Satellite phones have until recently been used by Raleigh India as part of our secondary or ‘back up’ communication measures. As you are aware, we have communications with each of the project groups at least twice each day (more as required) to provide support and ensure the safety of all members – and of course pass on the important blog messages!
Recently police began to track the use of satellite phones in India and have requested that in line with their national strategy our satellite phones be withdrawn.
As many of you know (certainly the venturers and PMs are very aware thanks to a lot of training and ‘reminders’) we take health and safety extremely seriously here and so to ensure the safety of all our participants we have made some changes to the program and projects. Mark (Country Director) and myself carried out an analysis of all communications undertaken during phase 1 to determine where the satellite phones were used and for what reason. As a result we have relocated and rerouted projects to ensure that all are now based in regions with guaranteed mobile phone coverage and where our ‘3 tiered’ communication protocol including mobile phones, landlines and emergency beacons can be implemented.
PMs and venturers have all been updated and briefed and are completely satisfied with our plans and our reasons for the changes and I trust that these decisions will make sense to you as well.
Trust me I know what it is like to have a loved one away overseas and my mum and dad certainly still worry about me – it’s their job, but rest assured that we work extremely hard to keep everyone safe, happy and well – that’s our job!
Jo our comms officer returns from her epic trekking loop tomorrow and will no doubt have masses of photos and news for you – I know you have been waiting. I hope you all had a fab bank holiday, if the cold is getting to you please feel free to take the heat from here – we’re up in the 40’s!
Anna
Country Expedition Manager
This is very reassuring, Anna. Working in partnership with other countries requires flexibility and, at the same time, the ability to retain your own organisation's agreed standards. The communications system you and your team have set up and supported is evidence of just that.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Raleigh, very much for your commitment to making the India experience the best it can possibly be.
... but I will still have my own worries.. cos I'm a Mum!
Hello Zero,
ReplyDeleteOnce again, great work on the blog! I visited the village where Charlie 2 are and it is truly a beautiful place, wish i was still there.
I came across the following article in the Times magazine at the weekend about elephant corridors and tribal communities in Kerala. I thought you and your avid blog readers may find interesting and help to convey just how much of a serious problem human/elephant conflict is in India.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/7541596/Tuskers-in-trouble-man-and-elephant-battle-for-survival.html
There is also a campaign called "Elephant Parade' in London over the summer to raise awareness of this very issue:
http://elephantparadelondon.org/
Neil.
Message for David Mahoney:
ReplyDeleteHi Dave :D
This is just a little message to wish you Happy Birthday for tomorrow Wednesday 7th April, I cant believe how long you have been gone and that your birthday has come around already :D
I hope they throw you a massive party whilst you are out there, or you at least get to celebrate it a little. I'm sure there will be celebrations for you when you come back home.
Anyway I hope you are well and lookin after yourself. Make the most of ur final weeks out there, i cant wait to here all about it.
Lots of love Sarah xx
First blog to me Anna.
ReplyDeleteTell Lauren Pegg I made it on here first and we are proud of her and all of you good people.
More Shakespeare to follow? ummm?
Lauren's father
Hi Paula (Charlie 4)
ReplyDeleteHow are things with you. Time is certainly flying by. Hope your building work is going well and I am looking forward to spotting you on more photos. We are getting the utside of the house painted at the moment so it is frezzing with the windows open but maybe the germs will all get blown away! Can't begin to imagine your temperatures in the 40's - don't think I could cope with that at all. Isn't it strange whatever we have we are never satisfied. Don't know whether it has filtered through yet but the date has been announced for the general election - May 6th so we will be bombarded on TV with all the usual promises which will all come to nothing - cynic or what!!
Will talk to you soon.
Love auntie Ren X
Louise Carter
ReplyDeleteHello Louby-Lou, it's amazing seeing you in the foreground of a picture for a change. I have just put all the pictures of you on my ipod (and some of the elephants!)we're all still missing you at home. Jessica is coming to stay today so we're all excited to meet her.I'm sure you've heard about Grandpa's party.HAPPY EASTER!
love you Nats
P.S. We have saved your easter eggs for you!
