Tango 5 had a great start to the phase spotting elephants on the drive down to Kerala. They are now well in to their 16 day trek and have already climbed the second highest mountain in South India – Misappulimala, which peaks at 2,637m.
Charlie 1 arrived at Uluvadu and got stuck into things by digging a new long drop toilet. They are now continuing with the 7 houses started last phase.
Charlie 2 have met the villagers at Hagaranahalli and settled in to the school where they will be living for the next few weeks. One the first day they managed to complete the foundations for 6 of the 24 sanitation units that are being constructed.
Echo 3 set up camp and met the locals. They have been having lots of fun continuing with the Elephant Proof Trench and Solar Fencing started last phase.
Echo 4 also had a new long drop to dig and got their new bashas organised before continuing work on their Trench.
A few of the groups have also had the chance to celebrate Diwali with the locals, which is one of the most important festivals in Hinduism. Also known as the ‘Festival of lights’ Diwali is celebrated for 5 days, and involves lots of fireworks, candles and firecrackers.
Here at Field base myself (Christina) and Anna walked into the local village to see the morning celebrations of Diwali and found lots of Cows being cleaned ready to be painted with bright colours, and everyone wearing their best clothes to celebrate ‘Naraka Chaturdashi’.
This day of Diwali signifies the victory of ‘good over evil’ and ‘light over darkness’. Small oil lamps are lit and elaborate Kolams (sand paintings) are drawn outside houses to bestow prosperity to homes.
Through the daily sit reps we were able to find out that Echo 3, Charlie 1 and Charlie 2 were fully involved with local celebrations, visiting local temples and being included in the community festivities.
Polly C and Del will be back tomorrow from Echo 3 and Echo 4 with an update of how they are getting on. If you have any messages for any of the groups leave a comment and all messages will be taken out with the loop vehicles.
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| Diwali Celebrations at Field Base All text by Christina Ambrose Photos by Anna Tate and Christina Ambrose |
Hi Andy (Borland)(Young Lawyers) ? at Charlie one
ReplyDeleteHappy bogbuilding
Mum and Dad
KANE GRENNAN CHARIE TWO
ReplyDeletehi kane i bet you are glad you have finished trekking!!! happy dwalli sounds like good fun we all know how you enjoy a good celebration and a partyx digging foundations for sanatation units sounds more up your street that a 19day trek.lolweather is terrible here lots of rain and high winds. all the kitchen units are in now just waiting for tiling and decorating to be done then onto bathroom so lots of change for when you get home.hope all is well your end everyone is good here missing you lots love always mum,matt,lauren,logan,kittyxxxxxx
Tessa Nooteboom in Echo 3
ReplyDeleteHi lieve schat , gelukkig weer een feestje voor jullie ,lekker als afwisseling van het graven en weer een ervaring rijker. Moet prachtig zijn met al die kleuren. En al een olifant gezien die toch probeerde de door jullie gegraven greppel over te steken? Hier alles prima, brief 4 is onderweg naar je ! Hele hele grote hug en hele hele grote kus Mam en Pap
TANGO FIVE - AIMEE WELCH
ReplyDeleteDear Aimee
Greetings from rain and wind lashed London!! Grey clouds and autumn leaves everywhere.
Those walking boots of yours are clearly being tested to the utmost again, along with you of course!! Trekking, climbing and elephants, what a fantastic combination.....
As for the climbing, well, you must be pretty fit by now! Makes the walk Poppy and I had this morning seem a tad uneventful, and certainly not challenging!
I went with Guy to Brent Cross on Saturday and he finally bought himself some new clothes. A colleague at work had suggested it might be a good idea if he smartened up a bit!! Max worked on another music video on Saturday, and is down in Surrey today for yet another one. Back to Bournemouth tomorrow to work on his uni stuff. Pippa is ok. She's taken to buying clothes on ebay and has got herself a couple of real bargains.
Hoping that all the fireworks have now stopped. Poppy has been better this year, and Ginger of course safe inside, but some of them have been so loud and prolonged they've made US jump!! Anyway, Happy Diwali to you.....
Loads of love and hugs from me and' the others ' xxxxxxxxxxxx
To Kimberley Delamare Charlie 1
ReplyDeleteHi Kimberley! Figured out what you're doing now!! Building! Shame I can't send you some bits from here at the shop! I'm sure you had a great celebration. Not much happening here other than normal stuff, if you can call that normal! - take care and love from all of us as always Dad XX
To Katharine Studley-Echo Three!
