Training, trekking and travels

In the words of Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, ‘Toto, I've got a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore’ - Judy I can appreciate how you were feeling, field base has been heaving as we have had just under a 100 hundred people here, it has been exciting times.

Sadly though we have already said goodbye to Foxtrot 1 and 2! They set off on Friday morning to their respective sites of Basava Pora and Ponani. Both groups were up at 6:00am to ensure they were packed and ready for the off before 9:00am.

Before they left Foxtrot 1 and 2 have been training hard here at field base, the groups have been getting to know each other and have been put through their paces on a 25K trek in and around Jayapura. Here are some photos of the groups in action. 

Hannah cools herself down on the trek

Foxtrot 1

The trek groups get to meet lots of the locals while trekking

Foxtrot 2 

Alice and Isy stop for a rest in Ahalya

Getting some snaps

A water stop in Hullahali 

Group massage to make those shoulders feel normal!

Foxtrot 2 

Finally at camp and Mark passes on some camp craft skills

First off on expedition was Foxtrot 1 their expedition is in Ponani where they will be working on a  community project building 11 toilet.  Ponani is based in the beautiful Nilgiri District and our expedition will be well looked after by the local community. 


On a separate note, sadly our lovely volunteer manager (VM) Rachael has had to leave us due to personal reason but luckily for us Hayley from the Raleigh Head Office in London is out here and has taken her place. Hayley has been on many expeditions with Raleigh so Foxtrot 1 is very lucky to have her with them.

 

Rachel loading up here belongings 

Hayley makes sure she has the important things in life

And birthday boy Jack helps Hayley with the kit 

All bags on the bus

Foxtrot 1 ready to depart

All the kit

Hayley and Sally a top VM team!

But before the off Jack gets a birthday sing song

Ali, Lewis and Bradley 

Jack and Isy 

Alice and Jack 

Gowthami and Emily 

Rachel and Elizabeth 

Danya and Sudhanshu 

Katie and Fran 

A final goodbye from Isy

Bye, bye Foxtrot 1 

Foxtrot 2 also set off on Friday morning but they are heading to Basava Pora to build elephant fences and trenches, Basava Pora is part of the H.D.Kote Taluk, Mysore district. This environmental project is concerned with the protection of the land between the village of Basava Pora from elephants and to minimise human-elephant conflict.

Pamina, Elena and Pachel all ready for the off

Matt strolling to the bus

VM Christina making sure her team get away on time

Kurian and Pavan helping everyone get their things on the van 

Rachel appreciating the fresh fruit and veg 

Cheeky smile from James

Hannah, Lucy, Sophie and Pamina 

Pavan and James

Matt and Chelsey 

Edward and Kurian 

Joanne and Jonathan 

Rachel and Mahima 

Tu Wei 

Clare and Christina Foxtrot 2's VMs

Mahima, with a beautiful goodbye smile 

But we're not too sad yet at field base as we still have our 10 weekers with us as they have been here preparing for their expedition. They have also been out on their trek training and returned on Friday morning to a welcome bucket shower wash and flip flops. Here are a few snaps from their training. We went out to see the trekkers as they turned up at the camp site, there were lots of blisters and sore backs but despite these trek wounds everyone was in high spirits and Maria still had the energy to get the guitar out to entertain her group round the trangia. 

Kat led her team and made it back to camp first 

Oli having a well earned rest 

Rohith still in high spirits 

Sam, Catriona, Tabby and Emma make it to camp

Alex and Sam happy to have finished 

Tim (VM), Shaquille, Michaela and Catherine (VM)

Shaquille takes a rest where he can

Sam inspects his blisters 

Jade and Louise

Chessie trying to work out how to put her tent up 

Elvis getting his sleeping quarters ready 

Louise, Tarik and Kat 

Shrida, Ganeshan and Rohith 

Slop pit digging 

Sarah (VM) inspects her teams excellent work 

Donya 

Roxanne 

Struan 

Tom 

Catriona 

Tim demonstrating how to dig a short drop 

Lauren getting her tent poles in 

The view from a tent 

Struan getting dinner on the go 

Maria entertaining her group 

Susan (VM) and Ana (VM) lead the group in some star gazing 

So you can see it has been a busy time here since everybody has arrived. We have had word from our Foxtrot teams and they have both arrived safely and are busy setting up camp. Our 10 week teams are frantically getting all their equipment and provisions packed up and ready to go as they are all deploying to their Phase 1 project sites tomorrow morning (Sunday). We will be back tomorrow to let you know which teams everyone is in and what they will be up to for the next few weeks. I hope you enjoy all the photos.

Over and out from fieldbase!