Deadliest Journeys - Papua New Guinea

Summary

《巴布亚新几内亚：最后的无法之地》展示了巴布亚新几内亚作为世界上最后的边疆地带之一的生活现状。该地区以其高犯罪率、基础设施匮乏和贫困而闻名。经济资本莱城被称为“坑洼之城”，私人安保是维持秩序的主要手段。司机凯文在高危险的高地公路上驾驶，面临着恶劣的天气和道路条件，每个月赚取的工资是教师的四倍。商人杰拉尔德在这个充满挑战的环境中成功经营，提供基本商品和服务。该视频还探索了飞行员、村民和宗教领袖如何在这个偏远而困难的环境中生存和交往。

Takeaways

• 🛣️ 巴布亚新几内亚被认为是世界上最后的无法无天之地，拥有仅有的几条几乎未铺砌的主要道路。
• 🏙️ 莱城作为经济首都，由于糟糕的道路状况被称为“坑洼城”。
• 🚚 高速公路驾驶员Kevin通过严格检查他的卡车来避免在运输过程中遭遇袭击，这体现了该地区高犯罪率的现实。
• 🔒 私人安全公司在没有武器的情况下，尝试维持秩序，显示出公共安全力量的不足。
• 🛤️ 高地公路作为连接内陆和外界的关键道路，其危险和恶劣的条件展现了物流运输的挑战。
• 🏡 驾驶员Kevin尽管收入可观，但工作性质导致他与家庭分离，反映了该职业的个人牺牲。
• 🌧️ 突发自然灾害如暴雨和滑坡常导致交通中断，增加了交通的不可预测性。
• 🔫 道路上的劫匪和村民设置路障进行勒索，凸显了法律无力和治安问题。
• 💰 企业家Gerard Philip通过利用高地公路运输，成功地在当地建立了一系列业务，展示了在恶劣条件下创业的可能性。
• 🎄 信仰和社区活动如圣诞庆祝活动在社会中扮演重要角色，体现了文化和宗教的影响。
• ✈️ 飞行服务为偏远地区提供了必要的连接，但同时也面临着极端天气和地形的挑战。
• 🌿 消费槟榔作为一种刺激品来对抗疲劳，在驾驶员中普遍存在，突显了长途驾驶的艰难条件。

Q & A

巴布亚新几内亚与澳大利亚之间的距离是多少？

150公里。

巴布亚新几内亚的经济首都是哪个城市？

莱城。

为什么莱城被称为“坑洼城”？

因为莱城有着破损的道路。

在巴布亚新几内亚，私人安全公司的保安允许携带什么类型的武器？

只允许携带弓箭，不允许携带枪支。

巴布亚新几内亚的犯罪率在全球处于什么水平？

拥有全球最高的犯罪率之一。

高地高速公路的长度是多少？

700公里长。

为什么巴布亚新几内亚的公路运输对该国如此重要？

几乎所有的物资都是进口的，且该国的道路网络几乎不存在，只有少数主要道路，因此公路运输对于物资分发至关重要。

巴布亚新几内亚的商人杰拉德·菲利普在当地开设了哪些类型的商店？

他开设了面包店、肉店和该镇的第一家咖啡馆。

杰拉德·菲利普为什么能在巴布亚新几内亚的偏远地区成功经营多家企业？

他利用高地高速公路运输物资，供应整个地区及其300,000居民，有效地填补了这些地区物资供应的空白。

巴布亚新几内亚的一位司机如何保护自己免受坏路况影响？

司机比利使用毛巾等物品垫在身下，以减轻因颠簸造成的不适。

Outlines

00:00

🚛 巴布亚新几内亚的挑战之路

巴布亚新几内亚被描绘为世界上最后的无法无天之地，其中劳城因破旧的道路、拥挤的公交和极端的贫困而被昵称为“坑洼城”。在这里，由于警察力量不足，民众转而依赖私人安保公司维持治安，而这些安保人员只能携带弓箭。描述了一位名为Kevin的货车司机，他在出发前仔细检查他的卡车，因为在巴布亚新几内亚，即使是简单的故障也可能导致被抢劫。Kevin的工作是在极为危险的高地公路上运输货物，这条路因其恶劣的条件和高犯罪率而闻名。

05:02

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 司机的生活和挑战

Kevin作为货车司机，在巴布亚新几内亚的高地公路上工作，收入远高于当地教师，他的生活质量因此而提高。尽管如此，他的工作让他只能每周回家一次，给他的家庭带来了压力。Kevin在驾驶过程中依赖槟榔来保持清醒，但这也给他的健康带来了隐患。在一次特别艰难的旅程中，他遇到了恶劣的天气和危险的道路条件，包括滑坡和深雾，这些都极大地考验了他的驾驶技能和精神状态。

