Hi there TIA, I will answer your questions as follows:

Question 1: What is the difference to the 8 day one to the 9 day one, is it just a matter of timing (sleep onsite then start as opposed to flying in and starting straight away)

Answer: Its just a matter of timing. Lets say you walk from Owers' to Kokoda. On a 9 day trek you might end up overnighting at say Hoi or Deniki whereas on an 8 day you walk straight from Isurava Village direct to Kokoda. More often then not, even the 9 day trekkers when they know they are so close to the finish line decide to continue walking and end up with two nights in Kokoda.

Question 2: PNG Guide vs. Australian Guide, is the track commentary focus different (PNG = more Local information about the people/flora, Aus = More WWII info?) or is it for people who'd prefer one or the other? Or no real difference.

Answer: As Australians the majority of us talk more then PNG people as most of them are quiet especially around trekkers. Among themselves they talk heaps, just a bit shy. Generally speaking you have to break the ice fairly quickly and gain their confidence. Once you have this, the trek opens up but more often then not you have to prompt the questions at them. Someone once said to me that when asked they can answer but sometimes its hard for them to start the conversation or topic. Having said that there are quite a few who you do not have to prompt. What we say to trekkers is that you read your Bill James book which you receive as a gift if you walk with Kokoda Trekking. We suggest you read it around the campsite each afternoon and if there is anything in particular you wish to see or look at the following day that you let your porter (if you have one) and your guide know in advance.

With an Australian Guide – well he should not need any prompting as he will know what you expect of him. Even an Australian guide will not walk without a PNG trek leader as this is still essential. He is mainly the historian on the trek pointing out items of interest to trekkers.

Question 3: What's the most rewarding direction? Is it following the retreating footsteps Kokoda to Ower's or finishing up at Kokoda. If you finish at Ower's do you just jump on a truck/bus and get taken back to your hotel room? Is any direction easier?

Answer: To our trekkers at the moment its a high finishing in Kokoda…why….to finish the Owers' Cnr end means back to your hotel. To finish at the other end means a time to relax at our Orohaven Kokoda Retreat….hang with the staff that walked alongside you…..they more often then not bring along some of their family to meet their trekker and if they live close by they invite you to their homes. This is always a nice touch at the end and this week alone lots of nice comments about how great it was to finish in Kokoda. You also get time to clean your boots; wash your clothes; have a shower; clean your backpack etc ready for the trip back home. When you arrive from the flight back to Port Moresby you can relax, have a few beers, whatever, but your gear is ready and you do not have to pay someone to clean and/or stand in the shower of the hotel with your gear.

You can generally save yourself one nights accommodation as well as flights in or out of Kokoda are in the morning around 8am which has you back in Port Moresby no later then 11am leaving you time to catch a flight back the same day. You would have to allow for weather but its quite easy to change flights to the next day. In 2009 we have not had one flight that was cancelled due to weather but in 2008 we had two.

If you were to ask the trek champion Brendan Buka (Owers' Cnr to Kokoda – 16 Hours 34 minutes) he would say its easier to walk from Owers' as you get the big hills out of the way up front which leaves mostly down hills into Kokoda. His time in the opposite direction is 17 Hours 20 Minutes.

Some say its telling the story backwards. However Bill James book tells it from Owers' to Kokoda whereas if you are following in the footsteps of the 39th you may like to walk in the opposite direction.

Question 4: Also is there anywhere that lists the amount of time on average it takes to do each days walking in average conditions. Are you walking like 8-10 hours each day?

Answer: The track is 96km but we mainly talk about it in hours. This is a rough guide:

Owers' Cnr to Ua-Ule Creek = 6 hours
Ua'Ule Creek to Nauro = 8 hours
Nauro to Efogi = 8 hours
Efogi to Myola Junction = 5 hours
Myola Junction to Templteon's = 5 hours
Templeton's to Eora Creek = 6 hours
Eora Creek to Isurava Village = 6 hours
Isurava Village to Kokoda = 6 hours

This is a rough estimate as everyone walks at a different walking speeds. Some trekkers are in campsites quite early with others arriving a few hours later. For example we had 22 trekkers on the track this month in one trek. Their guide mentioned they walked into Eora Creek around 1pm in the afternoon when on average trekkers who have walked with him on previous occasions averaged around the 3pm mark. The guy who organised this trek on behalf of his friends, had already walked the track and had set a pretty high standard of training leading up to their successful trek.

Hope this helps.

regards

Gail (Boss Meri)
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