Korovai penthouse

You can buy a penthouse if money allows, or you can build a penthouse. To do this, it is enough to fly to Papua, make an expedition to the cow tribe, assemble a construction team and choose ... a tree. For future home.

In this way went Dima Komarov - the host of the television program “World Inside Out”.

Cows live in the jungle of Papua, many still go "what the mother gave birth to", avoid contact with civilization, climb onto tall trees without insurance and build their houses there (on trees).

Our team of fearless high-rise builders. Without them, a penthouse over the jungle cannot be built.

This is Malop.

Since he was the youngest in the brigade, he had to run errands. The older cows drove him completely. Therefore, one day he did not go to "work." Said scary. And I understand him perfectly.

Grandpa They. The most important, the most talkative - the foreman in one word. Therefore, they led the entire construction process.

Fedong. He was silent more often, but was indispensable. Right hand They are.

Simon King Kong. The strongest man in the brigade. Therefore, it is not surprising that it was he who got the hardest work. But Simon is a positive Papuan, he never complained about his fate and was always ready to help his construction colleagues.

And of course, cameraman Sashka Dmitriev (he was also responsible for all the ropes, by the way) and host Dima Komarov, who took part in the construction.

The members of the two teams worked together easily, even though they spoke different languages. Then I helped with the second translator.

The house was built on one tree (at an altitude of 30 meters), and opposite it was "Tree No. 2" (about 25 meters), on which our porters made a platform for us (in haste). The platform was used to rent a house from the side. In addition, I worked for her (shouting translations into a megaphone) when they wrote interviews and communication.

A vertical staircase led to the platform, on which we had to climb every day.

Of course, we used insurance in our work. But even that didn’t help me, because ...

... I was panicky afraid of heights! I was so afraid that the first time I climbed at all with my eyes closed! I just could not open them from fear. Climbed step by step, with breaks and shaking hands. Therefore, it probably took me half an hour to complete the first "ascent".

I will not hide, “Tree No. 2” was the hardest test for me for all the months of filming.

And the platform itself ?! Yes, she did not inspire any confidence! There were such gaps between the sticks that from 25 meters I could easily see the grass down there! If the wind blew, then the crown of the tree (and the platform, respectively) swayed from side to side. In these moments, I grabbed the trunk with a dead grip and closed my eyes. And so from early morning to late evening, day after day.

But it is worth noting that over time, the fear of heights began to pass. I remember, somehow I look down and understand that this is generally not a height anymore. Then I finally let go.

I was not alone on the platform. Sometimes Sashka dropped in, sometimes cows — either guys from villages who did not participate in the construction, or our porters.

Constantly with me was our second translator (from Korovai to Indonesian). We worked in pairs.

And what kind of views opened in the vicinity! Rainbows, sunsets, thunderclouds.

Somewhere there is our camp, hot coffee and pasta. Nothing we were so happy at the end of the day, as a warm meal.

The enemy will not pass! Sitting on the platform, you feel like a sentry.

Enough for today. But about the expedition to the cows there will certainly be a series of posts. I’ll tell you how to get to them, how we made the first contact, how we lived with them, how we built a house and much more. So stay tuned!

In the meantime, be sure to watch the fifth season of “Inside Out.” Without exaggeration, it turned out to be mega cool! So, 4 months of filming all over Indonesia from Java to New Guinea was worth it. Enjoy watching!