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Hi everyone, I often receive emails asking me what they can do before or after their Kokoda Trek. If you want to part with around $45.00 Australian you can now obtain a copy of the newly published – May, 2005 – 'Lonely Planet Guide Book on PNG'. However, turns out even the experts can get it wrong as it has a few boo boo's namely:
1. Our website Kokoda Trekking points to Frank Taylor's website….oops, not good…well good if you are Frank Taylor.
Quotation:
Kokoda Trekking (www.kokoda.com.au: A$1450) This PNG-owned company has no expert guides, which makes their trips cheaper and often encourages greater interaction with local guides and carriers. Good feedback, but historical knowledge is limited.
Correction: as you all know its:
Author Andrew Burke wrote the article featured about the Kokoda Trail – when he's not on the road for Lonely Planet he is based in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
After seeing the blunder I sent off an email. This was the reply – quote:Hi Gail,
I'm so sorry about this, it's terrible. Of course I knew your website was kokodatrail.com.au (and .pg). I've just had a look at what I submitted, and then at the proofs and have found out what has happened. When I first submitted in November, Frank's website was the arach… one. He subsequently got the kokoda.com site running and emailed me to tell me. I put a note on the proofs to replace arach with kokoda.com.au, but they have changed the wrong one!!!!!!!!!!! Not happy (as, no doubt, you aren't). Unfortunately, once I've returned the proofs I don't see it again until the book arrives in the mail.
Once again, I'm really sorry about this. There are always a few mistakes in books with so many thousands of facts, but I think this is the worst mistake I've seen in any of the guides I've worked on.
Andrew unquote
Photograph – Andrew Burke on assignment here in Port Moresby during 2004:
Andrew_Hurst.jpgFirstly Andrew, I forgive you, no one is perfect, I for one!
Re your comments – Translation: Andrew is right, we do not have a walking expert from Australia taking our trekkers over the Kokoda Trail.
We have proud Papua New Guinea Guides and Porters. Or as the saying in PNG goes, guys like Russell have localised the position of an expatriate by starting his own company. Of course they will not be walking encyclopedias of the Kokoda Trail. These poor guys are lucky enough if they can finish high school, most have never earnt a wage in their lives except for money earnt from walking our trekkers on the Kokoda Trail.
They are they descendants of the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels, some are 'Sons of Landowners' , other are simple KTL (Kokoda Trekking Ltd) Boys. Our guides and porters do not have access to TV documentaries – just normal blokes looking for a source of income to feed their families….send their kids to school and hope one day to see the 'Lights of Port Moresby through your kindness in hiring them as personal porters.
Some guys just want a break away from the misus or day to day life of working on their land – some even refer to it as a 'holiday'. In Kokoda and surrounding areas, they do not even have telephones let along TV. Our Porters and Guides try their hardest to get you from 'a – b' the safest way possible and like in the war will do everything and anything to the best of their ability. Their aim is to make sure you 'enjoy' your trek. A lot of our trekkers remark that they are having a ball as they walk past trekkers walking with some other trekking companies when they see someone crying and wonder why?
They will even throw in their local culture to make sure you remember that you are trekking in PNG not somewhere else in the world. One trek last year came back into town singing a song in their own ples tok (one of 800 + languages spoken in PNG) which was truly remarkable. One trekker said this year he knew he was in PNG when he heard the kundu drum sound in Kokoda as the locals performed a sing sing for their arrival….he said this was one of the highlights of his trek.
These guys will respect your wishes, will listen to your demands and you will not be disclipined like you are in boot camp or have just joined the army or think you are back in primary school or kindergarten. You will not wake up to warming up exercises or be asked to walk in a uniform nor will you be bossed around – you are after all on a HOLIDAY!!!
Yes they work on PNG time as is their cultural habit, but are really flexible and try and run their treks to ensure that you walk in the footsteps of our diggers, have the adventure of a lifetime and their extended hand is always out to allow you to feel they are there to help whenever needed. If you do not take their extended hand they will respect your wishes but if you take hold of their hand, it will always be offered if the need arises.
