After reading so much about the Kokoda Campaign, and the significance of Kokoda itself, you couldn’t help but try to picture the place as it was 67 years ago, with the legendary ‘Chocos’ emerging from the jungle, first to defend Kokoda, then moving north to attack, then being forced to retreat back to Deniki, and finally being moved forward again to defend Kokoda – just 77 of them to fend off 1000+ elite Japanese troops. This was the back-drop for our morning visit to the Kokoda war memorial and accompanying museum; a solemn experience, as it should be.
.
We were then introduced to the porters that would feed us (carry us if need be), plus some of our personal kit for the next 8 days to Owers’ Corner on the far side of the Owen Stanley Range. They carried only bare essentials for themselves, wore even less, with some clearly preferring bare feet to boots. We ‘Long Pig’ on the other hand emerged from our billets wearing the latest-and-greatest trekking fashion, plus whatever ‘cool’ accessories we could lay our hands on! Darren clearly was in his element, packing more gadgets than Inspector Gadget!
We were then introduced to the porters that would feed us (carry us if need be), plus some of our personal kit for the next 8 days to Owers’ Corner on the far side of the Owen Stanley Range. They carried only bare essentials for themselves, wore even less, with some clearly preferring bare feet to boots. We ‘Long Pig’ on the other hand emerged from our billets wearing the latest-and-greatest trekking fashion, plus whatever ‘cool’ accessories we could lay our hands on! Darren clearly was in his element, packing more gadgets than Inspector Gadget!
.
And so under the smirking gaze of our Aboriginal brothers, we departed Kokoda around noon for Hoi village. The going was deceptively easy, only to then find the way forward blockaded by villagers, who felt very aggrieved by failure of government officials to fairly compensate them for allowing passage to trekkers through their lands. The exchanges were vociferous at times, but after 1.5hrs we were allowed through, with our gaze firmly fixed on the track for fear of exciting their ‘head-hunting’ proclivity. The route towards Deniki then rose sharply, with the heavens opening for the daily deluge at 14:30hrs. We eventually limped into Deniki around 16:00hrs, noticing a decided chill in the air. Washing of clothes and bodily parts, in torrential rain, under a very cold bamboo shower, was a far cry from the warm ocean dips enjoyed just two days before!!! However, this minor discomfort was more than compensated by the views across the Kokoda valley as the skies cleared and the sun set – bloody marvellous.
And so under the smirking gaze of our Aboriginal brothers, we departed Kokoda around noon for Hoi village. The going was deceptively easy, only to then find the way forward blockaded by villagers, who felt very aggrieved by failure of government officials to fairly compensate them for allowing passage to trekkers through their lands. The exchanges were vociferous at times, but after 1.5hrs we were allowed through, with our gaze firmly fixed on the track for fear of exciting their ‘head-hunting’ proclivity. The route towards Deniki then rose sharply, with the heavens opening for the daily deluge at 14:30hrs. We eventually limped into Deniki around 16:00hrs, noticing a decided chill in the air. Washing of clothes and bodily parts, in torrential rain, under a very cold bamboo shower, was a far cry from the warm ocean dips enjoyed just two days before!!! However, this minor discomfort was more than compensated by the views across the Kokoda valley as the skies cleared and the sun set – bloody marvellous.
No comments:
Post a Comment