On the 7th July we had a group of 12 trekkers fly into Popondetta where they were met by our staff. Before they were driven up to Kokoda they were taken around the monument area in Popondetta and to a local supermarket. They arrived in Kokoda at Orohaven Kokoda Retreat around midday where they were given lunch.

Later in the day a traditional sing sing group entertained them before they went up to the station area to look around the monument area.

I believe last night they spent a few hours sitting in one of our huts getting to know each other and relaxing before their trek today.

Around 7am this morning I received a phone call to say trekkers had left and that the remaining staff were about to head off to join up with them. Their guide is Wallace Lemeki who phoned in later today saying they were at Deniki. He said everyone was doing ok and that they would spend the night at Isurava Village.

David Clark Embo was supposed to join this trek as his assistant, however, he pulled out at the last minute and another of our staff took his place. In total there are 22 staff walking with this group of trekkers who are made up as follows:

Mark and Tom Hardy; Geoff and Lauren Graubner; Mark Hoppe; Hayden Braham; Kevin Norris; Julie Ann Bull; Barry Darben; Joe Yick; Robyn and Gordon Heap.

In this group there are three father and sibling trekkers. Mark and Geoff have both walked with us before and looked like they were really going to enjoy walking with their respective son and daughter.

Photographs: Orohaven Kokoda Retreat

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