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Hi Austin,
I went to Kokoda Day yeasterday, Kokoda Day is on the 8th of August, but most times the major service is held on the sunday before, it was great, so sad though to see all the old diggers, another one of the 39th passed away on the 18th of July, seems that I am getting emails all the time now, soon there won't be any left! I met a few people who have done the track, so had a good talk to them, but every one said the same, it is a life changing expierence, and VERY hard! these people have attended every ANZAC day and Kokoda day since. Sherwood RSL have very kindly offered to organise a plaque for dad, for me to take up and leave at Isuarva, hopefully it will be there when you go so you can look out for it, the energy sachets sound good, my second boy is in the Navy, I might see if he can organise some for me, I hadn't even thought about that! only 18 sleeps! After yestereday, so many emotions, but I am really looking forward to it. There is a Kokoda DVD that has just been released and I have put my name down for a copy, with interviews with all the 39th and some terriffic footage of the track in 1942, if you like I will make you a copy and send it to you.. let me know.
Hi Nettie,
yes kokoda day would have been something, especially if you have a family member who was so closely involved. The CD would be great to see so yes, i would love to have a copy of it. Can you believe its only 2 and 1/2 weeks for you to be there WOW !!
those that i have spoken to also say that the trek is a life changing experience and is very very difficult, so i think were in for a good adventure. You gotta give me the details of your dads plaque and i will look out for it when i go through, that would be special.
message for anthony – im going to convert and become a lions supporter !!!!
catchya
austin
Hi 39th,
Yeah, I have also heard that more water is better than less. I have a 2L hydration pack and had planned on taking another 1L of staminade or something. I have a secondary bottle. I had figured I could replenish my hydration pack at a stream, drop a tablet and then survive for the half-hour activation time on my 1L supply. I can see the merrits of a 2L secondary supply though. Will think on it.
So, injections huh? Good on you guys…Not a fan I guess. I had heard that two months prior is when to get them, my buddy JP mentioned a place here in Adelaide called Travel Bug which is where I was told the two month thing. I head out to PNG on 2 Nov so will start the, apparently painful, process of injections.
Hope all you guys are getting excited. I am. I will be giving a short presentation to about 50 SA and NT LJ Hooker Franchise owners at the annual owners meeting in September. We are trekking to raise funds for Cystic Fibrosis, LJ Hookers' favorite charity, so I am looking forward to speaking and raising the awareness of the Trail and its importance in the history of this great country. (I hope the owners all open up their cheque books.)
If anyone would like to support our CF fund raiser, contact me for details on how donate. (Donations of $2 or more are tax deductable) and all proceeds go to CF. We are all paying our own way for the trek.
Anyway, enough drum beating…I hope you guys are all well. See you later.
Galen.
Hi Galen & Austin,
I met a very interesting person on Kokoda Day, his name is Michael, he works for customs and did the Track in 2001, he sent me his track diary, give me your email address's and I will forward you a copy.VERY interesting reading, but if you print it out, have pleanty of paper, 38 pages long! I printed it, it all fell off the printer, then the cat got into the act, and i have just spent the last 10 minutes sorting it all out!
cheers
Nettiehi nettie,
my email address is : aietto@bigpond.net.au
it would be good to read michaels diary.
all is as it should be over here
cheers,
ausssie
I am going to post Michael's Diary & Trekking Tips on a new post, so everyone can find it. Have started stepping up the old training, not long to go now, have been wearing my boots to work everyday with my jeans (great look!) to break them in.
