Preparing For Kokoda – The Average Joe

[Boss Meri]

No worries Dan, please post whatever you wish as that is why I created this forum for honest feedback and to help trekkers prepare for their treks.

Photograph: Dan Towler and other members of trek 272 who had all walked with KTL for the second time at Owers' Corner April 2007. Dan is in the middle in the dark shirt. In fact all other trekkers in this photograph were also on their second trek with KTL.
Owers_Corner_Dan_Towler.jpg

[Allan Benton]

Hi Dan,

Thanks for the tips. Heading off in Sept for my first & not last. Will return with my young bloke to help teach him of our proud past.

Would love to get hold of your DVD & will happily pay for it.

Is it possible to get a copy.

Email – bentons@westnet.com.au

Thanks
Avagreatday
Thanks
Al

[mikmac1959]

hi dan
would love a copy of your dvd
please email kelmac8@hotmail.com with your price
and method of payment.

cheers mikmac1959

[Tilly]

Dan

I would like to purchase a copy of your DVD. Could you please email me @ geoffnlani@bigpond.com.au with the info. Sounds great!!

Cheers

Tilly

[dan]

Hi All
I've sent out a few copies to those who have emailed me directly.
Others requesting a copy above have been emailed by me for postal details.
Bye for now.
d.

[Chloe]

Hi Everyone.

My name is Chloe, I am 15 years old and am going to be trekking the Kokoda Track this year in late June early July. Myself and a group who are Australian Army Cadets along with a few of our officers have been training and preparing for this event as our Senior Exersise. Your tips are a great help. Any other tips would be muchly appreciated as time is drawing closer.

Thank you.

[mikmac1959]

G'day Chloe
sounds like you are in good hands and are preparing well. The only advice
i would offer is just walk at your own pace, it is not a race and you will make it.
it is tough but there is plenty of time and your porters take pride in making
sure you complete this amazing journey.
cheers mikmac

[Chloe]

Thanks mikmac,

I will definately take it at my own pace. Do you have any tips on training? I have been going for walk in every spare moment (which is not much). I also play touch football and training for that accumalates to approx5-6 hours a week. Also my group and I have been taking walks up the nearest mountion which is 30mins away from home as home is flat, and doing a 4 hr walk. Currently i am carrying 15kg in my pack although I am getting a porter which i will share with a friend. I will at the max carry 9-10 kg over there.

[mikmac1959]

Gday again
my only advice is to train as often as you can , you have youth on your side
but alsoit is an advantage to train with the gear you will be taking, make sure
you break in your boots and get very familiar with your pack they will be
with you for over a week and you need to be good friends!!!! Do you know
wich way you will be going?
cheers mikmac

[dan]

Hi.
Posting updated version of these prep' notes. New version includes useful PNG (pidgin) words, how to pronounce village names and how you can help our PNG friends (pre and post) your trip.
Kind Regards
Dan

[Boss Meri]

Hi Dan, FYI Bob Robertson dropped in last week with a copy of a DVD of your trek 272 for Wallace his porter and left the envelope open so I could view before sending it down to Kokoda.

I watched the DVD with three of our porters on Friday night and we all thoroughly enjoyed the experience like we were out there with you all.

Would love a copy myself as I tried to copy it on Sunday before sending it out to Kokoda but could not do so for some reason or other.

For anyone wishing to see how it is on the track with our singing minstrels, I suggest you write to Dan for a copy as you will not be disappointed.

regards

Gail Thomas (Boss Meri)
Kokoda Trekking

[dan]

Hi Gail.
I'd be delighted to send you several copies – for you and your champions in POM and Kokoda. Just email me the best address to post them too and I'll take care of it.
Kind Regards
Dan

[mikmac1959]

G'Day All

Recieved a copy of Dan's DVD . It is EXCELLENT and highly recommended to any one wishing to take this awesome trek. It shows how much he enjoyed it and what a wonderful job the KTL team do!!! I will definately be walking with them next time. Also contains a moving tribute at the Isurava Memorial. Well done Dan!!

I have sent a copy of my DVD to Dan for review, interested to see what he thinks!!

Would also like to send a copy to you Gail if you are interested to see if you think it is a good learning tool for prospective trekkers

cheers mike

Editor's Note: Mike would love to see it.

Kokoda Trekking
PO Box 7541
BOROKO. NCD
Papua New Guinea

[Chloe]

Mikmac,

I've returned from the Kokoda Track, I would have to say it is the hardest physical and mentally challenging thing I have ever done in my life. It was the best experience! Lots of memories.. Thanks for all the great prep idea's they paid off!

Chloe

[dan]

You're very welcome Chloe. I've had countless emails from people who found these "Average Joe" prep' notes very useful on their trek. As always, you do what's best for you – but a few tips can make a huge difference.

If these tips can save someone getting air-lifted out or convert a miserable trek into a manageable one, then all the more Aussies who will have a chance to fully absorb the true hardship and sacrifice our diggers made for us in PNG – including my father and his two brothers. I remain in awe of our diggers – I'm humbled and so grateful.

Brian Beamish (70yrs and fellow Bris-Vegas resident) used these notes extensively to prepare and do the track. He's just returned and I now see his contributions on this forum with all the same reports of highs and lows that most experience – but he made it through like a champion. Brian won't catch a train or bus in BNE, but has done The Track. How ironic is that?! Well done Brian!

To be honest, I originally wrote these Prep' Notes for my brother, who was to join me on my 2nd trek of the track – to help him prepare. So, the notes were as frank, comprehensive and helpful as possible. He lives 3hrs flight from me, so the notes served to consolidate all my thoughts in one spot for him. In posting them originally, I offered Gail the opportunity to tone-it-down and all editorial rites, but to her credit, she left it word for word as you see them now.

Delighted you were able to make use of them.

A follow up note on KTL:
I continue to be thoroughly impressed by Gail's KTL crew and especially Gail herself. She does Australia proud in everything she does for the trekkers but what most don't know is the huge additional contribution she makes to the PNG people – especially to those in Kokoda itself. She is exceptionally generous to them and ever cognisant of eco' implications of trekkers on their world. She goes well beyond what you would expect or ever know, and probably well beyond the collective total of all other trekking companies engaged in this business. But it's not just a business to Gail – it's a passion for the PNG people and to see trekkers get the best possible experience. It's not about making dollars. That's why you'll find her pricing very reasonable by comparison, yet having some of the best guides, the best food and the best supporting infrastructure on the track. You just can't go wrong with Gail and KTL.

The most admirable thing of all is that Gail tells no-one about her generosity – all at the same time other trekking companies bag her for whatever silly reason.

I have said before and reiterate having had repeated interaction with Gail and Co over the past few years – that there is no other trekking company to go with – KTL is brilliant for all the right reasons. I recommend KTL to my own family and my dearest friends who want to walk here in the steps of our amazing diggers – in the full knowledge that they will get the best care and that the greatest possible benefit to the Kokoda people will come of your trekking fees etc.

Anyway – I'll get off my soap box now and behave (for a change)! I just felt it important to share my thoughts.

Kind Regards
Dan

[Author]

Posts