The long road to Kerema begins.

Open lands and blue skies on the road.

Local community members help to build the new road that winds through Gulf Province.

The Catholic Mission in Kerema offers humble rooms for tired travellers.

Selling nuts and green leaves at the local market is the primary income source for many people.

Fresh produce on sale at the Kerema market.

Sago wrapped in banana leaf bags for sale at the local market in Kerema.

The dark-sand shoreline of Kerema.

Local innovation: these boys have made a push-cart of sorts from scrap planks of wood and an old buoy.

Hundreds of snails make intricate patterns on the wet shore.

As the ocean meets the river, the beauty of the day is reflected in the water.

Heading through the mangroves.

As we turn a bend in a river we come across a secluded village on the waters edge.

A walkway made of logs leads us to a pineapple farm hidden on the hillside.

A typical day: a woman carries a chicken in her arms and two bilums on her head as she walks home to her village.

An old man sits with his freshly picked pineapples on display.

Remember: fight back!

A man paddles a traditionally-made dug out canoe down the river.

Mangroves line the river as we wind our way through.

A spectacular day by the river.

One of the bridges that crosses over a deep river, seemingly made of rickety wooden planks.

The dirt road winds its way past Malalaua on a picture perfect day, the clouds seemingly outlined on the canvas of the sky.

Almost half way back to Port Moresby… we think?

Women and children wash on the banks of the river.

One of the numerous rivers that crosses the road from Port Moresby to Kerema.

The Alika Swamp crossing.

The marshy area of the Alika Swamp crossing.

Stopping for a break to look over the spectacular valley leading to Iokea.

Iokea beach.

A slippery happiness: three bays play on the beach of Iokea village, a moment of delight shared by all. Photo won first place in the Papua New Guinea Amateur Photography Awards and published in Paradise Magazine.

The morning starts with a cup of sweet tea brewed on an open fire.

Fresh coconut flakes are added to dried sago – the makings of a delicious breakfast.

A woman makes coconut sago on a wood fire.

Some of the trees are so large that their branches are held up with posts.

A young boy stands proudly with his wooden toy car, the wheels made from plastic bottle caps.

Palm trees line the path to the beach.

A group of boys play with wooden toy cars on the sands streets of Iokea village.

A man pours homemade soap into containers, one of the many entrepreneurial activities in the village.

The sandy ‘streets’ of Iokea village.

The shoreline of Iokea village can be seen from the top of the plateau.

Wisps of cloud cover the great expanse of cloud.

The trees of a rubber plantation blur together as we drive past.