Even in my callow youth, I intuitively knew that such a world must inevitably soon pass into history and I didn't want to miss my one chance to see it in real life.

Happily, I didn't miss the opportunity and went to Papua New Guinea.

Like many expatriates, I saw and rejoiced in what is now a lost world. Basically, I got lucky and have never ceased to be grateful for that luck.

I got some of those hideous diseases (not recommended), grew familiar with crocodiles and their habits and had the rare privilege of walking amongst the former headhunters and cannibals.

I found that I admired the toughness and resilience of the people, their mostly good humour and their endless tolerance with yet another liklik kiap being a pain in the arse.

I got more benefit from my time in PNG than the country and its people got out of me. I was too young, too self-absorbed and too lacking in life skills to really make more than a nominal contribution and I'm sorry for that.

Still, I comfort myself by thinking that I did no harm either, so perhaps I wasn't totally useless after all.