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This afternoon my youngest daughter Mikayla Rodger along with her husband James Rodger, friends Mark and Nicole Young and her old Karate coach Pat Vainerere are now on the track.
IMGP2404__640x480_.JPGAfter arriving in Port Moresby we drove around showing them a little bit of the area where Mikayla used to go to school and where we live in the Talair compound before preparing to move off to Owers' Corner.
On the way to Owers' Corner we stopped off at the Bomana War Cemetery.
As the road was good we made good time and soon found ourselves at Owers' Corner the drop off point. Our Kokoda Trekking staff were already there waiting as they were driven up in advance of their arrival.
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IMGP2391__640x480_.JPGTrekkers were then introduced to their personal porters.
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IMGP2396__640x480_.JPGAs this is considered a 'private trek' my daughter was able to select the guide of her choice which turned out to be someone who has not walked with us for sometime. His name is Andrew Yauga and they met when he travelled down to Australia to attend the Gold Coast Kokoda Challenge Race a couple of years ago. When I contacted Andrew and mentioned that Mikayla would like him to be their guide he said that he was happy to do so.
Andrew hails from Kokoda and was well like by all our clients who had the pleasure of walking with him on the track.
Before they left Owers' to walk down the hill we took the opportunity to take a few more photographs.
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IMGP2400__640x480_.JPGOur boys sung their PNG National Anthem to their trekkers.
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IMGP2403__640x480_.JPGJust before they walked down the hill a group photograph was taken.
IMGP2404__640x480_.JPGEveryone then prepared to move off down their first hill. In this photograph Andrew is explaining to them where they would be heading and what he expected from their first day of walking:
IMGP2405__640x480_.JPGPat lead off closely followed by Sione carrying his guitar.
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IMGP2407__640x480_.JPGThe next off the ranks was James Rodger and Horace Yauga
IMGP2408__640x480_.JPGClement Harika soon lined up with Mark closely followed by his wife Nicole and her porter Lancelot Geroia:
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IMGP2411__640x480_.JPGLast off the ranks was Mikayla as she was talking away and yes deciding which stick to take or not to take, before she finally got organised and moved off down the track. Ramsi Idau and her finally took their place and after a kiss goodbye to me, walked off to join the rest of the group.
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IMGP2413__640x480_.JPGThe sweep at the back was their guide Andrew Yauga smiling away and looking as happy as ever as he walked off from Owers' Corner obviously loving every minute of being in control of this trek.
Not to be outdone, Mikayla wanted to jump in the photograph and have one taken with Andrew as well.
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IMGP2415__640x480_.JPGFollowing a late start around 4:45pm, they reached their destination of Goodwater around 8pm last night. The boys cooked up a meal and they were all tucked away in bed by 9pm.
This morning the 21st August Andrew called me as they were about to walk off to say they were heading for Ofi Creek.
Around 5pm he called in to say they were at Ofi Creek. He said that Pat suffered from muscle cramps but was ok. All the others were progressing quite well. Mikayla told Andrew to send a big HI to family back home and to say they were all thinking about them.
Tomorrow their destination is Menari which is roughly a 7 + hour walk depending on their walking speed.
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