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By the way, just a little mention for those guys sometimes fondly referred to as "fuzzy wuzzy angels" by old diggers – they never wore boots, and had the least problems with their feet. But my feet were too soft to emulate them, gotta admit! They could WALK up mountains like a sunday stroll in a few hours, carrying OUR packs! – While we took just about all day and got knackered! – God Bless 'em!
Hi I am an old hand from New Guinea, – Ex-Army PNGVR unit – but keep up to things pretty much (I'm 62 feeling like 32) – Vaseline is good for protection, yes… but if Tinea strikes, use Apple Cider vinegar and wipe on affected areas – stings – but goes and let dry, put vaso over before replacing socks and boots. I always wore 2 army socks on each foot – my boots had room for it. Dont eat too much processed European food… Eat native kaukau, taro or yams, and especially orange cooking banana with them, bully beef added okay, but not too much. Especially get to drink young green coconut juice for bowel and intestinal health. Use bHIP sachets with 500 or 600ml water every day for best energy, stamina, concentration and immune system booster to help protect from disease … There is a bad virus that can hit you in PNG, hits the lungs like a band around your chest… is not a heart problem… but local green leaves like HOVOI or NONU Fruit (Noni also comes in sachets from bHIP agents) I found work best and also good with Malaria. (Kerema people GD, know this.) – So if you need to know where to get some of these things, just Give me a HOY at Brisbane on +61 405 161 778, or email me direct at rkoomans@yahoo.com or (2nd backup email) – bob.bhip@gmail.com
Re: Energy, Stamina, Concentration and Disease Protection while trekking…. Hi, I had climbed part of the track back in the early 70's while in the PNGVR (PNG Army Reserves). While I was fit and young, the track was really hard going and my energy and stamina levels were sapped fast, and could not recover fully using European tucker. Native Food is Organically grown and has 90% more nutrition than ours, as well as ample fibre. While HOVOI from Kerema people works great for energy and stamina and disease protection, it is bulky to carry. The Americans have brought out a lightweight sachet form with herbs that is made with other Asian and S American herbs, that you just mix with clean drinking water in a 500ml bottle. – And a month's supply (30 sachets) costs only $60 retail, but you can be invited to join and buy it wholesale! I have a few contacts – SO – Give me a HOY at rkoomans@yahoo.com or +61-405161778 (sms ur email address if no answer while I am driving.)
Having best nutrition is of utmost importance anywhere in PNG – but especially on the Kokoda and Bulldog tracks, or anywhere stamina and energy is as important as high presence of mind and immune system boosting.Hi Korr and 39th. descendant… good to see there were warnings about getting LOST on the kokoda track… remember the Japanese Soldier who got lost near there in 1943? couldn't find his way back until 1961!!! (hehehe!) seriously though, even soldiers in PNG have got lost occasionally, though some suspect a few "greenies" (SP) were responsible. Others reckon they were just ducking work detail! _ I came accross the story of the lost Jap from Police at Brown River Station. He was the only survivor of a whole platoon. Returned back to Japan to find his wife remarried.. thought he was dead.
Hi, Sorry did not revisit site for a while. I know Bob harvey-Hall, lives in Brisbane now and is a member of PNGVR/NGVR association here. Large group, we march in ANZAC day Parades in the City. I think we are the only ex-PNGVR association around Australia: correct if wrong. Bill Guest, – remember the name, trying to place. Kokoda is a good place to go, stirs up feelings for those guys who fought against a numerically superior and battle hardened Japanese Army. I would not wish upon anyone to have to actually fight a war in such terrain without the backup we expect today. rkoomans@yahoo.com
BomanaWarCem.jpgHi, I went on the track while in the PNGVR, standard Army Uniform of the 60's. Floppy hat was said to be better and had 101 uses… last one as a hat! fair dinkum mate, flies were least of my problems. we had a swarm of SWEAT BUGS hang around at the time. they like to drink up sweat from exposed skin. ticklish!!! no-one had a solution though, Native troops just joked that the white sergeant (Me) had dissappered and a BUKA sergeant replaced him – I was covered in black bugs!!!
Have a great time on the trek, hey, all the best mate!!! Bob Jackway-Koomans, ex-serviceman Mortar Platoon, PNGVR. (ancestral NGVR was First to fight Japanese in PNG – with heavy losses)I sa Kokoda, the movie too, as I wanted to visualise the experiences on film. I walked part of the track while in the PNGVR, (the descendent of the NGVR, whose members became guides for Aussie troops arriving for the battles to come.) I think it was a film that captured in a nutshell the conditions and experiences those troops had fighting a very experienced guerilla styled army. There in Kokoda, our troops first learnt the only efficient way to get out of an ambush, the hard way. Simply put, once ambushed all survivors charged into the attack firing from the hip. Casualties were high, but lower than the 100% fatalities than if they tried to avoid one.The aim was to do something the Japs would not expect, throwing panic into an almost perfect ambush. Robert Clive Jackway-koomans, ex PNGVR Mortar platoon sergeant.
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