|
Waiting in Moresby airport with Big Jack for my 14 trekkers, I’ve done the equipment check, the grocery shopping, the rooms at the Holiday Inn are ready, everything is going to plan, what could go wrong? - flight lands but only 12 trekkers appear! Husband and wife team Mark & Adriana have missed their connecting flight and are still in Brisbane! Well, didn’t that get the No Roads Aussie and PNG teams working overtime. Whilst we had a great pre-trek briefing, a few beers by the pool and a relaxing buffet dinner, M&A (or Mr & Mrs “NN” as they were now affectionately known) were spending what we could only imagine was a very frosty night in a Brisbane motel waiting for the first flight out tomorrow!
Undeterred, my “punctual” trekkers made our 6.00am flight to Popondetta and copped the 3 hour Chiropractic Express PMV truck ride to Kokoda almost unscathed! We knew we had a very short walk ahead of us as we had to wait for the stragglers at Hoi (6kms from Kokoda), so we enjoyed a leisurely lunch and a look around the museum on the infamous Kokoda Plateau, where our young diggers courageously received their baptism of fire against the might of the Japanese Imperial Army in what was the start of one of the most heroic defensive actions in the annals of military history. One of the bloodiest campaigns in WWII, more Aussies were KIA and more Japanese got closer to Australia than any other campaign - this was the Battle for Australia. |
|
After lunch we meet our lifeline and new best friends (AKA our PNG Guides) - some soon to be known as “Velcro” they stayed that close in the trying conditions - going over and above at all times.
Then we’re off, through the starting gates and the first 2 hours of the only flat terrain for the next 9 days. Arriving at Hoi, we “hurry up and wait” as this is camp for the night as we hope to hear from the stragglers that they are on their way. A wash in the creek, a warm Coke and cold Twisties, a beautiful meal prepared by our designated Master Chef, and then the obligatory rain sets in...
Day 2 starts with no rush, the trekkers get used to their first morning routine of clearing the tents/huts, packing their bags, boots on, water filled and a brewed coffee before breakfast. And then thanks to the magic work of the NRE operations team, out of the mist strolls Mark & Adriana, already 2 hours walk into Day 2 - and we’re only an hour behind schedule.. After much mirth and merriment at their “mishap” of missing their flight - it’s now game on as we hit our first of (oh so many) steep climbs to Deniki, ascending the same combined elevation as Mt Everest over 100kms of mud, tree roots, rocks and gushing “creeks” which are so big they would be called rivers in any other country...
With a median age of 61, my 14 trekkers were magnificent and didn’t miss a beat, and gee we had some laughs. Father and 2 sons from Brisbane (Michael returning for his 2nd after 10 years), father and son from St Andrews, Evan the Bear, Dato from Cranny, Mark & Adriana from NWN and the Colac 5 made up my 14. The camaraderie shared amongst this disparate group was amazing as the dairy farmer boys from Colac never let a moment pass to crack a gag, especially at themselves and made sure everyone copped their fair share of stick!
With 8 nights out bush including our rest day in Kagi, many hours spent playing cards under Sid’s masterful watch and laughing our heads off at Moony’s consistent mistakes - yes the Queen of Spades is “the one”!!
Before we knew it, we are only 100 metres from the Kokoda Arches at Owers’ Corner, we pause to reflect on our own achievements in completing one of the world’s most gruelling treks, but more importantly, paying our respects to all the Diggers and Papuans who sacrificed so much. They gave their tomorrows so we could have our todays...
Hadyn Hewitt
Expedition Guide
No Roads Expeditions
[email protected]
Then we’re off, through the starting gates and the first 2 hours of the only flat terrain for the next 9 days. Arriving at Hoi, we “hurry up and wait” as this is camp for the night as we hope to hear from the stragglers that they are on their way. A wash in the creek, a warm Coke and cold Twisties, a beautiful meal prepared by our designated Master Chef, and then the obligatory rain sets in...
Day 2 starts with no rush, the trekkers get used to their first morning routine of clearing the tents/huts, packing their bags, boots on, water filled and a brewed coffee before breakfast. And then thanks to the magic work of the NRE operations team, out of the mist strolls Mark & Adriana, already 2 hours walk into Day 2 - and we’re only an hour behind schedule.. After much mirth and merriment at their “mishap” of missing their flight - it’s now game on as we hit our first of (oh so many) steep climbs to Deniki, ascending the same combined elevation as Mt Everest over 100kms of mud, tree roots, rocks and gushing “creeks” which are so big they would be called rivers in any other country...
With a median age of 61, my 14 trekkers were magnificent and didn’t miss a beat, and gee we had some laughs. Father and 2 sons from Brisbane (Michael returning for his 2nd after 10 years), father and son from St Andrews, Evan the Bear, Dato from Cranny, Mark & Adriana from NWN and the Colac 5 made up my 14. The camaraderie shared amongst this disparate group was amazing as the dairy farmer boys from Colac never let a moment pass to crack a gag, especially at themselves and made sure everyone copped their fair share of stick!
With 8 nights out bush including our rest day in Kagi, many hours spent playing cards under Sid’s masterful watch and laughing our heads off at Moony’s consistent mistakes - yes the Queen of Spades is “the one”!!
Before we knew it, we are only 100 metres from the Kokoda Arches at Owers’ Corner, we pause to reflect on our own achievements in completing one of the world’s most gruelling treks, but more importantly, paying our respects to all the Diggers and Papuans who sacrificed so much. They gave their tomorrows so we could have our todays...
Hadyn Hewitt
Expedition Guide
No Roads Expeditions
[email protected]
