in the opposite direction to the link above, and save the shorter of the two legs for the return, after we have had our swim.

Varirata. June 8th 2008

Unfortunately, Imita Ridge didn't happen today. We didn't have enough 4wds to get us to Ower's Corner so we opted for an extended loop of Varirata. I haven't done the longer loop before and I am now kicking myself, because it was fantastic, a mixture of up and down muddy slopes with the odd technical descent or climb combined with bird songs, overcast conditions and the cool jungle surrounds.

It was just over 3 hours in length and opened up a whole new part of the Park and gave us some good ideas for future walks, everyone had a good time and no one was really exhausted by the morning's effort, although there were some sleepy heads on the way back down from Sogeri.

There were some spectacular scenery from gorgeous wildflowers to interesting insects, a small water course and some massive tall trees. Good fun. Everyone stayed upright, everyone stradled a large tree trunk and everyone held hands when it came to some of the trickier spots.

Rumours abound that next week there will be a walk to one of our favourite waterholes?

Bushwalk from Isurava 25th May 2008.

The descent back down to Kokoda is nearly all downhill and also makes you feel that maybe the climb up wasn’t as hard as you originally thought. 5 hours will get you back to Kokoda and you’ll feel good for the workout. The hardest part is keeping your toes in one piece as blisters and bashed toe nails ensue.

If you start out early enough, then you will have some time to relax and get a few photos of the scenery, and you may even see the Cassowary at Hoy on the way down. Refuse a lift from your porter on the last creek, and remove your boots one last time. The cool water is bliss on your tired, weary feet.

Some 66 years ago, this section of the Kokoda Track saw some bloody fighting where many young Australian and Japanese Men lost their lives, to know that even on the 25^th of May 2008, the life of another young Australian was stolen in the Owen Stanleys is a sober reminder of the role that nature plays out.

Vale.

Bushwalk to Isurava. 23rd May 2008.

I was hoping to walk up to Isurava from Kokoda in two days, resting overnight in Deniki but thanks to Airlines PNG, I started off from Kokoda one day behind schedule, but with enough time to get to Isurava in one attempt.

I left the airport at 0920 and headed to the Asian Stoa which is located near Muddy Creek (a misnomer if ever I heard one) and my porters and guides picked up some food for the few days we were to be in the Owen Stanley Ranges. I bought some water and some brown fizzy drink and was set. Immediately leaving the Stoa there is a climb up to the Kokoda Memorial and Museum, from here you head due South past the Hospital and along a Tractor Track towards Kovello. This is a flat start to what soon becomes the up and down savagery of the Kokoda Track.

Soon after Kovello, you get to the small Village of Hoy, look out for a Cassowary who is penned up on your left, and also the stream here is deep enough that you should remove your boots. You do not want wet feet in only the first hour of walking.

After Hoy, the track weaves through Chokko fields and heads skywards up to Deniki, where there is a good rest stop and hopefully a 5 Kina brown fizzy drink to get you the caffeine you need for the rest of the day. Because from here, it is up, up and up to Isurava, through tree roots and mud and stones and small streams, the track continues its brutal climb.

And it gets darker and darker… and as the clouds lift up the Yodda Valley, the humidity reaches saturation and everything gets wet. But by a few minutes before 1700 you reach the Isurava Village, there are guesthouses here and at the Memorial Site and the people who live in the clouds are warm in heart but cool to touch; the children loved holding on to my warm hands after my big walk and their hands were so cold to touch. It was an emotional welcome after such a climb.

Alotau town water supply. 19th May 2008

I asked my friend Tom if he could help me out and walk to one of the Waterfalls that you can see in and amongst the surrounding Mountains of Alotau. He told me of a good one that was only one hour away, and was the source of the town’s water. It also passed through a settlement which was full of Trobriand Islanders and this suited Tom as these were his wantoks. Some of the other waterfalls with settlements were not so well known by Tom and he didn’t recommend that just the two of us should wander there by ourselves.

So, off we went acknowledging Tom’s wantoks with a casual “Beuna Kwaiai”; the Kiriwina phrase for “Good Afternoon”. Some of Tom’s female wantoks wanted to know where Tom was taking their “husband” and we all had a jolly good laugh…

Naturally, a waterfall is part of a water course so we followed a small stream up into the shade of the mountains, which was a welcome relief from the afternoon sun soaked Kunai grass fields where the track started. We crossed the stream continuously as we passed into cool jungle and the filter point of the town’s water supply. Some young workmen were repairing the filter inlet after recent flooding had closed the pick up point. We continued on up into the mountains.

