The latest from Charlie 1

Hannah and I have just got back from a whirlwind tour of Charlie 1 and, as ever, I’m pleased to report that the group are all doing well.

We arrived in Malligalli just after lunch on Tuesday and found everyone chilling out in the sun after a delicious lunch. The monsoon is certainly over in Malligalli as there wasn’t a cloud in the sky and, looking at everyone’s tans, it seemed to have been that way for a while!

Charlie 1 chilling at camp

After a quick cup of tea, everyone went back to work, while Kim and Lucy gave us a tour of the village and the eco-sanitation units the group had been building. Charlie 1 had been hard at it so they just had three more to complete before they got to the fun part of painting them.

Everyone hard at work!

We then popped into one of the local families home to say hello and have a cup chai, before heading back to camp to find some special surprise decorations put up to celebrate Kim’s third wedding anniversary!

Celebrations for Kim's anniversary 

Next stop was to a house in the village where the group have supper. They’re cooked for by local chef, Ganesh, and we were treated to a special anniversary supper of potato curry, chicken, chapattis and popadoms which was delicious.

We then headed back to camp where Charlie 1 had invited the local band and some villagers for a special party to celebrate Kim’s anniversary! She was in shock when she arrived and saw that pretty much all the village had turned out to help celebrate with us and was delighted when Charlie brought out the chocolate cake that Hannah and I had bought with us for the celebrations. After lots of dancing everyone went home and left us to sit around the fire and enjoy an evening of star gazing. 

Surprise anniversary cake

Fire dancing 

The next morning, Hannah and I cooked porridge for the group and then waved them all off to work. As ever we had to head back to Fieldbase earlier than we would have liked, so spent a few hours with the groups at work before jumping back in the Bravo to head home.

Back at Fieldbase we’ve been busy preparing for change over and can’t quite believe how quickly phase two is going – everyone’s back on Monday! Yikes! We’re planning lots of exciting things to keep everyone entertained and very much looking forward to the premier of the music video!

Make sure you keep your blog comments and post coming as everyone loves getting them and we’ll be handing them out to everyone on Monday.

In the meantime, here are a few replies to some of the messages you’ve sent:

From Lukas – Echo 3

Hi Mama and Papa,

Mir geht es gut. Ich habe eure Nachricht en behommen. Nachste Woche ist Phase 2 schon zu Ende und wir gehen wardern. Das Wetter ist super und wir sehen die besten sonnen aufgange. Ich hoffe es geht euch gut.

Lukas.

From Steph – Charlie 2  

Famalams, how art thou? Thanks for all the messages. They’ve kept me entertained. Tony dude, stop getting sucked into her game. By the sounds of things she’s playing a very good one, (smh). Did you get the carmex? Have you chilled out? And Caz, well done to Broy. He’s growing up so fast. Give him a big kiss from me. Also, tell my Godson to hang on a while longer. I’ll be back soon, so ease up on the spicy food. And to Sab, thanks for the message. I don’t remember 4shire, but I’ll be sure to catch up when I’m back. Loll Kim K? Shocker! Shocker! So predictable.

Look after each other, love and miss you all, Steph xxx

From Lisa Marshall, Charlie 2

Hi Bernie it’s Lisa,

Miss you loads and can’t wait to come home and catch up, only five weeks now. Can’t believe how much Robyn’s doing now, give her a big hug and kiss off me xxx. I’m going to wait till I get your letter and then will write back to you and tell you about everything. Xxxxxxxx

From Lucy Coleman, Charlie 1

To Mom, Dad, Clea, Greta, Marina, Nick, Mary, Stu and Sissy,

I miss you all so much! Everything is going well and time is just flying by. I can’t wait to see you all at Christmas time! Keep reading the blog and sending messages, they make me smile. Love you all so much, can’t wait to hear what’s going on at home. All my love, Lucy

From Anne Schouten, Charlie 1

Message to Melanie Verdam

Lieve mellie, wat leuk am van je te horen! How zijn je tamens gegaran? Over 6 dagen ben ik klaar met de eco-sanitation en ga ik aan m’n laatste project beginnen, het is hirecht super maar mis je wel hoor! Hoop data alles goes gaat! Dikke kus.

