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An early start to the day, up at 5am to get ready to pick our three trekkers up from the Gateway Hotel and to take down our 6 porters returning home along with boxes of donated medical supplies to the Kokoda Hospital.
Everything went according to plan. Our Troopcarrier and our driver left to drop off our porters and cargo and Russell and I drove up to the Gateway Hotel around 6am. When we arrived our trekkers were nowhere to be seen. After asking around turned out the hotel bus had decided to drop them at the airport….which airport was our reply…..
To which the driver said Air Niugini terminal!
So we turned the car around and head off to Air Niugini to find our trekkers as we had a charter organised through Tropic Air for 7am. The fog around the airport was really thick and when we finally found our way to the domestic airport, parked and went inside, our trekkers were still no where to be found…..
We asked a security guard and he said they had started walking. So we headed off in the direction they were last seen.
Finally some few minutes later we caught up with them and loaded them into the car and headed for the Tropic Air terminal building. No that there was any rush as the fog was so thick the pilot was not about to go anywhere until it had lifted.
A short time later, our trekkers had themselves weighed along with their backpacks and the wait began with the pilot looking up to the sky waiting to take off to Kokoda. So while waiting we had time for a photograph.
John & Daniel Cronin & Paul Graham:
IMGP3636.jpgTrekkers, Russell Eroro and Wallace Lemeki relaxing in the terminal building shortly before they boarded the flight to Kokoda. Paul Graham took time out to read Bill James book on KOKODA while waiting in the departure area of the Tropic Air terminal building:
IMGP3638.jpgThe flight finally got away around 7:30am. Around 20 minutes later they were on the ground in Kokoda where they were met by their guide Ernst Jinga and other staff of Kokoda Trekking Ltd:
IMGP3639.jpgThe donation for the Kokoda Hospital and other supplies were offloaded and before long they were heading for the Kokoda Station:
IMGP3640.jpgPhotograph: Airport Terminal Building. The guy striding along in army shorts is one of the fastest blokes on the track, our guide Cyprian Haera who was about to board the flight back into Port Moresby along with other KTL porters. Cyprian is the guide on Trek 334 leaving from Owers' Corner to Kokoda on the 8th June.
Both these treks will meet each other on the track passing in opposite directions. They will no doubt recognise Cyprian and the other guys who they would have met briefly at the airport today.
Cyprian has been training for the Kokoda Challenge Race on the Gold Coast to be held on the 14-15th July:
IMGP3641.jpgA short time after this photograph was taken, trekkers boarded our truck KTL1 and were driven up to the Kokoda Station to look at the monument area. Later they went to the hospital to offload our donated medical supplies and were soon on the Kokoda Track as they chose to start walking the same day as arriving in Kokoda:
IMGP3644.jpgUpdate from the track: John Cronin has already decided he needs a porter after only a few hours on the track. He drew the 'fastest man on the Kokoda Trail, Brendan Buka' who is famous for walking/running the Kokoda Track in an incredible time of 17 hours 14 minutes from Owers' Corner to Kokoda set in August 2006. We were only talking about the race last night so John will be surprised to find his personal porter is Brendan when he caught up to them at Deneki mid afternoon. Brendan has been selected to enter in the Kokoda Challenge on the Gold Coast 14-15th July along with other placegetters from our August '06 race. It will be Brendan's first trip overseas and he is really looking forward to it:
Photograph: John's personal porter, Brendan Buka, winner of the Kokoda Challenge PNG in a world record time of 17 hours 14 minutes seen here at Kokoda Station relaxing after his fantastic win. When you walk the track you will realise just how this time Brendan set is so amazing! No, John will not have to slow Brendan down as they walk along together. By the time they arrive back in town I bet John has asked him time and time again how he achieved the time he set in 2006
Brendan_Buka.jpgUpdate 10th June: Trekkers spent last night at Efogi Village where they were well looked after by Landy Noel and his wife as their hosts.
According to our guide, now that John has Brendan as his porter he is going really well. The other two young guys are plowing along with not a hint of problems which is great news.
Their food was at the half way point as planned which made their guide happy. Unfortunatley however, they were carrying some fire lighters whch leaked into the boys food and they were forced to throw it away. However, they improvised and found some local food to fill their tummies and got their new supply in Efogi.
Efogi Guesthouse:
Efogi_2_Guesthouse.jpgUpdate Tuesday 12th June: Have just heard from Ernst their guide that they are about to move off out of Nauro where they spent last night.
He said his trekkers are very fast and should make Ua'Ule Creek today where they will spend the night and will come up at Owers' Corner around 11am on Wednesday 13th.
I asked if Brendan was ok as he had Malaria a few weeks back and Ernst replied that he is ok and walking strong. Good news for us as he is entered in the KOKODA CHALLENGE RACE in the hinterland of the Gold Coast on the 14-15th July with other teammates.
One of his fellow team mates Damon Goerke who came 3rd in our own race in PNG last year managed a fourth place last weekend in the GEOQUEST event held at Coff's Harbour. Guy Andrew and his team took out the event but shows Damon is right up there with the best due to the company he keeps. So no doubt will expect our boys to be fit and ready to take on the 96km challenge. The Australians might also be worried that this little guy Brendan and his team will prove good competition for them, only time will tell! Brendan who is short and weighs in around 55 kg is proof that little guys have what it takes to win endurance races.
Photograph: Nauro Village where they spent last night:
Naoro_Village.jpgWe have just heard from our guide Ernst that they are at Owers' Corner waiting for a pick up. As our driver left Port Moresby sometime ago, I suspect they are almost ready to be picked up and brought back into town via Bomana War Cemetery. They should be back in the hotel by 3pm this afternoon.
Photograph: The archway at Owers' Corner which they would have walked through today to finish off their successful trek:
Archway_Ower__s_Corner.jpgThey will be driven back into Port Moresby in our 4 WD Toyota Troopcarrier:
Picture_008.jpgComments from trekkers: The Kokoda Track has been one of the most challenging things that we have ever done. If it wasn't for the boys, Ernest, Alfie, Lawrence, Brendan we do not think we could have been able to complete the trek.
They have been informative on the history of the track and they have done ABSOLUTELY anything to make us feel comfortable along the way.
We cannot thank them enough for making this trip truly unforgettable and we would recommend Kokoda Trekking without a doubt for any future treks.
Thanks boys, YOU ARE THE BEST !!!
Paul Graham, John and Daniel Cronin:
Photograph: Daniel and John Cronin being prepared for their last hill climb:
100_3059__Medium_.jpgPaul and Daniel, one of my favourite pics from this trek:
100_3058__Medium_.jpgJohn Cronin being carried across Ua'Ule Creek….now won't he have something to talk about when he gets back home to his Harley Davidson and his mates!
100_3055__Medium_.jpgNow, what could be better than this….in the middle of nowhere, sitting/standing on a log crossing with not a care in the world:
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