My trip to Goroka

It was one of those rare moments as I sat on the plane due for Goroka. I wouldn’t know best how to describe it but the feeling of taking that bold step, of making yet another achievement in my life.

Already there was a sense of adventure in the air. However, not all things go as planned and this was just one of the trips I had longed to share with everyone. Unfortunately I cannot tell you the way It was intended as I had never actually made the trip.

Ladies selling bilums, wool caps and necklaces at the Craft Market infront of the provincial government headquarters.

My going to Goroka in the first place was to help a team of trekkers develop a trek from Kabiufa in Goroka down to Brahmin in Madang province. This trek is named after Sir Pita Lus. However, it never eventuated since traveling at such a time when it was raining heavily was very much a risk.

Rivers were flooding due to heavy rainfall, and we would have been at risk of catching cold or fever on higher altitude as rain has been consistent in Goroka.

The trek was organized by the Papua New Guinea Promotion Authority (TPA) and Pam Christie of PNG Trekking Adventure who was supposed to be our team leader. Pam has trekked several places in Papua New Guinea including Kokoda and also organizes tour groups up to Mount Wilhem in Simbu.

I left the Airport and the terminal at Goroka at around 10:30 am soon after my arrival.

I found out a little too late that everyone had pulled out or decided to discontinue the trek. I had packed the trekking equipment with my walking clothes and rations of food for the three days we were supposed to travel.

I couldn’t have argued much. The weather was uncompromising and therefore it was advisable to cancel the trip for the moment.

Upon my arrival I was advised not to go on trek and I had to stay in Goroka instead. I must say my three days there were well-spent.

It was raining very heavily on Saturday afternoon. By then it was very cold

Getting around town, meeting people

I booked in at the Goroka Lodge, made new friends with the friendly staff of the lodge. They offered to take me around in the lodge bus on Saturday soon after my arrival and on Sunday.

On Sunday I met with an old friend from my university days in Madang and she took me around town and into some streets of Goroka. We went to church on Sunday and reunited with a couple of my school mates. It was like one big family reunion and we found it quiet hard to let go of each other. I guess we were all excited in seeing each other after a long time.

Out on the front of the Goroka lodge

For one who is residing in a big city like Port Moresby, I found Goroka town relatively small with peaceful surroundings, Sunday morning was a sharp contrast to Saturday’s weather. The sun was high as soon as the early morning fog cleared. It seemed everyone was going to church and except for a few busy bodies waiting idly by the market place and around the town places.

A misty Sunday morning

I enjoyed walking around town and didn’t mind a bit when my friend took me around to meet some of her relatives living at the end of the streets. I soon found out that there were many small streets labeled with different names.

Now and then we would be greeted with a smile of a simple greeting. It also occurred that these people are very lively people and are always looking into venturing into cash- earning activities whether big or small. While some have become entirely depended on their garden products others are focusing on investing in coffee – the main cash crop.

The Independence Drive with colourful surroundings

Goroka Town – the latest developments

Like any other provincial centres in the country, Goroka is progressing in terms of development, Developments in the area of education, health economy and social activities is gradually picking up.

Driving around town

Following the successful merging of the PNG Banking Corporation, the town had completed renovations on the new Bank of South Pacific (BSP) building with fully installed Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) system.

The newly rennovated BSP which used to be PNG Banking Corporation branch in Goroka

This is including the new Super Value Store (SVS) shopping centre, Best Buy and Papindo shops.

The Goroka Best Buy Shopping Centre is conviniently located at the main town area.

Upgrading road-plan underway

Goroka is a colorful town, blessed with beautiful scenery as I found out quiet surprisingly. Flowers of all sorts and plants including beautiful pine trees, perfectly suit the environment. This could be more perfect had the roads upgraded and completely sealed.

Inside the Melanesian Institute of Goroka. The institute has quiet and beautiful surroundings

Already plans are underway for the uplifting of the road from the Highlands Highway into Goroka town. The provincial government had made a commitment to upgrade the town roads.

A long term strategic planning with full backing from the government and the honest utilization of the funds to address major issues identified as hindrance to economic, social, health, and education development, Goroka and may be the rest of PNG will well and truly sets its phase in the new millennium.

Ends

Right piksa ya..wantok

Goroka has the best climate in the world..........Ever spring and I'm a proud kid who was born there and grew up there as well.....

Apo ...mopra ve !

thankyou alison for all info and all picture ,i wish to get to there one day.