Day 8

Day 8:As we were near enough to back on schedule by now Reg didn't set revaly this morning & we go up & packed up as we pleased although we were all ready to go by 7.30 – 8am.  

We had one more 3/4 day hike tomorrow; & a full day today to get us up to mount Tambu.  There was no chance of getting any closer to where Blue was wounded as we’d been way to slow.  I was a tad frustrated, but realized that without Kez & Dad (they were moving slower than the rest of us being ill) the trip wouldn't have gotten off the ground & that we’d done the best we could do as a group.

Farewelled the village & children & made our way further up the river til around 2.30pm crisscrossing as we went.  Boots & feet water logged the whole day, but OK.  At least they were cool!  

Magnificent scenery & most crossings much easier than the previous day, although we now had larger rocks to climb up & over along the side of the river in-between crossings.  K was over the rocks by 10am.  

 Dad had recovered from his gurgly guts now & blazed on ahead with John & Paul & was 25 – 30 minutes ahead of us for most of the day at each stop!!  At one point, Paul who was leading they way had pointed out to Dave an alternate 

track to Mt Tambu, Dave said lets go & took off up it!

Paul did not understand Dave’s sense of humor & struggled greatly to communicate with him that this was not a good idea.  John was very unhappy about the unscheduled & un-communicated change of plan & took Dad back down the track to where we’d stopped for a brief smoko.  Paul felt he had to go on with Dave (being the owner of the company) & had reluctantly done so.  Reg decided we should now stop here for lunch while Kerry went to retrieve Dave.

While the boys made a fire & put the pot on to boil, PB decided it would be a good opportunity to wash his shirt out in the river.  I decided to join him & having a proper sports crop on whipped of my shirt & got washing!!!  I poured wilderness wash all over me & pretty much had a bath while doing my laundry in the river including shampooing my hair.  No point putting a dirty cap back on so that got a wash which Dad decided was a good idea & I gave his the once over too.  Reg followed suit & washed out his shirt as well.

The rain started when we left the river not long after lunch to climb towards the side of Mount Tambu.  We stopped briefly under a metal structure where Reg had planned on pointing out where Blue had been wounded but we couldn't see a thing due to the rain & cloud cover & considered our options. 

We had planned on climbing Tambu that afternoon while Dad, K & the majority of the porters went ahead to Komiatum where we’d planned to stay the night.  Considering the conditions & the fact that we wouldn't be able to see anything from the top Kerry suggested we stop an hour ahead at new Camp (Daniel’s) for the night & attempt Tambu in the morning.  Plus it would be another 3 – 4 hours to Komiatum for the slowest team members on a steep downhill which would be very slippery & difficult going in this heavy rain.  And the reason we’d come on the trip was about to climax with being so close to where Blue was wounded, that we should give ourselves the best possible opportunity to see the most we could, with Kerry confident the weather would be clear in the morning.

 We waited 15 minutes hoping the rain would stop – Ha Ha – it eased a bit & we took off, but then it just got heavier & heavier!  Made it to Daniels soaked through & I was starting to get cold like some of the boys – they laughed at me shivering like them!!!  

The last porter to arrive was the one with the big blue tarp, Dad, Zac & I helped hold the tarp up over the boys while they went about laying banana leaves under, then setting the tents up atop the banana leaves & digging trenches around each tent to help keep us dry.  It must have been a funny sight, especially as we finished one tent & shuffled as one to the next location with lots of laughter!!!

By the time the tents were set up I was very cold & shivering & both hands had lost blood to all fingers.  I could barely manage to get my wet clothes off & dry thermals on in order to get into my sleeping bag & warm up!!!!  I’d left my boots socks & gaiters out in the rain not caring if they got any wetter & had certainly found respect for the locals who live like this every day (but without the socks & boots – they mainly go barefoot!).  I also got a feel for Blue who’d written in his diary during the war “no hot tea & slept in the rain”.

After I’d warmed up a little Reg came around with dinner instructions.  I clambered out of my sleeping bag & out of my tent to rescue my boots & socks which had mysteriously disappeared, planning to sit them undercover on the other side of my fly not housing my pack. PB had rescued them & asked the boys if they could attempt to dry them out overnight by their fire.  PB had also given his clothes to Daniel’s family, giving his kids life savers in exchange for them drying them out!  We went & asked if they could dry mine & Dad’s too – K was ensconced in her tent by now & was not planning on coming out for anyone or anything!

We wandered up to Daniel’s brothers hut (100 metres away) where Reg & Dave were sleeping, to the hot water with my bag of milo.  I’d never been so happy to be slurping down a hot cup of milo, without milk, EVER!!!!  It had been a precarious trip to the hot water in thongs & the rain was still lightly falling.  After a second cup of deliciously hot milo, I decided to brave a trip back in thongs to K’s tent with a cup of hot water for her to make herself soup or tea, as she really had chosen to stay in her tent & even forgo the hot evening meal.  I knew a hot drink would lift her spirits & warm her up, even if I did have to get wetter & muddier myself.

