Back in 2008 I wrote:
…back from Kokoda – amazing, hard, liberating, sweaty, dirty, smelly, unbelievable, fun
No I haven’t done the trek again but my husband is currently away on his 9th walk over the infamous Kokoda Track and will return home in a few days time. This time of year always makes me remember my trek and how hard, but satisfying, it was!
I wrote about this very topic back on 28 April 2019 when my husband was returning from his 8th trip.
I have mentioned my Kokoda experience in numerous posts, mainly in conjunction with my fear of heights and edges. I wrote about it in some detail in this post which gives you the background to this ‘life changing’ Rotary Youth initiative – A Wanderlusting Traveller.
I also wrote this post for International Women’s Day in 2019, and it tells the story of how I walked the infamous Kokoda Track at age 47 with a severe fear of heights – To all the brave courageous women of the world – we’re all walking on the wild side
I must say I was surprised at how much fun I had being dirty, smelly, sore, sweaty and physically exhausted for ten days straight!
Debbie 2008
Tumba2Kokoda 2024
Due to Covid, this very successful project was put on hold for 5 years. Our Tumbarumba Rotary Club has been the instigator of this great youth project where we take local high school students to walk the Kokoda Track, we call it Tumba2Kokoda.
The timing usually includes Anzac Day due to the April school holidays, so this is an added bonus. The students have to research soldiers and explore the details of the part Kokoda played in WW2. It’s an holistic trek and helps the students prepare mentally and physically for what is one of the hardest things they’ll have done in their life so far.
Up until 2019 the trek was held every 2 years (since the first one in 2007) and to be honest we actually weren’t sure if we could get it up and running again – but with some inspired leaders, enthusiastic kids and their families and support from the local community we did it! So here we are with 15 students and 5 leaders currently in PNG making their way over the Kokoda Track. To date that would make over 100 local students who have walked the track, pretty impressive for the small rural town of Tumbarumba!
My husband is now 67 and has been on every trek since they started training in 2006 – he obviously enjoys it – but I decided once was enough! I’m happy to support and encourage from the sidelines.
As the current President of our Tumbarumba Rotary Club (for the 2nd time), I’m proud to be involved in this program, even in just a small way. But really the amount of effort that goes into getting this off the ground is nothing short of amazing and as the wife of one of the leaders I have to tell you that our family life is thrown into limbo for the 6+ months of training as everything, and I mean everything, revolves around walking, training , organising and did I mention walking! This is necessary of course as the students need to be well prepared for what they are undertaking. It is still a big ask for the families of the leaders and I now accept it as part of my life as it’s been going on for so many years.
It doesn’t make the farewells any easier and the worry while they’re away especially when things are going a bit pear shaped at home and there’s no-one to lean on. One of the leaders is a husband and father of 4 kids under 10! That’s a huge commitment.
I love these two photos from 2013 and 2024 – the wives of the leaders, me, Colleen and Vanessa looking a bit too cheerful that our husbands are off an another adventure! This year Colleen’s husband Bruce, the main driver of the great project, was unable to go due to ill health but he did everything he could to help get it up and running.
It was still a great opportunity to get a photo of the 3 of us. Since 2013 Vanessa has had 4 children and the two older girls were so upset saying goodbye to their father, it made me cry just looking at them! He’s been away before and also Vanessa was a leader one year (before children) but this year the girls were old enough to understand what their father was doing.
The group left on the bus on Friday April 12 at 9pm, to Sydney airport – sleeping in the bus and being there when the airport opened. They flew to Brisbane then onto a flight to Port Moresby soon after. The walk started after a small plane flight to Kokoda the next day. The heat and humidity would hit them plus being tired from all the travelling. Some of the kids had never flown before! What an adventure!
The farewell scenes always get me – there’s excitement, worry, tears and bravado plus countless photos taken.
You’ve got mail – in the jungle
As I mentioned in my post back in 2019, one of the nicest things to have come out of this Rotary Youth initiative and life changing program, is the simple act of writing a letter.
Letter writing is becoming a long lost art unfortunately, especially when done by hand and on paper. Receiving a hand written letter is also very special!
Every second year when my husband helps lead a trek across the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea, the parents are contacted and asked to write a secret letter to their child. This is to tell them how proud they are of their child for undertaking this trek, what they miss about them and how much they have grown since starting the training. It’s usually given out at the halfway point and the kids are normally quite homesick by then. It’s a very moving experience for many! The leaders also get a letter from their family but even though they’re more aware of the whole process, they still get affected when it’s letter day.
There’s usually tears and laughter and everyone goes quiet for a while. They then regroup and may share snippets before carefully folding their special letters away in a safe dry spot.
Although my husband has done this trek 9 times now, I still sit down and write him a letter. I also get our daughters, and now the grandchildren, to write or draw a picture for him and send it off. I know he loves getting these messages of love and support!
