A couple of Israeli backpackers trekking in New Guinea ended up having tea with the country's president when they bumped into him on the trail, reports ynetnews.com.
Omer Folk and Omer Rivak met each other in New Zealand and decided to travel together to New Guinea. Falling in with a group from the organisation Friends of Israel, the two backpackers set off on an ascent of the 1,700 metre Mt Williams, only to bump into the president, Paulias Matane, celebrating his 77th birthday with a climb while followed by the national press.
Mr Folk told ynetnews.com: "We just said the word 'Israel' and he immediately invited us to join his entourage."
The president ended up inviting the two backpackers into his tent for a cup of tea, where the three of them talked about the leader's love of Israel.
After the encounter the young Israelis found themselves at the centre of both local and national press attention, and they visited the president again at his residence when they left the mountains.
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