It's Time!!

Well Everyone,

I'm off to tackle the Kokoda Track in the morning and I would like to thank everyone for their support!! All that is left now is to get some good work done for the Sir David Martin Foundation.

** Don't forget you can still donate **

Keep an eye out on the Blog for updates on where we're at - I've hopefully set the GPS tracking to post automatically to the Blog.

Keep track of where I am on the track - http://www.trekkokoda.com.au/kokoda-trektraka?tripid=KOK01-14-003

Donate to a great cause - http://sdmfkokoda2014.gofundraise.com.au/page/WiggyKokoda2014

Thanks,

Wiggy

What do you know about Kokoda?

Just a quick post to see what everyone knows about The Kokoda Track.

Personally, I can only remember back to history lessons in school but that's about it.

What does everyone else know? It'd be great if you share your knowledge :)

In the meantime, I've uploaded some extracts from BackTrack Adventures Information Guide which will give you some brief details:

Papua New Guinea and Kokoda at a Glance

 

Kokoda - The Heroes of the Track

 



Kokoda - Campaign Events

Sharing the experience and being there..

This is all such a new experience to me that I'm not sure what to expect or how to prepare or how I will feel afterwards? So, I'm just going to do everything :) Really my motto is head down, butt up and do it!

People probably think that I go a little bit overboard when I start endeavours.. with enthusiasm, with preparation, with gear, or with thinking, but hey! better safe than sorry right - If you're going to do something you may as well do it right - right?!? (if you don't agree argue with my mum)

Anyway, I do want to try and share as much of this experience with everyone and anyone as possible for a number of reasons, and I will tell you in a minute how I'm going to do that, but for now let's list why? :)

1) Kokoda Track - A massive part of Australian military history and one of the toughest jungle treks there is - I'm willing to take on the challenge. I classify myself a normal (albeit a bit nutty) but if I can do it any one can.

I have posted previously about this experience and it's military history. I truly don't think that I could ever be as amazing as our service men and women that protect our country.. but in my way I'll try.. maybe sometime in the future I'll find more.. but for now, what I can give is to follow their footsteps and live what they lived. Maybe not in the same peril, but the demands are there. I'm sad that only just found out about Rusty (Godfrey Priest) - more so I never knew him, but now I have a connection that will make this all the more special.

2) Sir David Martin Foundation - Their help with disadvantage youths is awesome. If I can help them while I have amazing experiences then I'll be there 110% of the time. I know everyone didn't have what I had growing up, or has been fortunate in their lives as I have.. (that's all relative to everyone to be honest). To be real I might even fall on tough times myself. I'm not the SDMF target market, but I always hope there would be someone for me.

a) because it's just the right thing to do.

b) because you never know you might end up in the same situation on day and hope someone was there for you.



If you got this far, you're interested (as you should be) and this is what I'm trying to do.

I want to share this experience as much as possible with everyone. I think that it's going to be amazing, so if I can get others that feeling too - I'll try my best! :)

This is what I want to do, I'm going to try and capture as much as possible., and to do this.. "magicians exclamation".. ta da.. Here's my gear that I have to sort out before the Trek so that I can share with everyone.

 

 

I started wearing  a GoPro video camera on my motorcycle helmet because I've have a few scenarios with other drivers that weren't so nice.. I always have it on now and it helps me to capture everything that is going on - just in case.

 

It makes sense to me that I can do exactly the same thing for the Trek. The GoPro is ideal to be able to easily capture either photos or videos. Sure I'm not going to have it going all of the time, but if I'm lucky enough to capture some key experiences that I can share I'll be really happy.

 

I'm not sure about internet connectivity, but I will capture as much as possible for everyone.. and I will make sure I share it! :)

 

Finally, I have had a message from the tour administrators saying that the tour lead will be wearing a GPS during the Trek and there will be the ability to look up exactly where we are. So, stay tuned to more information about that before I go - I think it's a little something that will be really neat :)

 

The little things that make this experience even so much more special..

Wow, I'm really happy to have just had an email from a friend at work supporting me on my Kokoda Track Challenge - other than the wonderful support I get from this - it's even all the more special because, as it turns out her and her family are close friends of the Priest family and Godfrey "Rusty" Priest. (who sadly passed away in September of 2013)

Rusty was decorated war veteran who was heavily involved in the RSL and the rebuilding of community pride, awareness and involvement in Anzac Day commemorations (Initiatives such as The Anzac memorial / Anzac Bridge and the Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway to name a few). As the Anzac spirit and the recognition of our serving men and women are so key to this challenge for me it means quite a lot to find a link such as this and it makes it so much more special.

Personally, I've been trying to learn a bit more about The Kokoda Track and find out more detail about the events that make it so iconic in Australian military history, but this really does give me more learning to do. I wasn't aware of Rusty prior to Kathryn's email in support, but from all that I have read since, Rusty epitomises not only the Anzac spirit but a lot about what I believe it means to be Australian.

I'm definitely going to find out more about him, so even though I never knew him whilst he was alive I can appreciate everything that he has done for me.

Here's a couple of links that I have found so far - so if you would like to find out more you can too..

ABC News article
Parliament of NSW - Tribute
War memorials NSW - Anzac Bridge
Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway