Brand New Trekker

[Galen]

Hello all, I'm an new trekker due to depart on the 5th November with three friends. I am also new to these forums so be kind. I am looking forward to my trek and have been reading as much as I can about the Trail, PNG and, of course, Australia's involvement in WWII and beyond. I was shocked and more than a little embarrased of my lack of knowledge in what was such a momentous time for our country and am pleased to be rectifying that lack through the pages of some very informative books.

I have many questions about the Trail and hope to increase my level of preparedness through these forums. I will probably ask some questions some of you may take for granted but eagerly anticipate your responses and thoughts.

Galen

[austin]

Hi Galen, Im probably in the same boat as you. I too was relatively unfamiliar with the kokoda story but have been reading several books which have given me a whole new perspective on the diggers story. Currently im reading a book called "a bastard of a place" by Peter Brune – its an excellent read. The trek company im going with are regulary mentioned in this book – what a spin out. I was unaware of this until i started reading it.

My trek is in October for 10 days so i am currently thinking about gearing myself up. This is proving to be a difficult task as i dont want to go under equiped but at the same time dont want to go overboard !!. If anyone has any suggestions please let us know !!

My fitness level at present is excellent as i have been training with my PT for the past 9 months and have got my fitness level to a high standard. We have been doing a lot of sandy hill runs, sandbag carries, etc etc. I endeavour to concentrate on doing some 2/3 day treks in my local area with all the gear needed for the real trek in the next couple of months. the one aspect im not familiar with and the one aspect that i think will make a difference is the weather conditions, im expecting this to make life difficult as becoming accustomed to different weather conditions and doing a hard trek can be taxing on the body i imagine.

Im up for the challenge !!

As i have not done this trek before, i cant suggest anything on what not to and what to expect, it would be irresponsible of me to say otherwise, so those who have been on the trek before, it would be great to hear from you.

so galen, hope your experience will be as good as mine and look forward to your ideas

austin

[Galen]

Hi Austin,

Good to hear from you mate. It sounds like you have the fitness side of your prep all sorted! (I'm slightly jealous) It would be nice if I could say the same. I am a relatively unfit 37 year old real estate agent so I guess I have some work to do between now and Nov 5! (Yes, laugh it up! ) I will probably not do any sand hill stuff although there are some reasonably good hikes in steep terrain available so I will work on that. I have heard mixed feedback in regards to the fitness level although figure the more fit one is the more enjoyable the trek will be. My friends and I only decided to take the challenge about two weeks ago so it would be fair to say it's a snap decision we may (or may not) live to regret.

As for equipment, I guess I am a little more familiar with that side of things having done some extensive camping/hunting trips into remote/arid areas such as northern NSW and over the border into QLD. Of course, this will not really help that much with my prep for the Kokoda but may give me somewhere to start.

I also agree that being prepared is great but it is easy to over do it and take too much. I have not really put much thought into it as yet other than to say that I will certainly not take too much! I was wondering how we would go taking the various medical supplies into PNG and if we will be required to have letters from a doctor to take in Nurofen and the like? I guess a phone call to the Aust Govt may help? I also wonder if it is prudent to bring my extra "trail food" from home or buy it in PNG when we arrive. (We will be there two days prior to the trek.) Maybe my Trekking Co will advise me huh?

I will be putting a lot of thought into weight reduction with my gear, and will not skimp. I have always held to the belief that good quality equipment will make my experience all the more enjoyable. (Lugging a day-pack with a broken strap would not be fun I think.) It seems that shorts are the go from all the pics I've seen and long shirts too and I have already purchased a rediculously expensive pair of trekking boots which I will break in over the next few months. If you have any nifty equipment ideas I would like to know. ( I'm sure my friends would also) I am intending to do one trek a year so the equipment I buy will get used again.

Anyway, thanks for responding to my post. I hope we can help each other out over the next few months. I am sure the trek will be an amazing emotional and physical challenge and I am really looking forwad to testing my endurance in these areas.

Galen

[justinpeters]

i agree

[Galen]

Thanks J.

[Boss Meri]

Hi guys, nice to know you are posting on our forum. With regards to training, yes the fitter you are the more you will enjoy your trek. Remember the trail is much like a ladder its one step at a time but the distance between the steps can differ.

