Remembering that the customer is right, has not always been understood in PNG?s infant eco-tourism industry.PNG has to provide what its visitors want, if ever it is going to compete for numbers with other more developed tourism destinations including Fiji and Vanuatu, says experienced Kokoda guide Frank Taylor.?My guests come on the Track for…[Read more]

It is expected that 5000 or 6000 annual visitors could be walking the ridges and valleys in future years, Mr Amuli said, greatly increasing the impact on the physical environment, and the social strains already evident.If the local spend therefore rises to between K15 million and K20 million, plus the external airfares, hotels and tour charges,…[Read more]

Already guest houses are being built by hopeful village entrepreneurs, sited off the track and out of phase with tour schedules, unlikely to attract revenue but sure to create resentment and friction among the villages along the corridor.Guest facilities for which local villagers wish to charge fees in the vicinity of K20 per guest per night have…[Read more]

Perhaps that?s why there continues to be a degree of misunderstanding between a host population that has painfully legged it over grudging mountain tops and hazardous stream crossings for thousands of years, and a throng of eager visitors for whom the opportunity to trudge over those same tortuous trails is a privilege for which they are willing…[Read more]

Yes she did indeed made it to Kokoda. aussie has successfully ended her nine-day trek from Ower's Corner towards Kokoda in an approximate time of 68 hours.Their flight from Popondetta arrived at around 3pm and finally when their car drove into the compound and we saw aussie and Beverly jumping out – we were quite taken back by their physical…[Read more]

She's done it – She's completed the trek – It's Over!!It was a dream come true for aussie (Gail Thomas) and her old time friend Beverly Howell when they reached the end of their journey.Yes, she's made it! This time aussie had conquered the mighty Kokoda Trail in just nine days. Aussie and Beverly successfully ended their trek at 6.30pm on Sunday…[Read more]

UPDATE: DAY 6Today – November 18th 2004, perhaps will be remembered in many ways for Gail and her team. We caught up with them on the radio as soon as they reached Brigade Hill – Russell's supposedly favourite spot along the track.It is Russell's Birthday today and the as planned the group arrived at Brigade Hill just in time to celebrate it. The…[Read more]

Gail is accompanied by an old friend Beverley Howell who flew all the way from Australia to join her. The two of them are doing great, catching up on a lot of stories from good old days and according to Beverley ? ?having the time of their lives?.At 12:45 today I reached Gail on the radio whilst taking their lunch break with the porters and guides…[Read more]

So 'aussie' as everyone on our websites may know her is finally going on something she'd never dreamt of doing or even considered a few short years ago.It was a question perhaps every trekker that come to PNG had asked her and all they got was I got into this by accident to help the people of PNG and I have never trekked in my life. My love for…[Read more]

From humble beginnings also came the successful establishment of ‘Extreme Kokoda Trekking Adventure Tours’ and the 100 percent nationally owned Orokaivan company she set up for her joint venture partner, Russell Eroro – Kokoda Trekking Limited.Gail as the Managing Director of Extreme Kokoda Trekking Adventure Tours brings in and organises treks on…[Read more]

During her 30 years of working as an expatriate in Papua New Guinea, Gail has lived and worked in various locations including a year in Mt Hagen followed by 14 + years in Lae until she went finish in 1986. Two years later she returned to PNG to work in Port Moresby. Years later she was transferred to Goroka where she continued her work with…[Read more]

As a sign of appreciation the boys from Sydney chewed buai (betel nut) with mustard and lime brought in by the locals and painted their faces with lime. Even Natalie and Kate had a go with the betel nut that night. One would say it was a hell of an experience and the guys probably knew no bonds better than the one they had before they left Papua…[Read more]

For Natalie and Kate ?it is much tougher than on their bikes but certainly makes good practice.?It was probably the toughest six days of their lives whilst on trail, and everyone on the track had a different kind of experience apart from the painful and physical strain of the climbs and the falls ? but one good thing came about, and this is what…[Read more]

Like everyone else who has come along, they too related their experiences. “It was tough, very tough, but all that was worth it,” Sean O’Hara, the member of the group said about his six days walk.“It is an honor to come here and follow in the footsteps of the brave Aussie soldiers who have fought and died during the war. I came here because I…[Read more]

Accompanying them were two of Australia’s famous top female cyclists, 24 year old Natalie Bates and her sister, 22 year old Kate who trekked with their father Robert Bates. This year (2004) the younger sister, Kate competed in Athens Olympic Games and came 4th in her chosen event. Both Kate and Natalie joined their father after they knew about…[Read more]

Recently, seventeen guys from Rugby Union teams in Sydney, Australia, left the country after six days trekking on the kokoda trail. To them, it may be a relief but perhaps they now understand better why many Australian males their age, how 60 years ago our diggers courageously defended their country and fought off the Japanese forces during WWII…[Read more]

Day 5: Fast trek team arrive at Uberi TodayThe fast trek team made up of 20 people – 17 Rugby Union players and a father with his two champion daughter cyclists made it to Eberi today – which is their last stop before arriving back in Port Moresby tomorrow.Everyone's doing fine except for one who is still pushing behind. Tony Evari our guide…[Read more]

Other trekkers included: Steve Kennedy, Mick Kennedy, Bruce Hyatt, Ryan Parker, The other trek that headed out the same day from Geelong, Victoria included the following:1. Julie Shay 2. Tony Shay 3. Mick Lock4. Stephen Welsh 5. Julian ArblasterMore updates on the trekking tommorrow…Photograph: Julie & Tony Shay seen here at the Gateway Hotel…[Read more]

Gail who has been very busy with her full time job with Deloitte's had been meeting with her trekkers regularly prior to their trek since day one. At times she would miss out on special occasion just to be there with the trekkers. And there were times she could not make because certain circumstances would prevent her.On the one occasion she had to…[Read more]

Day 4 – Destination Efogi.The 9 Day 8 Group with Syprian left Eora campsite this morning are headed for Efogi where they will camping overnight.The group will pick up their load of food supplies in Kagi and will proceed on towards Efogi.Everyone's doing their usual pace and all is okay.Our experienced porters and guides in their uniforms – at the…[Read more]