Paula Poo (CHARLIE 4)
ReplyDeleteHey poo face still no tanage photo's (hmmmmmmmm ponders). Went to see the midwife today for a check up and i got to hear my babys heartbeat for the first time was super amazing, even said to the midwife my sister would love this!!!
Im doing really well with my driving and getting ready to book test and stuff but soooo not telling dad coz we both know what conversation thats gonna start. Mam is still having PC issues so she may be out of contact for a few more days but she sends super amounts of love, you have deffo become favourite since leaving the country, maybe its because your 40 Watt teeth are bareable from India lol.
Well hope your working up a sweat with all the class room building and your arms are doing more work than your mouth for a change P.S DONT FORGET TO BREATH......
much loves Stinky poo from Manda Panda xxx
Message for Chiara Raine Echo 5:
ReplyDeleteHi Kiki,
Just a quick msg. Posted a small parcel today so look out for it. Went to the new address & expect it will take a couple of weeks.Just a few sweeties to keep you going till you get home again.
Love you lots. Hope you're enjoying the yr time on the environmental phase.
Mxxxxx
Hi Christina Sales
ReplyDeleteHope you are ok and you are not working to hard. Just to let you know we are all thinking about you and love you lots. Shanel said to me today(wed 7)that she was coming to see you with her baby. She is talking about you alot because i think she is miss you like we all are. I hope you have the tops now. Im going to the solictor tomorrow(thurs 8)so we will see how that gos.Let me know if you need anything else
Hope to hear from you soon.Take care and we all love you very much.Big huge and kiss.Mum,Martin,Shaneland Nan.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To Anna,
ReplyDeleteThanks very much for keeping all us parents informed. It is reasuring to read the lengths you go to to make sure all are safe and well. We have not heard from our son Benn since the second trek started ( Tango 7 ) but we know he is loving the challenge and having the time of his life.
Benn - Rory had a good birthday but has not increased his revision !! Tomorrow he takes his theory test for DVLA. Hannah having a good time in Athens though HOT imagine what she would say if she was with you. I am off to Argentina on saturday return with Mum on May 1st. Hope all goes well am looking forward to hearing all about it. Take Care Love M & D.
Hi Nick, Hope you are well and truely better by now and able to really enjoy the trek.Jack and Will send their love; we spent a few days with them in Dorset over Easter and we were able to view you and the project on Wills' i phone. , It was a bit small tho', so had a better look once we were home on the computer.
ReplyDeleteLuke has left LP and he and Ben are off snowboarding tomorrow some where in Switzerland.
Vicky was pleased to get you e-mail,she said it was really lovely.She seemed impressed with whatever yoy wrote and was also sorry to hear that you had been unwell, Luke likewise. Love from Nan and Pat. I printed some photos off the blogg for them and Pat took them to show his friends at the club. Red sends her love, also Di and Nige. Di and Nige are in Barbados at the moment! We are all following your trip with interest and look forward to seeing the pics of you all (especially you of course) on the blogg.
Lots of love to you. Bye the way it's great to hear your voice so give us a call when you can. Have you decided what your onward travel plans will be yet? Take care darling. Mum xxx.
For Tom Blincoe aka Dr Tom - ha ha! (He is a real Dr, promise!)
ReplyDeleteI hope you are still having a lovely time Tom Tom!
It's been strange not talking to you recently, but I sent you a parcel last week as promised, so I hope it arrives in time to be taken out to you. Fingers crossed. If not this will have to do instead! I hope the elephant trench digging is not too back breaking and you are getting to enjoy the amazing surroundings as well. I was going to say that I hope you are also having some expedition doctoring fun, but guess I should really be wishing you a quiet doctoring time!
Me and Anna have booked our 3 week Costa Rica adventure leaving 27th May so that is exciting. Means we will get to spend a week or so together before I'm off! Can't really do any doctoring there unfortunately as I am far from fluent in Spanish, so will have to think of an alternative... Do you fancy stopping off in Australia for few weeks on way to NZ and seeing if we can go along with the flying doctors? Think Dave Wood did his elective with them. Something to think about...
Panicked a bit this am as realised just under 2 weeks to my exam - for some reason thought it was 3, so not so good. Oh dear...
Went to see Black Bart and Alice and the Wonderlands at the beer festival the other day with my parents. We all had a great time and it was lovely to catch up wig your family and friends.
