February 15, 2025 • 31 mins
Heidi and Glenn are back with even more answers to the most common FAQ's around the Kokoda Track. :-)
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
Apodjay Production. This podcast is proudly brought to you by
Adventure Professionals www dot Adventure Professionals dot com dot au.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
For me, Mission Ridge and Brigade Hill.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
The whole Kakoda campaign more people need to know about it,
or know everyone knows someone who's trek Kokoda, but to
actually understand the stories of what these young guys did,
It's harrowing what they went through.
Speaker 4 (00:31):
They were staunched to the end against odds uncounted and
they fell with their faces to the.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Welcome to the Kakoda Track podcast hosted by former soldier
at glen ASA. This is the place to hear stories
from those who've trecked Kakoda and gained tips and knowledge
about what to expect on the track, or to relive
your own amazing experiences. The Kakoda Track Podcast keeping the
spirit of Kakoda alive.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
He run glo here walking you back to the Kakoda
Track Podcast. Quick shout out to all the people that
have sent me messages as we've started the year who
were coming on to Kakoda in twenty twenty six. I
saw twenty twenty five, and not just with myself, but
people going in general and that seems to be obviously
when people find the podcast. So for those people who
(01:24):
are new to this podcast and who are absolutely pumped
and excited about and maybe a little bit nervous about
going on the track this year, welcome to the podcast
and I look forward to seeing you out on the track,
whether it be with me, whether we just cross paths
along the way, which I hope we do. Now this
is episode two of our Frequently Asked Questions that I
did with Heidi a couple of weeks ago, and I'm
(01:45):
gonna sit with Heidi again today and go through the
next set of questions. What I did was I wanted
to chat GVT and just said what are the top
questions that people ask about Cocoda the top ten. It
actually gives you answers to, some of which are okay
and some of which I don't necessarily agree with. But
I guess chat GVT is only, you know, got a
certain amount of depth to it without having actual knowledge
(02:07):
on the track. The first five questions is the co
code track safe, what level of fitness is required, what
is the best time of year to track? And what
should I pack for the track? And then do I
need a porter? And what is their role? So we
answered those in the last episode. I'm going to give
Heidi a call now and we're going to answer the
next five questions. I hope you find value in this,
(02:29):
and I know we've had some really good feedback around
that first episode. Yes, you can read frequently ask questions
and it gives you some context, I guess, But at
the end of the day, there's nothing that beats having
actual experience, which you know, I've done ninety three cod
coda track crossings at this stage, about to do a
double Forenzac and Heidi's about to hit her double figures
(02:51):
as well, So we have a lot of experience between us,
and we can just give you a little bit of
our own context based off all of those experiences, which
I think answers the frequently asked questions a little bit deeper.
So without further ado, I'll get on too high and
we'll answer the next five questions for you.
Speaker 5 (03:11):
Good morning, Good.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
Morning, Hodie. How are we How are you? Excellent? Excellent?
Speaker 3 (03:16):
I thought we'd just rip straight into these next five questions. Yep,
do you remember the first five?
Speaker 5 (03:25):
Actually no, if if I had to, it was I
can tell you what they were they were? What's the pack?
Speaker 1 (03:33):
They were?
Speaker 2 (03:35):
Is it safe? Yep?
Speaker 5 (03:37):
And how could you be?
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Yes? And you're doing better.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
You're doing better than I would have done. The other
ones were the best time of year? And what have
we missed fitness? Is it safe? Do I need a porter?
And what is their role?
Speaker 5 (03:54):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Yeah, do way better than I.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
Would have done with no prep for that little test.
So before we get into those, I thought, just give
every an update on your fitness. And I know we've
had a bit of a change in the kokodas and
what you've got on for the year, but which we'll
talk about later. But yeah, how's your fitness training going?
Speaker 2 (04:14):
So? I noticed you did was it twenty five k's
this week?
Speaker 5 (04:17):
I've actually I finished off well, I haven't run today.
If I do run today, it will obviously top it
up a bit more than I have finished off with
thirty k this week, which I was pretty stoked with
because you know, going back only a month ago, I
ran my first solid ten k run in probably about
four years. It's been a slow kind of comeback into running.
(04:42):
And yeah, so to knock over thirty k this week
and my body feels good, so that's always good. When
you're nearly forty and.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
You can pull up not too sore and just quickly
if anyone's panicking because you're not doing a lot of
running or certainly not doing that much. You don't need
to run for Kakoda per se. But obviously with you
hyd you're looking at doing more than Cocoda. You got
Ezzi ten coming up. Hopefully we'll get to kill them
and Jarrow. We'll do multiple Kakodas, so we have to
be differently prepared you and I compared to people are
(05:12):
doing it just once. So I don't want people to
panic and think, oh, should I be running thirty k's
already if I'm doing ansac. No, you don't have to
run at all realistically for Kakoda. You just have to
have a good pack load capacity and be able to
do long distances and I think mentally be strong, but
the running for you is going to give you longevity
throughout all the tracks over the year.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
That's sort of my thoughts on that.
Speaker 5 (05:32):
Anyway, Yeah, absolutely, I'm doing it. I really wanted to
push myself this year physically just to be that consistent,
robust human so that across all of those trips that
hopefully I can avoid getting sick or run down at all,
(05:54):
and that I guess, you know, just in case you
never know. You know, things don't go wrong very often,
but it's our responsibility when it does go wrong to
kind of make sure that we are capable. And I
love how you mentioned the mental part there. It's really
I'm doing a lot of this running is just contributing
(06:17):
to my mental health and my resilience to be able
to be better at other things in my life. It's
not just the running. I do find as soon as
i'm running and I'm training quite hard that everything else
in my life seems easier. And it's not even physically,
but mentally, things just seem easier. So I'm just loving it,
loving it at the moment, being able to train as
(06:40):
much as I am.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
That's a good cue for everyone out there. Get used
to enjoying the process rather than the goal. And that's
a message for life, not just for Kakoda. But we
can focus so intently on the thing be in this
case at Kakoda, that we it becomes a task to
all the training. So I just want to get out
and do Kakoda. But the truth is that learn to
enjoy the process, and I always say to people it's
(07:01):
a minimum of a twelve week commitment. It's not a
ten day commitment. And for us, it's a lifetime commitment
because we're doing this consistently over many years.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
So good points.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
Let's get into questions six through to ten on the
frequently asked questions. Now, I don't know if you'll have
an opinion on this one. I'm sure you will, but
I'll give you I'll give you the question anyway, which
direction is better? I was corner to Kakota or Kakoda.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
I was corner.
Speaker 5 (07:29):
Oh, I can't answer this one now because I've done
it both ways. I personally, I like the way we
go Kakota back to I was corner, and I feel
like it's kinder for your body. And that's the initial part,
(07:49):
and I actually think, oh, that's not true. I was
going to say that. But the way we go from Kakota,
you know, hooy and then Daniki that way it's more beautiful.
