PAPUA CARSTENSZ PYRAMID EXPEDITION 2

A Journey To The Roof of Indonesia

 
"Men stumble over pebbles, never over mountains."

Marilyn French

In Part 1 Paman told us about how he got along with locals at Sugapa and Swanggama. Now the real expedition to Carstensz pyramid begins !

Day 3 - 6 : JAMBUSIGA - EBAY: Jungle with Wild rivers and swamps

 

Swanggama - Jambusiga Camp, July 19

 

Yes today our expedition to Carstensz Pyramid begins! At 7 a.m I've done my packaging. Porters packed tents, locals gathered and watched as these strangers prepare for the expedition. Curious children , gentlemen wearing koteka with riffle or arc and arrows in hands, hovering near us to get every chance to be photographed. Okay then...come everybody..say cheese..! Children chirped merrily, adults got really amazed seeing their  picture on the camera's LCD display, and the man with the riffle asked for a commission :(

Some porters hawked their commodities : 
cigarettes, candies, instant noodle, areca, and fried snacks. As these items were laid on top of a plastic sack, flies started to come and landed on fried snacks, followed by dogs and pigs. 
The seller drove out these animals with a waive of a hand.

PAPUA CARSTENSZ PYRAMID EXPEDITION 1

A Journey To The Roof of Indonesia

Climbing The Carstensz Pyramid , the 4.884 meter ASL peak - the highest in Australia continent, the one said to be the most mysterious of the seven summits, 
has been a dream for every mountainers.

And just like George Mallory quotes :
There's no dream that mustn't be dared
Our guest writer Paman accomplished it last 2013 mid year. 
Vanquishing fear, thinking that each step might be the end, 
this is an expedition of a lifetime.

Day 1 - 2 : TIMIKA - SUPAGA - SWANGGAMA : Getting Along With Locals

 

Timika - Sugapa , July 17

 

After spending one night in Timika, the next morning, July 17, 2013, we’re picked up at 07.30 local time (GMT +9) using 2 cars, headed to Moses Kilani airport. First thing to do there, is weighing our body and luggages, making sure that total weight of all cargo does not exceed our rented plane’s capacity.. 

Load Weighing

And here we were, meeting our new acquaintance, the team members: Dr.Frans- an Austrian adventurer, Trygve a Norwegian “Seven Summitter”, Christ a Canadian soldier and “Seven Summitter”. They seem familiar to adventure and have been to some of the seven summits, 180⁰ paradoxically to the four of us a s" local tourists". Mr T,  Mr S and me are colleagues working in the same company, while Mrs T is Mr T’s wife – obviously.  

Light rain, dark cloud,  and it was estimated that our flight will depart on 10.30.  So we went back to Timika to get some coffee at a small shop just in front of Hotel Komoro.