ReplyDeleteHey gorge,
Happy Diwali! I hope you are having fun with the celebrations and the digging to keep em elephants out is going well! I thought Id leave you another message as the loop was coming up. You’re doing such a good thing to help people☺, Im very proud of my Kate. I hope the temples you saw were as stunning as the ones I saw in Hampi!
I’ve written you a few letters, I hope you have received them. I hope you got the solar charger and it is proving useful. I have sent you another one today and a parcel with a goodie in it to keep you going!
Everything is ok here, but it is now cold, windy and wet. I hope the sun is coming out for you there. Everybody says hello and congrats on the Saatchi and trek triumphs.
Love you lots and lots hun and I hope to hear from you soon.
Thinking of you and missing you loads,
All my love,
Gaz xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To Andrew Borland with the young lawyers making a biogas plant. Hope all is going really well out there. We are all well, it is typically Novemberish here, cold, wet and windy but the Autumn colours have been beuatiful.
ReplyDeleteLook forward to hearing all about it
Mum and Dad
To Tessa Nooteboom in Echo 3
ReplyDeleteHee lieverd!
Overleef je het nog allemaal in de hitte daar? Foto's zien er leuk uit, ook mooie vuilnis pakjes;) Neem aan dat je je matje nu zelf wel kan oprollen en ook je eigen kip kan vangen om te eten? Hier gaat alles saai zn gangetjes, volgende week weer lekker pw-weekje dus het is weer druk..
Ik wou je natuurlijk nog een kaart met lekker geurtje enzo sturen, maar weet niet precies naar welk adres, dus dat moet ik nog eens aan je ouders vragen.
Ik mis je heel erg hier, dikke kusxx bas
Message for Arthur Fane - Echo Three
ReplyDeleteHiya! OK so you remember how long it took mum to master the spacebar on her nokia brick? (whenyouhomelovemum) Well times that by the length of time you're in India and that's how long it'll take her to learn how to comment on this blog! So I'm self-nominated maternal home secretary at the moment and LOVIN' it.
Things are groovy. Nell's causing havoc as uuuuusual, Jake's another year older and his grey hairs are coming through, Peat stinks, Dad's been globe-trotting and Mum's been picking things up and putting them back in their right places. Same old same old :)
Thought you'd like this funny definition:
Karmageddon: It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer.
I hope you're having a lovely time out there! Lots of love from Lizzie and the gang x x x x
Shubh Diwali schatje. Op de 3de dag wordt deze wens uitgesproken.... volgens Wikipedia... ;-)...voor jullie is het inmiddels de 4de dag van Diwali of Deepavali geworden. Deze heet Yama Dvitiya of Bhai Dooj. Geweldig om dat feest in Uluvadu zo mee te maken omdat je het geluk hebt met het Community project bezig te zijn. Lukt het een beetje met die activiteiten. Is het stenen stapelen of timmeren...? Die handschoenen zullen wel snel slijten... Hier alles okay - we gaan nog een paar dagen met z'n tweetjes naar Rome. Dan hebben we eigenlijk jouw getrainde benen nodig.. :-) Maar we oefenen hier alvast maar een beetje.... Veel kussen en knuffels van ons beiden !!
ReplyDeleteHello Anniek @ Charlie One !!
ReplyDeleteI forgot a PM.... (another PM....) Can you request mark Ashby to update and expand his slideshow on the Blog ! We all like to see more pictures !! :-)
Bye !!!
To Katharine Studley, Echo Three
ReplyDeleteHi love - best of luck with the elephant-proof trench. Well done on completing the trek - it sounds as though you had a great time. Hope the walking boots were as comfy as promised. There's a lovely photo of you on the blog looking happy and not too foot-sore. Take care when digging and listen out for any trunk calls in case you have to beat a hasty retreat!