We encourage you to mix with our porters and guides so that at the end of your trek you truly know you have trekked with an angel. You might even learn how many children he has, if he is married/single or what he hopes to do with his life. He will show just as much interest in your life. They will sing to you, play the uke'ule and crack jokes with you. One trekker remarked this week the highlight for him was watching them catch a wallaby then seeing how they prepared it and cooked it.
Kokoda Trekking Ltd is owned and run by Russell Eroro a veteran of 286 treks who is heading out on the Kokoda Trail for his 287th trek in June. His brother John Derrick Eroro has walked over 300 times. Both brothers have worked for just about every trekking company spanning a period of over 12 years. They have taken the best from each operator and turned their experience into giving you all a great time on the Kokoda Trail.
Russell Eroro at Naoro River Crossing:
Russell___Naoro.jpgHi Gail
One of the reasons I booked through your company (and I did look at operations here in Australia that take guides up to PNG) was to get the real local "flavour". I am looking forward to meeting the locals!tks Graeme for your comments.
Some of you may wonder where I fit into the picture. Simple, I am the one who finds you our trekkers in order for the KTL boys to obtain work. I maintain this website and another one on Papua New Guinea – http://www.pngbd.com
We communicate back and forth with Kokoda by two way radio and envelopes consigned with Airlines of Papua New Guinea.If not for me how on earth would Russell based in Kokoda without a telephone/internet or ability to email stay in touch…answer your many questions and attend to your needs when and if needed such as medevac's or the likes…purchase airline tickets etc etc. Russell does come back and forth quite often to help with operational requirements but Kokoda will always be home and is where his heart is.
I ended up in trekking by default….how… or why…did I hear you say…the answer goes something like this….I commenced a website on PNG per above back in 2001 after having lived here since 1972 when I found the media had almost destroyed PNG's image abroad. I started this website not out of greed or to enter the tourism industry but rather to put something positive back into the market place. Today http://www.pngbd.com receives on average around 7000 visits per day and over 3 million hit per month.
In 2003 the Tourism Promotion Authority asked me to go one step further and help a Papua New Guinea attract tourists…I agreed and the rest as they say is history
I had never trekked in my life before but I said to myself, if I am going to truly help these boys, I have to do this….the end result was last November when I put on my boots and headed out on the trail and arrived in Kokoda 9 days later to a wonderful warm reception with more boys than I could count meeting me at Hoi and walking me into Kokoda. The reception at the family block is one that will stay with me forever.
I have now earnt the nickname Momma Kokoda. On mother's day my eldest daughter remarked…Mum you are so lucky all your children are off your hands….to which I replied….I have more children than ever! I have trekkers to worry about and all the boys of KOKODA and surrounding areas all along the trail from one end to the other! Even here in Port Moresby I have boys turning up on a regular basis looking for Russell in the hope he will hire them.
Photograph: Myself Gail Thomas seen here at Naoro Village with Russell Eroro (Kokoda Trekking Ltd) who I hire as a sub contractor to take my trekkers on the Kokoda Trail:
Gail___Russell_Nauro_Villag.jpgIn Kokoda you get to meet Russell Eroro's extended family of many brothers and sisters, is wife Rachael and their three children. His mother and father are still alive in their seventies. Would you believe they have raised 17 children, 3 adopted and the rest their own. Russell's brother John can always spin a yarn or two about his experiences on the Kokoda Trail. Ask John about the spirits of the trail and you might be surprised how he answers you.
Photograph: John Derrick Eroro with a trekker in front of one of their many Haus Wins. Russell's wife Rachael is on the left of the steps and others in this pic are extended family members who help cater for our trekkers. No-one has complained about their food yet so am pretty sure you get well fed at the family block in Kokoda:
DSC02120.jpgAt both ends of the trail we have company transport. The first vehicle purchased was KTL 1 (its radio call sign) – a Mitsubishi Canter which can carry 25 passengers.
