Doish13 Posted 8September, 2013 Report Share Posted 8September, 2013 Hi all for those who I've already met you will know my other passion is Military Strategy / History and War Birds. Earlier this year the PFA catch up in Canberra was pretty magic when we stumbled across that WW1 photo collection and I have coming up later this year my annual trip to the WW2 battlefields in Europe - this year I am retracing the steps of "Easy Company" (Band of Brothers) from Normandy to Austria. I am now planing a trip to do the Kokoda Trail early next year and it appears this can only be done by tour-understandably. My question here is has anyone here on PFA done any of these tours and can make recommendations? Seems to be a few out there and I would love some feedback. Also anyone planing to do it next year (Nikko?)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nath Posted 8September, 2013 Report Share Posted 8September, 2013 I was going to do it this year but had to pull out due to illness. I can recommend Kokoda spirit, obviously I didn't end up doing the walk but in my research they were the best I could find. http://www.kokodaspirit.com.au/ Also the insurance mob they recommend are great, was $140ish for the trip and I got a full refund when I cancelled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doish13 Posted 8September, 2013 Author Report Share Posted 8September, 2013 Interested to do it next year? Thanks for the lead will take a look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nath Posted 8September, 2013 Report Share Posted 8September, 2013 Probably not next year looking at the year after possibly. If your into the history then they're the ones to go with its a massive walk that they make into a part history tour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polorot Posted 8September, 2013 Report Share Posted 8September, 2013 I did Kokoda 4 years ago . An amazing experience. My motive for going was initially from a fitness perspective, but got so much more out of the trip. learning about our wartime history in that part of the world really opened my eyes.It can be very confronting, There is nothing quite like having a narrative along the track explaining the battles,won and lost, not to mention finding and holding artifacts along the trail, such as japanese and Australian diggers boots,shells or helmut ; or hearing while on the track, one of the New Guinea local birds which had learned to mimmick the sound of machine gun fire. It made the hairs on my neck stand on end. Have a look at the website for Australian Kokoda tours. Mick O'Malley runs an informative and professional tour. Cant recommend it highly enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doish13 Posted 8September, 2013 Author Report Share Posted 8September, 2013 Thanks mate will also look this up. How grueling was it from a physical point? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polorot Posted 8September, 2013 Report Share Posted 8September, 2013 I went with a mate. He and I had a good level of fitness as we had been doing bootcamps for 12 months. We got through it fairly well. 96 kms over 8 days. Doesn't sound much till you get there. The mountain range is like the blades on a saw. you are up and down the whole trek, some of the ascents/descents are extremely steep. Add rain, very high humidity, creek and river crossings and, in places, mud you start to get some understanding of how taxing it can be. Others on our trip struggled, but we all got through. The less fit can opt to have their pack carried by a porter. We did sleep very well at the end of every day............... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niko Posted 8September, 2013 Report Share Posted 8September, 2013 Hi all for those who I've already met you will know my other passion is Military Strategy / History and War Birds. Earlier this year the PFA catch up in Canberra was pretty magic when we stumbled across that WW1 photo collection and I have coming up later this year my annual trip to the WW2 battlefields in Europe - this year I am retracing the steps of "Easy Company" (Band of Brothers) from Normandy to Austria. Also anyone planing to do it next year (Nikko?)? I envy you Doish, both the "Easy Company" (love those guys) tour and Kokoda would be sensational. I have a dicky right knee and already been under the knife but has not come up to what I would have hoped, I have trouble going up stairs at times, so I think the the mountains might be out of the question unfortunately. But thanks for thinking of me there, I should have done it a few years back. Polorot, what a great experience, I also envy you doing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doish13 Posted 9September, 2013 Author Report Share Posted 9September, 2013 No worries Niko - also considering Wings Over Wanaka which would be awesome and easy on the knee..... And a little bit hard on the liver Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niko Posted 10September, 2013 Report Share Posted 10September, 2013 Now your talking, what a great event. Garth Hogan who is a good mate of mine and lives on the lake at Wanaka (google him up) normally is an organiser and participant. Photo is of his garage in Wanaka under his house. He is/was part owner of the P50 Kittyhawk plus all his other toys there. I went to Bonneville with Garth and his car and team a few years back. Sensational bloke, I'm sure he will be involved with the 2014 WBOW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niko Posted 10September, 2013 Report Share Posted 10September, 2013 Hmmm more I think about it ......that would be good fun....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doish13 Posted 10September, 2013 Author Report Share Posted 10September, 2013 Now that's a garage - lets chat next week. Need to book as early as possible as its on the worlds best calendar. Sure Caver has a cave to explore or mountain to climb around there. I've always wanted to paraglide / fly a glider around there when I kept a log book as the scenery is just beautiful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niko Posted 10September, 2013 Report Share Posted 10September, 2013 Cheers Doish, I will have to give it some thought, we are planning a trip around Aus around that time, but will check out dates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tit Posted 12December, 2013 Report Share Posted 12December, 2013 Have you booked this trip? Lifeline are looking for takers for a fundraising kokoda trip early next year: http://lifelinekokoda2014.gofundraise.com.au Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazzieman Posted 12December, 2013 Report Share Posted 12December, 2013 Well I had thought about knocking this off , until the Incident in September. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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