Kokoda 2006

Tuesday May 2 - Day 8

Plan was to get an hours walk out from Owers Corner so an early start from Nauro and a monster day ahead.  Big uphill in the rain to Ioribawa Ridge where Aiden showed us the trenches dug by the Japanese.  This was as close as the Japanese got to Moresby.  It was from here they "Advanced to the rear".

Big downhill with plenty of "WHao hey" to Walla Walla creek for late lunch.  Great roast lamb with mash dehy. 

The afternoon was spent crossing creeks, walking along creeks and generally crossing small ridges to get back to the creek.  Sometimes the creeks were shallow, others about knee deep, but all moved quickly making crossing a balancing act on loose boulders below the surface.

Camp was a narrow strip between a steep hill on one side and a creek on the other.  Tents were crammed together and Neil and Phil ended up with the smallest two man tent in the village.  More like a one man tent.  What made it more interesting was it had to be placed on a trees root system infested with big biting red ants.

Big shared feed tonight around the camp fire with all the others.

Wednesday May 3 - Day 9

6:00am start in the dark for the big finish at Owers Corner.  Rain is on the way so we have to get there quick otherwise the trucks can't get in.  This means we could have another 8-16k walk out to Sogeri. 

650m climb up to Imita Ridge which was tough.  The legs are starting to feel it now and can certainly tell I've lost weight over the last 8 days. 

Down, down, down the Golden Stairs to Goldie River.  Mud, mud, mud and "whoa hey".  If it weren't for tree roots as steps it would have been even harder.  The river was up so packs to the shoulder and wade through with water up to the chest!

The last 1k climb up 250m to the Corner took over an hour.  Really steep and exposed in the sun made it harder but what a feeling when you see the Kokoda Track arch.  Great sense of achievement having done it but I'm pleased I took the early advise to pace myself, look around on the way, embrace the experience and don't treat it like a race.  Amazing to look back to Ioribawa Ridge and Imita Ridge from Owers Corner.  Quite some distance covered just in the morning.

With the last of the Microsoft team arriving it became very emotional with some tears and cheers.  And at the top of the hill where the trucks arrived we had a few beers.  All on board and 50k truck ride to the Bomana Cemetery and then back to the hotel for a wash. 

Presentations around the pool then dinner at the Pizza place in the hotel followed by pool, betelnut (with help from the Security Guard) and more pool.

Thursday May 4 - Home

4:00 start again! this time to catch the 6:30 flight to Brisbane.  Change at the airport to domestic and onto Sydney.

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