When I walked I trained in the office stairwell where I worked on the 12th floor. Now this is the BEST training. I can recall one trekker telling me he trained on the steps of a train station…..excellent training grounds. The main thing is to get the muscles directly above your knees working. I was just walking up and down the steps in the stairwell when an experienced trekker turned up and gave me some pointers. She said go up single….then down single steps….the next time round skip the second step then go back to a single step. Keep doing this right to the top then back down again. The first time I did this it nearly killed me…haha

However, I kept going and then she started telling me to skip from a step right to the third step….I said what, I am going to have to stretch that far! So I started this new system….alternating between a single step missing one….then missing two alternating between them all. On the track itself, would you believe many a time I said….Deloitte 3rd step especially getting up the other side of creek banks.

But hey I managed it and believe me I am not slip trim and terrific, just your ordinary run of the mill 50+ year old! However, not once did my legs play up or my muscles ache as I had done the work and they felt good. Another guy mentioned that you need to pick the closest hill in your area…park your car at least 3-4 afternoons per week and just walk up and down until you are sick of it. The theory behind this is that it does not matter what you do as long as you do it often. He said if he had to wait to the weekend to go find some mountains he would only train once a week whereas the other way he was getting workouts a couple of times each week without much effort as it was close to his house.

With regards to gear…..pick everything up in your hands and make sure you always think LIGHT before you buy. Kokoda is not a holiday where you pack everything but the kitchen sink. If you think you are not going to use it….do not bring it. Some people bring all kinds of things. Porters always say its harder to porter for a female than a male coz I guess we take a few more things JUST IN CASE!

With regards to shoes, agree with your decision to purchase a good pair, its the one area not to skimp on. Serious trekkers only take two lots of clothes. The ones for day wear and the ones for night. Unless you split your shorts this is a good choice as there are lots of creeks to wash them each night and within 10 minutes no matter what you wear it will be drenched with perspiration.

Having said all of above, I suspect your trek will be the BEST THING YOU HAVE EVER DONE even though at times you might be saying…and I paid for this….haha

With regards to medical supplies not a problem bringing them in here just inform them if they ask that you are walking the track. As for snacks, as long as they are sealed, ie never been opened they are ok. Remember however that our ration packs have most things already so only bring your favourite snack bar. http://www.food4treks.com.au

For those trekking with us, we plan on giving you a great experience and a fun trek!

[austin]

thanks for those tips meri. I was chatting to a chap who has recently completed the trek and his main concern was to ensure you look after your feet. They can become very sore due to sweat,water and general "overuse". I am currently waiting for my new pair of shoes – hopefully i will recieve them next week. This will give me time to wear them in before i tackle the track in october. do you have any thoughts/ideas on the type of socks we should be looking at purchasing.

i would hate to come out in blisters half way through as i would imagine this would make life a little difficult !!

cheers

aussie

Editors Note: my tip would have been to buy your socks first and then your shoes, why, coz thick socks are better than thin ones and you need to try them with the boots you are going to purchase and wear on the track. Some people even wear a thin pair under your thick pair. Just last week saw a guy who had very bad blisters who was a policeman from Qld. He said on his return he would have to ask for light duties as he would not be able to wear ordinary shoes for awhile. But hey, you should have seen the SMILE on his face when he completed his trek!

[justinpeters]

Thankyou for your reply. My friends and i recently did a 2 hour walk through some local hilly bush area (i struggled… ). Most prob a walk in the park in comparison to what we will encounter. It was a great reality check for myself especially. It our professional jobs weekly intensive excersize is rare (although that is no excuse!). I am very much looking forward to our trek and more importantly the preperation (and pain) as nothing good came out of anything easy!!
cheers, jp

[Boss Meri]

hi again, you can skimp on your clothes as some people wear the same shirt day in day out with a change for night, same with their shorts…but socks, yes it pays to keep your feet dry so we recommend a few pairs of socks…..in fact, go to a camping store and buy the best quality thick pairs you can afford. Good quality socks; good quality shoes and training will get you from A-B.

[Galen]

Hi BM,

Thanks so much for your responses; It helps to have some expert assistance. In regards to packing light I agree, although my automatic cappuccino maker essential equipment. (Joke) I also like the step method of training and had, in fact, already suggested it to my friends. I will certainly be working on that. As JP mentioned, in our professional line of work we don't get to excersise very much and therefore any training tips would be most welcome. All four of us are pretty dedicated to the training so far so that's a good thing. (Margaret, slow down, wait for us!)

Between now and November we hope to pick up some tips from the forum that may make our trip more enjoyable. We are all looking forward to the challenge and to taking home some experiences and memories one can only gain on a trek like this.

