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This morning we said goodbye to our latest group to hit the track comprising of a group of mates; a father and two daughters, a woman walking on her own after her friend had to pull out at the last minute, a tafe teacher and a young woman who booked and came to walk on her own choosing to hire the trek champion, Brendan Buka as her porter. Trekkers in this group include :
- Darren Watts, who has our practical joker Hobert Keke as his personal porter.
- James McEniry – carrying his own pack.
- Stephen Machar who has Horace Yauga – a 20 hour runner as his porter.
- Yohan Amerasekera whose porter Jenen Barai almost won our race one year until he hurt himself
- Simon DiNunzio – who is accompanied by Wayne Urina (Tihimi) who has been the runner up to Brendan Buka twice.
- Dianne Young who is walking with Jeffrey Boropi – our dreadlock guy who has a style all of his own!
- Roderick (Ian) McLeod who has Paul Esiko – a councillor from a village in Kokoda as his personal porter.
- Heather McLeod – has another runner Jessie Aire as her porter who came 3rd in our last race in under 21 hours
- Jasmine McLeod – has Clive Govero as her porter. Clive is not the fastest of our boys but is one of the most experienced.
- Alisha King is walking with Brendan Buka who she requested as her personal porter. Brendan is without doubt the track legend holding the track record in both directions. Kokoda to Owers' Corner in 17 hours 20 minutes and in the direction they are walking a remarkable, 16 hours 34 mintues.
- Barry Roy who is walking with Johnsford Eroro a very experienced porter.
After meeting up with the trekkers who arrived on the 1:15 pm flight, this group photograph was taken at Bomana War Cemetery.
At 4:30pm Barry Roy arrived and was also driven to Bomana War Cemetery.
If you wish to view on facebook all the photographs taken earlier today, please click on the following link:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1…57.374403025970
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IMGP3906__640x480____Copy.JPGThis morning we decided on a 7:30am start from Sogeri Lodge and everything went according to schedule with trekkers excited to be walking and many of our porters doing their first trek for 2011 were also eager to get going.
On arrival at Owers' Corner trekkers were introduced to their personal porters who then went about adding their own personal items to the various individual packs.
Horace Yauga meets up with his trekker Stephen Machar
IMGP3921__640x480_.JPGPaul Esiko with Ian McLeod
IMGP3913__640x480_.JPGIan McLeod's daughters, Heather and Jasmine met up with Jessie Aire and Clive Govero
Brendan Buka met up with his trekker Alisha King. As Brendan small in build and Alisha is short, the two of them were a good match as they too lined up at Owers' Corner for their photograph:
IMGP3916__640x480_.JPGSimon DiNunzio posed for his photograph with Wayne Urina who these days prefers the name of Tihimi. In PNG this is quite common to have two surnames. This is Wayne's 1st trek of the season and he took me aside and asked for another one back to back – and to quote his words so he can get his legs loosened up for the upcoming race on the 27th August.
IMGP3915__640x480_.JPGI think this is a nice photograph of Dianne Young with her porter Jeffrey Boropi.
Barry Roy shortly after meeting up with his porter Johnsford Eroro.
IMGP3919__640x480_.JPGDarren Watts had his photograph taken with his porter Hobert Keke and shortly after taking this pic, everyone burst out laughing, yes, Darren has scored our trek clown and whatever he did while my eyes were glued elsewhere had everyone in a good mood for the morning:
IMGP3922__640x480_.JPGYohan Amerasekera got to meet up with Jenen Barai and just look at the smile on his face! Does he look HAPPY or WHAT??
IMGP3923__640x480_.JPGAfter the porters went off to prepare for the trek, we took photographs under the archway. They all look pumped up and ready to go, what do you all think?
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IMGP3927__640x480_.JPGBarry could not resist getting a photograph taken with the two women walking on their own, Alisha and Dianne:
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IMGP3929__640x480_.JPGIt was soon time for group photographs of trekkers and then another one with our staff a whole 21 of them who will walk with them to Kokoda. Included in this group is a guy by the name of Sione who is carrying his guitar and will keep them entertained along with Hobert and of course all the other guys who will assist where necessary, cook their food and a whole lot more.
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IMGP3931__640x480_.JPGThis trek has Wallace Lemeki as the guide. Here he can be seen talking to the trekkers shortly before they walked off from Owers' Corner:
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IMGP3934__640x480_.JPGNot long after Wallace addressed the trekkers, he asked Sione and other porters to join him in singing the PNG National Anthem. He also surprised our trekkers by asking them to respond and sing the Australian National Anthem which had them quickly trying to remember the words.
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