Head down, eyes on my feet, keep moving, step, step, step, repeat my mantra ‘every step in is a step out’.  Sweat drips off my nose, stings my eyes but I keep going, step, step, step.  It’s day four on my Kokoda trek, I’m exhausted, empty, hot, dirty and yet for only the first time in four days I wonder if I can go on.  But then I hear it, the Papua New Guineans walking with us, supporting us like their ancestors the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels, the people who have taught me the most necessary words in Pidgin – brother, friend, love, happy.  They start to sing, their voices resonating through the hills, the beautiful harmony, the song is about me.

The smile that hasn’t left my lips for a moment in days broadens to the greatest grin and I realise why I’m here and that the strength to go on is not inside me but all around me and I keep on going, step, step, step but now I have a renewed energy and I chance a moment to take my eyes off my feet and the tree roots and mud they are slowly navigating and look around me at the wonder that is the Kokoda Trail.

I was told that it was a hard trek, the 96 kilometres of difficult terrain brings grown men to tears after only one day, three people died this year attempting it and 9 Australians and 3 Nationals lost their lives in the Kokoda flight crash this year just trying to get there.  And yet my father, brother and I embarked on the journey prepared mentally and physically, strong and brave to face the track that once held our soldiers in a battle that defined them as more than men.  With an Australian leader, a Papuan Trek Master and 17 more Nationals to assist us and our fellow walkers we arrived in Kokoda and immediately started out with the sun beating down on us and this beautiful land.

Papua New Guinea is a beautiful country and being full of natural resources has the potential to be the richest.  It is a difficult but rewarding country to travel in, steeped in history and walking the track there are stories all around.  An uprooted tree where one Australian soldier once held his dying brother for the last time while hiding amongst the roots, a great flat topped boulder impinging on the path once a makeshift surgery table.  I expected beauty and sadness from this track but didn’t realise the extent of mateship I would feel walking the path our troops walked to defend our country so many years before.  But beyond the history the beauty of the country is indescribable, I soon discover the words green and beautiful are negligent here.

I told everyone that I’d brought home the greatest souvenir and they thought I meant the walking pole my Papuan ‘baratas’ had carved for me and indeed it is but I meant the very heart that beats inside of me is better because of the Kokoda experience, I and every one of us has changed and our lives with it because of every step we took over those eight gruelling days and every word shared amongst the family that we became.  Courage, Endurance, Sacrifice, Mateship – the four words associated with the Kokoda track – it is with these attributes we are changed.   I threw a coin over my should at the Trevy fountain to ensure my return to Italy – I don’t need to do the same to ensure my return to Papua New Guinea, for now though my memories, my friends, and my beautifully carved walking pole are enough.

‘Elisa, yu hamamas?’  The singing has stopped and I’m brought out of my reverie by the question addressed to me by Staffy my Papuan Trek Master walking twenty metres behind, his voice carries as it echoes through the hills causing my smile to again broaden into a grin.  Am I happy?  Despite our sore feet, tired knees, the sweat and a smell like no other permeating off of us I look around and see my grin mirrored in every grimy face and there is no thinking required.  ‘Mipela hamamas Staffy!’  We’re all happy.

I grew up in the small rural township of Euroa in the 1950’s, the son of one of two local doctors. As a child I only heard vague muttering of The War, a subject never spoken
of in front of women or children.

My journey into hospitality commenced on leaving school, leading me to open a small but traditional Bed and Breakfast in 2000. All good? In 2008, my world tumbled into depression.

During therapy I was asked a question about what two things I want to achieve for myself - excluding work - within the next 5 years. The first answer came in a flash – I wanted to visit a dear friend in the UK. The second took much longer and from somewhere out of the depths came my answer - Kokoda. “Why Kokoda?” I was asked.  I had no reply other than “I will know the answer when I complete the trek”. UK was ticked off in a flash. Upon touchdown at Melbourne Airport “KOKODA” stared me in the face. Two weeks later I saw an advertisement for the Kokoda Trail. My course was set.

The challenges set for me in the following months were both physical and mental.

Getaway Trekking offers the complete Thailand package. From the  magnificent islands and pristine beaches in the south, the bustling vibrant Bangkok, to the only 5 day hill tribe trek in the remote northern part of Thailand, this tour has everything. This is an exotic land and we have chosen to trek in the misty mountains near Changmai, the bohemian center of Thailand. Getaway Trekking has exclusive access to some hill tribes in Northern Thailand due to our reputation as a culturally and eco sensitive company.

We visit Hell fire pass and the infamous Thai Burma railway in Kanchanaburi, the site of WW2 atrocities towards Australian and allied POWs.