But then you think about all the river crossings at
the other end. I really don't think it matters. I
do not think it matters. I think, no matter what,
you're going to get an amazing experience I yeah, so
(08:11):
I guess we've done We've done it your way like
the COSDA back so many times, and I've done it
once the other way, we'll do it. I guess that's
the other way after and that so I'll get another
crack at it. So both ways is amazing and.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
I don't mind either way as well as far as
and some people say one way is harder than the other,
I don't believe that to be true. You know, they've
got they're a little bit different either way. But having
done it both ways and numerous times, it's been a
while since I've done a lot of trips going back
from ours, you know, back to Kakoda, but they're much
the same as far as the physicality of them. And
(08:49):
people that tell me, oh that ways harder or you know,
maybe they've only done it once and they don't really know,
they don't have the comparison. They're much the same. But
for me, I like to go Kakoda back because that's
the way the Australians fought this battle. Some years ago,
there was a company advertising what was called the Australian
Way and the Japanese Way, and I didn't like that
(09:10):
because it wasn't really true, And I had people ring
me just off the back of this podcast who were
not trekking with us and saying, you know, which way
should I go? The Australian way or the Japanese way?
So what are you talking about?
Speaker 2 (09:20):
Like?
Speaker 3 (09:21):
And their idea was that the way we go as
the Japanese way, and the reason the company was doing
that was because they were going the other way, and
I guess they wanted to disparage the way we were
traveling at some level because that's the Japanese advance and
the other ways the Australian advance. But for me, the
battle started at Kakota were really it started at the
(09:41):
northern beaches, and we had to do a fighting withdrawal
backwards all the way, almost all the way across the
track at least to Irabawa and Imada before we came
back forward. So I like to follow it because I
can put it on the ground as the battle happened,
as opposed to starting at the other end where I've
kind of got to tell you the start of the
battle before we've even walked that area.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
That was my idea.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
So you know, it doesn't really matter which way you
go I'm sure if you're with a putable company and
there's a good few out there, you'll get good military history.
But for me as a soldier, it just flows a
little bit better to teach that history, you know, when
we go the way we go. And this is where
chat gbt gets it wrong, because I asked chat to
met the questions and it gives you some answers, and
(10:23):
its instance on this one says both directions have their
challenges and rewards. Some trekers prefers starting in a Dolor's
corner and finishing at Kakoda to follow the historical path
of Australian troops during World War Two, And that's not
true because how is that the historical path of Australian
troops when we started this campaign by defending Kokoda and
then being pushed back. So yeah, I don't believe everything
(10:46):
that even that chat GBT tells you because it can
only collect what's written out on the internet. It's not
thinking for itself per se. So anyway, that's my answer
to that is if you're asking about that physically, doesn't
really matter. If you want a good you know, military
history put down in the order it happened, then you
would go from Gakata back. It's not going to change
(11:08):
the world dramatically if you go the other way and
someone's teaching good history.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:12):
Yeah, Number seven is a funny one that's in the
top ten. But what accommodations are available along the trail?
Speaker 5 (11:23):
Oh goodness, Well, it's literally just tense, like that's what
you sleep. Well, I guess the boys sleep in their hearts.
And we have occasionally champed in a hut, a little
grass hut if it's been pouring with rain, or if
it's only a couple of us. But it's just your
two man tent, and if you're lucky enough, supporters set
(11:46):
them up for you. Some companies expect you to set
your own tents up, but yes, our boys always set
up your tents. The bathrooms, well, you know, if you
want to wash, it's just a river, or it might
be a pipe coming out of the side of the
hill with some water flowing through it. And the bathroom
for just a hole in the ground with its little
(12:07):
chanty over it. But you know, it's all part of
the experience.
Speaker 3 (12:12):
Well, I'm reading on chat GVT. It finishes by saying
it's important, or it says tents may also be provided
because it talks about huts and all that sort of stuff.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
But it says.
Speaker 3 (12:23):
Facilities are basic and it's important to prepare for rustic conditions.
So it's rustic. It is basic. How I was talking
to just a couple days ago, million I were talking
for those not aware, Millie's my partner and she's born
in p and G and she was saying that that's
one of the things I miss and I can't wait
because she's doing Cocoda for antic with us, and so
(12:43):
I can't wait to wash in the rivers again because
that's how I grew up, because she lived in a
small village for a lot of years before her parents
moved into a bigger town where they had their first
actual house instead of a hut. But they still didn't
have running water and showers and all that sort of stuff.
They were still showering in rivers and creek lines, and
she so, I just can't wait to get back to
that because it's been so many years since I've done it.
(13:04):
But yeah, I've had this question in the past where
people talk about guest houses because the locals talk about
their grass huts and their thatcher roofs as a guesthouse,
and it is. That's how they they term it. But
some people come in with his idea that it's some
sort of motel, and I know that sounds silly, but
I had this years ago where this guy and girl
(13:24):
were coming in. They were from your husband and wife,
very corporate types, and he was quite adventurous. She was not,
and he was convincing her to come on this thing,
and she said, I'm not going out in the middle
of the jungle. And he says, no, there's guest houses.
And so that's what made her sign up, because she thought,
we've got a bit of money, and he'll spend the
money on the guest houses and then we're maybe two
weeks out. I was still This has been about two
(13:46):
thousand and eight, thousand and nine, I was still in
the army, and she rang me up and said, you know,
Peter told me about these guest houses, and I just
wanted to clarify that because I'm starting to have some
concerns and there wasn't as much information online back then.
And she said, are there actual guest houses? I said, well, yes,
that's what the locals call them. But let me explain
that to you. It's a dirt floor, a lot of
the back then that's what it was, and a thatched roof,
(14:08):
and she was like, hell no, she ends up coming
and at some point she hadn't really been told about
the toilets and the long drops and all of that
sort of stuff. So you just got to remember that
their terminology might be slightly different to.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
What you expecting. Yeah, yeah, question number eight.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
And we handle this one ourselves mostly, but I guess
it's good for people to know how these things are handled.
It it's just how do I handle emergencies on the track.
Speaker 5 (14:35):
Yeah, well, yeah, we definitely have all of that cupboard. Well,
like we carry a SAT phone, so you know, we
have processes in place that as soon as something goes wrong,
we know exactly what we must be doing and we
can contact someone. Even the boys are wonderful if we
(14:56):
need their help organizing, you know, somebody to stay with
the group or depending on the side of the group
and all that kind of stuff. It's really important, I guess,
to make sure that you go with a company that
carries a SAP phone, just because those incidences can happen,
and the severity of those incidents is obviously varies greatly.
(15:20):
But you want to know that you're checking with someone
that can contact the helicopter, because that's the only way
out of there.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
Yeah, it's a good point actually about carrying a SAP phone,
So I'll reach out GPT's answer first. But because it
does get this one right, it says any event of emergency,
reputable checking companies have protocols in place, including the use
of satellite phone and communication devices to coordinate evacuations. It's
crucial to have comprehensive travel insurance that covers a medical evacuation.