10:05

🌧️ 在恶劣天气中的艰难旅程

在一场雨中，Kevin必须驾驶他的卡车穿过滑滑的道路和深雾。他在没有休息的情况下驾车八小时，尽管他努力保持专注，但路况的恶化和持续的恶劣天气使得行进异常困难。在达到Kundiawa之前，Kevin遇到了一个以清理倒下的树木为名进行敲诈的团伙，尽管这增加了旅程的复杂性，但他最终还是成功地完成了这段旅程。

15:33

💼 企业家精神与社区贡献

视频介绍了Gerard Philip，一位在巴布亚新几内亚经营多家企业的法国人。通过开设面包店、肉店和咖啡馆，他对当地社区做出了巨大贡献，并且利用高地公路运输货物以支持其生意。尽管运输路线危险且不可靠，但Gerard的企业扮演了连接偏远地区和提供必需品的关键角色。视频还描绘了他如何采取安全措施来保护自己和他的收入，包括随身携带装备好的半自动手枪。

20:34

🎉 远离城市的生活和庆祝

在巴布亚新几内亚的偏远地区，视频展示了当地社区庆祝引入饮用水的大日子，政府官员和Gerard Philip一起参加了这个活动。此外，介绍了一位勇敢的新西兰飞行员Antoine，他冒险在恶劣的气候条件下飞行，为偏远地区的居民运送必需品。这一段强调了尽管存在极大的危险，但这些个体的努力对于连接和支持偏远社区至关重要。

25:37

🚜 难以应对的自然和人为挑战

Billy的旅程揭示了在巴布亚新几内亚内陆地区开车的挑战。他的卡车装载着重要货物，但道路状况极差，包括巨大的坑洼和滑坡。他和同伴必须经常停下来检查货物，确保安全运输到目的地。这段展示了司机们如何相互帮助，并依赖当地社区的支持来应对途中的挑战。

Keywords

💡巴布亚新几内亚

巴布亚新几内亚是位于南太平洋的一个国家，与澳大利亚北部隔海相望。在视频中，巴布亚新几内亚被描述为世界上最后的无法无天之地，有着极高的犯罪率和极端的贫困水平。巴布亚新几内亚的道路网络几乎不存在，这对于国家的经济发展和人民的日常生活造成了巨大影响。

💡高地公路

高地公路是巴布亚新几内亚的一条主要道路，长达700公里，穿越了野蛮的地区和艰难的地形。这条公路对于国家的运输至关重要，几乎所有的货物都需要通过这条路运输。视频中提到，由于道路状况恶劣，驾驶这条路线的司机面临着巨大的风险，但也因此获得较高的收入。

💡私人保安公司

在巴布亚新几内亚，由于警察力量不足以有效维护治安，当地居民和企业经常依赖私人保安公司来保护自己。视频中提到，这些保安公司的保安人员不被允许携带枪械，只能使用弓箭等传统武器。

💡贝特尔坚果

贝特尔坚果是一种在巴布亚新几内亚广泛使用的兴奋剂，司机们通过咀嚼贝特尔坚果来抵抗疲劳并保持清醒。视频中，司机凯文每天要吃大约50颗贝特尔坚果来帮助自己在长途驾驶中保持精力充沛。

💡路障

视频中提到，在高地公路上，司机们经常会遇到由当地居民设置的路障。这些路障不仅是物理障碍，还是一种敲诈勒索的手段。居民们可能会要求过路费，甚至以暴力手段来强行索取钱财。

💡贫困

巴布亚新几内亚的极端贫困状况是视频反复强调的主题之一。大部分人口生活在贫困线以下，基本设施和服务的缺乏严重影响了人们的生活质量和安全。

💡传统战争

在巴布亚新几内亚，传统的部落战争仍然是冲突的一大来源。视频中提到，现代武器的引入使得这些冲突变得更加血腥和致命。

💡基督教

基督教在巴布亚新几内亚的传播体现了外部文化对该国社会影响的一个方面。视频中的圣诞节庆祝活动显示了基督教文化如何与当地传统融合。

💡遥远的村落

巴布亚新几内亚的许多村落因为地理位置偏远和交通不便而与外界隔绝。这些村落缺乏基本的医疗设施和教育资源，生活条件十分艰苦。视频中描述了一个由于道路不通而几乎无法获得外界援助的村落。

💡经济发展

巴布亚新几内亚的经济发展面临着重大挑战，包括基础设施不足、治安问题以及高贫困率。视频中通过描绘一个成功的商人的故事来展示如何在这种环境下寻找到商业机会，并对当地社区产生积极影响。

Highlights

Papua New Guinea, described as one of the world's last lawless lands, faces extreme levels of poverty and high crime rates.

