The NEW Charlie One - Still Having Fun!

Charlie One - the new recruits - have now headed out to the community project in Koolal village.

The venturers, fresh from the trekking phase (Daniel, Gemma, Louise, Scott, Taylor  and Will) and those previously working on an elephant trench in the environmental phase (Benjamin, David, Grace, Murugan, Natalie and Yvette) have now combined into the new elite workforce of Charlie One. They are ably assisted by their two project managers Nick and Julie.

Here is their story so far, written by Grace, with just the tiniest tweaking from the blog writer.

This is immediately followed by some individual messages from some of the group members ...

" Charlie One arrived in Koolal in great spirits, having seen lots of elephants, including a family with a calf, along the way. We were greeted with clear views, and almost uncomfortable heat, and wondered what on earth the previous Charlie One group had been complaining about. They said it rained a lot!!

We spent the first day setting up camp and meeting people from the village including our new chef who has been cooking us lunch and dinner. This is a positive luxury for all the previous trekkers, and those that had come from the environmental phase, as both groups had had to cook for themselves throughout their phases, (or cut open a rice bag).

We have made solid progress on the school in just a few days, inspired by the phenomenal efforts of the previous group. By the end of this phase, we hope to have the outer structure of the school built and to have completed the roof as well. We've also been busy with camp craft, and made our rather muddy site* much more pleasant. We've made a shower of sorts, that might just keep the mud at bay for maybe half an hour.

* The rain finally did arrive, and has pretty much poured for a while now. Well it is monsoon season, but spirits still remain high!

A mosquito proof long drop has been dug out, and a number of pathways have been gravelled over. In spite of all the work going on, thanks to a lack of TV there is a surprising amount of time available in the evenings too. Though we could put our feet up and rest - we have played many games of werewolves, done lots of chatting with the village children, and have been singing songs with the children from Koolal village. We hope to build on the relationship established in the village by the previous group.

On Tuesday we celebrated Murugan's birthday, with Julie's signature dish of banoffee pie, ice cream and fudge sauce with double clotted cream, and chocolate sprinkles. (Blog writer says : I'm drooling ... OK I made up the bit after pie! It's frustrating typing up these scrummy food details). We are planning to do this special banoffee pie dessert whenever we have a suitable excuse .... luckily enough we already have another good excuse .... today is Ben's birthday !!! "

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Blog Message From Gemma Lyons

To all of my friends reading this (Siobhan, Beaney, Yvette, Joanna?)
Hope you are all well!

Thanks Yvette for the football update, and Siobhan - thanks for your blog message and well done for the volunteering! How is the job hunt going now? Hope it is ok. Have you got any plans for your birthday yet? We will have to do some belated celebrating when I get back. I haven't been able to check my email/facebook in ages but will message you properly when I can get online (this is a hand written message that someone at field base will type up for the blog). Anyway, the trek was really hard but I managed it. Now I am in a rural tribal village named Koolal, in the state of Tamil Nadu, where we are building a school. It is hard work but I am really enjoying it and the people are so welcoming - I love playing with the children and singing with them. Also, the monsoon rain hasn't been too bad over the last few days so I'm in a good mood.

I have learnt to cope with insects now - I even try to save them when others want to kill them. I EVEN picked up a stick insect because it was cute. I really like frogs too ...

I am getting better at mornings too. We get up between 5 and 6 every morning (!!!)

Anyway, hope you are all well - if you have free time you could look for jobs for me to apply for (ha ha)
Lots and lots of love
Gemma xxxxx

p.s. I saw 8 wild elephants the other day and one was a baby elephant.

p.p.s. It just started raining heavier - I think I jinxed it.

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Blog Message From Taylor

Hey Mommie,

It really made my day to see a message from you on the blog :)

I'm so glad you learned how to work it! The food is O.K. I've gotten quite used to the curry every day. I'm on the community phase now. I completed my first phase which involved trekking 140 miles in Kerala. I've submitted to your request and made myself available in more photos. We're building a pre-school for children in the Koolal Tribal village and next I have the environmental project where I'll be digging elephant proof trenches to protect another indian village.

I'm really having fun, but I really miss everyone a lot! I know Boop moved yesterday and I wish I had the chance to call him before he left, but I'll call as soon as I can. My second phase finishes around August 19th, so I'll call home then. Give Granny and Chester a kiss for me and I'm still awaiting my hand-written letter!
:)

Love Taylor
xo

Mwah !

p.s. address :-
Raleigh India Field Base
Survey No. 210, 'Anugraha'
Jayapura village,
Mysore
570 008
Karnataka
India

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Blog Message From Natalie

Hiya. Missing you all. I'm having an amazing time out here. Got a right T-shirt tan going on. Haha.
Looking forward to seeing you all soon and hope my letters are in the post     :)
Just building a school in a small community at the mo, there is mud everywhere, but I'm out here and loving it.

Love you all
Natalie