Day 4 - Kokoda Trek - daily journal

Day 4.
Kagi to Menari - 9.5 hours (6:45am - 4.15pm)
Pain factor 8 (1 to 10 where 10 is the worst)

Well the right knee continues to give me grief, and once again my porter has been the difference in me making my way thru the day.

We left Kagi at 6:45AM after a good nights sleep. During the night the wind was so strong and our villa really shook. You could hear the wind as it came across the valley, then ease, then commence again throughout the night.

We started with a short uphill, then thru Kagi village, flat and slight downhill past Kagi airfield. Then for the next hour it was all downhill and very steep after Kagi airport. I was leading strangely enough and so I had the longest rest after we crossed the stream which had a few logs and rope to hang onto (the porters providing assistance). Then it was all uphill to Efogi One where we stopped for a rest and bought bananas and mandarins from the locals. The cost is so cheap about 5 Kina a bunch for the bananas. Once again a lovely tidy village. We had a great view across the valley to Efogi Two and (way) above that Mission Hill and further behind and higher Brigade Hill.

So steep downhill into and thru Efogi Two. After we went thru the village, one of the largest outside of Kagi we started the very steep uphill climb to Mission Hill where we stopped and Kit gave us the history of the battle here.

It was then for another hour to Brigade Hill for lunch. This was tough going. There is an excellent View from the top but I was too stuffed to drag the camera out.

After lunch a long (hour or so) downhill starting off slowly, and then the last half hour very steep. We stopped for sometime at the stream at the bottom as it was a hot day. And along with the others wet my shirt, hat, sweat rag, anything I could.

Then a half hour very steep uphill to Menari for our overnight stay. A really lovely village, arriving at about 4:15PM.

Kit and a few others started a softball game with the view of getting some locals kids interested and then giving them the bat and ball. . Only one of the local kids "Junior" joined in. So he ended up owning the equipment.

An hour or so later at the instigation of Phil [the fitness guru] and ex rugby league player (think St George and Norths) the "big boys" (Arie, Phil, & Jeremy), porters and guides commenced a game of touch footy, and unusual as it may seem no-one was injured. The local lads are good, great hand / eye coordination.

Another beautiful warm evening the sun has set just behind a hill at about 5:30PM