Day 3 is a test however passing doesn’t guarantee success.
No one except my son slept all that well last night. He had a full 10 hours! Despite our lack of sleep and the early start, the group was in good spirits and ready for the uphill climb.
Omie, my porter, was there at dawn ready to pull down the tent and take my pack (note I had redistributed the weight and hoped that this would seem lighter than it was).
As we climbed out of and through Hoi, the view looking back over the Owen Stanley Ranges was breathtaking. I was beginning to feel remote.
Up and up, through the clouds, climbing to about 1500ft at Deniki. Isolated, beautiful and remote.
Creek crossings with crudely crafted bridges and rocky trails led us to Isurava for lunch and the camp at the Isurava Memorial.
History comes alive with each step of the trek, the cracking of coconuts on trees replicating gunfire, the sogginess of the track ( in parts) a reminder of wartime conditions, the wettest in PNG history.
The Isurava Battle site Memorial is a site to behold. A fitting tribute to the significance of the Kokoda Track. With a ceremony to the Last Post, tears filled my eyes as I reflected on the battle for the Kokoda Track. These were my first tears on the track and I’m sure they won’t be my last.
Thoughts on the track today were just that- nothing else. Comfortable one minute can lead to complacency the next. Passing one hill doesn’t make the next one easier. Success day one doesn’t mean relaxing for the rest of the trip. I was in the moment
