In a feat most would find close to impossible local hero Turia Pitt has conquered Kokoda.
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Battling the jungles of Papua New Guinea for nine days Miss Pitt raised over $400k for Interplast.
A charity providing free surgical treatment to people living with treatable disabilities in the Asia-Pacific region.
“It was such an incredible experience, easily the best adventure trip I’ve done and the most amazing country to visit,” Miss Pitt said.
Describing the trek as a “mammoth effort”, Miss Pitt found the experience very powerful and physically demanding.
“I thought that training for Ironman would probably be enough for Kokoda, and I still found it physically exhausting,” she said.
“I’ve also gotta say, being an Aussie walking through those mountains felt really significant.
“I still can’t comprehend how battles were fought in that terrain.
“It was a special and powerful place to visit, that’s for sure.”
Challenges? Miss Pitt explains there were a few. The biggest for her was the physical demands of the 96km track.
“Because 65% of my body surface has been burnt, it’s difficult for my body to regulate my temperature,” she said.
“Most importantly, I learnt that we are capable of so much more than we think.”
- Turia Pitt
“I really feel the heat and the cold.
“The days were so hot trekking and the nights were really cold so I had to make sure I looked after myself.
“Lots of jumping into waterholes and taking extra precautions to make sure my night time clothing stayed dry and warm.
“But that’s the thing about challenges – when you prepare for them, they’re easy to overcome!”
Miss Pitt explained the experience was one she will remember forever with her fondest memory being immersed in day-to-day PNG life.
“I’ve been asked a few times now what the standout experience was, and you know I think it was the rest day,” she said.
“We were in a village called Naduri and spent the whole day immersed in their village life, going to church with the locals and having running races with the kids.
“It was pretty awesome.”
Miss Pitt explained that while she learnt many lessons on the trek, the most important was that we can all achieve the unexpected.
“I learnt so much on this trek,” she said.
“Most importantly, I learnt that we are capable of so much more than we think.”
