Countdown To Kokoda

[Xman]

G'day,
Six of us are walking the track on the 10th of October. I have spent the last couple of hours reading through the forum and have really enjoyed the experience. I thought I had covered pretty much everything on the equipment list but have really had my eyes opened. The boot tying link was great and I am going to try it out tomorrow.
I am really looking forward to the experience and it is great to read the feedback from other trekkers who have already completed the track. One of our team members Bear Clements has already walked kokoda last year and he is chafing at the bit to do it again. The oldest member of oure group is 57 and the youngest is 24…not a bad age spread. We all work and live on Hamilton Island on the Great Barrier Reef North Queensland.
The DVD and Field giude to the Kokoda Trak by Bill James supplied by Kokoda Trekking is great and I will be taking the book on the Trek It gives a great insight to the history of PNG in that area and time. I am shocked at the lack of exposure the Kokoda track has in our education system and was appalled at my own lack of knowledge about the Kokoda campaign. I hope to do the trek more than once and also try some of the other trek options in PNG. Amazing a place on your doorstep and most of us know so little about. Well that is about to change we are all very excited and are counting the days.
I have a question if anyone can help me out. I really don't like caps and am going to take my Akubra would anyone advise for or against regarding type of head gear?

Xane

[39thdecendant]

[Xman]

Hi Nettie,
We are back all survived well and we had a unbelievable trek. It could not ever be duplicated. Ivan was not at Isurava when we went through. I found your plaque though at the memorial. It is a very sacred place. I couldn't find an Akubra in my size (I have a big boof head) so settles for a Barmah leather hat and it worked a treat rain and shine. We are still in touch with our porters and trail master Wayne known as Willa the second fastest man on the track. I received an SMS from him today. I will definitely go back to PNG.

I can only describe it as a life changing experience. Worth every step from Kokoda to Ower's Corner. Our porters were the best bunch of blokes and girl our guides wife Tina came along as a porter. Amazing to see a 50Kg gilr carry a pack in thongs and not get her feet dirty. Every day our support team of Papuan nationals astounded us with to them everyday feats of endurance and strength. One of our members created the motto HARD AND STRONG boys just like them.

And from the boys to us – IKETO FREE EH. I am free use me give and free yourself. Best twelve days of my life apart from the birth of my sons.

Regards

X-Man

[39thdecendant]

Hi Xman,
Good to see you made it and loved it. It is a very special thing to do and it is funny how you can form such a strong bond with people over such a short period of time. I spent my youth growing up in PNG, so could converse with the natives fluently. If you send me your email address, I will send you some pictures of the service we held. Our trek was made up of direct and indirect decendents of the diggers who fought up there and is organised every 3 years by the 2/14th Battalion Assoc.

We also had 5 old diggers and their carers who were supposed to have been choppered in to Isurava on the 29th, but cloud cover prevented it. It was pretty sad really, most of these vets are in their late 80's and early 90's, so won't be making the trip again, and for most of them it was thier first time back since the war. Hopefully i will be doing it again for the next one they organise.

One thing I found really special was when we got back to Kokoda, one of our porters bought a young native to see me, he would have been about 18 i suppose, he wanted to show me a book that he had, obviously a much treasured book called 'Battle of Buna' apparently his grandfather was a carrier at Buna, the book was given to him after the war, he then passed it down to his son, who in turn passed it to his son. the book had been much worn, and well read, and he knew every passage in it. It is such a shame that our Australian kids are not as well conversed with what happened up there. The only war that Australians actualy fought to protect home soil, our education system is sadly lacking.

Just something you may be interested in Kokoda Day is held on the 8th of August each year, ANZAC Day is special, but Kokoda Day is thier day.

Nettie

[jkg07]

QUOTE(39thdecendant @ 23 Oct 2007, 11:10 AM) [snapback]5883[/snapback]

Just something you may be interested in Kokoda Day is held on the 8th of August each year, ANZAC Day is special, but Kokoda Day is thier day.
Nettie

I haven't heard of Kokoda Day until now. What do they do in PNG to celebrate it?

[39thdecendant]

I have no idea what they do in PNG, however I would sincerely hope that some of the treks around that time actually support it, and hold appropriate services. This day was most important to the diggers, probably more so than ANZAC day. My dad never missed Kokoda Day, the only unit to be reformed after WW2 was the 39th BAttalion, which was reformed on Kokoda Day, 8th of August, 2006, in recognition of their effforts in PNG.

It was he who used to tell me that ANZAC Day was special, but Kokoda Day was their special day. In Brisbane it is usually held on the Sunday before, at Sherwood RSL. Some say that Kokoda Day should be the 29th of August, however this is the 'Battle of Isurava'. 8th of August was the day that 'A', 'C' & 'D' Company of the 39th Battalion were sent back to Kokoda to retake it from the Japanese.
the 39th website is http://www.39battalion.org.

attachments:

1: Extract from Dad's diary
2: Leaving dad's ashes at Isurava, 29th August, 2007
3: last surviving 'A' Company, 39th Battalion, 8th August 2006, now there are three ( to my knowledge) this was taken at the reforming of the 39th Battalion at the Shrine of Rememberance in Melbourne.

GETTING_OUT_OF_KOKODA.doc
Kokoda_Day_in_Brisbane__Medium_.jpg
Isurava_2_14th__Medium_.jpg

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