Our tour starts in Bangkok where we have a mix of free time and organised activities. We visit the infamous Hell Fire Pass and bridge over the river Kwai, the scene of thousands of POW deaths during the second world war. Enroute we visit the famous floating markets, colourful and chaotic, a great experience that encapsulates the Thailand culture.

A short flight to Chang Mai with its fascinating indigenous cultural identity, diverse dialects, cuisine, architecture, traditional values, festivals, handicrafts and classical dances makes this a prime location in its own right. A steady climb to the third highest mountain in Thailand offers spectacular views . We trek through the various hill tribes, stay in bamboo huts and experience the wealth of unique cultures that has made this area famous. We become part of the  local culture and assist in the building of our own Bamboo rafts, which are used to complete the trek on the last day.

Let our experienced and qualified staff, lead, guide and support you and your team through Borneo and Sandakan. Our Sandakan tour continues a Getaway Trekking theme of exploring Australian Defence Forces involvement in World War 2. The island of Borneo, a province of Malaysia, provides the scene of our tour.

Our kickoff point is Kota Kinabalu, the state capital of Sabah.  This city, formerly known as Jesselton, is relatively new as the original town was destroyed during WWII. From here we fly to Sandakan and spend time at St Michael's Church, the Sandakan Memorial situated on the site of the former POW Camp, and Sepilok Orang-utan Rehabilitation Centre.

Our trek takes us along the route taken by the POW's during the 3 forced marches from Sandakan to Ranau. In often blistering heat and high humidity, you will gain an appreciation of the courage and spirit of these men who, starved, tortured and sick, struggled to keep up and stay alive. Of the 2,700 strong Allied contingent originally transferred to the Sandakan POW Camp, 6 survived. This is a largely forgotten, but enormously important, chapter of our history.

From spectacular Himalayan vistas to deeply spiritual cultures, Getaway Trekking  offer a range of treks in Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan. You don’t have to be a mountaineer to make it happen. Whatever your level of fitness or experience, you will find your own personal adventure of a lifetime with Getaway Trekking.

Getaway Trekking offer unique outdoor adventure trips and genuine experiences in Trekking, Peak climbing, Mountaineering, Rafting, Wildlife safaris and Cultural tours. .

Our holidays have been created to ensure that the local people benefit as much as possible and any negative environmental impacts on the destinations are minimized. With each and every one of our treks or tours we are always conscious of our social responsibility and the impact that we have on the environment, this makes us proud as responsible travel and eco tour operators.

The Kimberley region is one of the most remarkable yet least explored parts of Australia. Occupying an immense area of the North West part of Australia, the Kimberley is remote, sparsely populated and contains unparalleled biodiversity. It is a hidden world of deep gorges, rugged escarpments and plateaus, interspersed with cascading waterfalls and breathtaking scenery. Home to an extraordinary array of vegetation and wildlife, the area has sustained Aboriginal people for thousands of years. From its scorched Desert fringes and vast Eucalypt forests, remnant rainforest, wild rivers and coastal mangrove communities, the Kimberley is one of the Worlds last wild places. Your Experience will take you into the heart of this most magnificent of remote areas. Our vast trekking experience coupled with our ability to take you into those “special” places, will ensure your journey is one that provides you with long lasting memories.

After an awe inspiring helicopter ride to our start point, we walk through ancient river beds and swim in the crystal clear waterholes: you will marvel at the ruggedness of the surrounding landscape. Our 5 day trek takes us through areas seldom seen. We are picked up on the shores of Lake Argyle and taken to a small island for an overnight camp. The sunset is breathtaking as we sit around our camp and take in the panoramic view of the surrounding Kimberley.

An early boat pick up the next morning and a exhilarating ride to our canoeing start point below the Argyle Dam wall on the Ord river.

A slow easy paddle along the waters of the Ord with overnight camps on sandy beaches, will take us back to Kununurra.

History, culture, the magnificence of the Kokoda Track jungle, and your own personal challenge. It just doesn't get any better!

Getaway Trekking stands alone in our dedication to developing your pre-Kokoda fitness levels. We believe your  journey on the Kokoda Track starts from the moment you make your decision to undertake this trek. We assess your current fitness and assist you to develop a training program to suit. We offer regular group training sessions and can, in some cases, refer you to personal trainers in your area.

With regular contact and support, we help ensure your Kokoda trek will be achievable. All clients have the opportunity to participate in several extended walks with Getaway Trekking leaders in addition to our regular training program. Although we cannot re-create the climatic conditions of Kokoda, these walks replicate as closely as possible the type of terrain we encounter along the trek.