MADANG & ADELBERT MOUNTAINS

So great to catch up with Chris on the way to Madang, her flight flew into PM just before ours did so from now we are a travelling 3.

To Jais Aben resort – beautiful, we have a wooden hut for 3. Hut was big enough that it could sleep 5 right on the coastline in lovely large grounds. Lucky us only a couple of other guests in the whole place.  What was more amazing was the coral straight off a little beach – incredible for direct mainland access.  Steve even managed to spot a lion fish, but we both missed it.

There was a largish bird cage which seemed cruel at first. But we discovered they were all rescued birds and that the owner really cared about the wildlife.  There was an amazing view from the wooden bar. Great place for lunch after a snorkel, and to watch the locals fishing or transporting food, building materials etc by tiny little canoe.

We had 4 days here, just to chill. One day we took a boat trip out to Pig Island and yet again, amazing coral.  Everyplace we have been has had a number of different coral and fish to other places, the diversity in PNG is incredible.  Excellent place we had the beach to ourselves. 

The snorkelling was really good straight of the beach.

Off to the Adelbert Mountains and Keki lodge – not far in kilometres. Its I think about 220km so we were expecting 3 to 3.5 hours in the back of a truck – the usual form of transport. On our own as we had paid an exorbitant price for our own transport.  What we got was quite different.  After about 1.5 hours of amazing scenery along the coast we got stopped by a police roadblock.  Not sure what was going on. But after a while our driver translated that the police wanted us to stay at that point till our driver the other side of the broken bridge turned up.  Apparently safer for us.

20 mins later and off we go to the edge of the river. Iots of locals who trade up and down the coast and some dodgy ones from the highlands.  Love the way the police had no uniforms (just a bandana) and held their guns pointing at their own feet – interesting concept.  Some bargaining by our driver and our bags go on a row boat and we get to walk across the bamboo raft bridge.  The large metal bridge fell down in January when a large truck went over it.  The other side we are picked up by Moyeng the owner of Keki lodge but this is where it all changes. So we set off ,but shortly he stopped to pick up other passengers – and kept doing so till there were 16 adults 4 kids. Steve, our 3 backpacks and local shopping in the back and Chris and I crammed into one seat in the front.  (We preferred the back but being foreign ladies it was supposedly a privilege to be in the front – not sure we agreed).

The scenery was still amazing but comfort not so much.  About 2 hours along the tar coastal road – amazing compared with other places we have been, not too many holes thank goodness.  Then we turned off onto a dirt track (lots of holes caused by logging company).  Here it got really interesting as Moyeng drove quite fast for the conditions, the bags slid, we slid and it was hard to hang on.  This road was 26km of winding up hill 1700 meters around some very hairy corners with steep drops.  Still you could not fault the scenery it was stunning.  About half way we stopped at a small village and as usual all the locals just loved to see us.  The last half hour of the journey it was also raining. We were Moyengs (including the 3 of us) 11^th visitor for the year.

We finally arrive around 4pm (after having left Jais Aben at 9am) – long day.

Keki lodge was very basic, drops toilet, bucket shower but stunning surrounds. After looking around, dodging rain we sat down for a well earned glass of wine (or two) which we had brought with us.

Dinner – rice and greens from the garden, cooked over open fire, not the most appetising.  No electricity but we did have solar lights for the evening.

Managed to see the Lesser bird of paradise and the flame bowerbird. Also hornbills that sounded so close they would take your head off.  Lots of other bird noises and some seen but we were hindered by Moyeng having to fix the truck that we came in and then take his daughter to hospital. Therefor our bird spotter, our walk in the forest and pretty much everything went out the window – plus it rained on and off all day.

Most of this holiday we lived on our own supplies for breakfast and lunch but the evening was for Moyeng to provide. Unfortunately the guy he left with us to help disappeared as soon as Moyeng left we had no idea what was going on.  At 8pm we were so hungry we decided to light the open fire in the kitchen to boil water for our own noodles.  Half way through the process Moyeng came back, shouted at the guy he had left with and disappeared. Later they came to tell us dinner was ready – too late for us. (It would have been rice and greens again anyway).

Back to Madang – different driver for the return trip – he was a lunatic driver. He drove at ridiculous speeds down the mountain, for the 26k of dirt, for a time just the three of us in the back.  Our hands and legs were bruised and battered from hanging on round corners and the bags falling into us.  Of course they also started to pick up others on the way down till yet again you could not fit another thing into the truck – at least Chris and I stayed in the back this time.  Steve got stuck in the front.  The journey back to Madang only took 4 hours – much quicker.  Not sure whether I prefer speed and danger or (slightly) more comfort and slower.

Staying at the Country Womens association – very basic but at least it has electric and flushing toilets.  Lunch was at the fancy Madang Resort next door – that food was well received.  The evening pre dinner drinks were the other side at the Madang Yacht club – which only has 1 boat with sails. Amazing sunset and then onto their restaurant which was run by an old Malaysian man.  Such unexpected amazing food – the best meal in the whole of PNG.