Papua New Guinea. Exotic travel
Photo: Reuters
Israeli travelers become stars in New Guinea
Two backpackers hiking through Papua New Guinea befriend nation's 77-year old president who invites them to join him in scaling mountain; next day they find themselves in paper, evening news
Two Israeli backpackers became unlikely celebrities in Papua New Guinea after befriending the nation's president in a surprising twist in their travels. Later they even found themselves featured on the country's evening news.
They had been traveling for a month among remote tribes, some of them known for cannibalistic tendencies, when they met a group belonging to Friends of Israel, an organization comprised of Christian admirers of Israel who
celebrate Jewish holidays.
The two 24-year old backpackers – Omer Folk of Rishon LeZion and Omer Rivak of Haifa, met in New Zealand and decided to embark on an excursion in the secluded South-Pacific Island of New Guinea.
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After meeting the group they decided to embark on a two-day climb on Mt. Williams, which boasts an altitude of 1,700 meters. They didn't realize that day marked Papua New Guinea President Paulias Matane's 77th birthday, and that he had decided to celebrate by conquering the mountain together with a delegation of ministers and military officials.
During the climb Folk and Rivak encountered the president and his entourage, accompanied by the press. Matane called them over, and upon hearing that they were from Israel, proceeded to embrace them with hugs and kisses.
"We just said the word 'Israel' and he immediately invited us to join his entourage," Folk recounted. On the way up the president informed them that he had written 44 books, three of which focus on Israel. He had also visited the country many times.
"I climbed Masada, and I remember how beautiful Jerusalem is," he told them over a cup of tea in his tent. The next day the group reached the mountain's peak.
Upon returning to the nearest city Folk and Rivak were surprised by their own faces gracing the front page of the nation's only newspaper, as well as the opening segment of the evening news on the country's only TV channel.
Folk and Rivak made their way to the president's residence in order to say goodbye, and were recognized by passersby who embraced them and merchants who gave them gifts of fruit.
The guards defending the official residence also recognized the two travelers, and ushered them in to receive special gifts: Matane had personally autographed two of his books for them.
The president once again praised Israel as a holy and spiritual country, and promised to visit Folk and Rivak if he ever got the chance to travel there again. A few days later the two backpackers also received an email from Matane, who had promised to keep in touch.
