1,000 Steps - List No. 12

The History:

The 1,000 steps, or otherwise known as the Kokoda Walk, based at the foot of the Dandenong Ranges gives walkers a sense of the exhaustion experienced by the Australian soldiers following the trail during the Kokoda campaign in 1942 in Papua New Guinea.  Keep in mind, however, the real trail runs for 96kms.  The 1,000 steps only runs for 2.5km.  

Along the 1,000 steps walk, there are plaques depicting the lives of those who fought and died at Kokoda during World War II.  This track is not for the faint hearted, not only in terms of exercise, but also for the nostalgia one can feel for Australian soldiers and the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels. 

My Journey:

I thought about taking my ipod.  Then I thought I'd like to listen to the natural surrounds.  In hindsight I wish I'd taken my ipod so that I didn't have to listen to my huffing and puffing.  I certainly didn't hear the natural surrounds over my own heavy breathing!

I took my camera, but the batteries went flat and I unfortunately only have three photographs to share with you.  But I was sure to quickly write down my mid-journey thoughts at the end of the walk.

I was initially astounded with how many people exercise on this trail.  There were all types of people: fit and fast; slow and steady; many men with toddlers strapped to their backs; mums with babies on their chests; older Asian couples; runners - doing it two to three times; a lady who asked me on my descent how far she had to go to the top and when I told her she was only half way she promptly turned around and commenced her way to the bottom; all shapes and sizes.

Once I completed the steep incline and reached the top of the 1,000 steps, I got talking to another lady.  She mentioned that she had lost 40kgs doing this walk over a two year period.  When she first started it took her 10 times to finally reach the top, and when she did, all she could do was cry and call her mother.  Her story made me proud of my first successful climb, and even more proud of her.

With that in mind, I did not find the walk an easy one.  I huffed and I puffed.  My left leg, which is the least affected by Art, was doing all the work.  I felt like Santiago in 'Old Man and the Sea' when he talks to his hand to uncramp.  I kept telling my right leg that it needed to step up to the plate and do more work.  It's not good to rely entirely on the left leg.  There were times that I questioned my reasons for undertaking this on my 34 List.  But at the end of the climb, I was abuzz for the rest of the day.  

(at the bottom of the steps where the runners keep their water bottles and jackets)