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As you count off the days before you depart for PNG, please do not forget the following:
- Have you sent me a copy of your travel insurance – also please have a copy to hand to me at our briefing, not the whole book just the detail pages stating your name, policy number and telephone number.
- Have you been to see your GP for a checkup? stating you are fit to trek
- Have you made note that we will meet at the Gateway Hotel at 6pm on the night before your trek date. Please check on the 'Welcome Board' or with their reception desk for the room they allocate to us.
- Have you done a check on your gear to make sure you have not forgotten anything? Remember, the Kokoda Track is not a trek where you bring everything except the kitchen sink. If you think you will not need it, do not bring it!
- Have you informed your family how to check on your progress and your trek number. Daily updates are put up as we hear back in from our guides out on the track.
- Have you remembered that you will need a visitors visa on entry to PNG. This can be obtained at the airport but where possible please make sure you change your dollars to kina in Australia as it will save you a lot of hassles. Also extra cash for the track as it maybe easier than the airport here in PNG. Our trekkers today informed us that they are charging K5.00 for a photograph at Brigade Hill.
News from the track: The weather so far is great. Our trek out there from the 1st April until today 9th April said it was a dry track!
They also loved their trek. Some are seasoned trekkers having trekked in Nepal etc. They said the other treks were harder due to altitude. They added that they didnt feel cold at all but one or two mentioned they did put on something that covered their arms on two occasions.
As for ourselves, treks leaving on the 15th were all packed on my return and are already in Kokoda waiting for you since the chartered flight this morning. Your guides have been to the block today and have done a cross check to see if anything was missed and are quite happy it seems except asking for more rope…do they know something we do not? Your food is already in Efogi the half way point pick up and has been confirmed by the guesthouse owner Landy Noel.
With treks leaving on the 16th onwards until the 2nd May, all food was packed these past few days during Easter, yes worked non stop no rest for us at Kokoda Trekking. We presently have backpacks all over our house for various days and different treks leaving from Ower's Corner. Kingsley Boropi and his porters arrived in today on our charter in readiness for trek 264. Other senior guides and assistant guides will fly in on our charter heading to Kokoda on the 11th April. Your other porters will fly in on the two charters that head out to Kokoda on the 15th. They will overnight here in Port Moresby and will be ready to walk back home with you all on the 16th.
Its quite exciting for us all as we too countdown our number of sleeps until our ANZAC 2007 treks commence.
We too are keeping our fingers crossed that the heavens do not open up on the 15th to stop us driving you all out to Ower's Corner on the 16th for the commencement of your trek. Also remembering we have two flights into Kokoda the same day so do not need heavy rain either way.
Our KTL staff have been hand picked by Russell and John Derick Eroro. We trust that you will enjoy walking with our boys who are just so excited at the moment, their first trek of the year is only days away!
So bring it on, we too are in countdown mode and very much looking forward to meeting you all here in PNG.
see you soon
Gail, Russell & the gang at Kokoda Trekking
Our oldest Anzac trekker, a world war II veteran, Walker Kelly aged almost 82 when he walked. He had to walk an extra 3 hours as it poured and poured and his trek was forced to walk from Sogeri to Ower's Corner. He arrived in Kokoda 8 days later to a hero's welcome!
Walter_Kelly.jpegIn the background of the photograph of Walter above you will notice another man being carried. His name was John and he was given a hero's welcome because of his sheer guts and determination to finish. From the half way point he did it tough as he could hardly walk on his feet.
I cant remember exactly the reason behind this, perhaps his shoes broke. He did however keep on walking and by the time he reached Isurava the soles of his feet were not a pretty sight from what I have been told. He however did dig deep and walked out with his socks on. All trekkers could relate to the pain he must have been feeling but he could hold his head high as he completed his trek.
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