Dressing up, treasure hunts, and Royalty...

Hello guys. It’s Monday blog time again, and once again it is I, Admin Lucy, standing in for PRO Peta. I’m not going to call her ‘blog boss’, as she likes it too much.

We have another special treat for you today in the form of a guest blog from Tom de Wilton. Tom spent the last phase repairing elephant fences at Anaikatty, and I’d like to thank Tom for writing a few words to help us understand what it was like living in Bamboo City.

Before we get to that, however, I have a roundup of news from the other alpha groups:

In alpha 1, we hear that romance is in the air on the trek: Charlie and Esmee are sickening everyone by being all loved up. That’s even despite the lack of washing facilities. What’s more, DPM Dani, who walked the first five days of the trek, has reputedly been sharing a sleeping bag with Leanne. Dani reports that the trekkers are doing really well. They submitted South India’s second highest peak in record time on 1 April and so far have yet to experience any rain.

Alpha 2 are well on schedule with the 15 eco-sanitation units planned for this phase. They spent a pleasant day off on Saturday at the Golden Temple, and had a Disney-themed fancy dress party on Sunday evening. Rumour has it that resident Liverpudlian PM Joey went as Pinocchio and that our very own PRO was present as Simba. Hopefully we’ll have some pictures from that to share with you very soon.

You have already heard that Alpha 3 have settled fully into their camp at the new project site in Kanive Mallapanna, and that they have devised a revolutionary ‘rice bag buffet’ for lunch (in which Pete Doherty advises hungry venturers that masala rice ‘could be magic’ whilst Gandhi feels that tomato rice ‘is our destiny’). The breaking news is that alpha 3 have respectfully christened their PMs Queenie Andrew and Princess Jenny. It sounds like the atmosphere at the new alpha 3 is great, and this is reflected in the speed at which they are building their anti-poaching camp. They have already finished the foundations and the brickwork, and are fast moving onto plastering.

The team at Alpha 4 are continuing to repair their section of the elephant fence. I have every confidence that they will complete it, even if one of their PMs is a little distracted: PM Neil has reputedly been digging up the Alpha 4 tepee in search of a prize in an elaborate treasure hunt devised for him by the venturers. Hopefully he will stop before he reaches Australia...

Finally, the news from here at FB is that bravo 3 has had a pooja held in its honour to bless it after its repair work (right: driver 60/60, left, helping out the pooja). And, sadly, the little owlets have left us for good – they flew off with their mother during changeover and have not been seen again. I am considering getting some chickens to ease my owl-withdrawal symptoms (those who know me well are aware that I have a soft spot for birds, and have already commented that the blog becomes a little more bird-focussed every time I’m let loose on it.)

With no more delay, over to Tom’s blog:

The creative spontaneity of Alpha Four

Looking back, I realize that it was not just the project of repairing the elephant-proof fences that made our time in Alpha 4 (Anaikatty) so memorable, it was also the huge creative spirit that spring from such an inspiring situation. Alongside the environmental work, a big focus fell upon the challenge of turning our isolated campsite into a home for 19 days.


(PM Neil, Ed and Tom)

I believe it was a challenge we responded to with outstretched arms.

Awakening to a glorious sunrise surrounded by the sublime and ever-present Nilgiri mountain range was enough to inspire creativity in all senses of the word; both in the physical realization of artistic projects, and also the more abstract utilization of creative ideas, acting and spirit.

Our PMs were fantastic at encouraging us to develop the camp; during an afternoon chai brake it was suggested a tepee could be a valuable addition to our affectionately-named “Bamboo City”. Within an hour, the majestic structure towered above our bashas where its incense and smoke-shrouded interior became the favourite place for sheltering from downpours, evening group reviews and late night wooden-spoon carving.

The treehouse was an idea conceived on our first morning whilst digging a slops pit. Situated in the Tamanin tree overlooking the camp, watching the sunset from the bamboo platform with a cup of tea and packet of peanut crunch was idyllic.

The infamous “love swing” was the result of a productive camp duty where three members stayed behind to look after, and improve, the camp. After several flawed designs, the three-person seat was able to swing freely, and when adorned with freshly-picked flowers blossoming friendships were inevitable.

Other creations which made the camp included:

- A carved sign with “bamboo city” carefully burnt into it (see previous blog entry!)

- Two stone chairs from which to admire the surrounding scenery

- A pillow made from an old pair of boxer-shorts and cotton pods

- An 18ft flag pole with Gerald, the big purple Raleigh elephant flying at the top

- The bashas themselves, reminiscent of a fleet of sail ships with their mosquito nets flapping in the wind

A more abstract use of the word creativity was applied with delicious effect in the kitchen. Even with dwindling supplies of food, each meal continued to surpass the last. Spare time was another aspect that was creatively filled with games (especially our favourite, Werewolf), and plenty of songs.

Thousands of photographs were taken during a fancy-dress night when people were giving characters of a pair to dress as, then had the challenge of finding their pair.

During Alpha 4, I rediscovered a creative side of myself I thought I’d lost. It was a fantastic 19 days that has typified my Raleigh experience so far, as an eclectic mixing pot of cultures, people and creative spirit.

Tom de Wilton