DAY 3 - ALOLA TO VASI CAMPSITE

Tuesday 23 September

There were a few weary bodies this morning as the group began day 3 but all are in good spirits. The day started this morning with a short hike out of camp to Alola Village to inspect the museum. Then they trekked down for approx. an hour with magnificent views across the valley to the small creek crossing, followed by a short up for a break. Then it was a long gradual ascent for a few hours to Eora Creek battle site, where they left the track for a short side trail to the see a Japanese ammunition dump. Here the trekkers discussed the forts defensive significance and how the battle to capture the fort unfurled. They then trekked for another hour to morning tea, refuelled and then it was packs on again for a tough, steep and slow hike for approx. 45 minutes. They stopped again to inspect an Australian Ammunition Dump containing live grenades and rounds before a long 2.5 hour trek of undulating terrain with a few fallen trees across the track to Templeton’s crossing for lunch. Thankfully the trek decided to give the trekkers a blue, sunny day today with only a slightly muddy track.

After lunch it a tough hike up for 30 minutes before the track flattened out for a bit. Then some more up’s, flats for an hour to a rest at the top the mountain and the last 30 minutes down into Vasi campsite over the water for night 3. The trekkers said it was the toughest day so far as they arrived in camp at 5:00 pm and once again only a few trekkers braved the cold of tonights creek for a swim and they are enjoying some popcorn and getting ready for dinner.