(15:48):
Checkers should also carry personal medications and inform Gods of
any pre existing health conditions. That's all true, But the
thing for me is make sure that the company you're
going with isn't just carrying a SAP phone. Make sure
they have emergency and evacuation procedures. You should be able
to ask them, we'll lift something happens, what do I do?
You know, what do you guys do? Because I've had
(16:08):
the experience more than once over the years where you
know a group route something's happened to someone. I had
a young girl once, like a teenager in a group
that was really unwell and they thought that she was
having appendicitis or whatever. And so I said to the
guy running the trip, have you you know, have you
got a SAT phone? And he goes yeah, because I said,
(16:29):
you need to get her out of here, because we
had myself and another medic there and you need to
get her out of here. And he said, oh, okay,
And I said, you've got a SAT phone. He goes, yeah,
it's okay. So you're all good and he goes yeah,
and we left. Then he come running after us, like
down the trails in a three five meters and he
said to me, he caught up to me and he's puffing,
and he goes, do you know who I call? So
having a SAT phone one thing, But man, have a
(16:49):
bloody process in place, some sort of PreO cal so
you know who to call. In our case typically like
I know who to call. But typically we can just
call back to our guys, you know, Skyven and whoever's
in Moresby, or we can phone back to Brooklyn in
the office here, and it can be it can start
to be organized, but you've got to know who to call.
There's no sense of having an emergency and then trying
(17:09):
to work that out out in the middle of the
track that doesn't make any sense to me, and you're.
Speaker 5 (17:13):
Not going to find any important phone numbers on Google.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
Yeah, that's right, you're kind of stuck out there. So,
like you said, not many things happen, but they can happen,
and you've got to be prepared for worst case scenarios
and I just hope that you don't see them personally
for me on the track. I've done a handful of
evacuations for myself personally, and I had a guy that
had kidney stones and that was pretty bad, and that
(17:37):
just comes mostly from people not hydrating properly. You really
do have to flush them because you sweat a lot,
You've got to really flush the fluid through you. I
had a girl that did her knee and that's about it.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
Really. We haven't had too many.
Speaker 3 (17:51):
I've done a double leg amputee obviously, and that's fairly understandable.
But mostly there's silly little incidents. There's a roll of
an ankle or a knee, or you know, you just
switch off for a split second on the track and
you're over. You can fall over, So they're just simple
little things. But still have to have that process to
make sure you know how to get people out of there,
and I think, don't be scared to ask your company,
(18:13):
you know, what do you guys do in the case
of emergency, And if the truck leader can't explain that clearly,
I'd be a little bit nervous about that. And therefore
the owners comes down to you to make sure you know.
And for anyone listening, you can actually take your own
snap phone. You can hire them from companies and they'll
charge you a couple hundred bucks and they'd bit expensive
for calls, you know, like four bucks a minute or something,
but hey, if you if it's an emergency, I'll be
(18:34):
pretty happy for four bucks a minute.
Speaker 5 (18:36):
Yeah. So there was someone trekking with us last year.
I can't remember who it was. They had one of
the personal emergency beacons.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
Now I've had a few people bring those over. And
I had a couple a few years ago who were
ride up from North Queensland and they had a device
might've been a starlink or something like that allowed them
to even access the Internet and social media when they're
out in the middle of nowhere in queens and because
there's no Telstra up there, and they bought that and
it had some limited, but it did have some success
(19:06):
over there. But my undest thing was it was quite
expensive too. And I think it's okay to switch off
from social media and stuff for a few days. Question
number nine, what is the historical significance of the Cokada track?
Disappeared on me. We're making this a habit on these podcasts.
Speaker 5 (19:23):
You know, I know, just dropped out because it's.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
Going So did you hear question number nine or no?
Speaker 5 (19:32):
No? No?
Speaker 3 (19:33):
So number nine is what is the historical significance of
the Kakada track?
Speaker 5 (19:39):
Oh? Wow, you would hope that anyone wanting to go.
I guess we should already be doing a bit of
research around that. Obviously, if you know the battle and
the World War two that we say that the austrain
saved us from Japanese invasions.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
It's an interesting one because I think, like you said, nowadays,
a lot of people know, and then I would imagine
most people would have done some research and that's probably
why they want to go, as opposed to it being
one of the top ten questions.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
But it was at the end of the day, that's interesting.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
But yeah, I think if you go over and you're
not getting some military history, then I think you're missing
a huge part of this journey. So I've always say
to people it's a physical and emotional journey. It's where
and cultural if we had in the P ANDNG side,
but the physical because obviously there's physical challenges depending on
where you're at, and some people will find it easy,
(20:37):
some people find it hard and everything in between. The
emotional journey really is when you hear about the stories
of the young men that fought over there and having
a deeper understanding of how that battle particularly affected everything
through the Asia Pacific, with the Japanese coming through and
taking over Malaysia, Singapore, capturing one hundred and twenty thousand
Allied soldiers in those places, capturing fourteen hundred people in
(21:01):
the garrison at Rabel before launching onto Kakoda. But the
significance was they're trying to get access to the airfields
in Port Moresman. They thought they'd do it the back
way because they were being held in check by a
naval battle with the Americans, and the idea is, if
we can get this airstrip, we can launch our.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
Aircraft from there.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
Because they lost four aircraft carriers in the battle in
the Battle of midway, so they were hoping to be
able to get their aircraft into port one was me
and then be able to come back, refuel and launch
onto the American Navy.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
So that's a broad stroke.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
But they were given ten days to complete that battle,
and the ida being that they can then take on
the navy. But Australians, with their fighting withdrawal, held them out,
well held them out. They never got there, but they
certainly held them out for four months before the Japanese
decided to turn around because by this stage they lost
the naval battle, so there's no point to gett into
Port Moresby anymore. So it's a very very broad for
(21:54):
people listening. But I hope you've done your research, and
I would advise reading a couple of books. I love
Paul Ham's book. Whenever we reference a book, they're pretty
much all just called kakoda. But Paul Ham is a
journalist or an ex journalist. He did he was the
first guy to do a lot of the Japanese side,
so he interviewed a lot of the Japanese soldiers and
(22:14):
commanders that were still around back in the sort of
late eighties and early nineties, and so he got their
perspective as well, and I think that was really an
interesting way of doing it. Because there's a saying that
history is written by the victors, you know, which is true.
I want to hear the other side. I want to
hear what they were going through as well. And as
a soldier, and particularly Australian soldier, you know, I was
(22:37):
probably whilst in the military, very anti the Japanese.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
Because of this battle and what they did.
Speaker 3 (22:42):
But as I've become a little bit more mature and older,
understand that both sides were just men that were sent
into battle. The place itself was. You know, it didn't
mean much to either, and we were just doing what
our country asked of us. So maybe a bit more
to us because it was on our doorstep. But for
the Japanese, you know, certainly they're just sent to it.
