Kokoda - reflections

Walking the Kokoda Trail is not for the faint hearted. Having said that, a Polish builder who was doing renovations for us once said '' With time, anything is possible''. If you walked 1 km a day on the Kokoda Trail, it would take you some time for sure. But it would be possible.

Our statistics were as follow

Total distance walked : 141 km

Total walking time on track : 69.5 hours

Longest day distance : Day 3 .;26.6 km

Shortest day Distance : Day 8 ; 6.72 km

Number of days with rain of some sort : 5

Number of creeks / rivers crossed ; Lost count after 22 on first day.

Number of slips / falls incurred by group as total : 423

Number of slips / falls by porters or guides : 0

Number of 400mg Italian Ibuprofen consumed by group : 32

As a 5 year old boy, I had watched (with interest and a certain keeness to join them) my mother's partner and his best friend set off to do the Kokoda.

From that day, ''doing Kokoda'' had seared an indelible mark upon my psyche. Growing up in Port Moresby and having the track literally in my back garden, I had always harboured dreams of doing it. Got close in 1982 with two mates when we did 2 days from McDonalds Corner but since then had never found the time or will power to do it. Until now.

Like any experience I have had in life, the level of enjoyment and satisfaction of doing whatever it is you've chosen to do, is largely determined by who you share that moment with.

With the group that I found myself in you could not have asked for a more complete group of people. Coming from very different backgrounds, there was seemingly an instantaneous bond formed by the common understanding that we were all in this together. From Day 1 there was a gentle curiosity amongst the group about who was who, and by Day 2 we were sharing stories about bodily functions and who was snoring loudest during the night. There were indeed collective nods of agreement on Day 2 when it was noted by someone at breakfast that they were amazed at how quickly I had fallen asleep and started to rumble the previous night.

I personally thought they had me mistaken for Gareth, who was lucky his porter had pegged his tent securely lest it shake itself off the camp site.

Every person in the group added immense value in their own indomitable way. Some more earnest than others, some more vested in the history of the trail, some the life of the party more than others, and so on. What bound us all, was a steely determination, that whatever the challenges in front us we were going to do this thing called the Kokoda Trail. It just so happened that at the same time we were going to have a lot of fun, and laugh a lot.

The team...

Left to right : Marty, Glen, Chris, Jenna, Lynda, Gareth, Kristy, Anne, Danette, Author, Lisa, Grant, Dammo, Peta, Mo

I was unsure whether the photo above was taken pre or post trek. The gaunt looking nature of the group suggested to me it was post-trek. That observation was re-inforced when I noticed Lynda's right knee. And right there is an inspirational story of determination that examples the very best of the human spirit.

I have been privileged to witness a few extraordinary examples where the strength of character has overcome the physical disadvantages thrown at a person.

Two spring to mind.

The first was in far north Norway when I was cycling through the Artic Circle. Outside a small town, along a straight piece of road, I came across a lady moving towards me on some sort of contraption. As she drew closer I realised she was paraplegic and was in fact sitting almost upright, harnessed into what looked like a bar stool with her immobile legs strapped to two long roller skis. Using only her upper body and arms she was utilising long ski poles to pull herself forward along the road. Essentially cross country skiing on a dry road. She was up to and past me before I had time to record the moment and in a way I am glad I didn't take a photo. I didn't need it. Such was the impact on me it will remain clearer in my mind than any hurried , blurred photo would do justice to.

The second similar act, was about a month earlier on the same bike ride. I was crossing a bridge in Germany when I came across a man called Georg. He was on a device called a trike. Essentially a bucket seat with two rear wheels and a front wheel by which to steer with. He was doing a 600 km round trip from his home in Bavaria, simply ''because I can''. What was remarkable about him was that he was completely blind. He had a close friend with him, who would ride ahead a few meters on his own bike and using a 2-way communication system let Georg know when to stop, when to turn and when to avoid obstacles. If you ever wanted an example of complete trust, then look no further.

I asked him why he was carrying a Go-Pro camera on a stick with him. His response was that he wanted to share his travels with his wife and kids when he got home. Let them see the images he couldn't and get them to describe to him what he hadn't seen.

Meet Georg.

Georg, his cycling companion and some random Aussie they met on the road between Koblenz and Cologne.

Why did I tell you these two stories. Well on a par with them is, in my opinion of ''inspirational deeds'', what Lynda achieved during this trek. Snapping a medial ligament is something I have done (waterskiing on one ski at high speed into a river bank will always do the trick) and I am acutely aware of what comes next. In my case I was diagnosed the very next day and operated on a week later once the swelling had gone down. For Lynda, no such luxury. All she had was her own determination, the unrelenting never complaining support of her husband, Chris ( who was also suffering from his own physical ailments), some strapping, and a handful of an assortment of powerful drugs supplied by several members of the group. Oh, and the small matter of facing another 6 days on track. The ''easy'' option would have been to turn around on Day 2 and walk back to Kokoda, get airlfited back to Port Moresby and sit pool side sipping cocktails for 6 days awaiting the arrival of all of us. Not for this lady. On she went, albeit at a slightly slower pace than she had probably envisioned, but went she did. As Chris said to me on the day it occurred...'' She'll be alirght.. She's one tough mudda''.