Many of the parents comment that it’s the first time they have written a real letter to their child, and how they found it quite a difficult thing to do. As well as emotional!
Awaiting their triumphant return
We have limited contact with the group while they’re away for the 2 weeks and this is something the parents and students find hard. They are rarely out of contact with their phone always on them, but this trip is a learning exercise and it shows them there is a life without mobile connectivity! The leaders do have a sat phone for emergencies.
We’re awaiting their return to Tumbarumba this coming Friday night/early Saturday morning and to hearing their stories. We’ve had lovely warm autumn days here but it will be a whole different world in PNG with rain and subsequent mud predicted.
My husband always keeps a diary and takes lots of photos to make a coffee table book of each trip which the families can buy as a keepsake. It’s great way of looking back at the various trips.
I must say I’m keen to have the Mathematician home again!
Wednesday Words & Whimsy #WWWHIMSY
Min at Write of the Middle, has a linkup for bloggers called Wednesday Words & Whimsy – you can read more about it here.
Everyone is invited to join in with a post – just go to Min’s blog for the linkup – here.
You can also find Deb’s World in lots of other places – stay in touch by clicking any of the buttons below.
Everyone has a story to tell!
Deb is a young-at-heart & active 60+ blogger/retiree, after being made redundant from her 22-year career managing education programs in a men’s correctional centre (jail). She now spends her time reading, blogging, riding her ebike and travelling. Deb was awarded a Bravery Award from the Queen when she was 17 after a tragic accident – a definite life changing moment! She is married with 3 grown-up daughters & has 4 grandchildren. You can read more of Deb’s story here
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Deb's World 
Deb, what a remarkable thing to be involved with. I can imagine this might be a once in a lifetime experience for some of these young people. It is admirable that your husband still takes part in this adventure. As character building as it sounds, it would probably be a one and done for me also. Cheerleading from afar, letter writing and keeping the home fires burning is important too. Congratulations to you all for organizing and executing such a worthwhile program.
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Many thanks for understanding the essence of the trip Suzanne and the effort from everyone involved. It is great to keep up with the students who did it all those years ago and see how they are progressing in life. They still talk of their trek as one of those moments in life, which is lovely to hear.
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Hi Deb, wow what a read and super inspiring and even got me teared up (the letter writing). I’m super impressed you’ve done this even just once! I did the 30K Brisbane version of the Kokoda trail back in 2011 and it nearly killed me (https://www.kokodachallenge.com/brisbane). I could not move the next day and had to take a couple of days off work. I can imagine how much you’d be looking forward to getting your hubby home safe n sound and to hear all the stories and see all the photos. What wonderful memories being created and so good to get away from technology and devices! Love all the photos you’ve shared here. Bring on tomorrow night/Saturday morning when they all return! Thanks for linking up with #WWWhimsy – have a fabulous weekend catching up on all the news from ‘the mathematician’! xo
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Thanks Min, I’m looking forward to their return and hearing their stories. It’s a fabulous program and I’m super proud of them all.
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Super impressive that Grant has done this 9 times! It’s a huge commitment on the leaders to train and organize this and be committed to those young adult’s for that time period. I love that in every one of those pictures Grant has a smile on his face. I am sure it is difficult being out of touch as so little of our life is lived in isolation anymore. I love that you and your entire family write him a letter — how sweet! Bernie
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Yes Bernie it’s a great commitment but they love doing it! They’re due back in a few hours so I’m keen to to hear all about it. Thanks!
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What a wonderful community adventure and congrats to making it a successful event for the folks who need a challenge in their lives from time to time!
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Thanks Mary, we are all so proud of the program. It’s been wonderful to see the results over the years.
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That sounds like such an amazing program! While I am an avid day hiker I have never tackled anything like this. I too have a very healthy fear of heights but those times I do make myself overcome some challenge on the trail make me feel so accomplished after.
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It was a hard walk Joanne but looking back I’m glad I did it. The students all gain so much from it.
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And I made a typo too. Ha.
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What a great post. I actually got a bit teary readying. Not long till G is home. And what a contribution you both make to the community where you call HOME…Tumba.
It’s a credit to you both that others have successful experiences such as these.
May the homecoming be sweet.
Denyse xx
PS trying for the 3rd time…lucky??
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Thanks for your comment(s) Denyse, they all came through – some went into the spam folder!
It really is a great project and we’re proud of all of them and the community for getting the fundraising going.
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Fantastic, Deb – I wouldn’t do that if you paid me heaps. My ex-husband’s father was in the battle, one of the earliest ones in.
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Thanks Toni, the history is so interesting for them all to learn about and the trek is hard work!!
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High five to you for completing the treak – you’re a braver woman than I and I can see why once would be enough! What an amazing experience for everyone involved and how amazing that the town got it off the ground in this challenging, post Covid world. I love the idea of the letters – reminds me of how I felt when I first went off to boarding school and got the first letter from my mum! I bet you can’t wait to get the Mathematician home and hear all about his adventures.