We're both sent to a country to fight each other
(23:02):
with no personal ill towards each other, and that's what
war is sometimes. But yeah, if you're getting good military history,
then it doesn't matter which company you go with. If
you're not getting good military history, then make sure you
look for someone that can give you that because it's
so important I think anyway.
Speaker 5 (23:18):
Well, there's not many places that you can go to
with such significance when it comes to history. You know,
the crazy, insane things that happened over there in that environment.
He's definitely missing out on something if you haven't done
a bit of research around it.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (23:39):
I always say that too, because you think about Afghanistan
and other places we've been. We're not going to be
doing tours there anytime soon. No, they've been at war
for three hundred years with everyone, so you know, it's
one of those rare places and it had such significance
specifically to Australia, I guess, and that's really important for
people to understand, and that's why people are going on
the track. I understand that. So our last question, you
(24:03):
may not know this answer or you may guess it.
Speaker 2 (24:06):
I don't know. But is there a code of conduct
for trekkers?
Speaker 5 (24:11):
Yeah? Absolutely live a code of conduct. Well, so the
trek itself from Kakoda to OLiS Corner, a lot of
the locals or seven day adventits, so you have to
be respectful. And I think we have touched on this already,
maybe a different question or maybe we just talk about
(24:31):
it a bit.
Speaker 3 (24:32):
I think we talk about it a bit, but this
specifically is asking is there an actual code of conduct?
And I don't think a lot of people realize that
there is. There's a code of conduct for trekkers that
was released by the Kokoda Track Authority some years ago
and I haven't viewed it for a long time, and
it was just encouraging all of these rules around disposal
(24:52):
of rubbish, respecting local customs, supporting how you can support
village economies and all that sort of thing and how
and things not to do. In the early days, it
used to have things on there like not giving law
dollies and all this sort of stuff to kids because
the idea was they don't have the dental health out there,
there's no way of looking after that. But these days
there's soft drinks and other things out there, and so
(25:14):
many people come through and do give them lollies and stuff.
There are things like, you know, for women not wearing
swimmers or short shorts or their undies to walk around,
and you do see that. I've been through groups and
you know you got young girls like teenagers and early twenties,
which is pretty normal in Australian society, but just whilsting
around in bummer shorts or you know, or just their
undies and stuff. And that doesn't seem like a problem
(25:37):
for us in Australia because that's our society. But you've
got to remember when you're going to other people's countries
and particularly their backyards like we do in Kakoda, you
just have to have a little bit of social awareness
and look around. And you know, I've obviously very connected
to PNG and we've We've got a couple from P
and G living with us now, young Olympic boxer that
I'm working with and his wife, and we just watch
(25:59):
them and Millie's even more conscious about how she dresses
around the home. But partially I say to her, well,
the assimilating into our country in Australia and we have
to allow.
Speaker 2 (26:08):
Them to do that.
Speaker 3 (26:09):
But they're quite religious, they're very strong Seventh day Adventus,
and so you learn a lot about you know that
as well. But they do have to assimilate across to us.
Well when we go to their country, we need to
do the same thing. So I think trek leaders and
I know we do should enforce those rules. And that's
the only time I'll get a little bit tough on
people is if I think you're doing anything that's offensive,
(26:31):
like swearing, particularly in front of the women out in
the villages, women and children. And it's not just they're
like us. I'm sure, I'm sure it happens, but you
don't hear it. You know, even in front of the boys.
You don't hear the boys swear a lot. It can
happen when they're just on them own together, but not
often around foreigners and so on, you know, bathing in
(26:53):
the rivers, and always say don't get fully nude. And
that might sound like, hey, we're in the middle of
the jungle. Particularly Aussie blokes, they just want to nerd up,
but it's offensive to the locals. And you've just got
to think about all of those sort of things and
how and they won't say anything. But I still think
it's our job is to protect their customs and cultures
as best we can.
Speaker 5 (27:12):
Yeah, it's just respectful.
Speaker 3 (27:15):
Yeah, And so that is our ten big questions. Well,
you know, as far as chat TVT and what I
like is it goes through and it just sources very
quickly all of the questions on all of the websites,
But a lot of the answers just have to come
from the same website. So the answers on some of
these I looked at and I don't believe that or that's.
Speaker 2 (27:35):
Not true, that's not my experience.
Speaker 3 (27:36):
But that's where I thought it was good for you
and I, with a lot of experience between us, to
sit and actually talk about it because it gives people
a little bit of depth. Now, of course that's just
our opinion, but it's a well educated opinion based off
the experiences that we've had over there.
Speaker 1 (27:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:53):
Yeah, yeah, So that is us team for this one.
I hope you find some value in that. I did
a pre entry to this party before I rang your heids,
and I was just saying that we've had quite a
lot of good feedback around the first five questions. I've
had a couple of emails where people say that it's
so much better to hear people talk about it than
just to read about it because we can sort of go,
you know, off script a little bit and have to
(28:15):
even two different opinions at some level around what we think.
But it makes it a little bit easier for people
to understand. So glad people are getting value out of it,
and we may not get another potty for a while
because I'm heading off to the Yukon on Friday, and
Heidi would be out doing and you you're doing AUSSI ten,
so we're both out doing something. But you know, when
(28:37):
I get back, we'll throw another couple up and it
might be time to throw some more interviews in of
people that have been to Kakotas. If you've been to
Kakoda and you haven't been on the podcast and you'd
like to get on and talk about your experiences or
how it's positively effective, you affected, you just reach out
info at Adventure Professionals dot com dot AU. Don't to
go through to Brooklyn and my daughter or Glenmory two
ends at Advanced Professionals dot com DOTU. That'd come to me.
(29:00):
But I'm a little bit slacker on the admin and
I'll be away. But if we're going to organize the time,
allognost the time. Yep, that's us. Thankshes no worry.
Speaker 2 (29:12):
Right see Harusa.
Speaker 1 (29:20):
Toobe Fee.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
Racing bond Damvisars.
Speaker 4 (29:26):
And the bond between Ossie's and the people of Papu
and New Guinea was forged in war and it endures
in peace. We've felt that friendliness, that special connection in
(29:49):
the comforting presence of our porters and in every small
community along the Kakoda Track.
Speaker 2 (29:56):
W Okay, guys, thanks for tuning in.
Speaker 3 (30:16):
It would be awesome if you'd share this with anyone
you know that's going to the Kakoda Track or there's
been and has a keen interest in the track. It's
people and those that choose to track it. The Pillars
of Ishaba say, courage, endurance, makeshif and sacrifices great words
to live by, and this podcast will offer makeshift and
a place for those that live and love the CoA
Coda Track experience until next episode, live a life that
(30:38):
inspires you and those around you, and remember to take
time out to think about what's really important, what's really important,
What's really important?
Speaker 1 (30:47):
Thanks fellowstak to the Kakoda Track Podcast. To get it
touched or stay up to date, go to Kakoda Track
Podcast on Facebook or email Glen at Adventure Professionals dot
com dot a here. Don't forget to subscribe and share
with your friends. Let's keep the spirit and the stories
of Oder and the P and G people alive.
