Hi Andrew, if you're carrying all your food for 10 days and not sharing tent, etc then maybe you should be looking more at the 85L. But I had a porter and a day pack so am probably not the best to advise on this.I'm sure there are packing nazis out there who could squeeze everything into a 25L day pack….

Andrew, I took a 3 man dome tent and shared it with my father. It was a cheap Kmart jobby and was perfect.We had 6 nights on the trek and only camped "outside" once. All other times we were either in fully enclosed huts or lean-to type huts with no walls. On these nights we erected the inner part of the tent only to keep mossies out, but it was…[Read more]

Don't lose any more sleep over your boot decision Kate. You were right, erring on the side of too big is by far the better option.Your feet do get mashed about coming down hills especially as it's very steep. You may want to consider a thin pair of socks underneath a thicker pair, that's what I did, as my boots were also slightly too big too. Try…[Read more]

Hi Kate, agree with Andrew. Seems like you can save some money and get a pretty cheap one – they are in every hiking / sports store. Just make sure you have the right litres. Your porter will be right (he won't even attach the hip strap…..)Sounds like you can get use out of a day pack, so you may want to get a decent one. These can double up as…[Read more]

Hi Jonas, exciting times ahead for you. Mate you can get right into the whole exercise regime – full blown programs and the like. That's not really my go, I was 34 when I did the trek and when I did it I found what worked for me was:- I got into a little bit of jogging (40min type jogs in a lunch break a couple of times a week). It's pretty hilly…[Read more]

I had a 3 man dome, myself and my dad shared. It was just a cheapo thing (Kmart jobby) and ideal as it was new and hadn't had a chance to deteriorate.About half of the time we got lucky and access to 'huts'. We'd erect the inner part only to keep out mossies – perfect.

Hi Dani,Exciting times ahead for you! I suggest you wade through the various threads in this website and you'll find heaps of info that will help you out.For what it's worth:- You sound pretty fit and young (unless you're one of those that never leave uni….) so you should be right fitness wise. I'd suggest as much hill work with your boots on as…[Read more]

Just my 2 cents josh.I agree with everything johnny said. It sounds like you've settled on your shoes and pack, so no comment there. That's really the area to spend money on…With your other stuff I'd be going cheap. A light spray jacket is fine (as you won't use it anyway due to being soaked through from sweat – handy at night if you need to go…[Read more]

– The track gets to about the height of Kosi (just over 2,000mtrs) so its about a km higher than the overland, but it's not altitude sickness high or anthing.- I've done the overland and kokoda is far tougher. Kokoda is longer and steeper (there is very little respite) but far more oppressive with the heat and humidity. You can get warm walking,…[Read more]

QUOTE(Scacey @ 22 Jan 2011, 08:53 PM) [snapback]12841[/snapback]No worries rocky. I will let u know how they go. And about looking ridiculous? Pretty sure kokoda is not a fashion parade!Fair enough Scacey, looking back I must of been in a mood when I wrote that! I don't think they're a good option for the terrain but good luck with it. As Pete and…[Read more]

They look absolutely ridiculous and completely inappropriate. Got to be a gee up. I can't think of anything worse to wear (except maybe high heels…).

I agree completely Shane, good post.I'd add that the track is rampant jungle for the most part and far more at the mercy of the elements than a bunch of boots. You hack a sapling down and another springs up almost overnight. Rain teems down washing away boot prints. Of course, there would be a critical mass of visitors the facilities could cater…[Read more]

Knees are a tough one fluppy, as I'm sure your hubby can attest. It really all depends on what his problems are. I know you said finances are a problem, but I'd really suggest he gets a full diagnostic done prior to any sort of exercise regime and work in consultation with the physio to at least set him up properly – he may not need to keep going…[Read more]

That's a great story Boss – it's funny how inanimate objects can take on very personal meaning and the added touch of a carving by your porter is a wonderful idea.

That research is no real surprise to me Peter – makes for interesting reading.As a 34 year old bloke I had always thought walking poles a bit "gay". I'd never used them pre-Kokoda and believed they were mainly for over the top 65+ year old yogurt eaters.That said – I picked up a sturdy looking straight branch from the scrub at the start of the…[Read more]

Saloo, I think you'll find they are pretty standard exclusions. I'd suggest you read the fine print of other policies and compare as you will most likely find similar wording in other offerings.Another thing for those strapped for cash – many credit cards have travel insurance attached (no extra cash) if you purchase certain portions of your trip…[Read more]

Scott,Like most questions on equipment it'll come down to a number of things. Personally I didn't take a ground sheet and didn't need one. But my tent was a cheapy 3 man dome and I didn't need to protect it. Similarly we were lucky with huts and spent more nights inside than out. Some things to consider:Is your tent expensive? Do you want to…[Read more]

Yes Brian that was my experience too. When I was speaking with the boys I quizzed them on waist straps and they said they don't like them because they feel it restricts their leg movements. I suppose with all the climbing up and down you take big lunges with your steps. Also because a lot of the boys are smaller than most of the trekkers the packs…[Read more]

Whilst I don't disagree with the need for a good pack if you're a regular hiker, if, like me you don't overnight hike much and Kokoda was pretty much a one-off consider this: A lot of people (most) get porters. Your expensive pack will be wasted on them. I saw not one porter cinch the waist belt – they all hitch the shoulder straps really tight…[Read more]

In terms of creeks there are a lot of crossings, but most of these are small and shouldn't bother you. The potentially deepest without a "bridge" is probably the goldie near owers and levels here fluctuate a lot depending on rains (it was belly button deep when I went across but I understand can flood). I'm not aware of any treks being turned…[Read more]