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The controversy is because there are current moves by RSL members to get the name Trail officially changed to Track. Emails have been rife and it has caused some heated debate within the veteran fraternity.. My father, as well as the majority of the 39th veteran's would only ever call it a Track.. Trail being an American word.. Soc has explained how it came to be named a Trail.. I once asked Ben Moide, a PIB veteran who is often in the news through visits from PNG organised by the Rotary Club in Southport at various ANZAC day's & Kokoda Day's what he thought.. his answer was that although he calls it a trail.. he thinks of it as a track, but trail or track, the veterans have earned the right to call it what they like, no matter what the offical title may be. As Dad once said after an argument with Bert Kenzle over this very subject.. 'we will agree, to disagree'..
Hi Kim,
We stayed at the Holiday Inn, it was very nice. Make sure you check, check & double check your booking, just because you may have booked in advance & paid for it dosn't mean that your room will be there!! Make sure that they email or fax you a CONFIRMED booking form with your payment recorded and a receipt. This is PNG and you leave NOTHING to chance! Two 39th Vets made a trip up recently, rooms were booked and paid for.. but the hotel had no record.. luckily they had their booking form and receipts with them. Holiday Inn have a bus to pick you up at the airport.
cheers
NettieHi Fluppy,
Not long to go now..! My pack for the porter ended up weighing 14kg, but we didn't take a tent, that was supplied and carried by the porter. Like you I packed, unpacked and repacked that many times, I almost knew by heart where everything was. Like so many others, I too took too much first aid stuff, but you never know and you just can't duck out and buy some if you need it, but you will find that once you get on the track, bonding with the other trekkers, you will all share if needed.
Just a few things, extra zip-lock bags (lge) for any wet clothes, etc and blister paks, these are expensive, but were a god send when Anthony got blisters and the bandaids kept coming off.. I never used my gatoraid powder, but did the glucose tablets. the only other thing that came in so handy was a little wash cloth that hooked on the outside of the day pack or on your pants, kept it wet and was great for just wiping the sweat off our faces. I couldn't fit much into my day pack as dad's ashes took most of the room, and weighed in at 5kg on their own! Mainly the water and anything you need during the day, as your porter will most probably potter off on the easy bits and catchup withhis mate, then you'll find him sleeping onthe side of the track and you will realise JUST how slow you have been going! but they will always be there to help on the tricky bits. Just be very aware of the health issues up there at the moment, make sure you drink only bottled water, even in the hotels and use your anti-bacterial handwash.
http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/vie…apua_New_GuineaRe walking poles, Usually the porters just cut them from a tree beside the track, one of them usually has a bush knife handy. If you are going from Kokoda, the walk to Hoi is fairly flat so there is plenty of time to get them to cut you one.
Nettie
Think you have hit on a winner with the 2nd hand clothes, we had a big business with that in Goroka, they used to call it Pat's Boutique and not only the natives shopped there.. suit coats were the big hit with the old boys, what a sight, nothing on but arse grass, bone through the nose, bilas on the head and a 'Boss' stripped suitcoat. Wool to work their bilums and the small beads for their bilas were good too.
Will try and find a photo to send you. Your story about rabbit's at Orohaven reminded me of a story in Lae. One of the bigwigs of New Guinea Company imported some frozen rabbits from Australia for a dinner party he was having, he instructed the haus boi how to cook 'pusscat bilong bush' for kai that night, and when they got home from the Lae club, 3 parts shot, the rabbit and all the trimmings were laid out on the table. After kai, he went out to congratulate the haus cook on a great meal and get a beer out of the fridge, the rabbit was still in there.. but the cat was missing. That story has been doing the rounds up there forever, but i know it's true because Mum & Dad were the dinner party.. and Mum has never eaten rabbit since.
they would have removed that truck in some ingenious way that only the locals would think of, with much shouting & gusto. I can just imagine!Had to laugh at the photo of the truck… only in PNG…..
Editor's Note:
Annette, it turned out that some locals were on the road waving arms trying to stop the vehicle from crossing. However, the driver thought they were trying to hold him up and steal the vehicle so he sped up instead!
There was a bulldozer or the likes on the road with a tow rope scratching his head wondering how he could get this truck out of this situation. Somehow I doubt it would work without being winched from the roof but hey I am no tow truck driver so am wondering to this day what happened to it. Somehow I think they needed a crane for this job!
IMGP0514.jpgPoroman,
Klock bilong mi, emi krai out long you nau line bilong you
Kingsley, yu yet, yu man emi no savi pret, nau klock bilong yu tripela tru, nau, you raun wantaim God papa
Spirit bilong yu nau emi raun wantaim all spirit bilong brave soldier emi stap long Kokoda
Yu yet, yu luk outim all man, meri nu pikinini wantaim all trekker emi raun long Kokoda track.Poroman, eye bilong mi emi krai tru
By you lie down nau sleep gut nau
********************************
Friend,My heart cries out for you and your family
Kingsley, you were a brave man with a big heart, and now you walk beside God
Your spirit walks with all the spirits of the brave soldiers in Kokoda, you now look after all the men, women and children and the trekkers who walk Kokoda Track
Friend, my eyes are crying
Rest in PeaceAnnette Ross