There were of course others in our group who fought their own physical issues and my good friend Gareth ranks high up there too.

As does Mo who turned up with two chronically arthritic knees and proceeded to flog her knees to a place they probably weren't designed to go to. At times Mo would get into camp sevral hours after the group, having, on many occasions started the days trek an hour or so before us. For Mo, it was ostensibly a lone trek. Her porters her only companionship during the day, and only fleeting time spent with the rest of us at either breakfast or dinner. Hence the lack of her presence in any of the photo's enclosed in the previous postings of this blog. Whatever one might think about putting your body through such rigour, the determination and sheer stubborness to acheive what she did, is admirable.

Gareth T.

Oh where to start. I wrote earlier about the quality of the people you share an experience with as being a very strong determinant of your enjoyment of that said experience. In Gareth I could not have hoped or wished for a better friend to do this trek with. Back in the early noughties i did a couple of Oxfam 100 km walks. Essentially a walk through the national parks of Sydney along what were mostly goat tracks. One year I managed to cajole Gareth into making up our group of 4. The pace was pretty quick from the off, and after about 30 km another member of the team came up to me and said '' we might be in trouble'' . I asked why and the respponse I got was ''Gareth is walking more sideways than he is forward''. That was not even a third of the way through the walk. I fell back and asked Gareth if he was OK. Plain to see he wasn't. ''I will be fine'' he replied. It wasn't until 20 km later at the halfway point did he finally relent to his body's pain.

I was pretty sure the mental scarring from that experience hadn't diluted much, so when I sent Gareth a Whatsapp asking if he'd be interested in doing Kokoda with me I as fully prepared for a '' You can fuck right off'' response. The fact I got a reply within minutes that was a simple ''yes'' speaks volumes for the man.

Like me Gareth is an advocate of the 6 P's in life. Proper Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Perfomance. Like me he also doesn't need too much of an excuse to buy a gadget or the latest gizmo that will supposedly make your life easier . I am pretty sure too that he lives by the motto ''He who dies with the most toys wins'' . Therein perhaps lies a large part of the reason he was so eager to do Kokoda with me. Full justification for a splurge on new equipment and gadgets.

I have known Gareth for 30 years. I understand the character of the man (to a degree), and so it wasn't at all a surprise that by the end of Day 1 he had ingratiated himself to the group with his very unique sense of humour, dry wit, and somehwat sarcastic observational skills which continued to keep us all amused for the entirety of the trip. He was giving in time and support to me and generous beyond measure with whatever he could give to anyone should they need it and if he had it. Not once did he complain about the issues he was facing with his hamstring. His approach was very matter of fact and very much '' lets just get this fucker done '' .

Gareth, I salute you and I thank you for being everything you are, and for being my friend.

It would be amiss of me not to mention probably the most important person on the trip which was our guide Peta.B.

Her passion for the people of PNG, for the history of the track, for her very job as guide was amazing to witness. She brought with her an infectious enthusiasm that was evident for all to see and her ability to keep us motivated and moving forward was a skill much envied by me. For at times it must have been like herding cats. However she did it without complaint nor ever a terse word and remarkably always kept herself composed. She was as integral to the enjoyment of the trek as everyone of the paying customers who was doing it.

Finally a thanks to my wife, Kathryn. We had planned to do this trek a while ago, when it became apparent to her just how much PNG meant to me and so too Kokoda. For many reasons we never actually got around to doing it and the timing of the trek this year conspired against her being a part of it. It would be un understatement to say I could not have done it without her. She was in part my major motivator whenever I lacked the enthusiasm during those cold winter English months and on many traning hikes she wold eagerly keep me company. Although not with me on the trek in person she was in spirit and for that I am eternally grateful.

Quotes of the trek..there were many...but the top 3 all belong to Chris

1. The scene ...we had just conquered another steep hill in relenting heat and humidity. As we sat in the shade of a hut Chris collapsed onto his back in front of us and said

   '' hey Dammo you there ?''

Dammo replied ''yes mate what can I do for you ?

'' Come over here and stamp on my neck will ya and crush it ''

2. The scene - We had just conquered another steep hill in relenting heat and humidity. As we sat in the shade of a hut Chris collapsed onto his back in front of us and after being asked how felt about that particular climb responded

   '' I think I'd rather slam my old fella in a car door''

3. The scene - one of the members of the group, struck down with gastro issues had run off into the jungle around us to relieve themselves for the 12th time that day. Upon returning Chris was heard to nonchantly ask

   '' Shit a soup did we? ''

Finally a massive thanks to everyone in the group. I have singled out some, but every one of you, individually and collectively made the trek what it was. A memorable, never to be forgotten life experience that I will forever look back on as a seminal moment in my life. I feel truly blessed and privileged to have shared those 9-10 days with you and i thank you from the depths of my heart for being a beautiful part of such a momentous and spiritual ''home coming'' for me.