Pat, Ivan and Sam go to Alpha 3...

First light on Sunday morning saw Pat, Sam and Ivan set off in a fully laden Bravo 2 to see Alpha 3 trekking in Kerela. After a long day and half of travelling the group arrived in Kumily to pick up the second food drop barrel before heading to the Vagomon campsite to wait for Alpha 3 to arrive. A weary Alpha 3 turned up at the beautiful hill side retreat campsite and settled into their by now well rehearsed campsite routine. Ivan played shop host to the group giving them access to much needed chocolate, crisps and toiletries while Sam and Pat cooked supper.

After a good night's rest, Alpha 3 plus Pat, Sam and Ivan set off for a days trekking to Illikama. Steep hillsides, hot weather and stunning views were the order of the day, with Alpha 3 making good time to their campsite. After setting up camp, the group took turns to take advantage of the local stream to wash clothes and themselves whilst a hearty feast was knocked up on trangias and an open cooking fire. Clean and fed the group chilled out for a while before turning in ready for their last day trekking.


The next day they were up bright and breezy at 4:30 am, with Pat, Sam and Ivan again walking with the group to the final campsite. Long slogs along roads and an 8km continuous climb in blistering heat made the sight of Bravo 2 parked at the campsite atop a hill a welcome site for all. The group finished as one, dumped heavy packs and spent half a hour of manic hugs and photos, before another feast was knocked up on trangias against a beautiful mountain vista of swirling clouds and dynamic colours as the sun set.



The next day the group headed off in a minibus with Bravo 2 in hot pursuit to the Periyur river ready for a days bamboo rafting. Low river levels meant that inflatables were used and after the obligatory safety brief the group set off in two inflatables with Sam and Ivan again joining the group for the trip. After an enjoyable couple of hours on the river with the odd portage thrown in for good measure the group along with all of their campkit made it safely to the campsite. Camp was set up and the bamboo rafts were built for the following day complete with plastic barrels to hold all their stuff. Torrential downpours meant the group were soaked to the skin as they built their rafts but this was soon forgotten as they tucked into a massala vegetable curry cooked by Manju the Bravo 2 driver.

The following morning the group headed off down river in the two bamboo rafts which had been built the night before, each having a storage barrel full of campkit and food, securely lashed to the raft under Ivan's watchful eye. Pat joined one of the rafts for the trip and Sam and Ivan followed in a tandem kayak with Ivan playing motor allowing photographer Sam to get some excellent photos of the group's progress. A long and hard day of rafting against the flow of water (due to some dodgy dam action) meant that the group were exhausted by the time they got to Hornbill camp. Entertainment had been provided by an impromptu roll of the canoe, which had spent a large proportion of the day going between the rafts. The group were then transferred by Bravo to their dormitory for their evening meal and kip.

The following morning Pat, Sam and Ivan set off back to fieldbase and after a long drive recovered to Mysore by sunset to a big welcome from the fieldbase team.