Lae, known as Pothole City, is the economic capital where locals rely on private security due to police ineffectiveness.

Security guards in Papua New Guinea carry traditional weapons like bows and arrows instead of firearms.

Highway driver Kevin checks his truck meticulously before journeys to avoid attacks during vehicle breakdowns.

The dangerous conditions of the Highland Highway, which is vital for the country’s economy yet barely maintained.

Kevin earns four times a teacher's wage, highlighting the risk-reward balance for truck drivers in Papua New Guinea.

The consumption of betel nuts among drivers as a stimulant showcases local practices and challenges of long-haul journeys.

A detailed look into the precarious conditions of road transport, illustrating the treacherous terrain and constant dangers.

Instances of makeshift road tolls by locals and extortion attempts highlight the lawlessness in some regions.

Gerard Philip's story of success through adaptability and influence in the local market and community.

The celebration of modern amenities like supermarkets and banking facilities amidst a rapidly changing Papua New Guinea.

Christianity's spread across remote areas and its impact on local communities, demonstrated by Father Matthew's dedication.

The challenges of aviation in Papua New Guinea, with pilots like Antoine navigating difficult weather conditions and terrain.

Tribal wars and the modern escalation of violence in disputes, showing the complex social issues facing the country.

The vital role of transport and drivers in sustaining the economy and community life, despite the high risks involved.

The deep-seated issues of infrastructure, poverty, and governance in Papua New Guinea, juxtaposed with the resilience and ingenuity of its people.

Transcripts

Papua New Guinea is one of the world's last lawless lands,

lying 150 kilometers north of Australia.

The town of Lae is the economic capital of the country.

Here it more commonly goes by the name Pothole City.

It's a sorry sight with its battered roads,

its packed mini buses and its extreme levels of poverty.

In the streets, uncertainty reigns and the police are ineffective.

Trying to keep law and order,

the locals call upon private security companies.

These guards are not allowed to carry firearms,

only bows and arrows.

When they do step in, they don't do it delicately.

Papua New Guinea has one of the highest crime rates on the planet.

In his warehouse behind high walls,

Kevin, a highway driver, carefully checks his truck.

In Papua New Guinea,

a simple breakdown could have drastic consequences.

Well, before each journey, I check that my tires aren't worn out.

Because if I ever have to change them due to a puncture,

the criminals can use the opportunity to attack me.

Bands of looters who want to get their hands

on his cargo of pasta, rice and other products.

These staples are expensive in Papua New Guinea.

Come on, closer.

But the bandits haven't a care in the world.

Right now everything is ready.

I don't think we'll have any problems.

Only if it starts to rain.

It's the beginning of the rainy season

and the mountain roads can become very tricky.

Papua New Guinea is an island half as big as France,

but with a road network that practically does not exist.

There are just three main roads that are barely tarmacked.

And yet, road transport is vital for the country.

Just about everything is imported.

The merchandise arrives by the boatload in the port at Lae.

The containers have been packed in their hundreds

before being loaded onto trucks.

Like these vehicles, Kevin is taking his one,

on one of the most dangerous roads.

It's the Highland Highway.

The highway is merciless, 700 kilometers long.

It crosses wild regions

that are unforgiving towards any slack driving.

A road that wears out the drivers.

And destroys their machines.

Torrential rains batter the road, washing away whole sections.

In the Highlands, the fog banks are a trap for drivers.

At night, the highway bandits fleece travelers.

Off the highway are slopes that are practically impossible to scale.

There are not many drivers willing to take on this road

and because of this, companies are ready to pay them handsomely.

Kevin earns equivalent of 1,200 Euros a month,

four times the wage of a teacher.

His employer also houses him,

with a beautiful house in an enviable district

where he lives with his wife and four children.

I just see them once a week.

I spend the rest of my life on the highway.

Most of the drivers do their work without ever thinking of their wives,

but my husband, he takes care of us.

When he's on the road he calls us regularly to find out how we're doing.

When he gets back, he spends time with the kids and he helps me out.

So I'm happy.

When he calls, he says it's going well.

I thank him.

Kevin spends over 60 hours a week behind the wheel.

At daybreak, he takes the road towards Kundiawa,

a town lost in the middle of the mountains,

but his journey gets off to a bad start.

We left late.

We should have got going around 3:00 AM.

The cabin windows are well protected with metal grills.

On the highway, this is a must.

We put them on to protect against the people

who like to throw rocks on the road.

Sometimes they hit the windscreen or the side windows.

Without this protection, the glass would shatter.

Before taking on the mountain, Kevin buys his fill of betel nuts.