Apodjay Production. This podcast is proudly brought to you by
Adventure Professionals www dot Adventure Professionals dot com dot au.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
For me, Mission Ridge and Brigade Hill.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
The whole Kakoda campaign more people need to know about it,
or know everyone knows someone who's trek Kokoda, but to
actually understand the stories of what these young guys did,
It's harrowing what they went through.
Speaker 4 (00:31):
They were staunched to the end against odds uncounted and
they fell with their faces to the.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Welcome to the Kakoda Track podcast hosted by former soldier
at glen ASA. This is the place to hear stories
from those who've trecked Kakoda and gained tips and knowledge
about what to expect on the track, or to relive
your own amazing experiences. The Kakoda Track Podcast keeping the
spirit of Kakoda alive.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
He run glo here walking you back to the Kakoda
Track Podcast. Quick shout out to all the people that
have sent me messages as we've started the year who
were coming on to Kakoda in twenty twenty six. I
saw twenty twenty five, and not just with myself, but
people going in general and that seems to be obviously
when people find the podcast. So for those people who
(01:24):
are new to this podcast and who are absolutely pumped
and excited about and maybe a little bit nervous about
going on the track this year, welcome to the podcast
and I look forward to seeing you out on the track,
whether it be with me, whether we just cross paths
along the way, which I hope we do. Now this
is episode two of our Frequently Asked Questions that I
did with Heidi a couple of weeks ago, and I'm
(01:45):
gonna sit with Heidi again today and go through the
next set of questions. What I did was I wanted
to chat GVT and just said what are the top
questions that people ask about Cocoda the top ten. It
actually gives you answers to, some of which are okay
and some of which I don't necessarily agree with. But
I guess chat GVT is only, you know, got a
certain amount of depth to it without having actual knowledge
(02:07):
on the track. The first five questions is the co
code track safe, what level of fitness is required, what
is the best time of year to track? And what
should I pack for the track? And then do I
need a porter? And what is their role? So we
answered those in the last episode. I'm going to give
Heidi a call now and we're going to answer the
next five questions. I hope you find value in this,
(02:29):
and I know we've had some really good feedback around
that first episode. Yes, you can read frequently ask questions
and it gives you some context, I guess, But at
the end of the day, there's nothing that beats having
actual experience, which you know, I've done ninety three cod
coda track crossings at this stage, about to do a
double Forenzac and Heidi's about to hit her double figures
(02:51):
as well, So we have a lot of experience between us,
and we can just give you a little bit of
our own context based off all of those experiences, which
I think answers the frequently asked questions a little bit deeper.
So without further ado, I'll get on too high and
we'll answer the next five questions for you.
Speaker 5 (03:11):
Good morning, Good.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
Morning, Hodie. How are we How are you? Excellent? Excellent?
Speaker 3 (03:16):
I thought we'd just rip straight into these next five questions. Yep,
do you remember the first five?
Speaker 5 (03:25):
Actually no, if if I had to, it was I
can tell you what they were they were? What's the pack?
Speaker 1 (03:33):
They were?
Speaker 2 (03:35):
Is it safe? Yep?
Speaker 5 (03:37):
And how could you be?
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Yes? And you're doing better.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
You're doing better than I would have done. The other
ones were the best time of year? And what have
we missed fitness? Is it safe? Do I need a porter?
And what is their role?
Speaker 5 (03:54):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Yeah, do way better than I.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
Would have done with no prep for that little test.
So before we get into those, I thought, just give
every an update on your fitness. And I know we've
had a bit of a change in the kokodas and
what you've got on for the year, but which we'll
talk about later. But yeah, how's your fitness training going?
Speaker 2 (04:14):
So? I noticed you did was it twenty five k's
this week?
Speaker 5 (04:17):
I've actually I finished off well, I haven't run today.
If I do run today, it will obviously top it
up a bit more than I have finished off with
thirty k this week, which I was pretty stoked with
because you know, going back only a month ago, I
ran my first solid ten k run in probably about
four years. It's been a slow kind of comeback into running.
(04:42):
And yeah, so to knock over thirty k this week
and my body feels good, so that's always good. When
you're nearly forty and.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
You can pull up not too sore and just quickly
if anyone's panicking because you're not doing a lot of
running or certainly not doing that much. You don't need
to run for Kakoda per se. But obviously with you
hyd you're looking at doing more than Cocoda. You got
Ezzi ten coming up. Hopefully we'll get to kill them
and Jarrow. We'll do multiple Kakodas, so we have to
be differently prepared you and I compared to people are
(05:12):
doing it just once. So I don't want people to
panic and think, oh, should I be running thirty k's
already if I'm doing ansac. No, you don't have to
run at all realistically for Kakoda. You just have to
have a good pack load capacity and be able to
do long distances and I think mentally be strong, but
the running for you is going to give you longevity
throughout all the tracks over the year.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
That's sort of my thoughts on that.
Speaker 5 (05:32):
Anyway, Yeah, absolutely, I'm doing it. I really wanted to
push myself this year physically just to be that consistent,
robust human so that across all of those trips that
hopefully I can avoid getting sick or run down at all,
(05:54):
and that I guess, you know, just in case you
never know. You know, things don't go wrong very often,
but it's our responsibility when it does go wrong to
kind of make sure that we are capable. And I
love how you mentioned the mental part there. It's really
I'm doing a lot of this running is just contributing
(06:17):
to my mental health and my resilience to be able
to be better at other things in my life. It's
not just the running. I do find as soon as
i'm running and I'm training quite hard that everything else
in my life seems easier. And it's not even physically,
but mentally, things just seem easier. So I'm just loving it,
loving it at the moment, being able to train as
(06:40):
much as I am.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
That's a good cue for everyone out there. Get used
to enjoying the process rather than the goal. And that's
a message for life, not just for Kakoda. But we
can focus so intently on the thing be in this
case at Kakoda, that we it becomes a task to
all the training. So I just want to get out
and do Kakoda. But the truth is that learn to
enjoy the process, and I always say to people it's
(07:01):
a minimum of a twelve week commitment. It's not a
ten day commitment. And for us, it's a lifetime commitment
because we're doing this consistently over many years.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
So good points.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
Let's get into questions six through to ten on the
frequently asked questions. Now, I don't know if you'll have
an opinion on this one. I'm sure you will, but
I'll give you I'll give you the question anyway, which
direction is better? I was corner to Kakota or Kakoda.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
I was corner.
Speaker 5 (07:29):
Oh, I can't answer this one now because I've done
it both ways. I personally, I like the way we
go Kakota back to I was corner, and I feel
like it's kinder for your body. And that's the initial part,
(07:49):
and I actually think, oh, that's not true. I was
going to say that. But the way we go from Kakota,
you know, hooy and then Daniki that way it's more beautiful.
