Firstly, thanks to everyone who took the time to sponsor me and contribute to the Mark Davies Injured Riders Fund.

 

I'm back, alive and free from Malaria, Dengi Fever, Typhoid, Rabies, Hepatitis, Snake Bites...In fact, apart for a mental aversion to using the longdrops I came away pretty much intact (but thinner). And having foregone beer for 6 months (while I was in training) that first beer in Port Moresby was straight out out of the film Ice cold in Alex.

 

Papua was extraordinary. And the Papuans, despite enormous poverty and hardship are the friendliest and happiest people you could meet. Quick to smile and hard as nails (and thats just the women!).

 

A hot, humid jungle, sleep depivation (we were up at 4.30am every day) and appalling jetlag all conspired to making me feel as if I was hallucinating for the first 2 days. The trekking part was tough - a lot of 'hills' in difficult conditions. Tough, but do-able -  having said that,  I was glad of all the hours I had put in back home trudging up and down the 30 floors of Guy Hospital's stairwell for hours on end. Every part of the jungle was an Attenborough moment - huge beautiful trees in virgin forest, butterfles the size of birds and birds the size of...well, I'm sure they were big.  I didn't actually see any birds through the canopy but I could hear the little darlings squalking up there. Somewhere.

 

Best moments for me were undoubtedly the informal 'sing-sings' the boys did. The Papuans seem to have a natural bent to sing harmonies - and our crew of 20 Papuans would, of an evening, amuse themselves by a spot of communal singing. It was like going trekking with Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Heaven for me.

 

I should warn you that I took about 600 photos so here's fair warning to get your excuses ready for when I ask you to 'Come and see my Kokoda Snaps'. 

 

Sadly I can no longer duck out of weekend chores by claiming the need to go training. So its back to reality for me.

 

 Many thanks again to all of you who sponsored me.