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Due to the closure of Kokoda airstrip Russell Eroro and myself had no choice then to travel to Popondetta and travel by road to Kokoda with approx 1200 kg of cargo including a pie warmer, five cartons of day old chicks; chicken feed; boxes of bread, cream buns, pies, chip cooker; sausage rolls and heaps of other goodies including two 5kva generators each weighing 101kg.
On the day of the fatal crash, we had a charter booked which was to carry all this cargo to Kokoda. Due to the weather it was cancelled around midday. The following day the airstrip was closed due to a 10km no go zone around the crash site. We have three generators at the retreat but it seems all three had given up working and we had to race out and purchase two new 5kva diesel machines. In PNG everything pretty much works on PNG time (taim) and they wait until nothing works before they inform us. For one whole week we had to hire a genset from a family at the rate of K50 per hour!
As the days rolled by, the need for Russell to return home to the haus krai due to his brother's death, coupled by the urgency to get the generators to Kokoda, we decided to charter an aircraft into Popondetta and purchased two tickets on the RPT flight on a Dash 8 APNG flight for ourselves so we could use up the 1200 kg load factor as cargo.
In PNG you always have a plan 'B'. For example the cargo could not get to Popondetta before us as there would have been no-one there to meet the flight. As the other flight we were on may not have boarded on time and/or cancelled, it was agreed that once on board and with my seat belt tightened, that I make a quick phone call to the operations manager. This is what I did and with the pilots on standby, the chartered aircraft was also airborne arriving in Popondetta some 10 minutes after we had touched down on the RPT flight – perfect timing! We then had to try and keep the bread from being crushed; the cream from melting in the buns and lamingtons, and with the boys drooling at the mouth being surrounded by all this food, I am surprised it did not turn into a party with everyone eating the food before it reached Kokoda.
Not long after, with our two hired Toyota utes @ K900.00 per day or K400.00 one way drop off, we managed to hit the road to Kokoda. Approximately an hour or so later after refuelling, we came to a rather unusual site…a ute hanging on by the bumper bar and grill on the front with its owner waiting patiently thinking of how he was going to retrieve his vehicle from further damage. I could not resist taking a photograph and thought I would share it with you.
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IMGP0513.jpgI must admit, I had my reservations as to how this cargo was going to reach the other side of the Kumusi River without some goods floating away downstream, but I was amazed at the care and attention our Ajeka KTL boys gave our cargo.
Its funny how in life what goes around comes around. What now seems like years ago, a cyclone hit the Oro Province and we donated more rubber tubes then we could count to the people who live in this area and here we were in August 2009 using these very same tyre tubes to get us and our cargo to the other side of the river.
It seems these boys had not forgotten we were there for them in their time of need and now they were there for us. At the same time, the people of Townsville came to their rescue when we received a couple of tons of clothes put together by ex trekkers including tyre tubes; pots and pans etc. These were mainly distributed around this badly affected area of the province as a lot of our boys live there with their families.
Not long after we pulled up in our vehicles, several people started to arrive passing on their condolences to Russell for the loss of his brother and demanding 'they' get us across as their contribution to his loss completely free of charge for their hard work. Normally they charge K10.00 per crossing. One particular guy was so drunk that it worried me how anything he put his hands on would in fact reach the other side!
In the hottest part of the day, we stood by as these fit young men got us and our cargo to the other side of the Kumusi River.
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IMGP0522.jpgWork has begun on a new crossing made out of shipping containers but by the time its finished (if ever), no doubt the wet weather will set in and they will be washed away all over again.
As I stood on this river bank I could not help but think of the hardship of the people of the Oro Province as this is only one of the many crossings needing bridges or urgent attention per the photograph above of the truck. Where is the help going to come from as I fail to see how these shipping containers are going to be the answer for a permanent crossing of the Kumusi River.
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Containers_2.jpgThis young boy seen here in this photograph is Russell's namesake and he was there to sit on the middle of the tube to help balance the heavier items like the generators to cross the river. Time and time again over he went, walked up stream and made his way across the river for the next crossing!