By this stage we were walking in the creek/stream and our feet were wet yet cool. Eventually we made it to a waterfall which consisted of a tree that had fallen over and a small trickle of water. Anyway, the stream was fantastic to look at and it was a cool, peaceful location for a rest. Tom was right with the time to get there, just over the hour.

We then walked back down from where we came, our boots and feet getting wetter and wetter and we stopped to chat to some gardeners tending their crops and also join in a quick game of street soccer.

An enjoyable way to spend an evening.

Bushwalk Sunday 25th of May.

Sorry guys, I won't be around for the next walk. I did hear a rumour though that it was to be the Burn's Peak Death March.... Bugger, I'll miss it :(

But if there is no notice sent out, no fret, show up at the usual time at the usual place and who knows you may find that a walk is on the cards....

Varirata. Tourist drawcard or money trap?

How tourism should work… A tourist goes to a spot, may it be scenic or otherwise, they pay their entry fee, this fee goes to the upkeep of said spot. The tourist thinks that the spot is amazing and decides to take a few photographs and on their return home, they show said photos of said spot to their family and friends. Family and friends are inspired and plan their next holiday, perhaps including a visit to the spot.

Everyone is happy, Spot worker has a job, Spot is maintained and more and more people decide to visit, increasing employment in local community and just generally making everyone happy.

How tourism has worked for me in PNG… sometimes on the weekend, I am a tourist in my new found backyard. I would like something to do, so I ask around, and I discover that there is a good spot for a Sunday visit. I arrange to get there, I have a good time, I pay my entry fee and I pay some bloke who shows me around, and he takes me to the better parts of the spot. I’m impressed, I take a few photos and I show them to my friends, who ask me to take them to the spot.

We all arrange to get there, we all pay our entry fee, we all have a good time, and we all convince our friends that it is well worth the effort to get there. And they do.

Then one day we all show up, and as we are leaving, the guy who we pay entry fee to stops us and says that he hears that we have been taking photos of the scenery some two months prior. We say “Of Course! It’s a beautiful spot and we want our friends to be inspired and visit!” And he says, sorry but my boss says you must pay K250.00 because you used a camera. Unbelievable! This extortion is shooting tourism in its own foot.

Over the last two years I have probably introduced this spot to around 50 people, who have all paid their entry fee, and quite possibly have visited on more than one occasion, and quite possibly have used the services of the local crew to help find the better parts of the spot and have all had a good time. Perhaps over K1000.00 has entered the spot’s coffers through my direct and indirect involvement, yet someone wants more, someone is greedy and someone is stupid.

For shame Tourism PNG, this is a bitter day.

Varirata. Sunday 11th May 2008

This Sunday, we are heading for the Varirata loop. This has been done before and it is a corker, especially if it is wet. And you will get muddy. And probably bruised. And likely both.

It's not an easy walk, but if you take your time, then you'll be alright. If you are keen to tackle the Kokoda Track then this is a good prep, as you will soon get used to tree roots and leaf mould. It would be awesome if we could all get to the normal meeting place as soon as possible, because there is the chance to see Birds of Paradise up there, if you are early and quiet.

Check out previous reviews for this walk on this blog and come along. It's a classic. And there are some spectacular views of Bootless Bay if there is no clouds (unlikely).

Bring heaps of water, bring K5 per person to get into the park, bring money for our guides and coppers, prolly K15 and bring your camera ;)

the Great Boat Ride 2008

Well the Lea Lea Boat trip finally occurred, and it certainly was not much of a bushwalk but an adventurous boat trip. Those who got their names in early were rewarded with an awesome day away from Moresby and to a spot that none of us had been before, and there is a chance that not many of us will go again. We made it to Wariwara Island, a Hiri Motu Island with no inhabitants, no tracks, no trees save for the odd Pandanus.

What Wariwara lacked was made up by a clean sandy beach and a very secluded beach/reef including shelter/shade in the form of a cliff. It was like a little bit of Paradise.