The nuts are powerful stimulants.

He eats about 50 a day.

It's a way of beating tiredness,

but it's also a drug that all the drivers are dependent upon.

We chew betel to stay awake

and most importantly, to have enough energy

to keep on till the end of the road.

In Papua New Guinea,

the consumption of betel is very ceremonial.

See this is the betel nut, here.

You get the shell off like this.

Next, the chewer uses a bit of a creeper and a small sachet of powdered shellfish.

So we take this and after we mix it with a white powder

and then when we chew it, it goes all red.

That's what helps us keep our eyes open on the highway.

It's better than alcohol.

Or beer.

Unfortunately, though, a lot of drivers do drink.

Alcohol causes terrible accidents along the highway

as witnessed by these rusty carcasses all along the road.

Here, when a truck flips over,

if it's not a drama, it's an opportunity.

Two months ago, there was an accident here.

The young creek guys came

and they smashed in the container with axes

and they stole all the cargo.

This is an even less cultivated area.

Just 50 years ago,

the warring tribes lived completely cut off

from the rest of the world.

It's no easy feat to tow these two containers on this road

with its twists and turns and its unfinished side.

Kevin does all he can to take care of his engine

while the road continues to get worse.

The tarmac sections are becoming increasingly infrequent.

They're being replaced by battered roads peppered with potholes.

Not yet, no, not yet.

What's waiting for us up there is awful.

We're really going to be shaking every which way.

At 1,500 meters above sea level,

it really starts to get difficult.

At the first mountain pass, there's the fog to deal with.

Can you see the road?

Yes, well, not really.

The mist hides everything.

The potholes and the other vehicles.

On the way down, the fog becomes rain, and the road becomes extremely slippery.

It's sliding, so I'm forced to use the engine's brake.

When they are as wet as this, the normal brakes are no good at all.

We're in danger of ending up in the river.

Just below, a ravine 700 meters deep.

With 36 tons pushing him from the back,

Kevin must negotiate each bend, so he's not carried off the cliff.

He's been behind the wheel for eight hours without a break

and he's finding it difficult to remain concentrated.

This is a bad sign.

A tow truck.

I should ask if there's a problem.

What's going on up there?

Can I through with my truck?

It's muddy. Where are you going?

To the Congo.

Congo? The way up is slippery.

Okay, I'll take care.

Congo is the name of this place.

It's the last stop before Kundiawa, his final destination.

When it rains, like today, it turns into an ice rink.

The road is poor, not just poor, it's very poor.

Rainy days, it's always like this.

You can quickly lose control and end up in the scenery.

No, no.

No, impossible.

The only way to get through,

press down on the gas and use the most momentum possible.

Unluckily, the truck is overloaded.

If I stop now, it'll be hard to get going again.

I would have to go back down and begin all over again.

Kevin completes the ascent with his foot on the accelerator.

You were lucky.

For now, it's over.

He has just traveled 400 kilometers in 10 hours.

Here we go, we made it to Kundiawa.

Destination, the town's supermarket.

I'm a bit exhausted, really tired, actually.

His rest will not last long.

Right now, I'm going back to my home.

I am waiting till they finish unloading,

and then I'll go back where I left from, to Lae.

Down there I've got my wife and kids.

They will take care of me,

because they know what I have to go through on the road.

The driver sets off for 10 more hours of driving

in the opposite direction.

In all, he will spend 20 hours behind the wheel of his truck.

It's nearly midnight, and Kevin comes across an obstruction.

A tree is lying in the middle of the road

and around it are men armed with machetes.

No, we're just villagers.

We're trying to free up the road so that the vehicles can go by

because after the heavy rains yesterday,

this tree fell down.

If we didn't do this,

we'd have to wait for the workers from the provinces.

It could take six to eight hours before they get here.

Of course, their work deserves remuneration.

They are not about to work for free.

Certainly we'll ask for money for cleaning the road

and the people will pay us and afterwards they can go by.

Kevin is no fool.

In my opinion, there are two possibilities.

They could have either cut down the tree themselves

or anyway, it's too dark to check.

It's hard to believe that this tree fell down on its own

and once the road is clear,

the gang shows its true colours.

The racket is underway.

Ironically, the tree that they took so much trouble to remove,

now serves as the tollbooth barrier.

Here come the police, stay cool, guys.

Luckily for the road clearers

the policemen don't seem to want to kick up a fuss.

We'll go speak to the villagers and if they ask for money,

we'll tell them not to charge too much.

Under two euros would be good.

If the police are turning a blind eye, it's because, above all,

they want to avoid things getting out of hand.

Tonight, no one has started in on the passengers,

so for them, it's only a minor incident.

Yes, at the same time, we're not asking for a lot.

