cex.com.au
december 2013 - january 2014
18
a Kokoda experience
with Eric Foulkes
a
fter completing a culinary apprenticeship
at C.ex Woolgoolga five years ago, Kitchen
Chef eric foulkes was relocated to C.ex
Coffs to continue the development of his
skills and trade. Stimulated by C.ex Coffs
values and incentive, for employee excellence, management
has selected various staff nominees to follow the Anzacs'
footprints by experiencing the Kokoda Trail.
eric foulkes was both excited and apprehensive of
the challenge he was about to undertake as his plane
approached Port Moresby. Gazing at the local terrain and
vegetation from 30,000 feet confirmed that the next 10
days would be eric's greatest physical encounter.
After a restless night, eric was made known to his `Carrier'
who, for the princely sum of $3.00 per day, would haul his
tent and a further 12 kilos of personal luggage through the
owen Stanley Range for the next 126 kilometres, What's
more there is no mention of penalty or award rates in
Papua new Guinea!
Whilst the weather was hot and humid, you could have
been excused for thinking eric had been trekking in the rain
as all clothing remained saturated for the entire venture.
each night the party would arrive at camp, wash themselves
and clothes in a cold mountain creek and then change into
dry clothes for sleeping purposes, and dare he say that "rice,
tinned corn beef and beans have never tasted so good".
after four days of steep ascent and sweltering heat, eric
began to doubt himself to complete the trail. the previous
night he had listened with intent to the tour Leader explain
the significance of each place visited and the legacy left
behind by those of incredible courage, but `the demons'
silently questioned whether he possessed the drive and
endurance to find the `finish line'.
With the Mt bellamy stage of the trek being some 2000
metres above sea level, the next day was no time for
uncertainty: a gruelling hike through jungle, on a track, along
the side of a mountain to which the summit could not be
found how did young inexperienced Australians do this
for six months while fighting enemy forces? Simply amazing!
on the next stage of the journey the trekkers were
privileged to meet ovoru ndiki who is the last surviving
`fuzzy-Wuzzy Angel', a group of Papua new Guinean
people who assisted and escorted injured Australian troops
along the Kokoda Trail during 1942. At the ripe old age of
104 years, Mr. ndiki's image profiled as frail but people feel
a special aura of kindness whilst standing in this
man's presence.
After 10 days of wilderness, "mid trek reservations" and
although extremely tired, eric had actually become mentally
tougher as the destination of owers Corner had now
became very achievable. elation and exhaustion are the
two words which best describe reaching the memorial at
owers Corner where a small service was held to reflect
on the sacrifice of those who had fought so heroically for
Australia's freedom. The Kokoda Trail has a very special
resonance for those who have trekked in the footsteps of
the brave across the formidable owen Stanley range. only
those who have completed the journey fully understand the
By tony Cahill.