I spent my time taking some photos whilst others went for a swim, some started a small grass fire, others just merely chilled out.

To get there, we cruised along the Motuan coastline, and then wandered through a windy river deep in the heart of the Mangroves, and past the village of Kidu, then back out onto the open water to Wariwara.

The lazy cruise was a good chance for a whole bunch of new bushwalkers to get to know each other and a few old stalwarts to catch up. The trip home however wasn't so lazy, as the wind was picking up and the waves were starting to splash onboard the banana boats. We managed to spot some Dolphins on the way home which was cool to see but also on the way home, our overzealous tour guide managed to thump a Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster) and this left it as Sharkbait and everyone felt real bad about the experience.

And then we headed home back to a very low tide Lea Lea and a spluttering two-stroke engine.

A good time was had by all.

No Boat Trip...

Sorry everyone. No Boat trip for the 27th, but there should be a walk. Please make your way down to the usual meeting place at the usual time and there should be somewhere for you to go walking...

If you are not confident, then stay in bed.

I will not be in attendance.

The Great Lea Lea Boat ride...

Well, I have just looked at my calendar and it seems that we will be trying to arrange for the boat ride at Lea Lea Village in a fortnight time (27.04.08). Now we are limited to only 20 people as we do not want to overload the banana boats and we are limited to how many boats we may potentially have, also we will be travelling on the open ocean and weather will be a big factor.

Remember, that the last time we tried to arrange this walk, a death in the Village occurred and we had to cancel the boat leg of the journey, so this bushwalk will only be a given on the morning of the event.

The cost will be greater as we will have to provide fuel, and there is a good chance that we will not be home in time for lunch. Also, there is some concern over the availability of our two trusty Police officers.

Please if you are interested then you will need to reply to the email that will be sent out shortly.

Remember, we are limited to numbers and we cannot guarantee that a boat trip will actually happen. The backup is a walk around Lea Lea and possibly watching a Volleyball game.

Pari Village Walk. a review...

5 of us took off this morning to walk from the Tennis club to Taurama and all of us enjoyed the outing. It was a good walk with a nice introduction of a steady climb up to the first peak, from here, the undulations increased and there was a few nice pinches to test out the lungs. The final descent into Taurama just seemed to keep going and going.

But apart from the Burn's Peak death march, this walk provides the best views of Port Moresby and surrounds. The views of Pari Village are awesome and a container ship traversing Basilisk Passage was a nice touch to the scenery.

It was a sunny start to the day and the sun provided some of it's usual heat on some of the last few climbs, and with recent rain falling in Moresby, there were some sections of track where the grass was well over our heads. The height of the grass provided some confusion as on the odd occasion, the track was not able to be seen or felt under our feet. But we bashed our way through, taking time to admire the small blue pea flowers, the white passionfruit flowers, the mauve miniature pohuehue, and the ever increasing collection of grass seeds which were gathering in our socks.

And to add to all the excitement, a PMV ride back into town topped off the morning. I hope our sweaty, stinky, bushwalking body odours didn't offend any of the other passengers... ooops. The only downside was the numbers who turned up, perhaps 13 hours notice wasn't enough time for some to get ready... just remember its always the same time at the same place on fortnightly Sundays.

Baga Village walk. Oro Province.

We decided to get out of Moresby for a while and we headed North East to Tufi and whilst there relaxing, we partook in a bushwalk around one of the rias. It was pretty spectactular and we would like to recommend it to all who venture to Oro Province for a getaway.

Not a particularly tough walk but rewarding with some gorgeous views and some traditional warm Oro greetings from the villages you pass through. The walk starts and finishes at Baga but goes via Kuririka, and a nice waterfall. At Kouririka, they will shower you with petals, and provide Kulau and fruit for refreshments. Upon your return to Baga, again fresh fruit and an Oro welcome awaits.

To get there, you need to hop onto a canoe at the Tufi wharf and arrange for the resort team to pick you up in their banana boat so that you can arrive back at the resort for lunch.

Good stuff and well worth the effort. We were told that soon, a new guesthouse will be built at Kouririka for those wanting an overnight village stay.

Bushwalk Sunday 30th March 2008

Sorry guys. I will be in ENBP this Sunday so I will not be able to join you on your walk. As history shows, when I am not around, the walk is normally quite memorable and a good time is had by all!

