Alison trekked the Kokoda Track in April 2014…
One of the most special parts of my Kokoda trip for Lifeline in April 2014 was walking with and getting to know the local crew who accompanied us along the Track. I loved the scenery and the physical and mental challenge, but what really helped make Kokoda the best thing I’ve ever done was meeting the local people and seeing the villages where they lived. It was eye-opening.
Our crew of porters were nothing short of amazing. They knew that track like the back of their hands and they definitely knew the best way to get to the end, each and every rocky step. And, I am not exaggerating. If things on the track got tough, they seemed to appear from nowhere to lend a helping hand if we needed it.
They were fit, strong and agile.
I was in awe of how quickly and effortlessly they moved along the track.
They were fantastic at their job and I can understand why they have the hero status that they do. This extends back to the war in Papua New Guinea in 1942, when local villagers along the Kokoda Track carried supplies and equipment for our Australian soldiers; and carried wounded Australian soldiers back to Owers’ Corner, near Port Moresby, where they could receive medical attention. This earned them a great deal of respect from the Aussies and the affectionate term of “Fuzzy Wuzzy angel.”
Most of the porters that accompanied us were from a village half-way along the Track called Naduri. It was great for us to see how excited the crew were to be heading home to see their friends and family for a night. Naduri is also home to Ovuru Indiki, one of the last Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels who passed away in 2013. We were privileged to meet with Ovuru’s sons and extended family when everyone in the village sang beautifully to us as part of their Friday night Church service.
Regardless of whether we had a personal porter or not, I think each of us in my team were very grateful to have the crew on our trip. They made life along the Kokoda easier and far more enjoyable.
As well as the team crew and porters, we also had the opportunity to have a personal porter accompany us on the Kokoda Track. I give full kudos to those in our team who carried their own pack and completed the trek without a porter – that’s no mean feat and I am in awe of their strength. But, it was never a difficult decision for me to have a personal porter, and from the moment we stepped onto the Track I knew that I had made the right decision.
My porter figured out what my level of fitness was and was beside me the second I needed assistance. He walked in front of me going up hills, so I could place my feet in his footsteps, and held onto my pack as I slid hiked downhill. He not only carried my main pack (I carried my own day pack) and helped me off the ground when I had a fall (did I mention how unco I am?!), but was great company to have along the trek too. I have no doubt that I would have had a completely different experience trekking Kokoda without my porter by my side.
