ANZAC at BOMANA TREK 1104

ANZAC at BOMANA – April, 2018 – Australian Guide

Date: 16 April 2018 – 24 April 2018

Owers’ Corner to Kokoda. This is an Australian led trek commencing at Owers’ Corner on the 17th April and walking off the Kokoda Trail in Kokoda on the 23rd April where you will overnight as our guests. The following day 24th April you will be flown back to Port Moresby. The following morning 25th April you will be picked up from your accommodation at 4am and driven out to Bomana War Cemetery for the dawn service. After the service you will be driven to the Royal Papua Yacht Club where you can order breakfast and reflect what you have achieved during your walk and take the chance to say goodbye to everyone you have met before returning home to Australia. Trek 1104: Guide Pat Vainerere.

Itinerary:

Day 1 – 16th April 2018 : Owers’ Corner to Ua’Ule Creek
Day 2 – 17th April 2018 : Ua’Ule Creek to Ofi Creek
Day 3 – 18th April 2018 : Ofi Creek to Agulogo
Day 4 – 19th April 2018 : Agulogo to Efogi
Day 5 – 20th April 2018 : Efogi to 1900
Day 6 – 21st April 2018 : 1900 to Eora Creek
Day 7 – 22nd April 2018 : Eora Creek to Isurava Village
Day 8 – 23rd April 2018 : Isurava Village to Kokoda then to Orohaven Pija Retreat
Day 9 – 24th April 2018 : Orohaven Pija Retreat to Popondetta then to Port Moresby
Day 10 – 25th April 2018 : Attend Dawn Service at Bomana War Cemetery

Update 17th April 2018

Trek 1144: Clement has let me know that all trekkers are doing ok and that they are now at Naoro Village for the night.

Update 18th April 2018

Trek 1104. Pat called this morning to say they spent the night at Ioribaiwa and today the plan was to reach Nauro for the night. Turns out both my cousins are doing just great with Maggie out the front. They have already experienced rain so the track is slippery and wet. It was tough going earlier this morning as they headed towards Ofi Creek. Think of these women as today they have a quite a tough walk up Maguli Range today. All going well they should arrive around 5pm this afternoon. So today after they left Ofi Creek, its UP UP UP UP. Picture them later today when they walk into Nauro Village!

Update 19th April 2018

Trek 1104: Pat sent me a text message to say they reached Menari at 2:30pm this afternoon. He added that the girls continue to do well and that himself and porters are ok. He added, steady rain from 1:30-2:30pm. So guess they all got soaked this afternoon making their way down to the village. The plan for tomorrow depending on how Marilyn goes, is to pass by Efogi after restocking with food from the half way point that was flown in by chopper, then head down to Naduri for the night. He will update again tomorrow.

Update 20th April 2018

Trek 1104: As predicted, they passed the half way point today of Efogi and have moved slightly further to Launumu (Efogi II) for the night. They were planning to head to Naduri and had the time but through the track grapevine they heard there were two other trekking companies camped there so decided to stop and not push on. Seems today children from the village came and sang for the girls. Seems its still wet! Please note photographs posted are from our files. Their own trek photographs will be uploaded by Pat on their return to our base.

Update 21st April 2018

Trek 1104: Text message from Pat: We are at dump 1 as two other trekking companies are at Templeton’s Crossing. Girls are ok but buggered! Its wet out there so they no doubt have been pushing hard today to reach their destination. Plenty of stories they will come back with I am sure, so get ready to listen! Tomorrow they will cross over Eora Creek and head to Isurava Village for the night.

Update 22nd April 2018

Trek 1104 & Trek 1107: Both of these treks are spending the night together at Alola Village. Tomorrow they will walk off the track in Kokoda but not before another big day. Early tomorrow they will walk down and into Isurava Memorial which is an historical point of the track with a lot of war history, but where the memorial is located is beautiful. The girls tomorrow will not doubt be emotional as they reflect on the memory of their father who sadly passed away this year. Am sure Darren even for the 2nd time on the track will in awe of this area of the track.

Update 23rd April 2018

Treks 1104 & 1107: These two treks are now sticking together. I just received a phone call from another trek that commenced in Kokoda today walking towards Isurava Memorial for Anzac Day. The guide said he has met up with some of the boys but trekkers not yet as they are still making their way down off the mountain. Picture them today walking through the ‘wild choko’ fields on their way to the finish point. Keep going, not too far away now and you can celebrate your successful crossing of the Kokoda Trail in wet muddy rainy conditions.

Treks 1104 & 1107: Congratulations are in order as everyone is now in Kokoda. I just got off the phone after talking with Marilyn and Darren. They both seemed very happy with themselves and so they should be. Darren said it was much much tougher than when he walked it before due to the rain and mud. He said without the boys help he doubts he would have made it. Marilyn said she has a few blisters here and there but lucky she was with her sister who is a trained nurse. For years Marilyn has been following other trekkers progress through our website but said it was harder than she had thought it would be. Well done to you all. Look forward to hearing more stories from my cousins when back home. To all our staff, thanks for taking care of the trekkers and getting them safely to Kokoda. Photographs from all treks will be posted once camera’s have been returned to our base.

Update 24th April

Trek updates on the eve of Anzac Day.

Trek’s 1144; 1104 and 1107: all trekkers are now back in Port Moresby and as I type should be out enjoying dinner. They were booked to fly in early hours of this morning but late yesterday, PNGAir changed their flight time to this afternoon book in of 13:35pm. This meant they arrived back this afternoon. I heard that gave Maryanne some time to cook for them this morning. I am led to believe they tucked into doughnuts and some more pizza with leftovers from last night. Before heading to the airport trekkers were taken to the Popondetta War Memorial area.