Kainantu Warning or Danger Tips by Bwana_Brown

As you would expect, Papua New Guinea had it's share of insects and other creatures that you had to be wary of. Both in the Highlands and around our house in Port Moresby, we had Orb Weaver spiders. The females of this species were about 2-3 inches across. They would spin their web, which included long spokes upon which they sat, waiting to see if anything made contact with the net. Once they detected a vibration from an insect or small lizard, the spider would quickly rush along the thread and immediately start to spin the victim with its long front legs. More web would be wrapped around the victim as it spun, totally immobilizing it while a fluid was injected. This fluid would break down the cocooned body for later ease of eating by the Orb Weaver. Although their bite could be painful, they are not poisonous.

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The Highlands Highway, running from coastal Lae and up into the central mountain ranges via the 1500-m (4900-ft) Kassam Pass is the main land transportation route in Papua New Guinea, serving 40% of the country's population. After continuing onward through Kainantu and Goroka, it climbs again into the Western Highlands via the 2470-m (8100-ft) Daulo Pass before continuing on to Mt. Hagen. Shortly after that point, the highway splits and finally stops at Tari and Wabag, in the 'outlaw' part of the country (it is presently not safe to travel west of Mt. Hagen due to highway robberies).

A highway winding through mountains like this is bound to have a few problems, and we came across this mud/rock slide at the top of the Kassam Pass after climbing up out of the flat Markham River valley. It was not much of a 'hold-up', if you will pardon the expression.

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