Only five euros, and we don't rape women like they do in Wabag.

The authorities end up by leaving.

The extortion continues.

After a three hour wait, it's finally Kevin's turn.

I've just got two euros.

If they take them, great, if not, I'll sleep here.

How much you got?

Two euros.

Oh, that's good, hand it over.

Kevin is relieved.

He won't have to sleep on the road and he didn't even have to argue.

They told me you can go through because we know you,

but what they know best is the company for which this driver works.

Here even the bandits avoid scamming the green TNA trucks,

an organization known and respected all over the region.

The boss is a Frenchman.

Gerard Philip has been living in Papua New Guinea for over 20 years,

and has made his fortune, thanks to the highway.

Makanem in the local dialect, means the lord or the landowner.

Here in Kundiawa, all the green shops,

about half of all the stores, belong to him.

In just a few years, Gerard opened a bakery.

Also a butcher's.

Then the town's first cafe.

Since then, the never ending ballet of the trucks

provides the rhythm of life in Kundiawa.

With a road as unreliable as the Highland Highway,

it's always a good idea to stock up.

Really stock up.

Everything depends on road transport.

Everything comes down the Highland Highway.

If the motorway transport wasn't there,

everything would shut down.

In the rainy season, when there are landslides,

the road can be closed for three days, four days or as long as a week.

We had a huge landslide here, two years ago

and the road was shut down for a month.

Gerard, doesn't restrict himself to the small town of Kundiawa.

He supplies the entire region and its 300,000 inhabitants.

When the businessman walks through the market,

he is no longer astonished to find his buns gracing the market stands.

Gerard's greatest success is his supermarket.

Never before has such a thing been seen in this isolated place.

The Papua New Guineans have discovered consumer society

and they want more.

This is good for Gerard's business, which never gets a moment's rest.

You got two empty containers on the way?

Are you asleep or you drunk?

In the back room, young women count the takings of the last few days.

Here is what Gerard's seven businesses have brought in.

It could be as much as a million or one and a half million.

Ballpark figure.

We transport it ourselves in the car.

Is there a bit of tension when you do that?

Oh, we take security measures ourselves.

We change our routine. We don't always do the same thing.

We keep our eyes open.

Keeping one's eyes open is often not enough.

We get ready when we go down, though.

Gerard keeps his semi-automatic pistol on him,

loaded and ready to shoot.

The destination is the town's only bank.

The journey takes only a few minutes.

Letting one's guard down is out of the question.

You mustn't nod off, you have to keep a good eye out.

Behind, in front, to the right, to the left,

looking at anything suspicious.

Off we go.

It's the signal.

It's necessary to move quickly.

The money is put in a safe place as soon as possible.

The annual TNA turnover is close to 30 million euros.

Banks, supermarkets, roads.

Papua New Guinea is changing.

Even in the most remote areas.

Here in Gumine, it's a big day.

They're celebrating the arrival of drinking water.

Ministers, governors, government officials

all have turned out to celebrate the event.

Among them is Gerard.

After the traditional welcoming ceremony,

the crowd heads off to the main square to inaugurate Gumine's very first faucet.

Gerard Philips.

We make you feel at home.

You're most welcome.

Gerard is entitled to all the honors.

He even has a place at the tribunal.

If you take good care of your coffee plants,

you will become rich.

Coffee is Gumine's gold and oil.

I declare this water supply open.

Thank you.

This adventurer has wandered all over the world

before making a stop here in the 1990s to become a pilot.

For 16 years, he has flown over the country,

braving death at the controls of his plane.

Come and see this view here. It's extraordinary, isn't it?

All these places I've flown in them everywhere,

between all these mountains and every day.

You shouldn't tempt fate, though.

So I reckon 16 years was enough.

I've buried people who didn't quit, because it's just a matter of statistics.

One day something is bound to happen.

The plane, the only recourse

for hundreds of isolated villagers in the jungle.

Many pilots have lost their lives here.

The dead husks of their machines are scattered about like sinister warnings.

The tropical climate is unpredictable.

At any moment,

the meteorological conditions can deteriorate.

There are always some daredevils willing to take to the skies

of Papua New Guinea.

Antoine is a young New Zealander

and has already notched up over 1,000 hours worth of flying

above the country.

This morning, however, he's hesitant about leaving.

The clouds come down pretty low, and there's a fair bit of rain

and low visibility around the place.

It just makes it difficult to get around,

especially when you're within mountainous terrain.

So this guy here, the operations manager,

he'll make a few phone calls

and we'll make a decision from there on in.

We're just waiting for them to call our factory.

If it's still raining?

No, we don't go.

Yes, it's not a fantastic area to be flying around in bad weather.

