HIGHLANDS HIGHWAY DIARY (Part 1) 2018

Section of the Highlands Highway between Giluwe and Iallibu in the Imbongu district.

My journey to Mendi Southern Highlands province began with a 5am dash from Lae on a landcruiser with four passengers on board.

We enjoyed a good two hours drive to Yonki and then navigated through bad road conditions to Goroka. Road conditions between Goroka and Kundiawa weren't that bad with sections at Chuave being upgraded and sealed. The dusty road from Kundiawa passed Mingende all the way to Barawagi desperately needs upgrading.

We stopped by at Mt Wilhelm lodge to take a breather, earthquake aftershocks caught us by surprise as we left Kundiawa.

Grey clouds approached us as we head into Jiwaka.

Jiwaka sections of the highway from Waghi Bridge towards Minj needs to be expanded as houses and gardens have lined up the roadside. Vehicles trying to avoid potholes can easily collide or crash into the communities.

Rain closed in on us at Kuli Gap as we heard into Mt Hagen. The scars from Monday's earthquake prominently shows on the hillside as we drove past.

Vehicles lined up and moving at a snail pace negotiating potholes and a heavy one way traffic along the main highway. The proposed four lane highway promised by the National Government since 2013 is yet to come to reality.
Mt Hagen market is another pigsty. Debris from food wastes and betelnut spittles formed another layer on top the part bitumen road.

It was 3pm as we arrived at Hagen Central and headed for Rabiamul Catholic Mission where we will camp for the night. I headed straight for the bed for some well deserved rest.

Things in Mt Hagen didn't quite changed in the last decade. An international airport without better roads and responsible citizens all caused by petty politics in the province. It is an hell of an experience for a new comer into this once prestigious township.

The Catholic and Lutheran Churches along with other Pentecostal denominations are doing their best to upkeep the city. The town council is not that effective that the Central Business District is becoming filthy with rubbish. Kaiwe Market seems to become a breeding ground for drug addicts and a pigsty filled with petty criminals and street peddlers.

The next day we got ready and set for an hour drive to Mendi. The road from Togoba junction in Tambul Nebiliyer was sealed all the way to Iallibu. Imbongu roads from Kaupena has been given little upgrade over the last five years.

We drove up to Walume junction, O'Neill highway led on to Ialibu-Pangia as we drove up to a place where the sun doesn't shine and look across to Lake Ialibu-Pangia and the site where the proposed university will be built.

Drizzles of rain led us down to Mendi Valley and into Mendi town. A peaceful setting as we drove looking down at Wara Mendi and into the township. We arrived at the Mendi Catholic Diocese centre where we were treated to a delicious dinner courtesy of the Catholic brothers in Mendi.

Got our stuff ready, visited a couple of sites in Mendi destroyed by the earthquake and we are back to planning our trip to Hela. Mendi and Southern Highlands people are peace loving citizens, it's just petty politics that divides the people.

Join me in my next trip to Hela to read about part two of my Highlands Highway diary.