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Around 10am on the 11th March, four trekkers flew into Popondetta and travelled by road up to Kokoda. Last night they overnighted at our guesthouse Orohaven Kokoda Retreat. Around 7am this morning the group headed off on their trek. Their guide is the second fastest man to have ever crossed the Kokoda Trail, Wayne Urina in a time of 18 hours 24 minutes. He promises not to take them that fast on this trek.
List of Trekkers:
James & Nita Harman; Fuad Yacob & Matthew Sharp
Fuad brought with him a guitar and asked for a personal porter who could play it to walk as his personal porter. Tommy Bareo was selected in this role so can only assume they will have lots of music on this trek as Wallace Lemeki sings and plays the uke'ule as well and he too is walking on this trek.
Other staff accompanying them is Brendan Buka the trek champion walking as a personal porter. Frank Taimbari also a personal porter. A guy by the name of Andrew who works for us full time at Orohaven. Hobert – a renowned hard worker who loves to crack jokes and a porter from Sairope whose names escapes me for the moment.
Tonight they should have reached Isurava Village but I cannot say for sure as I did not hear from them today. I am expecting them to call in from Isurava area tomorrow sometime.
More photographs can be viewed by CLICKING HERE:
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SDC10019__800x600_.jpgUpdate 14th March: We received a sat phone call this afternoon saying they had reached 1900/Myola Junction. Nita is struggling a little but Wayne is confident she will finish her trek.
Tomorrow they will walk into Efogi the half way point.
According to Wayne all trekkers are enjoying themselves. Tommy it seems is sharing the food porters load besides carrying a guitar for Fuad. Perhaps Tommy was thinking that Fuad would hand over his pack but no, he is continuing to carry it and doing well.
IMG_0326___Templeton__s_Cros.jpgUpdate 15th March: Trekkers have now reached the village of Efogi. Trekkers continue to do well.
Efogi___Holles_Trek__Small_.jpgUpdate from the trek: Last night trekkers spent the night at Agulogo campsite. All continue to do well. Tonight they are at Ioribaiwa Village. Their guide assured me they were on target for a 8am pickup at Owers' Corner on the 19th.
Photograph: River Crossing near Agulogo
IMG_0964__Small_.JPGTrekkers are all doing well, and have completed their trek and are overnighting at Ower's Coner.
Congratulations to them all.
Update 19th March: Our trekkers walked off the track today and it appears they all had a great time and some are already talking about wanting to return.
As I type this our porters are getting stuck into big bowls of rice and protein and talking heaps about their trek. It seems they really had a great time and enjoyed the trekkers company.
So congratulations to all four trekkers who completed their trek with Kokoda Trekking. May they go back with lots of happy memories of their time on the track and in PNG walking with our boys.
SDC10122.jpgSome photographs taken during their trek:
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SDC10034__800x600_.jpgTragic News:With the exception of Wallace all boys flew to Popondetta yesterday. On arrival in Popondetta, Wayne Urina received the news that his two year old daughter had been washed away in a flooded river close to his in-law's home in Kokoda.
Sometime later her little body was found downstream. Wayne managed to get on a truck and arrived in Kokoda last night. I spoke to him this morning and he is heart broken. Tomorrow her body will be taken down to Popondetta to the morgue in the hospital ambulance.
On Wednesday he plans on taking her body home to his village for burial. I cannot put into words right now how I feel as we both cried together on the phone today. Wayne is not only our guide but someone who I consider to be a good friend.
Through the tears he managed to say that he took a photograph at Orohaven before his trek and could I find it in my camera and send it to him and his family. Just now I found the photograph which I will share with you all.
May she rest in peace.
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