But then you think about all the river crossings at
the other end. I really don't think it matters. I
do not think it matters. I think, no matter what,
you're going to get an amazing experience I yeah, so
(08:11):
I guess we've done We've done it your way like
the COSDA back so many times, and I've done it
once the other way, we'll do it. I guess that's
the other way after and that so I'll get another
crack at it. So both ways is amazing and.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
I don't mind either way as well as far as
and some people say one way is harder than the other,
I don't believe that to be true. You know, they've
got they're a little bit different either way. But having
done it both ways and numerous times, it's been a
while since I've done a lot of trips going back
from ours, you know, back to Kakoda, but they're much
the same as far as the physicality of them. And
(08:49):
people that tell me, oh that ways harder or you know,
maybe they've only done it once and they don't really know,
they don't have the comparison. They're much the same. But
for me, I like to go Kakoda back because that's
the way the Australians fought this battle. Some years ago,
there was a company advertising what was called the Australian
Way and the Japanese Way, and I didn't like that
(09:10):
because it wasn't really true, And I had people ring
me just off the back of this podcast who were
not trekking with us and saying, you know, which way
should I go? The Australian way or the Japanese way?
So what are you talking about?
Speaker 2 (09:20):
Like?
Speaker 3 (09:21):
And their idea was that the way we go as
the Japanese way, and the reason the company was doing
that was because they were going the other way, and
I guess they wanted to disparage the way we were
traveling at some level because that's the Japanese advance and
the other ways the Australian advance. But for me, the
battle started at Kakota were really it started at the
(09:41):
northern beaches, and we had to do a fighting withdrawal
backwards all the way, almost all the way across the
track at least to Irabawa and Imada before we came
back forward. So I like to follow it because I
can put it on the ground as the battle happened,
as opposed to starting at the other end where I've
kind of got to tell you the start of the
battle before we've even walked that area.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
That was my idea.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
So you know, it doesn't really matter which way you
go I'm sure if you're with a putable company and
there's a good few out there, you'll get good military history.
But for me as a soldier, it just flows a
little bit better to teach that history, you know, when
we go the way we go. And this is where
chat gbt gets it wrong, because I asked chat to
met the questions and it gives you some answers, and
(10:23):
its instance on this one says both directions have their
challenges and rewards. Some trekers prefers starting in a Dolor's
corner and finishing at Kakoda to follow the historical path
of Australian troops during World War Two, And that's not
true because how is that the historical path of Australian
troops when we started this campaign by defending Kokoda and
then being pushed back. So yeah, I don't believe everything
(10:46):
that even that chat GBT tells you because it can
only collect what's written out on the internet. It's not
thinking for itself per se. So anyway, that's my answer
to that is if you're asking about that physically, doesn't
really matter. If you want a good you know, military
history put down in the order it happened, then you
would go from Gakata back. It's not going to change
(11:08):
the world dramatically if you go the other way and
someone's teaching good history.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:12):
Yeah, Number seven is a funny one that's in the
top ten. But what accommodations are available along the trail?
Speaker 5 (11:23):
Oh goodness, Well, it's literally just tense, like that's what
you sleep. Well, I guess the boys sleep in their hearts.
And we have occasionally champed in a hut, a little
grass hut if it's been pouring with rain, or if
it's only a couple of us. But it's just your
two man tent, and if you're lucky enough, supporters set
(11:46):
them up for you. Some companies expect you to set
your own tents up, but yes, our boys always set
up your tents. The bathrooms, well, you know, if you
want to wash, it's just a river, or it might
be a pipe coming out of the side of the
hill with some water flowing through it. And the bathroom
for just a hole in the ground with its little
(12:07):
chanty over it. But you know, it's all part of
the experience.
Speaker 3 (12:12):
Well, I'm reading on chat GVT. It finishes by saying
it's important, or it says tents may also be provided
because it talks about huts and all that sort of stuff.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
But it says.
Speaker 3 (12:23):
Facilities are basic and it's important to prepare for rustic conditions.
So it's rustic. It is basic. How I was talking
to just a couple days ago, million I were talking
for those not aware, Millie's my partner and she's born
in p and G and she was saying that that's
one of the things I miss and I can't wait
because she's doing Cocoda for antic with us, and so
(12:43):
I can't wait to wash in the rivers again because
that's how I grew up, because she lived in a
small village for a lot of years before her parents
moved into a bigger town where they had their first
actual house instead of a hut. But they still didn't
have running water and showers and all that sort of stuff.
They were still showering in rivers and creek lines, and
she so, I just can't wait to get back to
that because it's been so many years since I've done it.
(13:04):
But yeah, I've had this question in the past where
people talk about guest houses because the locals talk about
their grass huts and their thatcher roofs as a guesthouse,
and it is. That's how they they term it. But
some people come in with his idea that it's some
sort of motel, and I know that sounds silly, but
I had this years ago where this guy and girl
(13:24):
were coming in. They were from your husband and wife,
very corporate types, and he was quite adventurous. She was not,
and he was convincing her to come on this thing,
and she said, I'm not going out in the middle
of the jungle. And he says, no, there's guest houses.
And so that's what made her sign up, because she thought,
we've got a bit of money, and he'll spend the
money on the guest houses and then we're maybe two
weeks out. I was still This has been about two
(13:46):
thousand and eight, thousand and nine, I was still in
the army, and she rang me up and said, you know,
Peter told me about these guest houses, and I just
wanted to clarify that because I'm starting to have some
concerns and there wasn't as much information online back then.
And she said, are there actual guest houses? I said, well, yes,
that's what the locals call them. But let me explain
that to you. It's a dirt floor, a lot of
the back then that's what it was, and a thatched roof,
(14:08):
and she was like, hell no, she ends up coming
and at some point she hadn't really been told about
the toilets and the long drops and all of that
sort of stuff. So you just got to remember that
their terminology might be slightly different to.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
What you expecting. Yeah, yeah, question number eight.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
And we handle this one ourselves mostly, but I guess
it's good for people to know how these things are handled.
It it's just how do I handle emergencies on the track.
Speaker 5 (14:35):
Yeah, well, yeah, we definitely have all of that cupboard. Well,
like we carry a SAT phone, so you know, we
have processes in place that as soon as something goes wrong,
we know exactly what we must be doing and we
can contact someone. Even the boys are wonderful if we
(14:56):
need their help organizing, you know, somebody to stay with
the group or depending on the side of the group
and all that kind of stuff. It's really important, I guess,
to make sure that you go with a company that
carries a SAP phone, just because those incidences can happen,
and the severity of those incidents is obviously varies greatly.
(15:20):
But you want to know that you're checking with someone
that can contact the helicopter, because that's the only way
out of there.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
Yeah, it's a good point actually about carrying a SAP phone,
So I'll reach out GPT's answer first. But because it
does get this one right, it says any event of emergency,
reputable checking companies have protocols in place, including the use
of satellite phone and communication devices to coordinate evacuations. It's
crucial to have comprehensive travel insurance that covers a medical evacuation.
