Goroka Eco Trek DAY 1

I was a big scared old whiteman waiting for a pmv in that town. Over on one corner were the markets. Oh my god.. there could be raskols. I  clutched my backpack between my knees cause i didnt feel safe and thought about the fate of Michael Rockefeller. Sam eventually located a ride and bundled me onto a big white traytop truck. This filled up quickly. I was introduced to Jim Aho who was headman of the village we were heading for. I felt lucky and forgot about Rockefellers and... not entirely of raskols :)

We headed up dirt roads at impossible angles through hills denuded by slash and burn, through jungles then mountains till Sam said get out. Yabiufu. Jims place. And a language and a place. A different world.

Jim Aho

After a bite and a drink we headed up through gardens and bamboo forests to look over the Goroka valley as the sun was going down.We met some folk on the way who also joined us. Sam told me of his plan for a 5 day Eco Trek with 4 guesthouses, each a days journey apart. He explained that as yet only one guesthouse was built. Part of the trip for Sam was to build momentum for this vision.  Part he was standing for election next year to the provincial council and these people were his constituency. But mostly it was about me, Sam is a true professional.

Garoka town was barely a smudge on the floor of the valley we were so high and so far.They showed me the patchwork of gardens below, what was planted what left to fallow. I watched rain storms across the valley and another town, or township just down the road from Goroka. Samuel said these were the New Tribes, white americans who benefited the people. I marveled at the size of it. Id like to know more. I met Kevin on that walk. We wandered through his garden and he offered all his strawberries to us.

We ate sweet potato and sat round the fire in Jims house that night. Other folk dropped by. Story Time happened. We drank "beer" made in Goroka from King Tomatos (whatever they are), mixed with some coke. This stuff comes in 2L for around $10 ausie and is 11% pure and called LiveLave "wild man". No one got drunk. Everyone had a voice. I was probed on my religious affiliations(!) and  Sam spoke a lot about the future of tourism. The women in particular could be blunt in their speech. Jim pulled out his long bow and pretended to hunt me round the hut for a bit. I ran. They laughed. I felt safe but didn't sleep well.

 Inside each traditional house, opposite the door is a raised sleeping platform. If it is a round house then the longest person (me) would sleep in the middle. I had a little area of platform walled off, but had to share with Sam! And he snored (sorry Sam ). Jim had a bright kerosene light going all night. For me? Unsure of etiquette, i couldn't just turn the bloody thing off. I didn't sleep well.

Goroka traditional house. Kevin and Sam sit on the sleeping platform