When this young boy was born, who would have thought he would play such a part in getting our cargo safely across this river.
In the photographs below the guy wearing the yellow shirt is their father who used to work for us as a driver. The bloke in the red t/shirt is wearing his brothers t/shirt who entered our Kokoda Challenge race two years ago.. In fact in our 2008 Kokoda Challenge two of his brothers came home in 3rd and 4th place in under 20 hours from Owers' Corner to Kokoda.
By the look of the fitness of this younger brother Paul, he could give them a run for their money as his fitness level was unbelievable!
I must admit I was really worried and in my mind could just see money going down the drain as we would put it, forced to watch equipment worth quite a few thousand get boarded on to a tyre tube in a fast flowing river…..Russell kept assuring me to have faith in our boys, his words, just like on the track, they will take care of our cargo and will treat it with the same respect.
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IMGP0540.jpgIt was not long and the first of our 101kg generators made its way down to the bank. If you look at some of their faces they are smiling as they carry this load over boulders of rocks barefoot without flinching at all on two bamboo rods they had waiting on the river side for our arrival.
Russell sits on the river bank watching his boys at work knowing full well that the way the wantok system works, he will soon have to put these boys on a trek to say thanks to them for their help in our time of need!
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Russell_1.jpgIt was not long when five cartons of chickens had to make their way across the river. They were no longer day old chicks but 5 day old chicks due to the delay in the timing of the charter and I could not believe either how much they had grown in a few days.
About this time I was so thirsty and was thinking the chickens would be feeling the same as they were boxed up that morning at 6am and it was now around 2pm and they were loudly chirping away no doubt hungry as well. I was also thinking being tilted on their side how many would have been squashed and who may die later but as at the time I left Kokoda this morning all chickens were alive and well!
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Chickens_6.jpgRussell supervised the loading of the chicken feed before announcing it was time for us to cross over the river.
For anyone who cannot swim about the time this photograph was taken might start to worry about themselves reaching the other side of the river. Fortunately for me my mother was a champion swimmer and I was taught to swim at a very early age so it did not hold any fear for me. I did however think of an ex trekker whose tube was washed downstream with the boys running down the river bank trying to catch it. Alan later remarked that it was more nerve wrecking then walking the track!
It also made me think back to when I first started working with Russell and hiring Kokoda/Oro Province boys. He told me the boys we employ have a lot of experience with rivers as they grow up surrounded by them. As a result river crossings on the track provide no obstacles to our boys irrespective of the weather and height of the rivers. I can still recall a time when Russell as the guide took out the Australia Federal Police group attached to the Australian High Commission in Port Moresby. At the time we received the highest rainfall since 1963 and still Russell and his team of porters got their 18 trekkers across the flooded creeks and rivers. The Federal Police guys could not believe how they did it!
After witnessing first hand their skill and fitness levels, I no longer doubt this! In fact for Australian's reading this thread, the people of this province still to this day wash in the rivers on a daily basis as their shower. The women cook from water collected from streams and still do so on a log fire!
I once purchased for the Eroro family, a gas stove; gas fridge and freezer. They used it until the gas ran out and then went back to their old way of everyday living as it does not cost them anything at all except some labour to chop the wood. Why purchase gas when you can live on nothing and use wood instead.
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Russell_and_Gail.jpgThe river crossing took approximately 3 hours from start to finish before all our gear and ourselves were safely on the other side…I kid you not!
Fortunately for us, we had hired a PMV which was patiently waiting for us. A lot of Russell's relatives from Gona were also on the truck to head up to Kokoda to stay at their family block for show their respect.
It was then a slow ride up to Kokoda and we reached Orohaven Kokoda Retreat around 6pm.
When we arrived it turned out their were several media people saying there. Channel 9; Channel 7 & a AAPT journalist. That day they had walked up to the crash site and said they had never done anything that hard in their life.