Anyway, this is pretty long message, so I better stop my rambling. Once again hope you are having a fantastic time. Miss you and love you lots,
Katy x x x
Message for Lauren Pegg (Charlie 2),
ReplyDeleteHi Lolly,
Really good to see some photos of you my sweet -looks as if it's mighty hard work but at least you are still smiling! I love the photo of you carrying the basket laughing at something!!
We had a lovely time with Mummy, David and the girls on Easter Sunday and Brehyr was cracking us up with her 'jokes'...she is so funny. We all had a go on Band Hero which was great fun but it's a wonder the neighbours didn't complain as none of us were any good and it was a right racket!
I am off to see 'Private Lives' this evening, Kim Cattrall is in it - should be good.
Bye for now and hope to see more photos of you soon! Take care JJ and Ian xxxx hugs
Hi Catriona,
ReplyDeleteI managed to stop mum from booking you a hotel instead of a flight! We've rearranged all your flights for you. Delhi to Bangalore on the morning of the 29th, Bangalore to Gatwick via Dubai leaving on the evening of the 29th and arriving on the morning of the 30th and onwards to guernsey later that morning. All the details with flight times and reference numbers are in your email account, there were no charges for changing. Your plans sound fantastic. Mum says your leaving for Italy on Saturday the 1st so it'll be a quick turn around. I'm trying to do some work but it's really boring, so i'm helping mum instead. Stef went to Paris yesterday so I'm an only child for now. Keep having a fantastic time.
Mowgli
Message for Paula Brocki (Charlie 4)
ReplyDeleteHi Sweetheart,
Laptop still out of action just waiitng for a new adaptor and hope it wont be to long, i am using our canteen Pc, (which has also been out of action) to blog you as have missed sending messages, and Panda thinks she can write anything and we cant see!! how wrong lol.
Weathers smiling on us today nice and bright still a little chilly though.
Elections on the 6th May which you will miss, not that you will be missing much i think!!
Hope the school is coming on and you are still enjoying yourself.I posted another letter on tuesday but havent received yours yet, saying that i still havent received my birthday money from Panda but i think that is a different problem that's because she hasnt sent it lol lol, i will get it in time for my next birthday if i am lucky.
Anyway take sweetheart and not long before you are home and i am looking forward to seeing you.
Take care love you always.
Mummybear
xxx
Hi Catriona, Echo 5
ReplyDeleteYour flights are all sorted the details are in your email. In summary you're booked from Delhi to Bangalore on the 29th. Bangalore to Gatwick via Dubai leaving on the 29th arriving on the 30th. Gatwick to Guernsey on the 30th. Same times as the orginal booking. You've booked out to Italy on the 1st so it will be a quick turn around, Stef is going too. He's in Paris at the moment and will organise plans with you when he sees you. I'm trying to do some work but not getting very far. Your plans sound amazing, keep having an awesome time.
Mowgli.
For Rachel Hard (Echo 4)
ReplyDeleteI hope things are going well. I have read about the daily trek for water; it sounds like you really are experiencing 'village life' in all its glories. We are all well, though most of us had colds over the Easter weekend. But Spring has returned today; it is up to about 16C - just in time for the start of the cickret season, which begins tomorrow with Worcestershire v Middlesex. The newspaper pundits seem to think that anything but finishing bottom will be a major achievement for WCCC this season. Meanwhile Worcester Warriors are bottom of the Guiness Premiership and the football team are about to go out of business, so it is not a vintage year for Worcester sport...
Susan is due to give birth to her triplets today. I will write again as soon as we have any news of them. Three more cousins at once eh?