We've got make-shift radio over here

so we can call all the different strips and get a weather report from them.

The Papua New Guinean weather forecasting system isn't the best.

You're going to fly or not?

Oh, probably.

As soon as it clears up, Antoine takes his chances.

He's transporting rice, biscuits and flour to the people of Kaintiba.

It's only 40 minutes flight away,

but one of the most difficult places to access.

Next problem is trying to get over the range just ahead of us.

This is an incredibly tricky area to fly around when it's bad weather.

The risk is the clouds that cluster together

just above the mountains and hide the landscape.

When you're in mountainous valleys like we are today.

there could be chance of a collision.

Really that sets about the only thing

that you got to respect the weather and respect the strips.

There is nothing to be fearful of.

I suppose you could say crashing.

You don't want to crash in this country.

There's good visibility below the clouds.

Antoine winds his way through the mountain crests.

It's time to land.

That tiny, far off strip of land is the Kaintiba runway.

It rained in the morning and the ground is muddy and slippery.

At any second, the plane could bite the dust.

In Kaintiba, the arrival of a plane is an important event.

So we have no other forms of transport.

It's only a plane.

We don't have road services for big taxis or buses or whatever to go up and down,

it is very remote.

Most of the people here have not experienced going on a vehicle yet.

They have never sat on the seat of a car or bus.

There's certainly no hospital here.

There's just Sammy, the health worker, for the whole region.

When someone is seriously injured or sick,

if it's an emergency and the person who might die,

we bring them to Kaintiba.

The only place a plane can land and pick up the patient is here.

If the plane is late, the patient will die.

The sick person also needs to be able to pay for his or her ticket.

It costs nearly 120 euros.

Here most of the locals live with less than 30 euros a year.

Antoine only stays for a few minutes.

Another community is waiting for him down below on another mountain.

Back on the highway just after Kundiawa,

the truck must deliver two construction machines

to the oil wells of Moro, 300 kilometers further to the west.

The road stops there, right in the middle of the jungle.

At the wheel is Billy.

His cargo is precious, so he never travels alone.

Bart, in the escort car opens up the way.

The road is bad here, take care.

Slowly.

On the highway, all the drivers know each other.

Another trucker warns Billy via radio that there's a problem further down the road.

Well, the road is good.

So what blocked road are you talking about?

Billy, what are they saying? Is the road damaged or not?

Yes, they say that there are problems in Kalpana.

Okay, we'll be there in half an hour and we'll see what happened.

Just before Kalpana, there is a police car stopping the trucks,

and Billy finds out what's going on.

That section of the road is, there's big potholes.

It's very huge.

So for bigger trucks to pass through, they can't make it through,

because that will cause more problems.

Even if the vehicles get off the road, it blocks everything.

For the moment, Billy's vehicle will have to stay put.

Other trucks have already parked near to the small roadside cafe.

It's a windfall for the cafe's proprietors.

I've got coffee, biscuits, betel nuts, cigarettes.

In this place tucked away in the middle of nowhere,

there are not many opportunities to have fun.

For the men from the village, it's also an opportunity

to make a bit of money by watching over the trucks.

There are many thieves in the area.

We own this land, this is our home.

We keep watch.

They come here to steal, we'll chop them to bits.

Bart and Billy leave their truck under a careful watch

and go to take stock of the state of the road.

Wow, it's going to be a bitch to cross.

Look at that.

Oh, shit, it's high enough for the minibuses,

but for us, it's impossible.

There's a muddy trench in the middle of the road.

Turning back without an official order is out of the question.

I'm here with the escort car.

I have to get tomorrow, but the road is blocked.

It's difficult to get through.

There is a hole and a climb which is much too slippery.

My truck won't make it.

Okay, now what do we do?

Do we make a U-turn or what?

The orders are strict.

No U-turn is to be made.

They must wait until the road is repaired.

The minibuses filled with passengers are too impatient to wait.

Only the four wheel drive vehicles make it through.

Non four-wheel drive vehicles have to rely

on the local villagers strength to get them through.

Come on, forward.

That's it, come on, straight.

Why are you stopping? It's going to get through.

Soon, the minibuses misadventures attract the curiosity of the villagers

and after 30 minutes, it finally makes it.

These vehicles are the only method of communal transport in Papua New Guinea.

Not everyone enjoys the comfort of the minibuses.

In Kundiawa, each afternoon, the pickups are besieged.

The mountain dwellers are finished at the market

and now it's time to return to the heights.

Hey, clear off.

Get out of the way, otherwise it'll run you over.

The car is packed, overloaded in fact,

however, Paul is getting ready to tackle the highest peak of Papua New Guinea.

Mount Wilhelm.

