I started with one pole, but on the steep climbs and the sucking mud two poles will help as will your porter.

Hey Sydney siders

Anyone in Sydney the movie is on channel nine (9) on Saturday the 23 or August at 21:30. It will probably be censored, but still worth watching.

Hi everyone, My partner and I completed the Kokoda trek with KTL at the end of June this year. I have to say I would not have been able to make it if it was not for our wonderful porters. On the second day I felt bad, the malaria tablet I took in the morning did not fell like it went down properly and then I got a migraine! My partner had also hurt his knee on the first day so we were both feel fairly ordinary when we got to camp and without our porters help we would not have got there.

After the second day I was right, fighting fit, but Steven’s knee still troubled him for the rest of the trip. When we were planning the trip we wanted to take our own packs, but after reading this site and much discussion we decided to use a porter. I am so glad we made that decision, not only because it made things easier for us but it gave us the opportunity to get to know someone local to PNG i.e. our porters Brendan and Lanny. They gave the trip a more personal feel, they could tell us about the local plants, animals and people.

The porters took very good care of us and I always felt safe (even when the track only as wide as my foot). There was also song and laughter along the way, but when we did a river crossing they were very serious and our safety was uppermost in their minds, they took the responsibility of our safety very seriously.

There were only four of us on our trek which was great, we had not met the other couple before the trek but have kept in contact since. We did pass others with a lot more people in them and did not fancy being with them.

The villages we stayed in were always well taken care of and maintained and it was nice to have a mattress and pillows sometimes. We always felt welcome at the villages and were treated to good local produce along the way.

Thanks KTL for a great trip that will always stay with us.

Karen
Trek 421

Editors Note: Brendan Buka, Karen's porter is well known around here as the TREK CHAMPION who holds the record in both directions in a time of 17 hours + No doubt Karen will be waiting for an update come the end of this month to see if Brendan can win again or is someone going to beat him this year round and take his crown away. Brendan is on the left hand side in the back row in this group photograph.
Trek_421.jpg

Earthboy Rod what camera did you have? you did not say.

Hi

I got about 300 pics, with reviewing and deleting and mucking about with the camera, per battery and took two batteries, the 2G card can take 800+ photos so it is the battery that will go before the card is full.

I started out with it on a lanyard attached to my pack, but the thing rusted with the humidity so I just ended up with it in my pocket. The black face plate is a bit scratched, and I put one of those mobile phone clear screen covers on the screen just in case (cost 15 bucks I think had to modify one to fit)

Have fun

Just remember that in the villages you stay at the locals may provide you with cooked vegetables or fresh friut and you will need to pay for this, we paid 5k each to the village when fresh food was provided and shared it with our porters. So make sure you have a supply of 5k notes. Also at places like Brigade Hill there are locals selling food as well which you may want to buy.