Love
Dad xxx
Dearest Christina Sales, Hoping you are well and enjoying what you are doing and not getting to tiered. Well darling we went to the solicitors today and she is going to do everything we spoke to you about,including getting him for what he done to you,Great. this week we have gone out and had our hair cut etc, it feels great and made us feel younger,what a joke the younger part.Mum is on holiday from tomorrow being Friday 9th, so we are planing taking Shane to the beach,and the park in Ilford which has Animals you can feed with nuts you have to buy.On Friday we are going to seen Andrews to found out if they can hel Mum re; move,with the advertising they do we may have better luck,out of this area as well.Time is going so quick now it will not be long before we all see you, and guess what we cannot wait just like you,in saying that I surpose you are going to miss were you are and be lost here/ never mind you will have us,ha ha ha.Time to go darling but you will have me doing this again.All our love and surport darling.Mum Nan Martin Shanel.XXXXXXXXXXXXXXPS.Forgot to tell you Tony is surpose to be coming tonight,we wait and see,that is my son not the other one.XXXXXXXXXX Shanel her love and kisses.XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
ReplyDeleteTo Paula Brocki (Charlie 4)
ReplyDeleteHI Little dude, hope all is well in your world. Been watching loads of westerns to try and get a feel for what you are doing.. Dont suppose you have seen a bloke with a black mask, on a horse shouting Hi Ho Silver away.. Be careful keep your tents in a circle, only take aimed shots to conserve ammo.
On a slightly more serious note.. Hope your building/teaching work is going well and you have settled into it. Everything is fine here, they reckon the temp just might get up to 15C on Saturday. Might even get to light a BBQ, might prove to be difficult though as I have got one.. Oh to be in the Sun... Just had an idea... Might set up my own blog when I go away and you can check out our adventures..
Take care, be safe, smile a lot and be happy X xXxxxx Love Dad, Yvonne & Holly
For Rachel Hard - Echo 4
ReplyDeleteHello Rachel,
Just to let you know that you now have three new cousins: Susan's triplets were born by Caesarean section at about 2pm today. Everyone is doing fine as far as I know. I will e-mail some pictures when we have some which you may be able to see once you are back from your current trip.
Love
Dad XXX
Message for Merel Loonstra
ReplyDeleteHa Lieve Meer!
Alles ok met je? Lang niets van je gehoord,maar geen bericht goed bericht! We zijn razend benieuwd naar jullie / jou activiteiten en foto's natuurlijk. Spierballen gekregen van het zware werk? Heb hier ook nog een paar klusjes..!
Alles ok met ons, Floor mondeling chinees gedaan (8.6!), mama druk met vervolgopdrachten. Zelf druk in de weer met een grote gemeente en ziekenhuis: mooie kansen. Lente begint hier een beetje, dus ook wij krijgen wat zon. Dit weekend gebroeders Loonstra dag, dus 'veel eten etc.'. We schrijven snel weer, hoop dat onze brief er inmiddels is, en hoop ook snel nieuws van jou en je project te horen en zien! Hou de moed er in en heel veel liefs van ons!!
Pap, mam, Floor xxx
To Lauren Pegg currently Charlie 2.
ReplyDeleteHey Tink. Good to talk to you this morning but screaming and begging to come home just will not cut with me young lady.
You wanted to go on the expedition, you see it through. Ha, ha, ha!
Were you really shakin' your booty in Ooty eating a Tutti-frutti?
Well ding dong!
I forgot to ask you if you wanted to go to the Great British Beer Fest but I can hold off getting the tickets until you return.
I will speak to Erin Mc about it in the meantime.
A future wish that you enjoy your trek in a week or so's time.
It is all about pacing yourself and putting one foot infront of the other.
As the great Chinese phlosopher Lao-tzu said,
"a journey of a 1000 miles begins with a single step".
I might be starting to miss you now that the novelty has worn off a bit.
We have roast chicken and roast pots & parsnip tonight with asparagus spears washed down with a cheeky chilled bottle of Chilean Sauvignon Blanc.
Take care as your mother returns next week from her "holiday" shall we say.
G has not part exchanged your collection of miniature wheelbarrows to buy bread so all is well.
Looking at the 25th and will speak to Mrs Harvey about this.
Your long suffering father.
XXX
G XXX
Mac, Woof!
Message for Sophie Hatcher (Charlie 4).
ReplyDeleteHi Sophie,
Glad to see that you are keeping up your contact with children. Have you managed to teach the children anything yet or are you just building the school and loos. You have missed the first of the spring weather in England- o to be in England now that spring is there.
Daddy has just returned exhausted from his week in Canterbury. I have spent too much of my break writing the lectures I have to give and have resolved not to volunteer to do it again.
The study is transformed and we will now see whether there are enough shelves for all those book.
Much love,
M, D and Tiger