The young drivers are scared to come here.

They drive on the highway, but up here, never.

It's dangerous.

We need this road to survive.

So we keep using it.

He's been making the same journey for over 20 years

with his faithful pickup.

The gearstick moves on its own,

but that's not because of any high tech equipment.

The car is the same as the road.

It's old and battered.

The road damages the car, the holes, the rain, the landslide.

The government does nothing.

This is a corrupt country, Papua New Guinea.

Nobody gives a shit about this road.

Merry Christmas!

In the back, the atmosphere is surprisingly good.

In any case, the passengers don't really have a choice.

It's the only way we can make the climb here.

We have your market and then we go back up.

Even when you are used to it, certain things still surprise you.

Come on, you have to push.

Come on, push.

If they get stuck, the customers have to lend a hand.

All right, come on.

Climb back in. Get back in, we're leaving.

With all the people in the back,

Paul is using a lot of petrol.

As there are no savings to be made,

he prefers to let his old banger freewheel during the descent.

When we go down the slope, if the brakes loosen or we lose a wheel,

the car will become uncontrollable.

We could leave the road and end up going over the cliff.

Playing the same game many drivers find themselves at the bottom of the ravine,

along with all their passengers.

Now look at that.

We have to swim for it.

This is no pleasure cruise.

In the back, it was already uncomfortable,

but at least until now, the weather was pleasant.

At these altitudes, the temperatures fall very quickly.

The chill settles in with the rain,

which soaks everything.

The passengers, along with the road.

Happily, the end of the voyage is in sight.

Come on then, get off.

The pickup will take three hours to travel just 50 kilometers.

On each journey, Paul brings supplies to the little shop

in the village of Gambogl.

At an altitude at two and a half kilometers,

the locals live off the coffee culture.

The little money they earn, they spend here, on pasta, rice,

or cigarettes.

Lower down in the valley, we find Billy.

While waiting for the road to be repaired,

he has parked his truck in the village.

Tonight, he'll sleep amongst his family.

Hurry up and make something to eat, Billy's here.

Have you told the kids to cook or not?

I told the women, they were returning from the fields and the market.

Hurry up, make us some food.

My brother, it's good to see you.

I see my wife, my brother here.

My mother, all the family members are here.

I feel surrounded, it feels really good.

Does he take care of you?

Yes, very much.

Yes, they really do.

Look, they're in the middle of making me something to eat.

Billy will not be the only one to savor the feast.

Tonight, all the neighbors are going to benefit from the charity of the driver

who has returned to the fold.

Whenever I come back here, I give them some money.

I help them financially.

Everything they want, I give to them.

In order to bring money back home, Billy takes many risks.

Tiny, his mother, worries more than the rest.

I do worry a lot.

When he goes to Lae,

I stay up and I can't get to sleep.

I think about all the rascals, the bandits who might kill him or wound him.

Kill him?

I think about accidents,

about his truck overturning or falling into a ravine.

It's only when he calls to tell me that he's arrived safely

that I can finally go to sleep.

There are all sorts of dangers on the road.

For example, if one day another driver

from the company knocks someone over on the road,

it gets risky for me.

People accuse me of being responsible.

When they see me, they'll attack me with an axe or a machete

saying it was you.

Even if I explain to them,

they'll make me shut up and they'll kill me.

In Papua New Guinea, it's really dangerous being a trucker.

There's no point in dwelling on the topic.

They prefer to tell stories.

You should have seen this film, mate.

An amazing fighter, Rambo, takes his massive machine gun,

climbs on the car and then, boom.

Yes, that's how he shoots.

You better believe it does the job.

Only a few kilometers away, the war is far from fictional.

Tribes and clans often fight over women, land, even villagers.

In Papua New Guinea, tribal wars are traditional.

Only today, the fights are a lot bloodier.

Before we fought with spears, bows and arrows,

when we were injured, we could pull them out.

Now we shoot at each other with pistols.

It's a lot more dangerous.

Before, it was a kind of a game.

Now, far too many people have died.

These men have been at war for the past three months.

Their camouflage must raise a smile,

but there's nothing funny about their weapons.

In the last few days, they've killed a dozen or so people.

We've got AR-15s, also M-16s,

homemade weapons, spears, axes and machetes.

They exchange the hashish they grow illegally for weapons,

often provided by smugglers.

When the enemies arrive, I do this.

I do like this.

The rest of the weapons are homemade.

All this is local handiwork.

The pipe is made from a truck tow rope.

It has the same diameter as an M16 bullet.

We put in the bullets and we close it like that.

With this, we turn it so that the barrel is well blocked.

When we shoot, the bullet comes out,

but the pipe stays put.

