Tomorrow? Papua New Guinea

Tomorrow I depart for Papua New Guinea. My house is a complete mess with stacks of camera gear, clothes, electronics, travel docs, cash and snacks piled up on tables and the on the floor. A packing list is floating around and I keep adding things to it. Bose headphones? Too big. Maybe, but they’ll be good on the 14 hour flight to/from Brisbane. Rain jacket? A little bulky. But then again it might be absolutely necessary in the highlands during the Mt. Hagen festival.

And, my to-do list continues to grow. Somehow when I check one item off (pay bills), two more items get added (go to the ATM… print boarding pass…). By the time I leave in the morning, I’m sure everything will be sorted out. But in the meantime, I really feel like time is compressed and every second counts.

I’ve considered “going native” by not bringing any comfort items with me (such as Starbucks VIA and protein bars) but the last two people I asked for advice told me I HAD to bring snack food. Not only is the type of food available very limited but one person suggested that I wouldn’t want to walk away in the middle of a singsing (festival) to go hunt down french fries (seriously, I guess these are popular) when I can pull a Clif Bar out of my pocket.

So, my bag is now filled with a variety of protein and snack bars, Starbucks VIA and tea bags. I might even toss in a little chocolate…

The reality is that no matter how much I do, I’m not sure that I can really adequately prepare myself for this journey, which I’ve dreamed about for 20+ years. I’m certain that PNG will be nothing like I’ve imagined. But surprises are good and I know that my response to those surprises are what will make (or break) this trip.

I did receive advice and feedback from numerous people – both from those who’ve been to PNG and from those who only know the country’s reputation. I’ll share this info when I return. I’d like to go experience it myself to see just how true or false the rumors are.

This trip, by the way, has a dual purpose. I’m going as a guest of the PNG Tourism board to not only write about my experiences but to also scout for a tour there next summer. Please send me a note if you’re interested in joining a co-ed group.

Oh, and in the coming 2 weeks, you will see posts from me that were pre-written and have nothing to do with PNG. Don’t be confused! I’ll be writing about Papua New Guinea and posting images when I return as it’s unlikely I’ll have internet access during the trip.

Travel Well!

Beth

Related Links
Papua New Guinea – Off the Charts