Dinner arrived (Daniel's wife had agreed to do the duties) & was eaten while the rain got heavier & heavier.  Again more mixed slop in a pot, Reg I think only had Teriyaki beef meals!  The rain continued to fall & eventually I had to pee – couldn't wait any longer.  I found a tree close by which did little to keep the rain off me close to the hut & then slowly squelched my way back through the mud to my tent.  Quite damp I wiped the mud off my feet with the only dry item of clothing I had left (other than knickers) not being worn & snuggled down into my sleeping bag pulling my hood up around my wet head & went pretty much straight to sleep praying my tent wouldn't leak!  

Five on a Friday

5 things I am thankful for this week!

1. My Feet!  K called me the other day & asked how my feet were.  She shed a complete layer of skin from her feet including her toes since returning from the trek!!!  I only lost a toe nail which was already purple a few weeks before we left.  I am very thankful they survived without any other issues!!!

2. My Sis & Niece - they came to stay 2 nights over the long weekend & we had fun hanging out!!

3. My Bath Tub - my hammies have been tight since we returned from the trek.  I had a massage the first week back & my lovely masseuse said I should have a few hot baths to help loosen them up.  I don't need any encouragement & it's been lovely especially as the weather has turned colder!!!

4. The colder weather - despite the fact that I prefer the warmth, it has been nice to get into my winter woollies  boots, jackets & scarves!

5. My body - which is running 6 days a week now in preparation for the Run Melbourne 10km (which I have signed up for) & getting smashed by my PT.  I am continually  amazed at the changes it is going through - firming up, growing muscles & slimming down.  It has held up so well & am proud of it!!!!

Day 7

Day 7: 

Supposed to be a 5am revaly but I was up, dressed & packed by 4.30am.  I wasn’t wearing a watch & had turned off my phone as no service since Monday!  Plumbing Boy & the porters were awake & I’d heard the hot water pot go on, so decided it must have been time to get up. It had stopped raining thankfully.  K’s cold had come back & was feeling worse for wear with a horrid cough & nose blowing required.  Dad was still suffering gurgly guts & wasn’t feeling great.

More of the same trekking as yesterday til morning tea around 11am where we’d clambered up a cool steep hill & then onto Guadagasal for lunch @ around 2.30pm.  

Guadagasal was a well kept village of maybe 10 huts, the lawn looked manicured although they did not have a lawn mower!  The sun was out so we tried to dry off what we could before moving on.

Back down the mount to the river which we crossed 6 or 7 times to reach Mubo.  Lots of fun, but very wet boots!   

On the way to the river I saw 2 big pigs in the bush before the river.  I’d gone on ahead with some of the porters while the others were filling their water containers @ a water point.  The boy’s I was with had the hot water pot & the pigs apparently thought we’d come with scraps (the pigs belonged to the village).  They called out to the piggies “I am not your mother!!! I am not your father!!! I have no food for you!!!!” followed by much laughter & a few stones thrown to shoo them away from us!  One was a big boy & I was only slightly worried he was going to chase us!  I was in good hands however!

Mubo was the largest village we’d seen & we set up camp in the grade 5 room. English is taught as well as the native language in schools across PNG.

We all slept together on the floor of the classroom, again early dinner, by now & last night included no-one (except PB & I!) could be bothered getting “matching” ration packs.  Reg & Dave reckoned they all tasted the same & to just grab whatever.  We were now mixing roast lamb & veg, with Chicken a la King, with Chicken Tikka Marsala, with Teriyaki Beef.  I can tell you, it only took 1 Teriyaki beef to make the lot taste like Teriyaki!!!

Wordless Wednesday

Day 6

Day 6: Up early again & hiking by 7.30am with more of yesterday’s terrain.  Again I really enjoyed the physical aspect & was thanking my trainer for each uphill, downhill & log clamber I did without feeling any sort of fatigue.  

It started to rain mid morning & continued to rain on & off for the rest of the day.  Spirits were down amongst the less strong in the group & the going was now very very slow.  By now Dad had gurgly guts & wasn't eating much to avoid having additional bathroom stops which were now all by shovel along the trail; which also meant he didn’t have much energy.  K was cactus by around 10am so by 4pm was crawling like a snail having a porter help her up & down every step & up & over every log. 

Unconsciously, we’d put K first after head porter Kerry who was helping her with porter Paul following & helping her as required.  Next was Dad followed by John my porter who took it upon himself to be Dad’s personal assistant after deciding & telling me that I was a “good trekker & didn't need any help because I could help myself” (again thanks to my trainer!!!!!).  Quite a few of the boys said the same or similar thing to me & I was again pleased that all my hard work had paid off.  I’m usually the one who is physically the least strong & struggling to make it through to the end of the day & always consciously worried about holding everyone up.  Not this time!!!

Next was myself, then G (fellow trekker), Reg, some more porters, Dave, Plumbing Boy & the last of the porters.  Although sometimes Dave blazed on ahead with a porter or 2.  PB actually encouraged the porters who were carrying bags to stop & wait for 20 minute intervals & then follow on as it only took them around 10 minutes to catch us up rather than to be standing around with the heavy weights on their backs watching us go slow.  