On Monday this week my son Shane caught a flight at 6:30am in Port Moresby and was at Orohaven in Kokoda around 11:30 and was really sunburnt as he has fair skin and there is absolutely no shade at the Kumusi River. For me I have skin that tans really easy so it did not prove a problem for me but its something any Australian's travelling up by road should prepare for..bring some slip slap slop and put on your hat.
One would think after all this time that the locals would have built some kind of shelter either side of the river bank but it obviously does not affect them so they do not think about it.
Sincere thanks to the boys of this area and all the people in between that showed Russell their sorrow for the loss of his brother Kingsley.
Even though they did not expect payment, I slipped them a huge tip and their smiling faces I can still see in my mind as I write this. Would you believe whilst all this was going on, not one swear word could be heard; no anger of frustration, nothing, just the calm of the water flowing past, truly amazing!!!
IMGP0530.jpgGail
Certainly wonderful people in every respect prospective trekkers I assure you that these wonderful chaps will look after you in every way possible really enjoying doing so, they take pride in thier work.
I made mates for life with some whilst trekking.
Brian
PS: Really loved viewing your photos.
Editor's Note: Brian you will be happy to know that yesterday I appointed Brendan Buka as a full time gardener at Orohaven Kokoda Retreat. He asked, can I also walk, and I replied YES. I added that being at the retreat perhaps trekkers or people passing by might like to have their photograph taken with the person who holds the record in both directions for crossings of the Kokoda Track. He tried not to
but I could see that he was really happy!Had to laugh at the photo of the truck… only in PNG…..
Editor's Note:
Annette, it turned out that some locals were on the road waving arms trying to stop the vehicle from crossing. However, the driver thought they were trying to hold him up and steal the vehicle so he sped up instead!
There was a bulldozer or the likes on the road with a tow rope scratching his head wondering how he could get this truck out of this situation. Somehow I doubt it would work without being winched from the roof but hey I am no tow truck driver so am wondering to this day what happened to it. Somehow I think they needed a crane for this job!
IMGP0514.jpg20 Aug 2009: Gail, I've known you since I was 18 years old and so many years later, back working with you, but seeing the pictures and what you did, tells me that I don't really know you. The things you do and the lengths you are prepared to go through, to realise your dream of making Orohaven Retreat in Kokoda a place where whoever has the privilege of overnighting there, would not forget for a very long time, is becoming a reality.
You are truly an amazing person and unpredictable at times too.
Those amazing pictures have a story to tell too – if only we have the 'right eyes' and the 'hearts' to see the plight of the people there.
Laikim yu!!
Good on you Gail.
Tell Brendan that I am really hoping to see the results of his gardening during 2010 and if it is possible to bring through PNG Customs what Aussie seeds does he want me to bring for him to try and grow in Kokoda.
Also tell him next time he visits here I will save some gardening for him ha ha
Brian
Editor's Note: Brendan appears to have taken to his new job really well according to info being received from Kokoda. The kind of seeds are quite readily available in Australia but sometime few and far between here in PNG. Tomatoes; cabbage; cucumber; pumpkin; sweet corn and basically anything that grows well in a hot climate. To quote one guy who I was talking to in Kokoda recently…when we walk we earn in 8-9 days. To grow crops we have to wait for months to see any return on our hard work!
they would have removed that truck in some ingenious way that only the locals would think of, with much shouting & gusto. I can just imagine!Gail, that was a fantastic adventure for you.
Having trekked Kokoda in July, I can understand and believe what happened. Maybe, not so if I hadn't been there.
Congratulations for a vivid and exciting account of your experience.
Tom.
Wow! What an amazing experience!! I'm flabergasted and lost for words at the least! Really does show that these boys really can do anything. I think the rebellious nature of a lot of teens today could do with spending some time over there with your boys!
Edit: OMG!! Poor dude with the truck!!! Made me gasp, but also made me smile thankful it wasn't us!
fluppy
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