TWO OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA'S GREATEST ASSETS ARE AT WORK SIDE BY SIDE IN THE SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS, INCREDIBLE BEAUTIFUL NATURAL SCENERY AND THE RICH RESOURCES OF THE MINING SECTOR. LAKE KUTUBU IS AN AMAZING SHEET OF SAPPHIRE BLUE WATER, 19 KILOMETRES LONG AND UP TO 4 KMS WIDE, SITTING 800 METRES ABOVE SEA LEVEL WITH AN ANNUAL RAINFALL OF 50,000 MM. IT IS HOME TO A STUNNING COLLECTION OF WILDLIFE AND FAUNA. ONE OF ONLY 5 NATIONAL PARKS WITHIN PNG, THIS AREA HAS ATTRACTED FIELD TRIPS FROM SPECIALISTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, THE LOCAL PEOPLE ARE VERY AWARE OF WHAT THEY HAVE IN THEIR FRONTYARDS, AND FULLY AWARE WHAT LIES DEEP UNDERGROUND ACROSS THEIR LAND. 50,000 BARRELS OF OIL ARE PUMPED THROUGH PIPES DOWN TO THE GULF REFINERY EVERYDAY BY THE COMPANY OIL SEARCH. THEY TOOK OVER THE PROJECT FROM CHEVRON 3 YEARS AGO AND CONTINUE TO BE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE FUTURE LENGTH OF RESERVES IN THE KUTUBU AREA. HOW DO THESE OPPOSITES WORK TOGETHER? THE LOCAL LAND OWNERS CONSIST OF THE FOI AND FASU PEOPLE, WITH SO MUCH AT STAKE FINANCIALLY AND CULTURALLY THEY HAVE ELECTED STRONG LEADERS TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE MINING COMPANYS. ROADS, SCHOOLS, AND HEALTH CENTRES ARE IMPORTANT FOR THEIR FUTURE WHEN THE OIL RUNS OUT. ON MY RECENT VISIT TO LAKE KUTUBU, IT WAS AMAZING TO BE ON THE LAKE AND NOT REALISE THAT 12 KILOMETRES AWAY A COMMUNITY OF 1500 WORKERS WITH 24 HOUR ELECTRICITY, COMPUTERS, CATERING, AIR CONDITIONING AND ALL MOD CONS WAS RUNNING 24 HOURS A DAY, 365 DAYS A YEAR. THE ONLY INDICATION YOU GET WHILE YOU SIT AMONGST THE PEACEFULLNESS OF NATURE IS THE SOUND OF HELICOPTERS ON THE MOVE FROM NEARBY MORO AIRSTRIP MOVING GOODS UP TO THE MAIN RIDGE CAMP. THE BIGGEST IMPACT OF THE MINING BOOM IS THE INFLUX OF PEOPLE FROM OTHER AREAS INTO THE KUTUBU REGION AND THE WAY IT HAS CHANGED THE LOCAL LIFESTYLE. HUGE AMOUNTS OF MENDI AND TARI PEOPLE FROM THE SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS PROVINCE HAVE MOVED INTO THE LAKE AREA TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EXTRA WEALTH AND OPPORTUNITYS FOR WORK, WITH THIS COMES THE BIG CHANGE, STAPLE FOOD USED TO BE SAGO AND FISH, NOW ITS RICE AND TINNED FISH, SQUATTERS BUILD HOMES ANYWHERE, MARKETS AT MORO SELL IMPORTED GOODS FROM ASIAN IMPORTERS AT CHEAP PRICES, BUT THE QUALITY HAS LOCALS ANGRY AT BEING RIPPED OFF. PUBLIC MOTOR VEHICLES (SMALL 20 SEATER BUSES) ARE IN HIGH DEMAND FOR THE TRIP TO MENDI (4HOURS). IT IS USUAL TO SEE AT LEAST 30 TOURING THE MORO MARKETS PICKING UP PASSENGERS