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10.00 ? Rainforest at last ? after walking in the clearing and to the mercy of the sun I am grateful that we have reached the jungle. Here I am taking in mouthfuls of water and this is where I decide to put my shoes back on before walking the rest of the way. Steve must have noticed so he ask how come I am walking without my shoes. I tell him that I actually felt better without my shoes on. So we hit the road again. On the way we come across a couple with a child ? we all call out a greeting to them.
_LWF0080.jpg11.00 – Yes! Here we are in this thick rainforest, and still walking ? I mean what else would you do? Of course no leeches as yet, Blisters? No way mate! Except for the annoying little flies which always seem to fly nowhere else but in front of your vision.
I realized everyone had trekking sticks except me. I didn?t ask for one but my porter brought me one which I decided to leave behind. I just didn?t need it right now.
Ross__Steve___john_background.jpg12.00 ? We are almost there ? the guides are telling us?. so we are pushing on. Seeing that I could not control my hunger any longer I stop for a while and had some biscuit with cheese spread before gulping them down with fresh water from the creek. I am still very full of energy.
While back on the way Geoff is telling us names of specific plants, and flowers he knew by names. Time to time the forest comes alive with the happy sounds of birds going about their business. Compliments from the guys ? they are telling me: ?You are doing very well?.
My answer: ?Thanks, I am doing this for Richard remember?? They add: ?You?re in better form then Richard.?
Ross_Jeff_John__me_and_Eric_our_guide.jpg12.30 ? Are we there yet? ?Klostu nau, Klostu nau na bai yumi kamap!? (We are closer now, closer now, sooner we?ll be there!), came the tired reply from Glen one of our group porters who was probably tired of being asked that question more than once.
Porter_on_his_own.jpg1.00 ? We are coming up this steep hill ? we see a clearing ahead?? ?Is that it? Isurava?? I couldn?t help asking. ?Yes. That?s it straight ahead!?, again the small reply from Glen. I glanced back towards Geoff in the front line leading others who were struggling behind ? ?Did you hear that? That?s it! That?s Isurava!,? I exclaim pointing straight to the clearing up ahead of us. ?Shhaah! Noken tokim ol! Wokabaut tasol! (Shhhh? don?t tell them yet, just keep walking),? Tony my personnel porter laughed silently with the rest of the porters as I exclaimed. Geoff heard that so when he came in level with me, he picked up his pace ? not wanting him to over take me, I kept my pace ? but even before I know it, we started racing up the rest of the hill towards the clearing ahead trying to outrun each other?. while behind John, Ross and Steve who are battling with the heat and the rugged path are smiling profusely.
What we see on the top disappoints me so much I didn?t wan to move anymore?just sat there and watch while everyone goes on ahead including Geoff. Instead of villages houses lined up neatly ? there was a dead end and a sharp turn immediately on the right. ?Yupela giaman yah! Yumi no kamap yet! (You people lied, We aren?t there yet!) I couldn?t help it and start to blurt out as soon as I saw the guides and porters approach. Ahh!…em yumi kamap pinis yah..em lilik hap tasol na bai yumi kamap. (Ah! It?s okay, we are already there, just a short distance and we will be there), the porters who smiled apologetically are trying to assure me. (I don?t know if I should believe them now or not but I let them go on ahead while I tag along very slowly after them.
Eora_Creek.jpg1.30 ? [Sounds of flowing water can be heard straight ahead ? a good sign after a long day?s walk from Hoi]. As I approach the guys are sponging themselves and filling their water bottles. There are big round and smooth boulders here among the creek. Appear very beautiful under the thick rainforest. This crossing is a bit slippery. We went on for ten minutes and finally we arrive ? Yes! At last we arrive at Isurava ? One thing I couldn?t wait to see though is the Isurava monument ? would be nice to see it with my own eyes plus this is going to be a historic moment for me.
_LWF0081.jpg6.00 ? And it certainly is! As I sit here with your T-Shirt and bandana on, thinking simply of how beautiful it is. I wore your T-Shirt purposely for this moment ? I know it is very significant ? and it?s just is as you are not able to see for yourself. As I sit here, at the foot of the monument, gazing at the panoramic view of the twin valleys, fog starts to form and then gather until completely blocking the view. This creates a dull background. It is very cold, however, I hardly noticed as I lose myself in the beauty of this place. Sounds of birds whistling beyond the depths on the valleys can be heard clearly from where I sit, gazing about at the beautiful surrounding which was once a base for Australian forces fighting the Japanese during World War II.