This vehicle serves as a community service to the people of Kokoda and trekkers alike. When I first met Russell and started working with him I found unless he caught a direct flight into Port Moresby on either a Wednesday or Sunday, that on most occasions the road transport was unreliable or non existent. The vehicles that ran in this area used to come up from Popondetta and when full would turn around and head back.
When KTL 1 was purchased, it was the first PMV (Public Motor Vehicle – like a Bus) owned by anyone living in Kokoda. We all felt at Kokoda Trekking that this was a great community service that would serve the people of Kokoda all the way down to Popondetta. It proved me right and to this day carries a full load on a daily basis.
Our Mitsibushi Canter KLT 1 – can be seen on a daily basis either carrying trekkers around or taking Papua New Guinean's back and forth from Kokoda to Popondetta. Our biggest load ever, 37 trekkers from Kokoda airstrip up to Kokoda Station and back to Rusty's (Russell's) family block. This group of trekkers were from the Lord Somers/Powerhouse trek.
Error No 2 – in the Lonely Planet Guide Book: Rusty's colourful new PMV leaves Kokoda at 3am and returns at 1am or can be chartered for K700 per day.
It should have read….leaves at 3am (yes thats right) and returns at 1pm on a daily basis.
Lord_Somers_Power_House_Group_of_37.jpgEarlier this year we also sent to Kokoda a Red Toyota Hilux 4 Wheel Drive which has already came in handy on a couple of occasions.
More recently was in regards to a trekker by the name of Melissa Houghton.
Melissa phoned me in a panic and said she got stuck in a Qantas aircraft at Sydney airport and subsequently missed her connection out of Brisbane to PNG.I listened and asked her to phone back in 10 minutes after I could think what we could do. End result was to have her fly up the next day and catch a flight to Popondetta. She would miss the flight out on the Sunday morning with the remaining other trekkers, however Russell could drive down to Popondetta, collect her from the airport in the Hilux and drive her back up to Kokoda.
This worked out perfectly and Melissa maybe a few hours late but was able to catch up and complete her trek. As I speak she is overnighting with other trekkers at Va'Ule Guesthouse and will make it out to Ower's Corner for a pick up with her group tomorrow.
Our Red Toyota Hilux also available for hire in Kokoda both locally and down and back to Popondetta to collect trekkers…to book, email us here at Kokoda Trekking – gail@pngbd.com
RCE 1 (Radio Call Sign Romeo Charlie Echo) seen here delivering school resource materials sent to us by an ex trekker – a school teacher who trekked in 2004:
DSC01826.jpgOur second truck was purchased this year in 2005 for use this end of the trail to ferry our trekkers and porters around Port Moresby and also our cargo. It is also used to pick up trekkers from Ower's Corner.
We also purchased two 8 seater 4 wheel drive buses for the same purpose. All these vehicles have made our lives much easier than last year when we had to rely on hired vehicles and png time.
KTL 2 (Radio Call Sign Kokoda Trekking Ltd 2) seen here with PNGBD 1 (Radio Call Sign – Papua New Guinea Business Directory 1) at Jackson's airport dropping off cargo for a flight to Kokoda. Another highlight is driving around town all the new boys who are enjoying their first visit to the big smoke. You should hear their sounds….after their sleepy little town of Kokoda there are lots of sighs as they look at the ocean…the airport….and the spread out city of Port Moresby with their eyes popping out of their heads:
Bus___Truck_Airlines_of_PNG.jpgOur vehicles are now a familiar sight around the streets of Port Moresby and also the road to and from Ower's Corner.
