A road trip from Lae to Goroka

My daughter and I took a road trip from Laeto Goroka on Thursday, December 22, 2016.
I miss travelling the Highlands Highway, which was very much a part of life, when I worked with the Coffee Industry Corporation in Goroka between 1998 and 2002.
For my daughter, it was a completely new experience for her, and one which I'm sure she'll long cherish.
We started our drive from Lae at about 10am:

The recently-completed Lae-Nadzab Highway at 6-Mile outside Lae.

Bulolo Junction at 9-Mile.

The area at 11-Mile that was washed out recently.

Yalu Bridge.

Nadzab Airport Junction

Erap River.

Erap  Bridge.

Shady rain trees at Erap.

Our first stop was at the popular 40-Mile Marker for some fresh kulau (coconut)

Biomass project trees near 40-Mile.

Flats at Rumion heading towards Leron.

We had a short stop at Leron Market.

Leron.

Umi Bridge, so memories for me as a young reporter with Post-Courier in 1994, when it was ripped down by flood waters and crippled the Highlands...for weeks...

Having marafri (bananas cooked in coconut cream in clay pot over a wood fire) at Ragiampum village, Markham Valley, near the Kassam Pass, for lunch. A new experience for my daughter.

Watarais Junction with Ramu Sugar and Madang to right, Kainantu and Goroka straight ahead...

Yung Creek at the base of Kassam Pass.

My daughter and I on the top of Kassam Pass looking down to Ramu and Markham valleys.

At Yonki Dam.

Yonki Market with lots of tilapia fish for lunch...

Kainantu...'Mile High Gateway to the Highlands'.

Barola Hill, an area once infamous for armed build-up...

Henganofi Station.

Magnificent scenery, cool weather, heading to Goroka.

Korofeigu...always one of my favorite parts of the highway...

4.30pm: And I'm back in Goroka...a place I've never left...