The only way I can do the mountain through the week is to drive there straight after work, yesterday, running late as usual, I was rushing round making sure all my gear was in the car, backpack, ipod, shorts, etc etc, got to work ( 20 minutes away) and discovered to my horror, I had my thick black socks on and PINK SLIPPERS, I forgot to throw my boots in, so I had to spend the whole day, hiding behind my desk with my fluffy pink slippers on, needless to say, didn't go up the mountain yesterday! Wonder when this fish oil I am taking is going to kick in????ha, great look nettie,
are you taking your ipod on the trek with you, cause i was thinking of doing it.
the fish oil tablets should take effect (if they do) after about 4/6weeks from when you start taking them. You should take two tablets for the first month then back off to one tablet thereafter. They dont always make a difference and each person is different. ive been taking joint formula (glucosomine) for some time and have not stopped taking it just to see if they are doing anything for me. After taking them for about 4/6 months you should stop for a while just to see if they are actually doing anything – the same applies to fish oil
yeah, had my injections and my arms are really really sore !! was going to do a 2 hour trek this arvo after work but i think i will give my arms a rest, i hope they get better tomorrow – Im such a whimp !! very low pain threshold here.
found out today that "my mate" who was going to come with me on the trek has pulled out. i suspected that he would and am not suprised, so im going solo, yyeeeehaaa
your trek is coming up nettie, you must be getting excited. ive been keeping an eye on the weather in moresby of late and it seems to be warming up a little, high 20's low 30's. we have been having maximum temps for the last 6/8 weeks of between 13 and 18 degrees – MMmmm thats going to be different !!
keep training and keep focused
austin
hey all, i have a question.
I am looking for advice regarding walking the trekk in gaiters or long quick dry pants. Can anyone who has done the trekk offer some advice on this?
does anyone else have any thoughts? Austin what will u be doing buddy?
cheers, jp
gday there justin,
i wont be using gaiters on the trek. i will be wearing quickdry shorts. Have had some experience wearing gaiters and i find them a pain and uncomfortable, just another piece of clothing to weigh you down. not to mention the cost of them (good ones)
Having said that, i have noticed (with pictures) that many do wear them on the track so perhaps it might be a neccessity – i wouldnt think so.
when are you heading off to do the trek ?
catchya
Austin
Hi Justin,
Anthony & I will be wearing shorts and 'builders' gaiters, which I got from Bunnings here in QLD, they weren't expensive, only about $7.00 a pair, and they are waterproof, couple of people who have done the track said that they were good for stopping sticks from getting inside the boots, so will give them a shot, they are cheap enough that if they aren't wanted we can ditch them, the other thing I forgot to mention is gloves, I got a couple of pair, again from Bunnings, I love Bunnings! with the tight wrist part and the glove themselves is made of a soft cammy leather,
to stop the blisters & splinters from the walking stick.. you can get your stick back into Australia, but you have to soak it when you get back to Moresby and strip all the bark off and scrub it clean. Oh and a plastic trowel, for hole digging when there are no Lik Lik houses ( toilets) 12 sleeps to go , and yes Austin, am taking my Ipod, this might sound soppy, but I put The Kokoda Song, by Slim Dusty on it, I am trying to find a small pair of speakers I can plug into it so I can play it when I am walking and everyone can hear it, but if I can't I will just listen to it, will help me get through the tough spots.Oh and a quick note, Justin, read Michael's diary I posted, he started out in long pants and quickly changed to shorts cause they were too hot.
Nettie
I picked up some Blundstone boot guards, cost around $10.00.
http://www.blundstone.com/product_info.cgi…ID=accessories#
PS – Enjoy that Austin – I know I did.
Hi Austin,
I just read that you are trekking alone. Good on you man, I mean that's gonna be a mind job I think, but is a great challenge! I believe that attitude is very important when taking on a challenge, either mental or physical, and I think the trail is going to cover both areas pretty comprehensively. You have done extensive training and so I am sure you will be fine.
Here's my 2 cents worth of input into the shorts/longs debate. I am wearing shorts and probably no gaiters although I don't mind the sound of those light-weight ones. (Builders gaiters?) They are the short variety right? I think I know of them. I might check them out but figure also that they will go the same way as any non-essential equipment by about 10am on day two…That is to say to some lucky villager!
Hmm…Ipod…now you've got me thinking…Some grooves to keep me up-beat? Sounds good. I think I'll just leave it home though as having plugs in my ears in that heat would probably drive me to insanity. Austin, how long until you go mate? Me and Justin are hiking out on the 5th Nov but get to PNG on the 3rd Nov.
Galen.
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