Kokoda Trekking Guides And Porters, End of Year get together! Options

[Boss Meri]

On the 10th October Soc Kienzle's trek arrived off the track and along with his trekkers were 16 of our KTL boys. On this trek the majority were guides in their own right but who on this trek acted as personal porters and food porters.

As it was the last big trek of the year, we decided as Management to put as many as we could on this trek as they all want to sap up anything Soc wants to teach them. The majority of Australian guides just walk and keep the information about the war history to themselves whereas with the likes of Soc Kienzle he does not know how many years he has in his legs left to walk so wants to teach them as much as he can before he can no longer walk.

It also gave our guides an experience of how their porters feel when they walk so they can do their best to make sure their needs are taken care of when they make decisions on the track.

Besides our guides are all jealous of the ones we have been selected in the past to walk with Soc as they were feeling left out and they too wanted to learn from him. As a result this week saw all but three of our guides walk alongside Soc trying to act like a sponge and absorb all they can from what he offered to teach them.

Each time Soc walks for the second time with one of our guides he awards them a book in recognition of what they have learnt from him. Last night was Harold Hauro's turn to accept a book from Soc who is the son of the legendary Bert Kienzle who looked after the fuzzy wuzzy angels during the war.

Last night Soc invited for dinner myself, along with Wallace Lemeki and Clement Harika also graduates of his history lessons. Pictured below is Harold Hauro who received a book from Soc on KOKODA and his congratulations.

Attached image(s)

 

[Boss Meri]

After our boys arrived in town Russell got them all together with the exception of the three mentioned above - took them shopping for food and drove them three hours out of Port Moresby to Open Bay Guesthouse.

The other three I drove out today to catch up with the others so they too could enjoy an end of year break outside of the busy Port Moresby area with all the trappings of beer; women; things to spend their money on etc.

When I caught up with them today they could not wait to inform me how they had gone fishing with nets and caught enough for a meal last night and again today; how they walked up to a village some 20 minutes away (but hey are 96km walkers) to barter for some more fish; how they had gone hunting in the bush last night hoping to catch something to eat etc.

Mind you they had enough food to eat as we bought out half of the supermarket, all this was in the form of FUN. They all loved the beach and the feeling of freedom. On Tuesday 9 will fly back home and the remainder the following day. Until then they are all enjoying their time at the beach as per the photographs shown below:

Attached image(s)

 

[Boss Meri]

The Open Bay Guesthouse area which they are calling home for the next couple of days:

Attached image(s)

 

[Boss Meri]

more pics

Attached image(s)

 

[Boss Meri]

The shelter below is adjacent to the main guesthouse and is where we held our end of year staff meeting today.

Attached image(s)