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My cousin Debra (Debbie) Maher and her husband Mark headed out from Ower's Corner on the 28th June.
As Debbie is 6 years younger than me and the fact that I moved to PNG when I was 23, meant I had not seen her since she was around 10 years old.
So it was a very exciting time meeting up with her on Sunday as she is now 50 so a lot of time has elapsed since we last saw each other.
When Debbie married she moved to Perth so the chances of us meeting before this would have been impossible unless her vists home to her mother in Brisbane co-incided with my visits home to the Gold Coast.
It was decided we would meet at the Crown Plaza after they had settled in.
For their trek I had personally selected all staff. Rod Ori (8th in the 24 hour race) was to be their guide. Wayne Urina (9th in the 24 hour race) was to be Mark's personal porter. Andrew Yauga was chosen to be Debbie personal porter as he has the sweetest nature and is always popular with women and will do anything to help them follow their dream of walking Kokoda.
Others were chosen for other reasons. Andrew's brother Horace Yauga (also a lovable rogue who has mastered the song….dont let the dogs out!) can make all kinds of noises which seems to keep our trekkers amused…. Horace has shown interest in wanting to win this year's 24 hour race and wanted to train. He has just walked in with another trek and is now heading back home with this one. According to his ex trekkers who he walked in with….this guy was running up hills and coming up with all kinds of ideas to win this year's race.
Frank Taimbari was chosen for his strengh. Trekker after trekker have mentioned how strong this guy is. If anyone can pull Mark up a hill its Frank! He has also been spotted digging footsteps for our trekkers day in day out when it was wet. Frank has the widest smile and is always just so happy to walk and earn a living.
Along for the walk is Russell's nephew Oliver who is trying to catch up to the number of walks his two uncles have done. He is a quiet kind of guy but is popular with our trekkers. Oliver was an additional extra when we saw how much gear Debbie and Mark brought with them.
Another addition was Grayford Enjeka for the same reason to help share the load. Grayford had walked in on an independent and was left stranded here in Port Moresby and came asking for a trek to get him back home again. It was his lucky day, we said yes and he got a trek.
Group Photograph: left to right: Frank Taimbari; Wayne Urina; E. B. Mark Maher; Guide Rocket Rod Ori; Debra (Debbie) Maher; back Grayford Enjeka; Debbie's porter Andrew Yauga; Oliver Eroro and sitting on the ground, Horace Yauga.
DSC03478.jpgWhat makes this trek even more remarkable is the fact that Mark had bowel cancer and if he can walk to Kokoda he will become the first person we are aware of that has walked following such major surgery.
However, he has come well prepared. He has all the medication needed, is retired now so can take it at his leisure even if it runs into a 12 day trek. Mark informed me his father was a digger and it was important to him that he completed this trek in his honour. As for Debbie, she looked scared stiff and was there purely to support Mark to follow his dream.
Ernst (Mark) Maher seen here with Wayne Urina his personal porter shortly before heading down the hill at Ower's Corner:
DSC03483.jpgOn top of Mark's surgery, he is a diabetic and seemed to rattle off a whole lot of other things that he has suffered from over the years. They are however, both well travelled and I feel it will only be the terrain that could overcome their desire to finish their walk.
Our guide and porters have been instructed to take it easy and give them short distances as we too want Mark and Debbie to finish their trek.
After Kokoda, they are then off to Tufi for some R & R and fishing. Turns out Mark is a Marlin Fisherman and cant wait to arrive in Tufi and sample whats on offer there and catch a fish or two. After that, they plan on staying at Loloata before heading back to Australia. They will then drive from Brisbane down to Victoria and visit friends and relatives before returning to Perth.
Debbie Maher and our KTL boys heading off at Ower's Corner, 28th June, 2006.
DSC03485.jpgTrekkers spent the first night at Uberi and tonight at Va'Ule Creek. The idea is to take them quite slow, a little each day said Rod their guide. However some villagers panicked today and sent a message to another of our treks further up at Peter Malik's guesthouse area that Mark was sick.
Their guide Rod phoned in later to say it was a false alarm, that they were all ok just not pushing the pace.
Mark & Debbie shortly before they descended down their first hill:
DSC03481.jpgJust got off the sat phone after talking with Mark and Rod their guide. Turns out Mark has decided to call it a day, says the boys need some rest that they cant make it….
yes, he has a sense of humour! and the boys were laughing their heads off in the background.
According to Mark, his mind wants to go on but his body is not responding. He is ok not sick but doubts he could cope if he pushed on so has decided to call it a day!
A helicopter is presently being organised to go out and pick them up at Ioribaiwa Village later today or else first thing in the morning.
Debbie has decided to turn around and come back in with Mark. The way Rod was talking is that they plan to fly to Kokoda on Sunday and spend some time at Russell's block. On Wednesday they will do as per the previous plan and catch their flight to Tufi for some R & R direct from Kokoda.
Photograph: Debbie and Mark shortly before they headed off from Ower's Corner. Debbie's porter Andrew can be seen here putting on her gaitors.
DSC03477.jpgHi Gail
Could you please email me re Debbie & Mark staying with us on their way from Brisbane to Melbourne.
Regards
Warren <img src="http://developer2/board/upload/style_emoticons//wink.gif” style=”vertical-align:middle” emoid=”;)” border=”0″ alt=”wink.gif” />
Update Monday 3rd July: Mark & Debbie are presently in Rabaul hopefully doing a bit of fishing if Simon Foo and Larry Lee can arrange this for them as they were booked into Taklam Beach Resort.
The plan on Tuesday is to fly back into Port Moresby and then jump on a helicopter and fly to various points of interest on the Kokoda Track such as Efogi; Brigade Hill; Isurava and finally Kokoda. They will then overnight as guests of Russell Eroro's family in Kokoda and then fly out the next day to Tufi.
During their time in Kokoda they want to catch up with Rod their guides family at Kovello village.
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