Climbing Kolombangara

On the weekend Ben and I attempted an incredible feat… we attempted to climb Kolombangara, a nearby volcanic island. It was undoubtedly one of the most challenging hikes I have ever done (it came very close to hiking the Kokoda trail). It was two days of hiking through dense vines, mosquito infested swamps and lush jungle, 1700m to the summit. We were accompanied by three guides who smoked marijuana like it was going out of fashion, which made for some interesting moments.

We spent the night camped out on the rim of the crater, with an amazing view over Gizo and its surrounding islands. The following morning we feasted on a fruit cake, which our hiking buddy Will had hauled up the mountain to celebrate Bens birthday… it was quite amusing when we broke the news that Bens birthday is in July!

After a hearty breakfast of rice, baked beans and birthday cake we began the 2 hr climb to the summit of the volcano. It was so hard that it was just ridiculous! We had to use every muscle in our bodies to get through the steep, dense jungle… over logs, up rocks and along narrow ridges. Unfortunately the jungle got the better of Ben and I… we reached the point where we literally could not go on. So we sat and looked at the amazing view, while our crazy friend Will pushed on to the summit, where the crater can be seen. We were disappointed to have made it so close to the end, but we were defeated. When we made it back to the base, completely exhausted after 8 hours of walking (and sometimes sliding), and looked up to the jagged mountain slope we had just come from, I felt proud that we had even come so close. Its definitely not for the faint hearted!

I do not recommend attempting such a trek in a pair of chucks… my feet ended up covered in festy blisters and I walked the last part of the track barefoot. I also lost count of the number of times I slipped over coming down the steep muddy incline. We definitely had fun though… although we don’t have any photos to prove it. Ben dropped and broke his camera as we were getting on the boat, so all of our memories are in our mind… somehow though, I don’t think I will ever forget climbing Kolombangara!