Tomorrow we once again head out to pick up our next lot of trekkers after their 9 day trek:
Photograph – Our Toyota Hiace 4 Wheel Drive Bus: PNGBD 2 (Papua New Guinea Business Direction 2)
100_3372.jpgOften when we are coming back in from Ower's Corner we pick up villagers and bring them back into town with their huge bags of ginger. If you could see the size of these bags and how hard it must be to carry them for hours to get them to market you could well and truly imagine their faces when we stop and pick them up.
With our last pickup last Friday from Ower's Corner there was heaps of teenage school children returning to Port Moresby for the weekend by foot…yes! We stopped and picked up as many as we could possibly fit in our vehicle and they too were really grateful.
Back of KTL 2 with villagers and trekkers inside on the way back into Port Moresby:
100_3368.jpgThis year we also purchased an ambulance to hand over to the Dept of Health in Kokoda. We have already saved one life that I know of when a mother gave birth and had a retained placenta.
Because of our ambulance they were able to drive her down to Popondetta to see a doctor and later an operation to fix her problem.
Kokoda Ambulance donated by Kokoda Trekking:
Ambulance_side_view_at_serv.jpgThis year also saw us purchase two tents to be used in Kokoda for trekkers for shade at the airstrip and Kokoda Station or wherever they are needed.
One of our tents based in Kokoda:
Picture_007.jpgWith regards to our Kokoda Trekking Guides and Porters, we look after them from start to finish.
They are all issued with a new t/shirt before each trek and a hat. Russell has selected the food they eat on the trail and whilst in Port Moresby everything is provided for them from the time they arrive until the time they either head out to Ower's Corner if trekking from this end or till they fly back to Kokoda.
If they fall sick during the trek they are taken to a private hospital or in the case of one porter on the Anzac trek he got sick while waiting for his trek and had to be flown back to Kokoda after seeing a doctor.
We are also in the process of the finishing touches to a house close to my residence in Gordons where they will have their own independence whilst in Port Moresby. We do not simply pay their wages, give them an airline ticket and send them on the way.
In Port Moresby they do not have to spend any of their money unless they desire too. Even their ride to the airport is in our KTL 2 thus avoiding PMV or taxi charges.
I personally take them down and make sure they have boarding passes before returning home as I can remember Russell when I first met him.
Back then he used to get his pay for finishing a trek….then spend the next 'X' amount of days trying to get back home again. He would have to pay PMV costs back and forth from the airport and pay wantoks (relatives or friends) for his stay in Port Moresby plus the food he ate.
Sometimes he said it could take up to 2 weeks to get back home depending on whether there were many flights on or trekkers heading out to Kokoda.
Now he is such a familiar sight at the APNG office that he is almost assured of a seat due to the many trekkers and business we give the airline.
Russell Eroro when he is not boarding an aircraft he is saying goodbye to trekkers heading out to his home in Kokoda:
DCP_0003.jpgSay Hi to another important member of our Kokoda Trekking Family – Jessie Garap.
Jessie is our radio operator and responsible for putting up trek updates, photographs of treks, making sandwiches for Ower's Corner Pickups and having a yarn with the boys when they return from their trek.
Everyone likes Jessie. Out on the trail she makes them feel good when they radio in with trek updates; back in Port Moresby she takes the time to welcome them back from their trek and makes sure they are ok.
Jessie also gets all the t/shirts ready for our trekkers and helps with the packing of food and anything else we may think of like shopping/banking etc.
Jessie Garap on the step of our house, with one of our porters, Emmanuel:
IMG_0590.jpgHow can you tell who the leader of your trek is….easy…he is the one with the axe! He also carries the first aid kit and also our two way radio & spare batteries as well as a camera.
Most guides like Justus Evari from Kokoda will also insist on carrying his fair share in his backpack.
Justus is also one of the fittest guys I have seen. If you run into Justus you will see what I mean….his brother Tony is one of the fastest guys on the trail and is one of the favourites for the 24 hour race.
Justus Evari – one of our Kokoda Guides out on the Kokoda Trail:
Justus.jpg
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