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Thanks Sammie, the letters are a very special part of it all! The stories will go on for ages I’m sure 🙂
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Oh why oh why did my comment not show up…because “I” had not signed in.
Deb, you and G came to Tumba as newbies…along with the girls, and look how you have made this community home! That’s a triumph in itself.
Thanks to people who are community minded, smaller places in Australia do great things. So many in fact from Tumbarumba.
I was almost in tears at parts of this post. It IS a huge emotional event to do things beyond our comfort zone.
Thanks to people like you and G, younger people learn resilience and strength and how to be guided by those who went before them.
I can only imagine how much you are looking forward to having your life partner HOME again!
Denyse x
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Sounds like such a great thing to do (but not for me…!).
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It’s definitely not for everyone Barbara!!
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That was a beautiful and emotional post and full of memories and recollections. Biggest congrats to all in Tumba who make great things happen like this. It really IS a special place. And of course, its people like you and G who arrive, and have kids, who end up making it HOME and then becoming the community leaders too.
Loved this and my eyes welled with tears as I imagined the farewells and now, the “almost” here returns!
Thanks so much for sharing what more people need to know about!
Take care
Denyse x
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Gosh what a wonderful achievement for all of you involved in the Kokoda trek. Such a life changing challenge and for your husband to have completed nine times is astounding. You are both so inspirational in the way that you commit to community work. I love the idea of the letters for the students (and leaders). As you say, many never receive letters from loved ones these days
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Thanks Janine, we do enjoy our community and helping where we can. The trek was a success and all the kids loved it! So many stories and photos and yes the letters are a lovely way of celebrating their efforts.
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What an amazing experience those young people are having! And, your husband has done it every time…that’s dedication and love. I am really impressed with the idea of this which sounds rather silly, but I just can’t seem to come up with the words. I’m just so overcome with the sacrifices the leaders and families make to have this happen. I’m sure it is a life altering experience. Thanks for sharing it, Debbie.
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
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You’re so sweet Marsha! Thanks for your lovely words, it’s a labour of love by them all and they can see the benefits it gives the kids. I’m always happy to share good news stories like this 🙂
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Wow. 9 times!! Everyone I know that’s done it has been ‘once is enough!’ He must be super driven or tough as nails! What an achievement. And go you for giving it a go too. You really are full of surprises (I mean in to look at you Kokoda isn’t what pops into my head – I do remember you’ve posted about it before)…
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Thanks Lydia, as you say, it wasn’t really my cup of tea but I gave it a go! They all returned in one piece and thoroughly enjoyed the challenges both mental and physical.
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That’s an amazing commitment and what an achievement for the participants. Also the organisers must get a lot of satisfaction from this too. Love the idea of the letters too.
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Yes Ali, lots of satisfaction from everyone involed and the kids and parents are very appreciative which is good.
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Hi Deb – I’ve just been listening to a podcast about how important it is for young people to have a “rite of passage” experience and how lacking it is in our world today (and the fallout because of that). This is such a fantastic example of a life changing, challenging experience at just the right age for these students. Kudos to Grant and the others for taking them on such a journey – it will a have life long impact on each of them. x
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Thanks Leanne, you’re right it is a rite of passage kind of thing, better than schoolies week on the Gold Coast for instance! They’ve all returned in one piece and have so many stories to tell of their life changing experiences, it’s great!
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What a wonderful experience for all involved Deb and I’m always so blown away by the amount of community work you and Grant are involved in. I love that the students have to research a soldier and I’m sure it makes the trek more personal. Special memories for all x
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Hi Deb, I selected this post as one of my top 3 from Weekend Traffic Jam Reboot and will promote it next week. x
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Oh Sue thank you, that’s very kind of you!
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Thanks Sue, it’s always a lot of enjoyable time but it also tends to take over our lives a bit! Each student gave a talk on their soldier and they all did brilliantly.
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What an amazing adventure for all involved. My hats off to Grant and you for your commitment to organize and participate in the trek. Have a wonderful reunion this coming weekend! #WWWhimsy
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Thanks Natalie, it’s certainly been a big part of our life for many years and now they’ve returned all safe and sound!
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Such an incredible undertaking – at any age. I’m way too much of a scaredy cat I think to tackle something like that – that bridge pic gave me the heebie jeebies! All respect.
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Thanks Jo, it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done but I’m glad I pushed myself. Can’t wait to hear Grant’s stories from this trek, only. a few more days and he’ll be home!
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What an amazing trip and for the leaders as well a challenge and responsibility.
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Yes lots of responsibility for the leaders with medication for the students and allergies etc! But they did it – again and all loved their time away.
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It sounds like one of life’s special memory makers, those adventures that you come away receiving far more than you gave and yet you know you gave all you had.
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Well said Joseph, you’re spot on!
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