L.J. Hooker Salisbury Team Trekking for a Cause
Cystic Fibrosis Australia wish to congratulate L.J. Hooker Salisbury Principal Daren Morris and three of his sales consultants, Margaret Meadows, Galen Kanti-Paul and Justin Peters on their successful completion of the 96 kilometre Kokoda Trail in November 2007. We are thrilled that through this great endeavour L.J. Hooker Salisbury raised over $7,000 for Cystic Fibrosis Research – well done!
Below Margaret Meadows recounts this amazing experience .....
KOKODA 2007 – HOME SAFE AND SOUND!
For all of you that sent your best wishes and graciously donated to the Cystic Fibrosis Fund Raisers, I give my sincere thanks. Donations reached $7,000.
The Kokoda track is over 96km and is recognised as the third toughest trek in the world. My colleagues Daren Morris, Justin Peters, Galen Kanti-Paul and I, along with seven other trekkers, completed the trek one and a half days ahead of schedule from Owers Corner to Kokoda.
We travelled deep into the jungle and as rugged as every step was the scenery was breathtaking, although to absorb the wondrous view you would have to stand still to look at it, for a loss of concentration albeit for a second could see you ending in a fall. I came back with my fair share of bruises. We visited and gave thanks to our fallen soldiers at Bomana cemetery and left our mark in the visitor’s book.
On day one after meeting our guides we started our journey. We had only been walking for one hour and found ourselves at Goldie River. To cross this huge river we had to remove our boots, hold them high above our head and walk through. The current was powerful and you had to use all your strength so as not to be swept away, as the river was chest high.
Each day consisted of walking for approximately eight and a half to nine hours per day. It would be four to five hours before you would have your first break. Our ration packs were handed out each night for the next day’s supplies. You learnt to enjoy tuna and two-minute noodles.
Our guides became our best friends and were always there if you needed them. My guide was a lifesaver on one occasion- as I was about to take a big fall he just reached for me and grabbed my backpack to stop me from falling.
Oro, oro, oro was a sound we learnt to love. It means Welcome, welcome, welcome it also meant we were at day’s end and we would set up camp for the night. A late night seemed to be 7.30pm. 6.30pm was more the average time we went to bed. Each morning we were up 5.00am and the day’s walking started at 6.00am. I found this extremely difficult as I am anything but a morning person.
Remembrance day commenced with a dawn service at the Isurava battle site. Both the Papua New Guinean and Australian national anthem was sung. The harmonies echoed through the valley, a sound that will not be easily forgotten. Soon after, camp was packed up and we commenced our final day’s walk into Kokoda. A minute’s silence was observed at Korelo Village. Just a short five-hour stroll from Isurava.
The villagers welcomed us with fresh cut pineapple, a sweet, juicy treat that was happily received. We rested at Korelo Village for approximately one hour. We watched children playing in the ice-cold stream and the ladies of the village washing their clothes by scrubbing them against the rocks.
Pushing on, Kokoda was now only an hour away. Unlike other parts of the track where the thick overhead canopy from the dense foliage protected you from the direct sun, this last hour was a plateau of open ground, the heat was not gentle and it felt like this was the longest hour of the 96km trek.
Oro, oro, oro, as we walked into Kokoda, this welcome came from all the local people we passed. Huge smiles filled our faces and tears welled up in many eyes. We had finally made it! Arriving one and a half days ahead of schedule we could put our packs down for the last time.
Hugs were given to all, to all our guides and fellow trekkers. Our guides expressed congratulations and told us how well we had all done.
We had survived! If you were to speak to each of us you would hear different stories. Everyone’s journey and experience is vastly different. For me, the experience was not life changing, however it is a memory I will have for a lifetime.
Margaret Meadows