Messages to Familie Schouten

Lieve papa, mama en Robin,

Super bedankt voor al het nievlus en lekkers van thuis! Ben nu nog bezig met het eco-sanitation project maar over ongeveer een week ga ik aan de laatste fase beginnen. Hoop dat alles goed gaat thuis. Love you, dike kus Anne

From Charlotte Ali, Charlie 1

Message for Mariah

Hiya sis, thanks for your blog message. Glad you’re getting your kitchen; I’m so excited to see Travis when I get back. Well sis, it’s 8.15am and it’s boiling hot. Just gonna get ready for work after a session of yoga. We’ve got three more toilets to plaster and then that’s all ten done – then it’s a bit of painting. The Charlie 1 group are great we work hard and play hard. We had a fire last night and did dancing around the fire with the community. It’s an amazing village and community. Anyway sis, I’ll give you a ring when I’m back at Fieldbase – love you loads, your twiny twin twin J

Message for John Nicholson

WATP? How’s it going? Hope you’re well, suppose, you’ve been following the blog – Phase 2’s going well. Charlie 1 is a great group, lots of banta going on. We have three more toilets to plaster then all ten are done, we just have to paint them. Sat with me are these boys from the village who are playing a gambling game – it’s great out here! Anyways, chat soon. Love you loads, Charlie

Message for the family

Mum, Dad, Fran, Al, Jenny and gang, Leanne and gang, Gareth and gang and anyone else reading. All good with me, the second phase is going great. Build all ten eco-sanitation units with Charlie 1. The group is amazing, some good banta going on. I’m off on Demon Trek next – wish me luck! Been doing some yoga – Jenny would love it. I hope everything is good at home and I don’t miss the snow. Hope Buster’s OK and you’re not feeding him too much – well Hilda lol.

Love you all and miss you sooo much, doing it for the Ali family. Got to go an elephant’s just come into camp.

Charlie Ali xxxx

From Kim Sparks, Charlie 1

Happy Anniversary Morgan! Please call Raleigh Fieldbase. Kim xxx

From Lizzy Haywood, Charlie 1

To Mum and Dad,

Thanks for my messages, more please and care packages! Having an awesome time and made lots of new friends. Can’t wait until Christmas, I’m going to stuff my face with all the food and drink I’ve been missing. Looking forward to seeing you at the airport and showing off my tan. Please me warm clothes, I’ll try to call over change-over.

Love Lizzy

To Megan Purdie,  

Thanks for keeping me updated.  I despair for the state of the flat when I return. Excited about Christmas now, I’ve started to sing Christmas songs already and have taken great pleasure in teaching people the lyrics to Fairytale in New York. See you soon, Lizzy.

To Alex Beer

I miss my wife! There is a whole lot of offensive nature here – enjoying it though!

Love, Beefy

From Jenni Codd, Charlie 1

To everyone

Hello everyone! Thanks again for your messages, I am getting them slowly but surely so keep them coming! Glad you’re having a good time Sarah, woop woop! And can’t wait to come to Bournemouth. Mummy Codd; am really involved with the community and learnt a bit more of the language. To everyone else, I’m on community phase in Malligalli. Sleeping in a school and building eco-sanitation units. So much work, but having an awesome time. They have parties at the temple and have been dancing so much dancing to the drums. Temple rave! Love it. Never want this experience to end. Met the most amazing people out here. Love you all xxx

From Kate Holmes, Charlie 1

Hi everyone, thank you for your blog messages, they brightened my day! Dad and Granddad your letters have reached me (finally!) It was great hearing how things are back home. Weather is beautiful; I’m going to have a fab Christmas tan. I am so happy here; don’t want this experience to end. Sending you all my love hugs and smiles.

Kate x

From Lucy Shipp, Charlie 1

To Mum,

Really excited to see your letter arrive last night when the loop brought it round. Glad to hear everything is OK back home and Reuben is still up to his mischievous tricks. Only have 6 days left on Charlie 1, has gone very quickly! Just a bit of plastering to finish, lots of painting which I’m looking forward to. I’ve already painted one with three of the other girls. Been having a great time in the village, playing games and drawing henna on the children (once you start they all want some). Missing you lots now I have more time than on trek, especially spending so much time with the families in Maligalli. Please send love to Emily, hope I hear from her soon! Have sent an ‘earthmail’ and will write another soon. Lots of love x

To Sarah Ward

Made me smile so much when I saw your letter after coming back from trek. I keep the grey London postcard in my journal and the kids make a funny disgusted face when they see it (I’ve been letting them run wild with paints in my journal and on everyone’s faces). Hope Brighton is bringing you great things. Xxx

Ps I’ve forgotten if I’ve written to you already, but will write again soon

To Ekta Patel

India is amazing, having lots of fun hanging around with families in the village and drinking lots of chai. Haven’t had a shower for ages, and some part of me misses lugging a bag around on trek. Strange. Love you  xx

To Grace, Lesley and CQP gang,

Hope you’re keeping the spirit alive with lots of pub visits and Christmas party planning is going well. I’m living in a village where we are cooked for everyday by a man called Ganesh who bears an incredible likeness to Dan. Perhaps we can start a fund to send him to the Christmas party. Hope London isn’t too grey. Love, Lucy

To Alice, Jane and Martin

Seems like forever ago we were partying down in London. Hope all is going well, India is full of amazing colours. Looking forward to talking about ideas and photos when I get back. Missing all your music and singing. xx