Longing To Return

[kristi-does-kokoda]

Hi all,
I completed the trek in July this year and have not yet been able to get the elation out of my system.
All I seem to do is dream about getting back to those mountains and to those beautiful people. Next time spending more time to absorb the beauty of the country and learn more history along the way. However to find one that has the same love and interest is proving to be a bit of a mean feat. So I thought maybe I would leave a message to all that would like to chat about past experiences or up and coming ones in the hope to meet people of the like and aspire to repeat the trek in the future.

[Mrs Moo]

Hi Kristi

I trekked in early August, and like you would love to just do it all again. In fact I am hoping to go back within the next four years, money being the main object. As I trekked south from Kokoda, next time I would like to trek north from Owers Corner, just for a change (although I do remember coming down some awfully long mountains that I would then have to go UP).

Happy to talk about it all any time. I've driven all my friends and family mad.

Mrs Moo

[Brian]

Hi Kristi

I had my 70th birthday whilst on the trek only returning home in October like you and others I have fallen for the country and even more so it's people by our standards they have so little but by theirs so much and only too pleased to give so much. Reading my recent testimonial will give you some indication.

Funds, a major hurdle, and health permitting I intend to return again in 2010.

I am so enthused about Kokoda that I have already given two talks on my adventure and am already booked for four more early in 2009 for someone who avoids any sort of public speaking I just cannot stop talking about Kokoda. My family and Friends must by now be driven up the wall by my enthusiasm.

I walked with KTL with Brendan Buka as my porter and Wallace Lemeki as my guide these two in every sense gentlemen are my mates for life.

Better get off my Kokoda Soap Box.

Life be in it enjoy it whilst you can and if you are on this web site considering trekking Kokoda do so and you will want to return again and again as many of those have done with KTL before.

Brian

[kristi-does-kokoda]

Dear Brian and Mrs Moo,
Thankyou so much for your reply, it was a lovely surprise to find such a speedy return message.

What a great feeling knowing that I can now chat with fellow trekkers who would be interested in returning. I, like you find the only thing stopping me is the financial one, however with interest rates dropping that prospect of heading back may be closer than I think.

I work at the hospital here in Bundaberg and today we have a nurse from PNG visiting us, so I intend to go and introduce myself and hopefully make her feel as welcome as I did when in PNG. Who knows she may direct me to organisations that could do with extra employees bringing me that little bit closer to those mountains.

I walked from Owers, and yes the initial steep climb up, I wondered if we were ever going to reach the top, as we passed trekkers heading down on their final decent was guite confronting but nethertheless once passed the intial shock all was good. Of course the encouragement from the boys was second to none. Trekking in this direction was great in the sense that we had the opportunity to spend a celebratory night in Kokoda with the boys before heading back to Pt Moresby.

So thankyou again for your speedy reply, and I look forward to hearing from you again.

Regards and happy dreaming,
Kristi

[Mrs Moo]

Hi Kristi

We are not too far apart. I am in Rocky! Sometimes we do walks with Bundaberg Bushwalkers. Are you a club member, or a one-off trekker?

Moo

[Brian]

Hi Kristi and Moo

I live a little way from you in Browns Plains just south of Brisbane went walking yesterday with the NPAQ of which I am a member and will be joining the Brisbane Bushwalkers in the new year.

We did a 18km walk yesterday in Lamington National Park after our recent heavy rains the creeks and rivers were running as they have not done for a long time, bit hard crossing them but it was well worth the effort as the waterfalls put on a real good show for us many with us had not seen them running so well.

Looking around our tent soon after getting up on Saturday morning we found that a Carpet Snake had moved in close to us I guess to get some warmth.

I was never aware that Crayfish leave rivers we did though find one around 30m away from the river I then learnt that in wet seasons that actually move across country from one river to another.

We have Wallace Lemeki my KTL guide coming down from Kokoda in January he is going to come with us for ten days when we go to the Tamworth Country Music Festival we are sure looking forward to his visit and time with him in Tamworth.

Will attach a couple of photo of yesterdays little adventure for you

Regards Brian

Crayfish high up the path 30 meters away from from the river.
Carpet Snake right beside our tent.
Yarrabilgong Water Falls

Waterfall_resized.jpg
Crab_resized.jpg
Snake_resized.jpg

[Mrs Moo]

Ah, Lamington. I did a lot of walks up there when I lived in Brissie. After rain, the Lightening Falls walk (21klms) is really lovely.

[kristi-does-kokoda]

Well Hello there, Mrs Moo and Sir Brian.
I have heard of the Bundaberg bushwalking club, don't know to much about it though. I will certainly do some research if you think it is worthwhile.
Brian, what a wonderful little adventure. I hope you are not too scared of snakes! The picture of the falls looks awesome. I would love to get down there sometime soon. If you can recommend any groups or organisations to walk with that would be helpful.
I plan to do the Kokoda Challenge down that way in about June/July I certainly think a few hikes around Lamington will work in well with the training I am starting on. Of Course available time is a huge factor though.
Have either of you taken on the challenge? I would be interested to hear of your accomplishments if you have or any training methods. As you are probably aware Bundaberg is not renowned for its mountainous ranges. I have developed a thirst for trekking and plan to do plenty more so any information would be helpful.
What training do you do for the trail?
How nice that you are guesting your KTL guide, do you organise that this end or do they. I would imagine he would need to sort their visa and passport out and then do you fly him over. I am sure he will have a wonderful time especially at the Tamworth Festival, he wont want to leave.