I think we are all on the right track for equipment with only a few minor concerns but thank you for reiterating the importance of light-weight packing. I was wondering, would we be given advice on foot-care before we start off? This is an area of great concern as most people I have spoken to have seen it as such a major issue. Some guidance would be great.

Regards

Galen.

[austin]

fellow trekkers,

for those of you who may be interested, there are many books you can read about "the road" but one i would reccomend is – Field Guide to the Kokoda Track written by Bill James. Its a great reference book and details the track section by section and gives a historical account of all the battles which were fought along the track (if your into that). The maps are really great and detailed – it gives you an excellent idea of what we are up against.

Its a great read – so far – and one i would reccomend. it costs about $35.

Im struggling with the following

The type of tent to take
The type of mattress to take

any ideas anyone

aussie

[Galen]

Hi mate,

Tent? Yeah, good question. I'm leaning towards a really light one, but also one that will take some rain. I figure I'm going to be kinda tired so don't want too many distractions such as a torrent of water washing me out of my tent and down a steep ravine disturbing my slumber! I have found a few options that total about 2.4kg and still provide some reasonable head-room whilst in a sitting position. Ray's Outdoors have a good selection although it may be cheaper to shop at a less up-market army disposals? Ease of use and enough room for your gear and you (and your stash of chocolate) is probably paramount.

In regards to the sleeping arrangements, again weight reduction is probably the key. There are some pretty good self-inflating mats which roll up reasonably compact and are not too heavy. I have seen pictures of people using the light blue closed-cell foam type which do a reasonably good job. I have one of these and it works ok for an old bloke with a crook back!

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the tip on the book. it's a good one and I have it already. I will probably take it on the trek; the battlefield maps and troop displacements will assist in getting a good "feel" for what our blokes were all about back then. Man, I'm looking forward to this! (Peter Fitzsimons "Kokoda" is essential reading also.)

Galen.

[jafa]

I`ve been looking at Blackwolf (being an Aussie company).

Tents
http://www.everythingaustralian.com.au/sho…3&cat_id=53
http://www.everythingaustralian.com.au/sho…6&cat_id=57

Mats
http://www.everythingaustralian.com.au/sho…3&cat_id=58

Seems to me that you could get a tent, mat and sleeping bag for around 3-4 kilos.

This everythingaustralian mob seem to be priced pretty well and will ship. My local camping stores are soo expensive.

[austin]

Thanks for the link to the tents and mattress. Im thinking more a dome type tent but man they are really expensive. Picked up my boots today and have started wearing them in, they are very comfortable and lightweight – good choice i think they are "Keen Events".

Had a look at some tents and mattresses and back packs – really really expensive, it seems the more lightweight you go the more expensive everything is !!

I think ive decided to carry my own pack – doin it the hard way – well thats how i feel at present – it may change as the time gets closer.

Galen, i also thought of taking the book with me but im thinking "lightweight" so the book may go to make room for the chocolate – but hey – wont the chocolate melt !!!

I to am really looking forward to this great adventure, am hoping i will enjoy it as much as others ive spoken to who have done it.

speak soon

Austin

[Galen]

Hi Jafa,

Yeah, Blackwolf products are pretty good. I have checked them out also. I think it's important to stick with the good brands. Your local outdoor store should have some experts in them to assist. Thanks for the links. Will check 'em.

Aus, my first thought was to do the trail without a porter however I was convinced to get one through the fact that even the diggers used them. I wanted to do it like they did 60 years ago and now feel comfortable with a porter and a day pack. Good on you for the determination though; that's what this is all about really. I was reading on one of the other topics that one bloke was only two hours into the trek and called for a porter. I don't know man, sounds like a porter is the go. Hat's off to ya though!

Everything is expensive in relation to this sort of gear. I guess they think it's a niche market and those wanting to do this sort of trek will pay the money? As for the book…I hear ya! I'm taking it though, just figure I'd rather have it than regret not taking it. I might have to sacrifice a couple of blocks of Cadbury, or just eat 'em real quick to lighten the pack! Yes, the melting issue did concern me. Would M&M's be better? Man, I can't go without chocolate!

A question…Has anyone sorted their drink situation? I've heard salt tablets, a teaspoon of sugar, electrolite powders, energy powders etc…I'm a little confused. Oh, and a hunting knife…What do you think my chances of getting one in Morseby before we head out are? (I don't think Qantas would like me to bring my own somehow.) I figured I'd buy one then give it to my porter at the end. Thoughts?

G.

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