But, if you show up to the normal place at the normal time then you should find a bunch of like-minded individuals who are keen to tackle some heat and mud somewhere.

Please can someone take photos and write a small journal entry and send it to me, and I'll post it here.

See you in maybe 3 or possibly 5 weeks I reckon' :(

Gaire and the March Girls.

Gaire March 16^th 2008

It was the first time that any of us had walked the hills behind March Girls at Gaire and I don’t think it will be the last. The local community although sparse were friendly and we all had a good day. We started off parking at the March Girls and then we made contact with a local family who allowed their son to be our guide and show us the hills behind his house.

The first climb was pretty solid and had everyone resting at the top to catch our breath, except our guide and his dog that were keen to press on. So on we went and the views at the top were fantastic, in one direction we could see Mt Diamond and the cliffs of Varirata behind. Towards the North West we could see Taurama, Bootless Bay, Pyramid Point and Moresby. In the opposite direction we could see the Magi Hwy heading down to wards Gaba Gaba and Kwikila, but framing all this was the blue Ocean and the reef break some distance out from the shoreline.

There was quite a variety of terrain for us to wander through, from open grasslands to closed in woodlands, and the steepness of the track ranged from undulating to very steep. Our guide ensured us that there was a path, and there certainly was after we had all made it from one valley floor to the next.

Meanwhile, the Guide and his dog kept on going up and down the hills until we reached the combined Digicel/BMobile tower of Gaire. From here, it was a stroll along the black sandy beach and to the March Girls. Nearly all of us decided to take a plunge in the ocean as we had been viewing it from a distance all morning and it was warm and hot out on the track, unfortunately there were stingers in the water and the dip in the ocean did not last.

But there were cold beverages to be found at March Girls if you knew the right way to ask and despite the 8-ball table having two number 10s we were all kept entertained.

A good walk, a good day.

The US Warbird that fell out of the sky.

The B-24. 17^th February 2008

An unsanctioned walk, the two of us were lucky enough to be taken to a US plane that crashed shortly after take off during the Second World War. We had spent quite some time walking with our guides in this area over the last 18 months and they always promised to show us the plane wreck one day, and back in February we were fortunate to find the spot.

We have often thought about planning a POM Bushwalk to the wreck site but we thought we should scope it out first, and luckily we did. The Bushwalk to get there was sweet and comfortable, the scramble down and back up the cliff to get to the actual site was the hardest “bushwalking” I have done whilst in PNG, the fact that heavy rain fell while we were at the crash site and then had to climb the muddy, near vertical face whilst wet was only made possible with the help of our guides. In dry weather, the climb would not be as bad, but the rain made it treacherous.

The wreck itself is pretty awesome, it is the third wreck in PNG that I have walked to and although the plane exploded on impact with the cliff face, there is still quite a lot of interesting bits and pieces strewn all over the place, including some fairly massive machine guns and the aircraft’s radio instrument panel is still legible. The distinctive white star on a blue circle supported by the white and red ribbon of the US insignia is still noticeable on the fuselage.

We found old compressor cylinders and some fairly large gauge bullets. The wreck is strewn over a large area and this is attributed to the terrain and the fact that some of the bombs on board detonated on impact. All 12 US crew lost their lives, and the first two attempts to retrieve the dead were unsuccessful as the terrain was too difficult to navigate.

Unfortunately I wouldn’t recommend this walk for a future POM Bushwalk as you really need your guides to outnumber the bushwalkers. The local guides can climb mountains in the mud whereas we amateurs find ourselves wallowing like stuck pigs. The area is sensitive to the local people as it is good hunting ground and the ecology is such that it could only really handle a few at a time. As it was, the two of us and our guides made a bit of a mess…

We were exhausted, we were muddied, there were cuts and bruises but it was a sombre feeling to stand amidst the loss of those 12 men.

Vale.

Lebogoro 9th March 2008

I must apologise for my jellyfish effort this morning as I was sorely left wanting when it came to climbing the last series of hills. My current lack of fitness had me feeling pretty ordinary after we crossed that swampy creek.