The Japanese on August 26, 1942 began a major offensive to capture Port Moresby, attacking Isurava with large numbers in an attempt to smash through the blocking force. Three days later Private Bruce Kingsbury of the 2/14 Battalion, charged the Japanese near Isurava and was killed in the action ? later awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery. I left the side of the monument where I sat and walked further down towards the two huge boulders. Beyond this are hundreds of sunflowers.
The_memorial_ro_Private_500.jpg6.30 ? The cold?s picking up and everyone? is in their jumpers including me as we are heading for the tent for a hot cup of tea and delicious meal of corns, sweet potatoes, rice, greens (which happens to be choko leaves) and again tinned proteins; pork meat and tuna with noodles.
isurava3.jpg7.00 – Over a hot cup of tea Justus relates the story of how he had brought Australian war veterans here at Isurava to try to locate the place where Kingsbury was killed so they can build a monument. They have spent days at Isurava searching the length of the area trying to figure out where the likely location was. He said several times they have come across the area where the monuments are but the vets were not satisfied. However, it turned out that the present monument site was the likely location and it certainly was as they found out later on from the village people who argued against the idea of having a monument in their area. Since Justus was the only national in the team of Australian and being a cop he tried to talk some sense into the village people trying to convince them. He talked about the new development and how it would benefit them in the future. However, they were airlifted from the area along with the veterans before they could reach an agreement. Four months later, Justus saw on the television, Prime Minister Howard launching the monument. ?I was shocked but at the same time I was happy that a dream has been realized.?
isurava__2_.jpg8.00 ?The guys are calling out ?goodnight? as they are heading for bed. They are sleeping in the guesthouse with bunkers.
KingsburyRock.jpgDAY THREE ? ISURAVA TO EORA CREEK
Tuesday 30th September 2003 ? A STEP AT A TIME?Taking our time?..a step at a time?
6.00 ? It?s raining. It has been raining very heavily all through the night. We have an early breakfast
We are supposed to move very early but the rain now mars that plan. As it slowed down a bit we all proceeded towards the monument. We see this as an opportunity to take a group picture.
Today it will be fairly easy. We take our time and a step at a time.
_LWF0087.jpg7.00 ? After the shots we start walking. I asked the guides and they said today should be easier. There is less climbing accept for the stiff ascent to the aircraft wreck which was supposedly there before but have now been removed.
_LWF0085.jpg8.00 ? We came across a fallen tree on the road ? looks like it fell from heavy rains last night. The branches completely blocked the road and we had to wait till they cut them off before we could actually pass through. While everybody?s waiting and looking for bush knives to cut off the branches?I start making my way over the top of the branches to go to the other side.
Despite frantic calls from the group that I should wait – I proceeded towards the other side ? a bit reckless you could say ? 'No Richard would never do that'. Once on the other side I found a comfortable place to sit down and started writing??.the diary of course?.while the guys are waiting on the branches to be cleared. I stopped for a while and had that betel nut, lime and mustard again for the second time ? my energy tablet! Gets me moving, of course.
_LWF0091.jpg9.00 ? Hey we are not alone in this. No! We came across some wantoks from Australia and Papua New Guinea too. They were trekkers from Australia and were heading the opposite direction ? towards Kokoda station. The group was with a local trekking company. Steve, Ross, John and Geoff stopped for a while and chatted with their wantoks from Australia while the porters and guides from each side who happened upon each other quite often in this rugged terrain, exchange a few laughs. After that we start walking again.
We passed many small streams (I am trying to do a head count of each, turned out I lost count on the way) and then we happened upon a small track leading to an old aircraft wreck which is about an hours walk from the main track. The porters didn?t mention this and not until Geoff himself brought up the subject. Having heard about it Geoff really looking forward to see the wreck and take some pictures of it ? you can just imagine how pissed he was when the porters informed him we left the wreck site some 30 minutes ago.
_LWF0078.jpg10.00 ?After an hour?s walk we come across huge boulders some with flat surface and others appear to be in unusual shapes ? one was actually shaped as a chair. Russel says that this is where medical work during the war took place. This place was also tipped to be a probable location for Kingsbury?s death. The rocks appear to be a little unusual for this location.
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