Bushwalk from Isurava 25th May 2008.

The descent back down to Kokoda is nearly all downhill and also makes you feel that maybe the climb up wasn’t as hard as you originally thought. 5 hours will get you back to Kokoda and you’ll feel good for the workout. The hardest part is keeping your toes in one piece as blisters and bashed toe nails ensue.

If you start out early enough, then you will have some time to relax and get a few photos of the scenery, and you may even see the Cassowary at Hoy on the way down. Refuse a lift from your porter on the last creek, and remove your boots one last time. The cool water is bliss on your tired, weary feet.

Some 66 years ago, this section of the Kokoda Track saw some bloody fighting where many young Australian and Japanese Men lost their lives, to know that even on the 25^th of May 2008, the life of another young Australian was stolen in the Owen Stanleys is a sober reminder of the role that nature plays out.

Vale.

Bushwalk to Isurava. 23rd May 2008.

I was hoping to walk up to Isurava from Kokoda in two days, resting overnight in Deniki but thanks to Airlines PNG, I started off from Kokoda one day behind schedule, but with enough time to get to Isurava in one attempt.

I left the airport at 0920 and headed to the Asian Stoa which is located near Muddy Creek (a misnomer if ever I heard one) and my porters and guides picked up some food for the few days we were to be in the Owen Stanley Ranges. I bought some water and some brown fizzy drink and was set. Immediately leaving the Stoa there is a climb up to the Kokoda Memorial and Museum, from here you head due South past the Hospital and along a Tractor Track towards Kovello. This is a flat start to what soon becomes the up and down savagery of the Kokoda Track.

Soon after Kovello, you get to the small Village of Hoy, look out for a Cassowary who is penned up on your left, and also the stream here is deep enough that you should remove your boots. You do not want wet feet in only the first hour of walking.

After Hoy, the track weaves through Chokko fields and heads skywards up to Deniki, where there is a good rest stop and hopefully a 5 Kina brown fizzy drink to get you the caffeine you need for the rest of the day. Because from here, it is up, up and up to Isurava, through tree roots and mud and stones and small streams, the track continues its brutal climb.

And it gets darker and darker… and as the clouds lift up the Yodda Valley, the humidity reaches saturation and everything gets wet. But by a few minutes before 1700 you reach the Isurava Village, there are guesthouses here and at the Memorial Site and the people who live in the clouds are warm in heart but cool to touch; the children loved holding on to my warm hands after my big walk and their hands were so cold to touch. It was an emotional welcome after such a climb.

Alotau town water supply. 19th May 2008

I asked my friend Tom if he could help me out and walk to one of the Waterfalls that you can see in and amongst the surrounding Mountains of Alotau. He told me of a good one that was only one hour away, and was the source of the town’s water. It also passed through a settlement which was full of Trobriand Islanders and this suited Tom as these were his wantoks. Some of the other waterfalls with settlements were not so well known by Tom and he didn’t recommend that just the two of us should wander there by ourselves.

So, off we went acknowledging Tom’s wantoks with a casual “Beuna Kwaiai”; the Kiriwina phrase for “Good Afternoon”. Some of Tom’s female wantoks wanted to know where Tom was taking their “husband” and we all had a jolly good laugh…

Naturally, a waterfall is part of a water course so we followed a small stream up into the shade of the mountains, which was a welcome relief from the afternoon sun soaked Kunai grass fields where the track started. We crossed the stream continuously as we passed into cool jungle and the filter point of the town’s water supply. Some young workmen were repairing the filter inlet after recent flooding had closed the pick up point. We continued on up into the mountains.

By this stage we were walking in the creek/stream and our feet were wet yet cool. Eventually we made it to a waterfall which consisted of a tree that had fallen over and a small trickle of water. Anyway, the stream was fantastic to look at and it was a cool, peaceful location for a rest. Tom was right with the time to get there, just over the hour.

We then walked back down from where we came, our boots and feet getting wetter and wetter and we stopped to chat to some gardeners tending their crops and also join in a quick game of street soccer.

An enjoyable way to spend an evening.

Bushwalk Sunday 25th of May.