But the day was fantastic. After we collected locals and other paraphernalia, we then drove along the Magi Hwy on route to Lebogoro. One could be excused that the Magi Hwy should be renamed the Maggi Hwy after noticing quite a bit of Nestle signage. In fact one of the early Kakaruk signs claimed the Maggi Hwy moniker…

After arriving at our destination we alighted from our vehicles and headed across the footbridge to the primary school. From here we climbed, and we climbed and we climbed. Before we reached the summit, two members of the party had to return back to base camp as the Sun was taking its toll. As there had been some recent rain, the Sun only drew the moisture out of the soil and the humidity levels were extreme.

But the views of the Rigo countryside were awesome from the top, the entire village of Lebogoro laid out below and beyond that, the road to Kupiano and beyond!!! It was along the top of this ridge where there was a nice shady tree lined area which was very pleasant. The descent down the other side was steep but relatively safe as the fresh green grass tussocks provided confident footing.

Then it was up the hill that hurt, and not a tree in site.

But then down the other side to a swampy creek area complete with Sago Palm and then what appeared a nice steady climb up to another hilltop, but it was here that I decided that I was best to head the valley way to the Village, and our guide opted to lead me on home.

After a short rest and a chat with the locals, we then headed on back to Moresby aka Brownsville in the Tropics.

Mt Diamond 24.02.08 (a review)

Well, I didn't make it. Twice now I have missed the Mt Diamond walk. But the first stage of pneumonia is a pretty good excuse. However, I have received some photos which the Photographer guy has said that it is okay to put on the Blog. Thanks M.

Because some of the people in the images may be identified, some of youse may not want the image on a Blog, so please email me and let me know if you want removal of said offending images...

Here is a photo of some guys walking near a hut...And some of the crew crossing a stream...Here's a pretty waterfall.and someone else having a bit of a wash.

this Sunday? Mt Diamond. 24.02.08

Nope I have never done this walk, but if you are curious like me, then show up to the normal place at the normal time and I'm sure you'd be in for a treat.

There is a review of this walk somewhere back in this blog... here 'tis : Mt Diamond

And it sounds like there could be a waterfall! and wet feet... Loooking forward to it!

Lea Lea. February 10th 2008.

I have been told that this weeks walk will take place in Lea Lea. I however will not be in attendance, and I am not happy about missing another walk. Lea Lea is around 40 minutes drive from Moresby out along the Motuan coastline and is a good bitumen road except for a few potholes just before the turn-off to Boera.

Lea Lea is a pretty walk with some good contrasting images for your camera, especially if the sky is clear and blue. A little tip, if you are a passenger and you want to take some snaps on the way out, try the right hand side of the car, you'll see some good savannah like country with the Owen Stanley's as your back drop. Another popular image is the mangrove board walk and also the timber bridge which starts your walk. There will be no boat ride this time!

but there wasn't a boat ride last time... I digress.

The walk is lengthy, especially if you go well inland and then back to the coast, although in the past, this has been a short walk too. If the sun is out you will need a hat. The group tends to drag along the beach on the way home so try to keep together in order to maintain your relative safety. There are reasons why we hire off-duty policeman on our walks, do not think you are safe enough to wander off alone. Also the drive to and from can be reason to maintain your heighten sense of caution, we are in Moresby still.

As with most Motuan villages, the kids are fantastic and they will enjoy your company as you walk along. Don't worry if they don't walk the entire journey, they're smart enough to know what is a reasonable distance to walk and they will meet up with you again on the return to the Village.

Remember, bring some cash for guides and off-duty coppers, a hat, sunscreen, insect repellant, heaps of water, some snacks for the kids, a good pair of boots, however you will get wet feet depending on the tides and you will get muddy, so perhaps a good pair of walking sandals??? And remember to have fun.

Bushwalk Sunday 27th January. 2008.

I'm not in Moresby this weekend and I do not know where the walk will be... sorry.

If you show up to the meeting point at the usual time, then you should find someone there with a better idea than I... sorry.

Enjoy your walk, if anyone wants to preview it or review it, then send the details to me and I'll post it here.

Cheers!

Boera Village. Sunday 13th January 2008. A Review

Well there were eleven that decided that the rain that was falling when they rose this morning wouldn’t dampen the mood for a walk. And they were right. By the time, the meeting hour came by; the wind had blown the clouds asunder and left behind a pleasant cool Moresby morning for a stroll.