On the first day of trekking, Kerry had cut us all a pole to help with the trekking.  We all originally had 32mm ish diameter bamboo poles, but within 3 hours Kerry cut me a "better" pole from a local timber, very strong & smaller in diameter saying that he thought the bamboo pole was a bit too heavy for me & that this pole would be much better.  By now I’d named my pole Barry.  Barry White to be precise.  When the going was slow I’d bust out a bit of “I can’t get enough of your love baby” & have a bit of a dance with my pole to entertain myself.

Barry as a great help!  Sometimes we had to step up or down hill as large as I could possible stride so anchoring Barry halfway up or down allowed me to use my upper body to achieve these big steps.  Also brilliant for clambering over logs - pushing off with Barry it was easy to plant my outside foot in the notch cut into the log, then swing Barry down over the log & jump or step down with the inside leg over the log making sure Barry was planted on the outside of the track so I didn't fall off it & down the steep mountain side!!! 

We only made it to House Bamboo that night instead of Guadagasal as the going was slow.  Some of the boys had pushed ahead to put up the blue tarp & get a fire lit as the rain would not be helpful in either endeavor, so by the time we arrived they had both sorted.  As we arrived it started raining heavily & our tents were hastily erected.  The boys decided there wasn't enough room to set up all the tents & that PB had to bunk in with me considering they were 2 man tents. 

House Bamboo was basically a bamboo shelter on the trail – not really a camping ground, so tents were set up on the track, under the shelter & down the track with the blue tarp off the track in the only possible space available!

PB decided that there was no way he was going to fit into my tent with me even without the packs inside the tent & chose to sleep with the boys under the tarp with created great amusement for them to start with.  They didn't really believe he was serious, then they weren't really sure how to handle the situation & made him a fern & bamboo base to go under his thermarest mat. 

The boys of course didn't have thermarests or sleeping bags & slept rough on top ferns & bamboo with the fire & each other for warmth.  

Dinner was done by 6.30pm & most of us toddled off to bed by 7pm due to the weather & the boy’s tarp over the fire was just too smokey for us to comfortably sit under, even though we would all fit.

Dad had cut his finger on a sharp rock during the day & John had done some bush first aid until we reached camp.  The rain had also done nothing to improve K’s cold & while I’d slept better the night before was apprehensive as to how the next day would go.

Apparently PB had settled in well & the boys were honored to have him with them staying up late sharing jokes, stories & culture.  PB eventually went to sleep but said there were usually a couple of boys awake at any given time tending the fire.  The highlight of the night was when a large tree fell close by the blue tarp & one of the boys had such a fright he clamber from one end of the tarp to the other over the top of the boys to “escape!”.  I didn't hear a thing & slept pretty well the whole night through, but that porter copped a lot of ribbing the next day over his antics!

 

Day 5

Day 5:

It had been raining on & off all night & by morning I was dreading getting up fearing Dad was going to be too worse for wear to go on, & that K may have decided it was all too hard as the conditions were now worse (raining) & they would want to go back.

I reluctantly climbed out of my toasty warm sleeping bag, donned yesterday’s clothes & packed up my gear & sorted my breaky stuff to take to the fire.  I was actually first up & the kettle hadn't yet boiled.  

Fortunately the rain wasn't as bad as it sounded on the tent, it was more cloud mist dripping onto the tent.  Breaky done, tents down & time to start hiking at 7am.  

Thankfully Dad & K were in OK spirits & ready to proceed.  Today’s walk was through the rain forest on a narrow goat track.  A little up & down & along the side of the mountain so in some places quite precarious!!!  

The rain cleared & we continued on goat tracks all day clambering over logs, trying not to trip on tree roots, climbing over the face of landslides using the trees that had fallen with bamboo pieces x 3 across in maybe 3 x sections, sometimes with a rope, sometimes without.  It was SO MUCH FUN!!!!!

  

We made it to Skindiwai around 3pm & Reg suggested Dad escort K & I to the wash wash once we had the OK from the locals to use their guest house. Wash Wash is the local wording for having a shower/wash/bath!

I wasn't actually very keen on going for a wash, but I guess Reg figured both K & Dad would probably feel better for it.  Up the hill we hiked, then down a slope to the wash wash which was a natural water outlet on the side of a hill, encouraged by a bamboo chute making it easier to shower under.  

Chilly, but cleaner we returned to the guest house which was a large hut on stilts.  We all slept together in the open area except for PB who attempted to minimize his disrupting snoring by plonking on the other side of a wall to the rest of us in a bit of a corridor.  I’m pretty sure we all had a crack at snoring, Dad almost recovered from his cold had a quiet snore that at times I wasn’t sure if it was a snore or a snuffle!  K had a blocked snoz snore going on too.  As for myself, no idea!  The porters all slept under their big blue tarp.

We managed to gather together similar meals – tonight we opted for beef, although the 1 x teriyaki beef kind of overpowered all the other flavours.  Another nip of Reg’s OP in our milo/coffee/tea & in bed again by around 7.30- 8pm.  K had brought along her ipad & ereader on the trek & read for a bit each night before bed.  As I’m used to going early & considering the physicality of our day & the previous night’s crappy sleep, I was able to drop off to sleep pretty much straight away.

Almost Wordless Wednesday