FOR THE MORNING DASH TO MENDI, THEN RETURNING IN THE AFTERNOON WITH MORE STOCKS TO SELL AT TRADE STORES AND MARKETS. AMONGST ALL THE CRAZINESS OF A "GOLD RUSH"THE ACTUAL LAKE RETAINS ITS SERENITY WITH ABSOLUTE DIGNITY. THE LACK OF TOURISTS HAS MORE TO DO WITH THE LAWLESSNESS OF ACTUALLY TRAVELLING AROUND THE ROADS IN THE SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS WHERE ROBBERY, TRIBAL FIGHTING, AND MURDERS HAS BEEN A CONSTANT FOR MANY YEARS. LATE IN 2006 THE PNG GOVERNMENT DECLARED THE SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS A STATE OF EMERGENCY, WITH INCREASED POLICE AND ARMY PATROLS THE ABILITY TO TRAVEL BY ROAD SAFELY IS ONCE AGAIN AN OPTION. FOR THE TOURIST LAKE KUTUBU CAN PROVIDE AN EXPERIENCE TO CHERISH FOREVER. LODGES ARE LIMITED WITH ONLY 2 PROVIDING ANY FORM OF SLEEPING FACILITYS. BY FAR THE STANDOUT IS THE TUBO LODGE, LOCATED ON AN ISLAND IN THE LAKE. ACCESS IS BY MOTORISED CANOE FROM TUGIRI OR BY HELICOPTER! IT HAS 3 BUNGALOWS MADE FROM BUSH MATERIALS, NO ELECTRICITY SO AT NIGHT IT'S TORCH OR CANDLES. NATURE IS AT YOUR DOORSTEP IN THIS AMAZING "ROBINSON CRUSOE" STYLE OF LIVING. THE VIEWS FROM THE DINING AREA ACROSS THE LAKE ARE BREATHTAKING. TOURS AROUND THE LAKE ARE IN DUG OUT CANOES - ASK ABOUT A TRIP TO THE ANCIENT BURIAL SITE, WHICH LOCALS REFER TO AS 'SKULL CAVES". ASK FOR NORMAN OR PENNY. E.MAIL BOOKINGS ONLY AT norman@daltron.com.pg... IT IS TRULY WONDERFUL BUT NOT FOR EVERYONE. THE ONLY OTHER BEDS ARE LOCATED AT OBEAGA GUEST HAUS ON THE MAIN ROAD TO MORO JUST NEAR INU. POOR QUALITY ROOMS BUT COOKING FACILITYS ARE AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT BUZZ WORD IS ECO-TOURISM,WITH TALK OF AN UPMARKET LODGE ON WASEMI ISLAND. ALSO A SMALL LODGE AT INU VILLAGE IS BEING PLANNED. LET'S HOPE IT COMES TRUE. THE REMOTENESS OF KUTUBU WILL GIVE YOU A SENSE OF TOTALLY LEAVING THE WORLD BEHIND. SURROUNDED BY BUTTERFLIES THE SIZE OF SMALL BIRDS, NIGHT CICADAS THE SIZE OF BEER BOTTLES, BIRDS THAT SING SONGS YOU'VE NEVER HEARD BEFORE, SPIDERS AND SNAKES THAT DEFY LOGIC. JUNGLE TREES WITH HIDDEN AGENDAS, PEOPLE FISHING FROM CANOES LIKE THEIR ANCESTORS, ALONG WITH THE CONSTANT SOUND OF CHOPPER ROTOR BLADES. FOR THOSE LOOKING TO GET INTO THE KUTUBU AREA, AIRLINES PNG FLIES FROM PORT MORESBY TO MORO 3 TIMES WEEKLY. THE CODE FOR MORO IS MXH, TRIP TIME 90 MINUTES. YOU CAN ALSO CATCH A BUS FROM MENDI. LISTEN FOR THE CALL OF MORO TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE ON THE RIGHT ONE, THEY LEAVE AFTER 12 FROM THE TOWN CENTRE, BUT NEVER UNTIL IT'S FILLED! SEE YOU ON THE LAKE!
DON FOSTER
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