And a stroll it was, and a very pleasant one at that. The drivers also got a bonus with some slippery mud in which to traverse which when the time came it caused the walking to be a greasy underfoot. Once we had parked the cars, we then sought out our guides who were buying enough buai for the duration of the walk and we then headed off straight into the strong breeze, past the school and off towards the tower. One of the local kids told me that the Government are going to build a school and a store underneath the tower.

After the tower we then checked out a couple of beach spots including the original location of the village and here we discovered that one of the walkers had taken a slight detour… When he caught back up with the group, he was followed by a large contingent of the local kids a la Pied Piper. This was okay as the senior guide was amongst them also.

From the original Village, we then trekked up the nearby hill to look at the World War 2 Gun emplacement, and nearby bunkers. And from here it was a stroll down the hill, along the muddy track and back to Boera. We checked out some of the locally made pottery and some purchases were made, and others decided to chat with the local kids as they were giving lessons in Motu.

And we all remained dry apart from some muddy boots. Good fun.

Boera Village. Sunday 13th January 2008.

This week’s walk is considered an easy walk with some spectacular views of the Motuan coastline and not far from Moresby. We will chuck in a few small steep climbs, but not everyone has to climb them, you can pick and choose, although everyone has to climb up to the World War Two Gun emplacement.

But a word of warning, this walk is harder than Lea Lea and on the last occasion we wandered around Boera, some of the newbies to the Bushwalking group found this walk tough. It is exposed to the sun, there is no shade and it is over rough and rocky terrain. The small climbs although brief are very steep and the ground underneath your feet will be loose rock. So please come prepared with solid footwear, a moderate level of fitness, plenty of water, a hat, sunscreen and insect repellent (the Mozzies might be out in the green grass)

Depending on the day, this can be a very social walk, especially if all the kids from Boera (pronounced Boy-Ra) Village skip Sunday school and opt to go walking with us.

2007 a reflection...

Longest Walk: The trek along the ridge to Hombrum’s Bluff and back. At 22kms it was a hard day out. Closely followed by the walk over at Roku village which was a swampy wet trek with some serious sun and heat.

Hardest Walk: The Death March that was Burn’s Peak. This walk was undertaken during the supposed cool of the dry season but Moresby put on a seriously hot day and all who completed the march were contemplating revisiting breakfast. The Imita Ridge walk was a contender only for those last few steps back up to Ower’s Corner. It was a dawdle before then.

Best Walk: I wasn’t part of it, but the first time we went to Bisianumu Falls this year has been raved about by fellow walkers since. An easy walk with a swimming waterhole and spectacular views, what more could you ask for?

Hardest Climb: Despite the nauseous climb(s) of Burn’s Peak, the toughest three individual climbs of the year would have to have been the last few steps back up to Ower’s Corner, the climb up the Pyramid and perhaps even the climb up Mt Erima a few weeks ago. It also seems that those climbs exposed to the full Moresby sun are those that caused the biggest problems.

Funniest Walk: Would have to have been the Varirata walk during the dry season when just a few hours before the walk, the skies had fallen on the track and it was wet and slippery. But the humour came in the amount of work our barefoot guides gave to those members of the group who were poorly shod for such slippery conditions. It’s funny until someone gets hurt, then it’s hilarious…

Lukim yu long 2008.

Varirata December 30th 2007. a review.

The last walk of the year and it was a great way to finish off the year. Varirata was indeed damp underfoot but everybody seemed to keep themselves upright despite the muddy conditions. Entry into the park was delayed whilst one of our pre-arranged guides attained the keys, but this gave us an ideal moment to stretch the legs before the start of our walk.

A good size group took part as we decided to walk the Varirata loop in a counter-clockwise direction. This is the first time I have traversed the track in this direction and it is noticeably easier than clockwise. We parked at the lower lookout of the three and then walked up and down the muddy track until we reached the highest lookout, with its spectacular views of Bootless Bay. And although the weather was overcast, the views from the lookouts were clear. We were lucky with the weather as the rain held off until we left.

The birds and butterflies were abundant and at one stage, a Raggiana Bird of Paradise was spotted, but only by our guide… the rest of us could hear it though. There were other bugs and grubs out with leeches finding our walking boots a handy means of transport and a wallaby was spotted just as we entered the park.

An excellent way to end the year.