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Excitement at KTL – our first trek of the new trekking season headed out from Ower's Corner 1st April, 2007 – a little bit of nervous tension from ourselves and our trekkers but everything went ok. Davidson Eroro (Russell's brother) put his hand up to lead out the first trek and other volunteers quickly came forward to join him.
When I came back last Wednesday Davidson and the 11 porters for this trek were already in town. I was soon greeted by familiar faces and their large happy smiles and lots of waves as I drove past on my way to my residence. I was not surprised to see they had lost weight not put on during the off season as they have all been working hard on their gardens, repairing their parents and their houses and getting ready for days and days away from home as is the case during the trekking season.
They are all muscle and the ones I have met this week are all looking forward to welcoming all of you on your upcoming trek and looking after you all on the Kokoda Track.
We also welcomed our new driver who arrived on Saturday from Popondetta by the name of Chris. After his first day on the job he remarked that the road to Ower's Corner was much better than what he is used to driving on back home in the Oro Province. He appears to be a nice young man who I think will settle in here quite well.
Photograph – KTL group of guides and porters at Kokoda Station – Davidson is 2nd from right back row
Picture_095.jpgSome really good news…..it seems most of our senior guides and porters have given up smoking for their own health and to encourage the younger boys to follow suit. I believe their teeth are looking much cleaner and they assure me this year they will be even fitter than in the past.
On top of the list is John Derick Eroro a veteran of over 400 treks. I have been informed that John is in training for the Kokoda 96km Challenge on the Gold Coast in July along with a heap of others who are hoping to be selected in our team to represent our company.
They apparently are being dropped way down the road towards Popondetta and run back home to Kokoda. Combine that with their trekking and walking the mountains of Kokoda with heavy packs, we think we will have a team that will take some beating come July when our KTL guys hit the Gold Coast.
Photograph: John Derick Eroro seen here on the Kokoda Track:
John_Derick_Eroro.jpgBrendan Buka our current trek hero from Ower's Corner to Kokoda in 17 hours 49 minutes, has decided this year to chase John Hunt Hiviki's record and will compete from Kokoda to Ower's Corner. He will also compete in the Kokoda 96 Challenge on the Gold Coast in July this year.
Brendan Buka in the front row in this photograph taken at Bomana War Cemetery in 2007:
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