Sorry guys, I won't be around for the next walk. I did hear a rumour though that it was to be the Burn's Peak Death March.... Bugger, I'll miss it :(

But if there is no notice sent out, no fret, show up at the usual time at the usual place and who knows you may find that a walk is on the cards....

Varirata. Tourist drawcard or money trap?

How tourism should work… A tourist goes to a spot, may it be scenic or otherwise, they pay their entry fee, this fee goes to the upkeep of said spot. The tourist thinks that the spot is amazing and decides to take a few photographs and on their return home, they show said photos of said spot to their family and friends. Family and friends are inspired and plan their next holiday, perhaps including a visit to the spot.

Everyone is happy, Spot worker has a job, Spot is maintained and more and more people decide to visit, increasing employment in local community and just generally making everyone happy.

How tourism has worked for me in PNG… sometimes on the weekend, I am a tourist in my new found backyard. I would like something to do, so I ask around, and I discover that there is a good spot for a Sunday visit. I arrange to get there, I have a good time, I pay my entry fee and I pay some bloke who shows me around, and he takes me to the better parts of the spot. I’m impressed, I take a few photos and I show them to my friends, who ask me to take them to the spot.

We all arrange to get there, we all pay our entry fee, we all have a good time, and we all convince our friends that it is well worth the effort to get there. And they do.

Then one day we all show up, and as we are leaving, the guy who we pay entry fee to stops us and says that he hears that we have been taking photos of the scenery some two months prior. We say “Of Course! It’s a beautiful spot and we want our friends to be inspired and visit!” And he says, sorry but my boss says you must pay K250.00 because you used a camera. Unbelievable! This extortion is shooting tourism in its own foot.

Over the last two years I have probably introduced this spot to around 50 people, who have all paid their entry fee, and quite possibly have visited on more than one occasion, and quite possibly have used the services of the local crew to help find the better parts of the spot and have all had a good time. Perhaps over K1000.00 has entered the spot’s coffers through my direct and indirect involvement, yet someone wants more, someone is greedy and someone is stupid.

For shame Tourism PNG, this is a bitter day.

Varirata. Sunday 11th May 2008

This Sunday, we are heading for the Varirata loop. This has been done before and it is a corker, especially if it is wet. And you will get muddy. And probably bruised. And likely both.

It's not an easy walk, but if you take your time, then you'll be alright. If you are keen to tackle the Kokoda Track then this is a good prep, as you will soon get used to tree roots and leaf mould. It would be awesome if we could all get to the normal meeting place as soon as possible, because there is the chance to see Birds of Paradise up there, if you are early and quiet.

Check out previous reviews for this walk on this blog and come along. It's a classic. And there are some spectacular views of Bootless Bay if there is no clouds (unlikely).

Bring heaps of water, bring K5 per person to get into the park, bring money for our guides and coppers, prolly K15 and bring your camera ;)

the Great Boat Ride 2008

Well the Lea Lea Boat trip finally occurred, and it certainly was not much of a bushwalk but an adventurous boat trip. Those who got their names in early were rewarded with an awesome day away from Moresby and to a spot that none of us had been before, and there is a chance that not many of us will go again. We made it to Wariwara Island, a Hiri Motu Island with no inhabitants, no tracks, no trees save for the odd Pandanus.

What Wariwara lacked was made up by a clean sandy beach and a very secluded beach/reef including shelter/shade in the form of a cliff. It was like a little bit of Paradise.

I spent my time taking some photos whilst others went for a swim, some started a small grass fire, others just merely chilled out.

To get there, we cruised along the Motuan coastline, and then wandered through a windy river deep in the heart of the Mangroves, and past the village of Kidu, then back out onto the open water to Wariwara.

The lazy cruise was a good chance for a whole bunch of new bushwalkers to get to know each other and a few old stalwarts to catch up. The trip home however wasn't so lazy, as the wind was picking up and the waves were starting to splash onboard the banana boats. We managed to spot some Dolphins on the way home which was cool to see but also on the way home, our overzealous tour guide managed to thump a Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster) and this left it as Sharkbait and everyone felt real bad about the experience.

And then we headed home back to a very low tide Lea Lea and a spluttering two-stroke engine.

A good time was had by all.