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On Friday afternoon I enquired if there was space for an extra three people in the pickup vehicle heading to Ower's Corner to collect our Japanese trekkers, guide and porters. After space was confirmed, I set off with our journalist Alison Anis together with a Japanese interpreter.
Many a trekker has complained about this road so I figured it was high time to find out for myself the state of the road. We drove out in two vehicles, one bus and one four wheel drive from Port Moresby to Sogeri. We then left the bus at the roadside and headed in the four wheel vehicle to Ower's Corner.
Villagers_8.jpgFor those of you who have never been out that way, the road is red dirt clay type of soil which sticks to your shoes like glue and gets quite slippery. Last year Steve Ovett the former gold medalist long distance champion, remarked that his group thought the kokoda adventure had ceased at Ower's Corner but they had no idea about the state of the road from there into Sogeri.
I have to totally agree. I do not know where the money for roads is being spent as even in the capital city our roads are in urgent need of repair, but out on this road, it is something else. In all the journey out past McDonald's Corner and onwards we did not pass one car or for that matter even see one vehicle….I wonder why? For around 80% of the journey we were in four wheel drive.
Road.jpgI do not know exactly how to describe this, but lets say that there are highs and lows in the road. Tractors it seems go back and forth to the rubber plantations and sink into the dirt roads creating highs and lows in the surface. We tried our best to keep to the high section but every now and then we would slide into one of these troughs. Our driver was very experienced and has been out there dropping off and collecting passengers more than he would like to admit, but says someone should do something about the condition. But WHO?
The PNG Government hasnt got the surplus funds to even improve the roads around the city much less in the outlying areas. Hence, if any donor countries are reading this and would like to do something to help PNG, why not employ contractors to improve the road to Ower's Corner.
For the people who live in this region of PNG one has to feel sorry for them. Our vehicle was only able to reach a small mission SDA village which comprised of a couple of houses where we parked our vehicle and waited for our Japanese trekkers.
Most people who walk the Kokoda Trail reach Ower's Corner and like a marathon, think they have completed their journey and feel they cant move an inch further. We had to ask our trekkers to keep walking for about two hours after they reached what they would have thought to be the end of their trek.
Japanese_at_Ower__s_Corner_2.jpgAround 9pm our weary trekkers arrived tired but well and happy to see us waiting for them. Screams of joy filled the air from us and the trekkers who had just arrived. People started emerging from their houses which until then had remained almost so quiet it was really unusual. I had asked earlier at 6pm where were the people who were in abundance earlier. I was told that SDA people go into their homes and everything is quiet, not even cooking could be heard.
When we saw the trekkers approaching it was like the fourth of July, the driver was pipping the horn of the vehicle…..the Japanese translator was yelling out to the Japanese and they were returning comments…..all just so EXCITING!
According to Russell Eroro, these are the first Japanese to walk the whole trek to the best of his knowledge. He knows there have been trekkers who have flown in and walked part of the trek but no the whole way according to villages along the trail who all made them feel very welcome.
Japanese_at_Ower__s_Corner_6.jpgOn the way back into town the older of the three Japanese remarked on the state of the road. He said he hopes to try and do something about it by making people in Japan aware of the conditions. Unless he has friends in high places, I think the state of the road is only going to get worse.
Hopefully when the wet season is over and the dry kicks in, the road will once again be ok to drive on, in the meantime the drivers who go out to pick up trekkers and the companies who own the vehicles need a pat on the back for their help as it is much appreciated.
Thanks to Corporate Transport who once again have to head out there tomorrow to pick up our latest lot of trekkers. Hope they do not get bogged!!!
Corporate_Transport_Ute.jpgThank you ever so much for trekking with Extreme Kokoda Trekking Adventure Tours: http://www.kokodatrail.com.au
Japanese_at_Ower__s_Corner_3.jpgOurtrekkers all the way from Japan, seen here at Jackson's Airport heading back to their country.
Left to Right
Hiroya Imanaka, Sayaka Ikeya & Keisuke Shimizu
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