Looting, rapes, lynching,

when these villagers play at being warriors,

they are capable of extreme violence.

Our families can't sleep at night anymore.

When the fighting intensifies,

the others might come and hunt us out of our village.

They burn houses, they massacre people.

What did he say?

I said that I want to shoot someone.

That person is our cameraman.

The guy who made the joke in poor taste is high on drugs.

Here, people often mix weapons and narcotics.

These remote areas, drivers are instructed never to stop

if they accidentally hit a villager or an animal.

Billy takes up his journey once again.

He's going full throttle.

He's been stuck for three days and must now make up for lost time.

I've got to keep an eye on these two rearview mirrors at all times

just to make sure that there's no problem with the cargo.

Soon, however, he's forced to stop once again.

My spine and my testicles.

I always have to put something underneath,

like my towel to ease them up a bit and with all these potholes,

it shakes hard up and down and I have to protect them.

When the family jewels are bouncing around like that.

It hurts.

It's not just the driver who is taking a beating.

In the back, the two machines are shaken about more and more.

The chain slipped.

We've got to check it and tighten it.

We need to stop and take a look.

Step aside, pull aside and I'll get this ready.

It's more serious than expected.

One of the machines has already moved dangerously.

Its tyre has shifted 20 or so centimeters.

It's going up and down.

The machines bounce around constantly and the chain is too small.

It can't take the pressure and the machines are too heavy.

This chain is broken.

They have to fix it and tighten it properly.

Bart and his assistant, Paul, have to muddle through

and tighten the chains as best as they can.

Put in the middle. Pull, that's all it is.

After two hours of effort, the two men fall upon a lucky solution.

It's done, we can go.

Now our load will move like that.

If you go too quickly, it'll fall.

That's why we must be sensible and drive very slowly.

Just a few kilometers later, they must make another emergency stop.

It's on the center section now.

The wheel is once more out of line and worse,

Bart realizes that the other machine has begun to move.

You saw at the back?

Yes, it's dangerous.

Okay, wait.

Pull it.

Make sure you check it regularly.

Yes, I'll make good use of my mirror.

Moro and its petrol wells are not very far off,

but at any moment, the load could topple.

The chains have got to hold, otherwise we're screwed.

It's okay, we'll be arriving soon.

Billy finally reaches the heavily guarded gates

of the oil drilling site.

That is heavy stuff, mate.

You're going to need a bloody big crane to unload all of that.

Now Billy's work is over.

I feel better now, everything is safe.

The journey that should have taken three days

has ended up taking over a week.

Here it's a long way from the highway and its trucks.

The walkers climb down the mountain.

In this remote village, everyone is gathering at Gogamedi,

the most important village in the area.

It's the 25th of December,

and nobody wants to miss Christmas mass.

Over the past 60 years, Christianity has infiltrated

even the most remote areas of Papua New Guinea.

Father Matthew is leading proceedings.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

After three hours of mass,

one is allowed to take several liberties with the liturgy.

Like any self-respecting Father Christmas,

this one has not come empty handed.

Everyone was awaiting his general distribution of lollipops.

Father Matthew heads about a dozen churches in the region

and several hundred parishes.

The mass comes to an end.

For this man of the cloth, there's no time to rest.

I must put water in the tank.

He's getting ready for his big tour of the parishes.

His main ally in spreading the good word is this old, dilapidated car

that he pampers prior to each departure.

No one else dares to go adventuring on the slopes that he takes each week.

For his parishioners, the priest braves all the dangers.

Hi, my friend, I'm a priest.

So as there are people who live on the other side,

I must go and see them to give the mass, to take their confessions.

My life is devoted to them, I must go.

As he carves out his route.

Hey, brother, I'm off to Guinea.

Father Matthew is not the type to pass unnoticed.

Hey, I'm on my way to the Guinea.

The slope seems impossible,

but it's not enough to dissuade this priest.

He is an expert in handling the terrain.

I love driving on this road.

At the wheel, Father Matthew is jubilant.

It's almost a sport now and it's exciting at the same time.

There's a big cliff just below.

If I miss the road, I wouldn't survive.

It would be curtains for me.

Twenty kilometers, and just over an hour later,

Father Matthew finally arrives.

Hardly anybody ever visits here.

So each of the priest's visits is a cause for celebration.

Is that your dog?

He's so cute.

This is part of my duties towards the families and villages.

I must show them that I am here.

If they have the slightest request or complaint or whatever it may be,

I must forward it to the authorities so they can do something about it.

It's been a long time since the State has forgotten

these remote villages lost in the jungle.

In Papua New Guinea, 80% of the population

lives below the poverty line.

Here, Father Matthew's little white jeep

is about the only vehicles the inhabitants will ever see.