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PNG-08: ”Lukim yu Papua New Guinea, Kris and Aude” [Simbu Province - Papua New Guinea]

It was time to head into Kundiawa to make plans to climb Mt Wilhelm, although Bomal and I both knew with 100% conviction that there was no way I could attempt the climb with my poor health and that I would only slow down Kris, Aude and the others accompanying them on the climb and flight attempt. We take a ride in the back of a councilors tray-top 4WD into the bustling town located at the base of some nice looking mountains. The scenery in PNG is always rugged looking, but we spy some high, clear potential launches next to town.

During the afternoon I paid yet another visit to a hospital to get a better diagnosis and medical advice if I should continue the expedition or not. Medical advice or not, by this time in the expedition I had had full realization that I would only continue to deteriorate and that it was very sadly - and totally unexpectedly - time to return back to Australia. It was time to say ”Lukim yu (goodbye) Papua New Guinea, Kris and Aude”. I had full awareness of what the problem was, but disappointingly my team members didn’t fully understand my situation until my final day in PNG when I explained the full circumstances. They learnt something new.

So my health issue was?

… A conglomeration of factors. Without going into detail, it was mostly related to dietary issues often causing hypoglaecemia (I’ve had certain - though not radical - dietary requirements since a case of Chronic Fatigue a number of years ago), the episode of dehydration on Kar Kar Island kicking the main problem off (and not being able to recover from it with proper nutrition), and in hindsight it was silly of me to climb the Kar Kar volcano just two days later; leg muscle and hip problems developed due to that climb – even walking was constantly very slow and painful from that day forth for a couple months.

Kris and Aude had large concerns our scheduled expedition into even more remote regions of China and Mongolia later in the trip could cause my health to become even worse. I knew they were right.

A rapid departure from PNG and the expedition

The next day I said my sad goodbyes to Kris and Aude after my Air Niugini flight from Goroka to Port Moresby was rescheduled far quicker than we thought would happen. ‘PNG time’ is usually slow and easy going, but this all happened very quickly. A goodbye to the camera and to my new PNG friends who were so incredibly hospitable and friendly too. I cannot say enough how wonderful it was to experience the generous hearts and big smiles of the peoples of Papua New Guinea.

Arriving back home two days later in Adelaide, it took a solid six weeks to recover from the fatigue, weight loss and leg muscle/hip problems.

Kris and Aude power on!

Well, I never did get that chance I’d dreamed of to fly from Mt Wilhelm as my first high altitude flight, or even to get a successful flight in PNG at all in the three weeks. Kris and Aude powered on the next day to Mt Wilhelm and had great success in flights from PNG's highest summit! What is impressive is that Kris actually flew with David in the tandem McDaddy wing for around one hour, launching just below the summit. A grand flight and one David will never forget. David and Bomal, you are both Highlands legends! You can read Kris’s PNG stories for details on this momentous achievement in the true spirit of The Airborne Expedition – to give the experience of paraglider flight to indigenous peoples all over the world.

Kris and Aude have had many wonderful experiences since PNG and they continue to fly in incredible countries of the world. I am truely proud of their journeying efforts. Please continue to follow their exciting adventures by reading Kris’s stories in English or Aude’s stories in French. Don’t forget to follow their journeys visually too on the photos page. Wonderful photos of a truely unique ethno-paragliding expedition I was happy to be a travelling team member of for even two short months. We captured some amazing footage in this time and I look forward to our future edited documentaries (or film) with such images.

Finally, to borrow a phrase from SBS TV, "The world is an amazing place". Travelling beyond your own square reminds you of that.