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My cousin and I had not met since under the age of 10 due to her heading off to Perth and myself ending up in PNG since 1972….however, Debbie and her sick husband Mark came to get a feel of the track and basically just to have a little bit of fun before travelling around PNG. Mark has had several operations and is not a well man but he owed it to his father to give it a GO….and he did just that, well done MARK:
DSC03478.jpgThis year also saw the introduction of our KTL walking sticks which we have had engraved with the words Kokoda Trekking 2006. More importantly however, is that they are made out of the strongest wood, KWILA and will withstand just about anything.
Trekker after trekker have been wrapped in these walking sticks. They can also be used on the track and taken back to Australia as a souvenier of your trek.
However, more recently I saw them being used for something else, refer photograph below:
Rusty's block in Kokoda at the end of a trek when our aussie trekkers paid tribute to their KTL porters and guide:
100_0890.jpgHow could we forget John Richards-Pugh who hurt himself on the way to Hoi when he slipped and fell injuring his finger and a cut to his head. John walked back to the Kokoda Memorial Hospital and got his cut stitched up. Later on he caught up with the other trekker and continued his trek. On arrival at Ower's Corner his first stop was the doctor's surgery to have his stitches removed.
Trekkers John Richards-Pugh (left) and father and son combination Adam and Colin Love:
IMGP2433.jpgWhat about our youngest ever trekker, Nicholas Lawson aged 7 who walked with his father and grandfather. Nicholas did so well that his father is keen to come back and bring his younger brother who is 5 at the present time.
Our KTL boys just loved Nicholas and from what I hear he was pretty much in the lead most of the time. In a village trekkers commented how Nicholas played touch footy with the boys for what seemed like hours.
Ernst Jinga their KTL guide seen here congratulating Nicholas on his successful trek:
IMGP2439.jpgThanks must go to John Derrick Eroro a veteran of over 400 treks for the training of our guides and porters. John is our most sought after guide and if anyone would like to hire him there is an extra $500.00 so he can be personally selected to be your guide. All of this money is passed onto John:
John was trained by the legendary Clive Baker.
When not booked by private trekkers we mainly engage John for larger treks as he still loves to walk and feels he still has a few more good years left in his legs.
His younger brothers and other porters are trying to catch up but I doubt anyone will come close to the number of treks he has completed.
I searched my database of photographs for one to use in relation to John and whilst I have several, I couldnt go past this one. John Derrick Eroro snapped by a trekker while sleeping on two logs.
John_Derrick.jpgAnother highlight of the year must be our Kokoda 22 Hour Challenge Race.
When Brenden Buka crossed over the finish line at the Kokoda Memorial Hospital in a new world record of 17 hours 49 minutes, we just could'nt believe it.
What a record! and what a humble guy he is.
Another KTL boy Wayne Urina came home in second position and was hoping he would have been first as he was promised a trip to Australia by Ron Barrassie if he won. Wayne walked as a personal porter with Ron and remarked it was one of his hardest treks for the year as Ron's knees were playing up.
In third position came an aussie competitor who looked like taking out the winner's prize Damon Goerke.
Photograph: Number 1, Brenden Buka receiving his prizes from my business partner Russell Eroro with Wayne Urina and Damon Goerke in the background looking on:
Brendon_Buka_prize_giving.jpgPhotograph: Our KTL boys who took won the team event:
(Left to Right)
Tom, Cyprian, Wayne, Horace and Brendan
Team_Event_2.jpgDuring 2006 we also welcomed a few different treks who came to raise money for various causes. Seen here are a group who called themselves, KOKODA BLUE – Trek 164:
Picture_030.jpgHow could we forget the number of times we got bogged in the wet between mid April and early May. Trekkers from Trek 160 were all from a bushwalking club who were used to getting out in the bush but they found their adventure started on the hill that led into Vesulugo Village. Our truck must have got bogged at least three times on this hill.
KTL_2_Bogged_2.jpgThe aussie flag was noticed in quite a few photographs taken on our treks as seen here on one of our Anzac Treks at the Isurava Battlesite Area:
IMGP1229.jpgLate 2006 saw us welcoming to PNG two aussie trekkers who aim to make a difference. Ben Clark and Arron Broom both wanted to walk the track but due to their background qualifications, want to return next year with funding to help various villages.
They came, they talked with village elders, they visited villages in and around Kokoda who still do not have water to this day and have gone back with their notes to put a plan together for 2007.
If you would like to donate to this cause, they are looking for funds. They intend contacting Rotary and other clubs and also business houses so their work can be carried out. They have the blessing of the Kokoda Track Foundation.
Contact Details for Ben:
Ben Clark
Principal Policy Officer
South Australian Tourism Commission
Level 6, 50 Grenfell Street, Adelaide
South Australia 5000Fax: 08 8463 4715
Photograph: Arron (left and Ben on the right) seen here at the Bacchus Restaurant at the Airways Hotel after they returned from their trek:
IMGP2451.jpegHow can we ever forget Matt Bollinger who returned for his second trek and this time round brought family and friends along for the experience.
Andrew Yauga one of our KTL guides, received the shock of his life when a couple of weeks after their trek, he received a laptop computer. Andrew was lost for words and has been happily learning a new set of skills ever since.
Thanks Trek 212 – Andrew is in the middle of this photograph and Matt is directly on his right with the black shirt:
Bollinger_trek_pic.jpgAlong with larger groups of trekkers we also have had smaller groups, sometimes a lone trekkers or a couple who just want to walk together.
One such group was a husband and wife team of Robyn & Colin Christie – Trek 247:
Click on (3) below left to go to page three.
Christie_trek_pic.jpgHow could you ever forget one of the reasons for coming to walk the Kokoda Trail, lots of creek log crossings….bush walking and camping out – Trek 268:
Picture_031.jpgSome trekkers such as Trek 184 walked in uniform as seen here at Bomana War Cemetery along with our KTL boys.
Trek 184 also gave themselves a name 'Kokoda Konquest'
Lou Gambrill would probably have won the contest for the most emails and what a character he turned out to be when we finally met up with each other….I could tell our KTL boys were going to have their hands full just dealing with Lou and his aussie wit:
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