Talk again soon.
Kristi

[Ian E.]

Hi Kristi,
I trekked with Brian, and the bug has got hold of me too. Looking forward to going back in the next year or two, this time to walk from Kokoda to Owers.
Brian, that snake is small compared to the one Wallace threw the axe at just as we were walking into Kokoda!
Cheers Ian

[kristi-does-kokoda]

Hey Ian,
May need some friendly trekkers to trek with when I return either next year or the year after!
Snakes, what snakes! I did not see any wildlife not even a mozie on my trek it may have been I was too busy head down bum up to get to the top. OH I beg your pardon I did see a copius amounts of butterflies, a beautiful blue colour and they were gorgeous flying around everywhere. I would also like to trek Kokoda to Owers, it would be good to stay a couple of days in Kokoda before heading off.

[Brian]

Hi Folks

Ian we have friends living nearby who have had a carpet snake in their roof for years it died a few weeks ago, fortunately in the roof gutter and not inside the roof it measured well over 3 meters long.
We had a smaller one in our garage not so long ago that we caught and dropped off at a local nature reserve. Carpet snakes do not worry but the brown snakes which are also around here I treat with care.

I think it was Mrs Moo who was asking about walking clubs here in Brisbane of which there are several I belong and have walked with the NPAQ http://www.npaq.org.au/ who I walked with last Saturday Chris who trekked Kokoda with Ian and I came along also he also belongs to the Brisbane Bushwalkers Club http://www.geocities.com/qldbwc/ whilst I have only attended one planning meeting I will be joining them in the new year I have not walked with them yet although Chris highly recommends that I do.

Chris and I also walk in some local parks which are also good training areas for Kokoda should you ever want to join us please ask.

If I can get everything together it is not easy these days and my health holds I intend to trek again in 2010 this time earlier in the year when hopefully it is a little dryer.

Life be in it, enjoy whilst you can.
Brian

PS: Take a look at http://www.takeawalk.com.au/BooksInProgress.htm they have several very good walking books and am about to release a very new South East Queensland book in January, John and Lyn the authors were our guides on our recent NAPQ walk.

[Robo]

Hi All,

Brian I have been reading you posts over the last few weeks especially this one and noticed you live on the southside of Brisbane like myself at Redland Bay.

My friend and I who are going to Kokoda next year have been doing some regular walks through Venman on the circuit track. Can you recommend any more challenging walks around Brisbane excluding Mt Cootha?

[Brian]

Hi Robo

I did most of my local training on the rougher and steeper tracks that can be found on Mt Coot-tha I also walked in Karawatha Park which is easy compared with those found on Mt Coot-tha. There are "hidden" tracks there you may not be aware of. I also used the steps at Kangaroo Point up and down them with a weight vest on for an hour at a time. Went to Mt Warning and other areas further away but none as it turned out were as hard a Kokoda.

I used the gym 200m from where I live using the two different step climbing cardio machines they have set as high and fast as I could take for at least an hour or more 3-4 times a week.

No matter what you do you cannot train enough so keep at it.

Look after those feet, and legs, they along with your boots are the most important things that you can take with you. Wear the boots in, Dry you feet every night using tinea powder and Vaseline on your feet particularly around your toes each morning I had no blisters. Another thing make sure that you toe nails are short before you leave if they are not you maybe sorry.

If I can help further please do ask can give you my local phone number if you wish.

Regards Brian

[johnnycash]

Gday, i too have a burning desire to go back after completing my first crossing in 2006. I am hoping to get 5-10 friends together for a return in 2010/2011 with Gail and KTL. I went from Owers to Kokoda and on returning would go that way again, visiting Isurava and the relatively 'easy' going on the last day or so being a reward for the hard work that went beforehand. also the night spent in kokoda with the porters and guides is priceless.
Training in the right conditions to emulate the track is indeed a hard task as Brian and others has pointed out. The step machines and now i work in a highrise in Brisbane may be a great way. Obviously doing this for an hour or longer can become a trifle boring as you don't get the surrounds to look at as you would on the track.
Around Brisbane, Mt Cootha is a good place to start. If you can get over to the sand hills on Moreton or North Stradbroke islands than this would be beneficial. Try the Northbrooke Mountain walk in the Brisbane Forest Park, leaving the gravel track and heading straight up to the summit gives you an idea of what it's going to be like. But then you need to do this up and down for about 5 times to get somewhere near a days treking in New Guinea.
Try the hills around mt tamborine on the gold coast. Welches Road up to Wongawallen Road is ok, but if you can follow the power lines this would be better. Up and Down. everyone can do it once but a full day on the track takes 8-10 hours. This gives you some idea, but i'm not sure if you can be 'fully prepared' for the Kokoda Track.

[jafa]

At the moment I am doing bits of the bibbulmun (overnight stuff) and am working up to some week long walks. I really want to get back and do another Kokoda trip in the next few years.

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