Kokoda Adventure By Jane Grieve

Diary Entry (July 2006): My name is Jane Grieve. I am 53 years old. Three times I have put on the backless white gown in the labour ward and strenuously negotiated that solemn rite of passage - to motherhood. Each time I have known there was only one way out of there. Easy it was not. Nor was it good. It was bad. Bad. But I got through and the result was wonderful. I never thought I would, but I did it!

My name is Jane Grieve. I am 53 years old and sitting in a pandanus forest in Papua New Guinea. Today I negotiated Day Three of my physical nemesis, the Kokoda Trail. I walked for 10 hours through steaming tropical jungle, crossed over the Owen Stanley Ranges, teetered over gushing streams. It was hard, and I am tired, and there is only one way out. But I got through and the result is wonderful. I never thought I could, but I did it!

10 hours! By the end Susan, Michelle and I were walking zombies - one step, another step; up, up, up; down, down, down. Soc's and Jim's story-telling about the battles fought along this track kept up a running commentary that kept us going, one step, another step. Hot, sweaty weather. Drenched with sweat all the time. Drink some, sweat some, drink some more. Share some lollies with your porter for mutual energy; keep going, keep going.

And tonight we camp in a beautiful hut made of pandanus fronds. It's great to be able to spread out our damp, smelly things. Each previous night everything in my tent became more than damp, and not quite wet; and then those damp things had to be packed away and came out stinking at the end of the day.

Hey! This is fantastic! It's happening; it's working

Full word count 2165 words