All our love,
Dad, Mum, Michael, W&H
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
for fiona marchbank charile 2
ReplyDeleteok i dont know when youll get your net messages so dont want to take any chances!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY wee sister! have an amazing birthday xxx love you xxx
Ryan Heeley - Echo Four
ReplyDeleteHi Ryan, hope you are well and still having a brilliant time can't believe you are on to the second phase already. We've enjoyed following the blog and spotting you on the photos. Bet the weather is much better there, had lots of rain and wind over the last couple of days here. Laura wants to know if you've seen any elephants yet? Take care and keep on enjoying all the new experiences and look forward to hearing all your stories when you get home. Lots of Love from Kev, Sue, Laura and Adam xxxxxxxx
Tango Five - Aimee Welch
ReplyDeleteDear Aimee
Some more sad news I'm afraid. Aunty Wend is back over in the UK for a funeral. Uncle Roy, Grandpa's best friend from Navy days, went shopping 10 days ago and stepped out in front of a 4x4. Unfortunately, he didn't survive and died in hospital. He was 89, and he and Aunty Phyllis had been married for 69 years.
We went down to Gosport for the funeral on Tuesday, and stayed with Andrea and Danny. Uncle David travelled from Wales and we were all very glad to represent the family.
Aunty Wend came back to London to spend an extra day. Guess where we've been this morning? Total haul for Aunty Wend 10 books from the local charity shops!! She will be leaving this afternoon.
Message from Aunty Wend:
Really great to see the blog and photos. If I can get near the computer at home and persuade Muriel to come off Stardolls for a minute, I'll show Antoine and Muriel what you're up to.
Take care.
Lots of love from us all xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
to Fiona Marchbank Charlie one - hello, i hope all is well and that u are enjoying ur new working phase. It's horrible here all rain and windy, we're going to put our feet up tonight and watch a lovefilm cd - George Clooney is in it so who cares if it's cold outside!! - i met Gillian in Manchester yesterday (10th Nov) for the day, we had a lovely time but the day flew by to quickly - the family is thinking about u all the time and we love you lots. look after you as ur very precious to us Mum xx
ReplyDeleteshaun green charlie one
ReplyDeletehi shaun,hope you are doing ok it feel like you have been gone for every all ok at home callum got the new call of duty black op said it is really good he can not wait for you to get home to play how is phase two going?all ok i hope.love and miss you mum,dad and callum
Eira Evans - Charlie 1
ReplyDeleteHey young lady!
Enjoying seeing all the photos... looks like at this rate you'll have put up all those houses in the time it took me to do 1 kitchen!
Can't wait to hear all about it when I see you in Jan and show you round Munich!
Hope you enjoyed Diwali and tent hasn't got flooded again!
Nick x
To Caroline Millar in Charlie One!!!
ReplyDeleteHey bud, Hows tricks! Hope everything is going great and you're building lots of things and not getting too sick!!
No gossip here really. Its cold and frosty and rainy!! BUT, as you probablly know, we have Bon Jovi tickets courtesy of Mr Culleton!!! Can't wait!! So hurry back.
Miss you heaps, can't wait till January!
Love Andrea XXXXXXXX
Hi Erdinch (charlie 2)
ReplyDeleteSo good to see you in the pictures finaly,glad your enjoying it so much that your staying on but sorry you wont be here for the event of the year (Haks engagement)Its all systems go here with so much prep and you know who does the hard work (creative side of it anyway)
Hopefully we will all celebrate your safe return in time for christmas.
All your cousins Kezi,Tony,Tamer,Meryem and Asyacik all say hello
Miss you lots take care
and carry on doing the good work
So proud of you
Sezin Teyze x x x
To Fiona Marchbank - Charlie 2
ReplyDeleteHi love, been enjoying reading the blog and sad to say only just worked out how to send you a message, but with your birthday this week just had to try and work it all out. We are all fine here in freezzzzing Scotland and hope you are as well as you look in the pictures. Have a fantastic birthday on Thursday and enjoy your sari. Hugs and kisses from Jordan, Hayleigh (currently in Orlando) Daisy, Adam and wee Lewis as well as Aunt Ann and Uncle Alex. xx love you xx
Love of love and hugs from all the White famil
To Fiona Marchbank - Charlie 2
ReplyDeleteHi Fiona it's Susan Rady here! I have been speaking to your mum who has been keeping me up to date with your adventures! I just wanted to wish you happy birthday for tomorrow. I hope that your having a fab time. It has taken me the best part of an hour to figure out how to post this message so i really hope that you get this ok.
Lots of love, Susan xxxxx
To Justine (Charlie Two).
ReplyDeleteHope your ok and behaving!!! I am really proud of you and what you are doing.You should be proud of yourself as well.Hope your not missing us too much..lol
Look forward to seeing you when you get back and hearing all your stories.
Take Care and enjoy yourself.
Brian (Quarriers Stopover)