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Last night we met up with our latest group of trekkers at the Gateway Hotel. This morning we arranged to pick them up around 7am however PNG time set in and I was a few minutes late. We ended up arriving at the airport and by the time they were all booked in and headed off it was close on 8:30am:
When they were about to board I noticed I could not find my bag with my camera so had to send our driver home to try and locate it. This he did and I took a couple of photographs.
Unfortunately I do not know what went wrong as tonight when I went to upload, there were no photographs on the memory card so I must apologise for not being able to post one.
I will try and make up for it at the end and will take HEAPS!
Trekkers who headed out today include :
Peter & Rhonda Hatton; Anne Regan; Terry Pedler; Wendy McWhinnie; Kym Kenny; Lester and Jayden Tilbrook.
Seems we have a couple of birthdays. Jayden is turning 21 and Peter I think he said 53.
Turns out Peter is the bloke who writes on our website, Peter 13: I joked at the airport and told him he had better have a great time as he oftens replies to threads on our website.
Tonight they are spending at Orohaven and tomorrow morning they will walk off to Isurava Village. Peter is carrying his own pack so has a real challenge ahead of him.
Guesthouse_500_size.jpgA special hello to Peter from the forum. Can't wait until you get back with what it's like (as if I haven't read enough on the forum
). Take care – all of you.Fluppy
We heard from the trek last night by sat phone that the group had reached Eora Creek where they were spending the night. All trekkers were doing ok it seems.
Brendan Buka (the fastest man on the track) came to the rescue for us. Why you may ask, well the sat phone that came off the track a few days earlier was supposed to turn round and head back out with this group as it had a whole new top up card that was hardly used so plenty of time left unused on the phone.
However, somehow or other, on the morning of their trek it decided not to work and our Manager based in Kokoda sent out the spare sat phone he had been using but it did not have any left over units. The plan was for the group to commence their walk and for the Manager to contact us and get the top up numbers. Brendan was to be on stand by to play catch up with the group so they could punch the numbers in.
When you have someone like Brendan Buka working for you, naturally we would call on him as his speed on the track is second to none. Once we purchased another card and Brendan had the numbers written down he took off to catch the group. Last night their guide Johnsford phoned to inform us that yes, they had received the new card and to report their progress.
For those of you who are unaware, Brendan Buka is the current record holder in both directions.
- Kokoda to Owers' Corner in 17 hours 20 minutes
- Owers' to Kokoda in 16 hours 34 minutes
….yeah the WOW factor for us mere mortals who think 8-9 days is the way to GO!!!
Hopefully now that they have the card they will phone in and let us know how they are going from time to time. With sat phones we always tell our boys not to talk for too long and to plan what they have to say to save a) their batteries and b) to ensure they have enough units in case of a medivac.
Today they should be heading to Myola Junction so should experience a cool night out in the bush and the next day they will arrive at Efogi the half way point.
I would like to add that Brendan Buka was my porter when I trekked last Sept/Oct he is one of the best and had it not been for his dedication along with that of our guide Wallace Lemeki I may not have made it having injured my leg on the 3rd day out.
I will always be in debt to Brendan not only the fastest man on the track but also as far as I am concerned the best porter on the track.
Thanks Brendan I owe you mate.
Brian
Update 15th July: Trekkers have now reached 1900 Myola Junction where they are spending the night. Tomorrow they head off to the half way point of Efogi.
So all is good and on target for trek 521!
Campsite__Small_.jpgUpdate 16th July: We heard via sat phone tonight that trekkers have now reached the half way point of Efogi where they are spending the night. According to their guide Johnsford, all trekkers continue to do well.
Photographs:
1. Tomorrow they will walk up this same hill heading towards one of the most sacred areas on the Kokoda Track – Brigade Hill.
2. Creek Crossing not far from Efogi Village
3. View of Efogi Village
4. Landy Noel's Guesthouse Efogi Village
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Copy_of_Efogi_Guesthouse_area.jpgUpdate 17th July: Whilst we have not heard from this trek today, we did get to speak to the owner of the Efogi Guest House, Landy Noel who flew in from there earlier today. He said all trekkers were ok and doing just fine.
Johnsford their guide, is confident he will get all trekkers to Owers' Corner on the morning of the 20th July.
GO, trek 521, you are on the home straight now!
Update 18th July: We received a sat phone call today informing us that the group spent the night at Agulogo and today were on the move to Ioribaiwa. When they called in they were at Maguli Range about to head down the hill towards Ofi Creek. Depending on how they were all walking they planned on stopping at Ioribaiwa or will push down to Ua'Ule Creek.
At the time I took the call I was driving and found it hard to hear. I am pretty sure he said one female was suffering from blisters but apart from that they were all doing well.
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Day_2_Porters_resting_and_singing_at_top_of_Ioribaiwa_Ridge__Small_.jpg19th July: Food porters from this trek were picked up from Owers' Corner mid afternoon as they will fly back to Kokoda tomorrow on an aircraft heading out empty to pick up the other trek also finishing tomorrow.
Their guide Johnsford contacted us earlier this morning to give us this information and to add that the group as a whole will spend the night at Goldie River and should be up at Owers' Corner around 8:30am tomorrow.
Stay tuned for further up dates.
Update 20th July:Congratulations to Trek 521 who walked off the track today at Owers' Corner. Some of them suffered from blisters but they completed their trek and were a really happy group of people who bonded well together.
Tonight I met with this group and thoroughly enjoyed their company. They all spoke very highly of their trek and of their porters which was great to hear.
I have quite a few photographs to post that were taken today but have run out of time so will post tomorrow first chance I get.
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IMGP0226.jpgSorry for the delay, as promised more pics now being posted that were taken the day you walked off the track:
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IMGP0230.jpgMore Photographs taken McDonald's Corner:
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IMGP0243.jpgThe photographs below were taken at Sogeri Monument area:
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