(15:48):
Checkers should also carry personal medications and inform Gods of
any pre existing health conditions. That's all true, But the
thing for me is make sure that the company you're
going with isn't just carrying a SAP phone. Make sure
they have emergency and evacuation procedures. You should be able
to ask them, we'll lift something happens, what do I do?
You know, what do you guys do? Because I've had
(16:08):
the experience more than once over the years where you
know a group route something's happened to someone. I had
a young girl once, like a teenager in a group
that was really unwell and they thought that she was
having appendicitis or whatever. And so I said to the
guy running the trip, have you you know, have you
got a SAT phone? And he goes yeah, because I said,
(16:29):
you need to get her out of here, because we
had myself and another medic there and you need to
get her out of here. And he said, oh, okay,
And I said, you've got a SAT phone. He goes, yeah,
it's okay. So you're all good and he goes yeah,
and we left. Then he come running after us, like
down the trails in a three five meters and he
said to me, he caught up to me and he's puffing,
and he goes, do you know who I call? So
having a SAT phone one thing, But man, have a
(16:49):
bloody process in place, some sort of PreO cal so
you know who to call. In our case typically like
I know who to call. But typically we can just
call back to our guys, you know, Skyven and whoever's
in Moresby, or we can phone back to Brooklyn in
the office here, and it can be it can start
to be organized, but you've got to know who to call.
There's no sense of having an emergency and then trying
(17:09):
to work that out out in the middle of the
track that doesn't make any sense to me, and you're.
Speaker 5 (17:13):
Not going to find any important phone numbers on Google.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
Yeah, that's right, you're kind of stuck out there. So,
like you said, not many things happen, but they can happen,
and you've got to be prepared for worst case scenarios
and I just hope that you don't see them personally
for me on the track. I've done a handful of
evacuations for myself personally, and I had a guy that
had kidney stones and that was pretty bad, and that
(17:37):
just comes mostly from people not hydrating properly. You really
do have to flush them because you sweat a lot,
You've got to really flush the fluid through you. I
had a girl that did her knee and that's about it.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
Really. We haven't had too many.
Speaker 3 (17:51):
I've done a double leg amputee obviously, and that's fairly understandable.
But mostly there's silly little incidents. There's a roll of
an ankle or a knee, or you know, you just
switch off for a split second on the track and
you're over. You can fall over, So they're just simple
little things. But still have to have that process to
make sure you know how to get people out of there,
and I think, don't be scared to ask your company,
(18:13):
you know, what do you guys do in the case
of emergency, And if the truck leader can't explain that clearly,
I'd be a little bit nervous about that. And therefore
the owners comes down to you to make sure you know.
And for anyone listening, you can actually take your own
snap phone. You can hire them from companies and they'll
charge you a couple hundred bucks and they'd bit expensive
for calls, you know, like four bucks a minute or something,
but hey, if you if it's an emergency, I'll be
(18:34):
pretty happy for four bucks a minute.
Speaker 5 (18:36):
Yeah. So there was someone trekking with us last year.
I can't remember who it was. They had one of
the personal emergency beacons.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
Now I've had a few people bring those over. And
I had a couple a few years ago who were
ride up from North Queensland and they had a device
might've been a starlink or something like that allowed them
to even access the Internet and social media when they're
out in the middle of nowhere in queens and because
there's no Telstra up there, and they bought that and
it had some limited, but it did have some success
(19:06):
over there. But my undest thing was it was quite
expensive too. And I think it's okay to switch off
from social media and stuff for a few days. Question
number nine, what is the historical significance of the Cokada track?
Disappeared on me. We're making this a habit on these podcasts.
Speaker 5 (19:23):
You know, I know, just dropped out because it's.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
Going So did you hear question number nine or no?
Speaker 5 (19:32):
No? No?
Speaker 3 (19:33):
So number nine is what is the historical significance of
the Kakada track?
Speaker 5 (19:39):
Oh? Wow, you would hope that anyone wanting to go.
I guess we should already be doing a bit of
research around that. Obviously, if you know the battle and
the World War two that we say that the austrain
saved us from Japanese invasions.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
It's an interesting one because I think, like you said, nowadays,
a lot of people know, and then I would imagine
most people would have done some research and that's probably
why they want to go, as opposed to it being
one of the top ten questions.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
But it was at the end of the day, that's interesting.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
But yeah, I think if you go over and you're
not getting some military history, then I think you're missing
a huge part of this journey. So I've always say
to people it's a physical and emotional journey. It's where
and cultural if we had in the P ANDNG side,
but the physical because obviously there's physical challenges depending on
where you're at, and some people will find it easy,
(20:37):
some people find it hard and everything in between. The
emotional journey really is when you hear about the stories
of the young men that fought over there and having
a deeper understanding of how that battle particularly affected everything
through the Asia Pacific, with the Japanese coming through and
taking over Malaysia, Singapore, capturing one hundred and twenty thousand
Allied soldiers in those places, capturing fourteen hundred people in
(21:01):
the garrison at Rabel before launching onto Kakoda. But the
significance was they're trying to get access to the airfields
in Port Moresman. They thought they'd do it the back
way because they were being held in check by a
naval battle with the Americans, and the idea is, if
we can get this airstrip, we can launch our.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
Aircraft from there.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
Because they lost four aircraft carriers in the battle in
the Battle of midway, so they were hoping to be
able to get their aircraft into port one was me
and then be able to come back, refuel and launch
onto the American Navy.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
So that's a broad stroke.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
But they were given ten days to complete that battle,
and the ida being that they can then take on
the navy. But Australians, with their fighting withdrawal, held them out,
well held them out. They never got there, but they
certainly held them out for four months before the Japanese
decided to turn around because by this stage they lost
the naval battle, so there's no point to gett into
Port Moresby anymore. So it's a very very broad for
(21:54):
people listening. But I hope you've done your research, and
I would advise reading a couple of books. I love
Paul Ham's book. Whenever we reference a book, they're pretty
much all just called kakoda. But Paul Ham is a
journalist or an ex journalist. He did he was the
first guy to do a lot of the Japanese side,
so he interviewed a lot of the Japanese soldiers and
(22:14):
commanders that were still around back in the sort of
late eighties and early nineties, and so he got their
perspective as well, and I think that was really an
interesting way of doing it. Because there's a saying that
history is written by the victors, you know, which is true.
I want to hear the other side. I want to
hear what they were going through as well. And as
a soldier, and particularly Australian soldier, you know, I was
(22:37):
probably whilst in the military, very anti the Japanese.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
Because of this battle and what they did.
Speaker 3 (22:42):
But as I've become a little bit more mature and older,
understand that both sides were just men that were sent
into battle. The place itself was. You know, it didn't
mean much to either, and we were just doing what
our country asked of us. So maybe a bit more
to us because it was on our doorstep. But for
the Japanese, you know, certainly they're just sent to it.
We're both sent to a country to fight each other
(23:02):
with no personal ill towards each other, and that's what
war is sometimes. But yeah, if you're getting good military history,
then it doesn't matter which company you go with. If
you're not getting good military history, then make sure you
look for someone that can give you that because it's
so important I think anyway.
