AS THE DAILY MORNING FLIGHT ON MERPATI AIR FROM JAYAPURA SLOWLY DESCENDS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN COAST OF THE INDONESIAN PROVINCE OF PAPUA, YOUR SENSES TELL YOU THAT AUSTRALIA'S TOP END IS REAL CLOSE, AND AFTER A WEEK OF TREKKING AROUND INDONESIA'S EASTERNMOST OUTPOST OF MERAUKE AND THE WASUR NATIONAL PARK, WHICH STRETCHES RIGHT TO THE BORDER WITH PAPUA NEW GUINEA, I AM CONVINCED THAT MANY YEARS AGO THIS AMAZING AREA OF SAVANNAH LAND WAS CONNECTED TO THE KAKADU REGION OF AUSTRALIA.
NOW SEPARATED BY THE TORRES STRAIT, THE SIMILARITY OF THESE AREAS IS UNCANNY. TRY TELLING SOMEONE IN AUSTRALIA THAT KANGAROOS AND PLATYPUS EXIST IN THE WILD IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY! THE LOOK WOULD BE DISBELIEF? SOMETIMES IN LIFE YOU JUST HAVE TO GO AND SEE FOR YOURSELF. THAT IS THE REASON WHY I AM LANDING AT MOPAH AIRPORT WITH A SLEEPING BAG AND BACKPACK (ALONG WITH A SURAT JALAN-TRAVEL PERMIT FROM THE INDONESIAN POLICE).
MERAUKE WAS FIRST ESTABLISHED BY THE DUTCH IN THE EARLY 1900'S, AS THE ENGLISH SETTLERS IN NEW GUINEA COMPLAINED THAT HEAD HUNTERS CONDUCTED RAIDS ACROSS THE BORDER FROM THIS REGION. TODAY THE CITY TOTALS AROUND 80,000 PEOPLE AFTER A HUGE TRANS MIGRATION PROGRAM WAS INTRODUCED BY INDONESIA IN THE 1970'S.
MERAUKE IS A DRY AND DUSTY CITY THAT EXTENDS FOR UP TO 7 KILOMETRES FROM NORTH TO SOUTH. BECAUSE OF IT'S CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE OCEAN, MOST STREETS ARE SANDY SOIL, WITH NOT A SINGLE ROCK OR STONE IN THE ENTIRE CITY. BEING VERY FLAT, PUSHBIKES ARE PROMINENT AS A FORM OF TRANSPORT, AND PROBABLY HAS THE MOST TRAFFIC LIGHTS IN A WEST PAPUA CITY!!! IN FACT THE KIDS LINE UP AT NIGHT ON THEIR "PUSHIES" AT THE LIGHTS LIKE A GRAND PRIX RACE START, WAITING FOR THE GREEN LIGHT!
FOR THE TRAVELLER MERAUKE OFFERS MOST FACILITIES LIKE BANKS, INTERNET CAFES, AIRLINE AGENTS, RESTAURANTS, MARKETS AND GREAT CHEAP ACCOMMODATION. THE BEST TWO PLACES ARE HOTEL NAKORA ON JL ERMASU (322287) AND THE MORE UPMARKET ASMAT HOTEL ON JL TRIKORA(321065). THE HUMIDITY IS HIGH SO ROOMS WITH AIR-CON ARE A MUST, BUT POWER BLACKOUTS OCCUR OFTEN. A WALK AROUND THE CITY IS EASY AND WILL REVEAL SOME INCREDIBLE INSIGHT INTO THE PAST. OLD GRAVEYARDS AND LOTS OF HUGE CHURCHES AND THE CHANCE TO WANDER ALONG THE MARO RIVER WITH ITS FISHING BOAT POPULATION. A TRIP TO LOCAL MARKETS WILL BE AN EYE OPENER FOR THOSE NOT USED TO REGULAR FOOD STUFFS (SEE PICTURES). IT IS COMMON TO SEE CASSOWARY AND DOGS FOR SALE AS PROTEIN!! ON SUNDAY THE CITY SEEMS DESERTED AS MOST WANDER OFF TO THE MAIN BEACH FOR DRAG RACING ON THE MUD FLATS AND THE CHANCE TO COOL OFF IN THE MURKY SEA WATER.
THE WASUR NATIONAL PARK IS UNDER CONTROL OF WWF AND THEIR OFFICE ON JL MANDALA IS A GREAT START TO THIS TRIP - ASK FOR MARCO OR RONNI FOR HELP (DROP MY NAME). THEY WILL TAKE YOU TO THE PARK HEADQUARTERS WHERE YOU WILL PAY A FEE FOR PERMIT (40,000rp). YOU CAN EITHER HIRE GUIDES HERE OR TAKE THE TREK ALONE. THE MAIN ROAD LEADS TO SOTAR ON THE PNG BORDER (60KMS) AND IT IS COMMON FOR PASSING CARS TO OFFER YOU LIFTS ALONG THE WAY. IT IS ALL FLAT TERRAIN WITH THE OCCASIONAL BIRD WATCHING PLATFORMS SET UP ON WETLAND AREAS. TO SPEND 2/3 DAYS EXPLORING THIS AREA IS AMAZING AS NO TOURISTS DISTURB THE WILDLIFE. BE CAREFUL OF SNAKES IN THE GRASSLANDS. TAKE SLEEPING GEAR AS YOU WILL SPEND NIGHTS IN VILLAGE HUTS (PAYMENT IS MINIMAL). ALSO BRING YOUR OWN SUPPLIES OF FOOD AS THERE ARE NO STORES OUT HERE. THE LANDSCAPE IS FULL OF HUGE TERMITE MOUNDS, WITH SMALL LAGOONS OFF THE MAIN TRACKS. THIS IS WHERE YOU CAN VIEW AN INCREDIBLE SYSTEM OF WILDLIFE (BIRDS, KANGAROOS,PLATYPUS, ECHIDNAS AND MORE). ONE OF THE WORLD'S LONGEST SPECIES OF LIZARD (SALVATORI) IS A COMMON SIGHT WANDERING THROUGH THE SAVANNAH IN SEARCH OF THE RED TERMITES. FOR THOSE ART LOVERS LOOKING FOR SOME ASMAT WOOD CARVINGS IN MERAUKE,THE RANGE IS SMALL AND HARD TO FIND. TRY A SMALL SUPERMARKET ON JL ERMASU (200 METRES FROM NAKORA HOTEL). YOU WILL NOTICE THE CARVINGS HANGING IN THE FRONT WINDOW. THE OWNER HAS A GOOD RANGE AT THE REAR OF THE SHOP.
HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS GREAT LAND.
DON FOSTER/JULY 2007
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