An Irony

Central Province, Papua New Guinea: The village we wished to visit, according to our local guides, was "not far" compared to those I have previously visited but it did require a few kilometers of hiking, navigating the sides of shallow cliffs with the help of outcrops and exposed roots, and a short trek along this silent brook. Fortunately, I was at the forefront of the group so I was able to click a few shots before the serene water got disturbed by the trekking troop. And when we finally got to the upstream village, I was told of the great value of this scenic brook being the villagers' only source of water. However, his very same brook that supports the people's basic need for water also cuts them off from the rest of the province during the wet season when tropical rains send heavy floodwaters from the mountains for days and makes any attempt to cross it a very dangerous proposition. Ah, nature is always full of ironies.