I think my favourite of all Papua New Guinean Tok Pisin phrases is "Sol Wara" or Salt Water. I like to think of it as Soul Water and the ocean plays such a major part in the lives of coastal Melanesians, and their oceans and seas are gorgeous.
I asked a friend at Lea Lea Village if he could take me out to one of the islands nearby and he said yes, so on the day I show up, one of his sons comes to greet me to tell me that his brother died of Malaria only the day before and the Father and the family were at the hauscrai and that the boat trip was off.
I understood.
After the hauscrai finished, my friend, the Father got in touch with me. Time to go to the Island. In the Banana Boat we climbed and off we went. We cruised along the coast and then took a shortcut through the mangroves, winding weaving in and out of tight corners in shallow water we moved from dark mangrove canopy to bright sunlight and back to the darkness. Just sitting in the Banana Boat cruising along.
Every now and then, the fuel line would suck in some air and the engine would stall. So we would silently sit amongst the Mangroves and the Mosquitos and would suck a bit of fuel back into the fuel line and get the engine going again. Off we would go.
After 2 hours of so we arrived here at this sandy beach. We sat around out of the hot sun in a shady spot and talked about life, death, and the future of Papua New Guinea.
Photo taken 4 May on an island near Lea Lea, CP. Title reads: Lea Lea Salt Water.
What a wonderfully calming commentary and this is such a beautiful place. You have certainly had some amazing experiences Jason. I hope this little piece of heaven can survive. fave for me.
Wonderful view. A great place to sit and talk about serious subjects while being reminded of how ephemeral and small our concerns are when compared to the bigger picture right there in front of you.
@leananiemand - You will spend a few days in one of these boats. Roads are few and far between in PNG, although I have heard of 2 cyclists who attempted to cycle through PNG to get from Indonesia to Australia. In theory it would work, but in regards to personal safety? There are some cool cycling stories to be had though, Kavieng to Namatanai on New Ireland comes recommended, I hear Buka to Kieta on the island of Bougainville is rewarding. I know of a group of guys who rode from Buna (north coast) to Kokoda, put their bikes on a plane, they then walked the Kokoda Track and met their bikes again at Sogeri and then rode into Port Moresby (south coast).
In theory, on the main island of New Guinea, you could land in Jayapura, Indonesia, cycle across to Vanimo in PNG, then get a boat along the coast to Madang, then cycle to Lae, and then brave the Raskols on the Highlands Highway to Tari, then head south with permission from the Mining Company Oil Search Ltd through Kutubu and down to Kerema, here you could boat down to Bereina and then brave the Raskols into Port Moresby on the Hiritano Highway. Or to avoid Lae and the worst part of the Highlands Highway, you could ride up the old Bundi Highway from Madang, but we are talking about a road that climbs from sea level to 3,600m and is no longer road worthy for vehicles, it is only a road in name, but a Mountain Biker with guns of steel could climb it. I have always wanted to ride down it!
@robv - A perfect country for such conundrums. Life has an interesting balance in PNG. I can see why Jared Diamond spent some time in country and why Tim Flannery kept on returning.
you amaze me and inspire me with your photos and stories. this is so very very very beautiful. and thank you for all of your comments on my photos, they mean a lot to me sir
@beckys@pennymilner@wenbow@luvthyclassics - Thank you Becky, thank you Penny, thank you Wendy and thank you Jesse (I hope your finals are going okay... every day is another tick and another day closer to summer.)
PS I've looked back on this often, and think it's about as close to a ten as you're ever going to get. I could say it's my favourite yet.
Guess from now on I'll have to mark out of 20. (!) :)
@bobfoto I think you're being modest and already knew this was ten out of ten. :) Now that you've attained that I can't let you rest so had better start scoring out of 20. Bring on Tuesday!!
@tonydebont @lluniau - Ooooooh thank you Tony and thank you Elin :)
@Cherrill - Thank you Cherrill, it is a little spot of paradise. I think it was good for the Father to head out and relax for a few hours.
@helenw2 - Oh it is such a warm sun in Melanesia.
I agree, deserves to be looked at big.
Beautiful shot Jason, really like the blues in the sky and the ocean.
@wrighty - It was beautiful. Sobering but beautiful!
@hollandcrew - Thank you Al, I appreciate it.
@asutherland1964 - Hey Lukim yu sampela taim Andrew!! Tenkyu tru wantok bilong mi.
@nattybabe - just a single shot cropped... but thank you Nattybabe!
@onie - dem's Olympus blues....
@mejbronant @tigerdreamer - Thank you gorgeous Ladies :)
Well you have shown me yours....I shall show you mine in a few days time.......
@onie - oky doky.
@ashleycampbell9 - some of those green things are Mangrove Trees.
@scottkaway - I think it was a good day for all.
@leananiemand - You will spend a few days in one of these boats. Roads are few and far between in PNG, although I have heard of 2 cyclists who attempted to cycle through PNG to get from Indonesia to Australia. In theory it would work, but in regards to personal safety? There are some cool cycling stories to be had though, Kavieng to Namatanai on New Ireland comes recommended, I hear Buka to Kieta on the island of Bougainville is rewarding. I know of a group of guys who rode from Buna (north coast) to Kokoda, put their bikes on a plane, they then walked the Kokoda Track and met their bikes again at Sogeri and then rode into Port Moresby (south coast).
In theory, on the main island of New Guinea, you could land in Jayapura, Indonesia, cycle across to Vanimo in PNG, then get a boat along the coast to Madang, then cycle to Lae, and then brave the Raskols on the Highlands Highway to Tari, then head south with permission from the Mining Company Oil Search Ltd through Kutubu and down to Kerema, here you could boat down to Bereina and then brave the Raskols into Port Moresby on the Hiritano Highway. Or to avoid Lae and the worst part of the Highlands Highway, you could ride up the old Bundi Highway from Madang, but we are talking about a road that climbs from sea level to 3,600m and is no longer road worthy for vehicles, it is only a road in name, but a Mountain Biker with guns of steel could climb it. I have always wanted to ride down it!
@tanja_1211 - Thank you Tanja :)
@cristina3611 - It was a lovely beach, nice and clean, which is a change for PNG.
@kareen - Thank you Kareen :)
@houdiniem - whoo whooo!
@michelleyoung - Thanks Michelle, Redscar Bay is the name of the water here, I believe...
Guess from now on I'll have to mark out of 20. (!) :)