Speaker 5 (23:18):
Well, there's not many places that you can go to
with such significance when it comes to history. You know,
the crazy, insane things that happened over there in that environment.
He's definitely missing out on something if you haven't done
a bit of research around it.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (23:39):
I always say that too, because you think about Afghanistan
and other places we've been. We're not going to be
doing tours there anytime soon. No, they've been at war
for three hundred years with everyone, so you know, it's
one of those rare places and it had such significance
specifically to Australia, I guess, and that's really important for
people to understand, and that's why people are going on
the track. I understand that. So our last question, you
(24:03):
may not know this answer or you may guess it.
Speaker 2 (24:06):
I don't know. But is there a code of conduct
for trekkers?
Speaker 5 (24:11):
Yeah? Absolutely live a code of conduct. Well, so the
trek itself from Kakoda to OLiS Corner, a lot of
the locals or seven day adventits, so you have to
be respectful. And I think we have touched on this already,
maybe a different question or maybe we just talk about
(24:31):
it a bit.
Speaker 3 (24:32):
I think we talk about it a bit, but this
specifically is asking is there an actual code of conduct?
And I don't think a lot of people realize that
there is. There's a code of conduct for trekkers that
was released by the Kokoda Track Authority some years ago
and I haven't viewed it for a long time, and
it was just encouraging all of these rules around disposal
(24:52):
of rubbish, respecting local customs, supporting how you can support
village economies and all that sort of thing and how
and things not to do. In the early days, it
used to have things on there like not giving law
dollies and all this sort of stuff to kids because
the idea was they don't have the dental health out there,
there's no way of looking after that. But these days
there's soft drinks and other things out there, and so
(25:14):
many people come through and do give them lollies and stuff.
There are things like, you know, for women not wearing
swimmers or short shorts or their undies to walk around,
and you do see that. I've been through groups and
you know you got young girls like teenagers and early twenties,
which is pretty normal in Australian society, but just whilsting
around in bummer shorts or you know, or just their
undies and stuff. And that doesn't seem like a problem
(25:37):
for us in Australia because that's our society. But you've
got to remember when you're going to other people's countries
and particularly their backyards like we do in Kakoda, you
just have to have a little bit of social awareness
and look around. And you know, I've obviously very connected
to PNG and we've We've got a couple from P
and G living with us now, young Olympic boxer that
I'm working with and his wife, and we just watch
(25:59):
them and Millie's even more conscious about how she dresses
around the home. But partially I say to her, well,
the assimilating into our country in Australia and we have
to allow.
Speaker 2 (26:08):
Them to do that.
Speaker 3 (26:09):
But they're quite religious, they're very strong Seventh day Adventus,
and so you learn a lot about you know that
as well. But they do have to assimilate across to us.
Well when we go to their country, we need to
do the same thing. So I think trek leaders and
I know we do should enforce those rules. And that's
the only time I'll get a little bit tough on
people is if I think you're doing anything that's offensive,
(26:31):
like swearing, particularly in front of the women out in
the villages, women and children. And it's not just they're
like us. I'm sure, I'm sure it happens, but you
don't hear it. You know, even in front of the boys.
You don't hear the boys swear a lot. It can
happen when they're just on them own together, but not
often around foreigners and so on, you know, bathing in
(26:53):
the rivers, and always say don't get fully nude. And
that might sound like, hey, we're in the middle of
the jungle. Particularly Aussie blokes, they just want to nerd up,
but it's offensive to the locals. And you've just got
to think about all of those sort of things and
how and they won't say anything. But I still think
it's our job is to protect their customs and cultures
as best we can.
Speaker 5 (27:12):
Yeah, it's just respectful.
Speaker 3 (27:15):
Yeah, And so that is our ten big questions. Well,
you know, as far as chat TVT and what I
like is it goes through and it just sources very
quickly all of the questions on all of the websites,
But a lot of the answers just have to come
from the same website. So the answers on some of
these I looked at and I don't believe that or that's.
Speaker 2 (27:35):
Not true, that's not my experience.
Speaker 3 (27:36):
But that's where I thought it was good for you
and I, with a lot of experience between us, to
sit and actually talk about it because it gives people
a little bit of depth. Now, of course that's just
our opinion, but it's a well educated opinion based off
the experiences that we've had over there.
Speaker 1 (27:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:53):
Yeah, yeah, So that is us team for this one.
I hope you find some value in that. I did
a pre entry to this party before I rang your heids,
and I was just saying that we've had quite a
lot of good feedback around the first five questions. I've
had a couple of emails where people say that it's
so much better to hear people talk about it than
just to read about it because we can sort of go,
you know, off script a little bit and have to
(28:15):
even two different opinions at some level around what we think.
But it makes it a little bit easier for people
to understand. So glad people are getting value out of it,
and we may not get another potty for a while
because I'm heading off to the Yukon on Friday, and
Heidi would be out doing and you you're doing AUSSI ten,
so we're both out doing something. But you know, when
(28:37):
I get back, we'll throw another couple up and it
might be time to throw some more interviews in of
people that have been to Kakotas. If you've been to
Kakoda and you haven't been on the podcast and you'd
like to get on and talk about your experiences or
how it's positively effective, you affected, you just reach out
info at Adventure Professionals dot com dot AU. Don't to
go through to Brooklyn and my daughter or Glenmory two
ends at Advanced Professionals dot com DOTU. That'd come to me.
(29:00):
But I'm a little bit slacker on the admin and
I'll be away. But if we're going to organize the time,
allognost the time. Yep, that's us. Thankshes no worry.
Speaker 2 (29:12):
Right see Harusa.
Speaker 1 (29:20):
Toobe Fee.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
Racing bond Damvisars.
Speaker 4 (29:26):
And the bond between Ossie's and the people of Papu
and New Guinea was forged in war and it endures
in peace. We've felt that friendliness, that special connection in
(29:49):
the comforting presence of our porters and in every small
community along the Kakoda Track.
Speaker 2 (29:56):
W Okay, guys, thanks for tuning in.
Speaker 3 (30:16):
It would be awesome if you'd share this with anyone
you know that's going to the Kakoda Track or there's
been and has a keen interest in the track. It's
people and those that choose to track it. The Pillars
of Ishaba say, courage, endurance, makeshif and sacrifices great words
to live by, and this podcast will offer makeshift and
a place for those that live and love the CoA
Coda Track experience until next episode, live a life that
(30:38):
inspires you and those around you, and remember to take
time out to think about what's really important, what's really important,
What's really important?
Speaker 1 (30:47):
Thanks fellowstak to the Kakoda Track Podcast. To get it
touched or stay up to date, go to Kakoda Track
Podcast on Facebook or email Glen at Adventure Professionals dot
com dot a here. Don't forget to subscribe and share
with your friends. Let's keep the spirit and the stories
of Oder and the P and G people alive.
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