Loop goes to Charlie 2 and Echo 3

Hannah, Lou and Maz on loop to Charlie 2 and Echo 3…

After an exciting journey through national parks and having a tiger run in front of the Bravo (!), we arrived to find Charlie 2 enjoying a day off in the neighbouring village.  We joined in for a cup of chai and then followed a convoy of tuk-tuks back to camp. We were given a tour of the beautiful camp at the home of one of the beneficiaries, which was set on a hill with amazing views over banana plantations.After a delicious home cooked dinner from the family, we settled into a pretty tense game of ‘mafia’. After porridge the next day, Maz and Lou took Maya and Steph to visit a previous biogas project, and I went to work the rest of the group at biogas site two.

It was a hot morning of carrying sand and cement, sifting the sand and laying bricks for the cowshed. It was hard work, but helped with several chai breaks and the family joining in. Later that day, I joined Lisa and the boys (Andy, Aaron and Matt) who showed me the huge hole they had started, and how to dig!

That evening we were treated to an amazing three course meal cooked by the group then it was off to our tents. The next day we woke bright and early to go to the local church (at the end of the path)  It was a packed service. Everyone was very welcoming and it was interesting to get an insight into a different aspect of the culture.

Echo 3

It was a long hot drive to Echo 3, but we were rewarded by a friendly welcome by the group, and a lovely refreshing swim in the reservoir. Later, we were treated to a delicious meal cooked by Lavinia, and then I got to experience sleeping under the stars in a basha!

Waking the next morning to a breath-taking view of mist over the water and the sun breaking through the trees was a great start to day. Lou and Maz left early with Lukas and Jamie for some M&E, while I joined the others for some biogas work. The 20min walk to site was stunning, and along the way plenty of children ran out to say hi, and I got to meet the group’s adopted puppy that lives with a local family.

Work at the biogas site was in really good progress. We practiced our ‘Raleigh chain’ to move bricks, helped along by the family’s children and lots of singing from Lavinia and Veerie. After an hour or so of work we got given an amazing (second) breakfast of dosa and coconut chutney cooked up by the family, then it was back to work. The boys arrived back in the afternoon, and we all helped at the next site, where the dome of the biogas unit was being lined with bricks and cement and a dome was being constructed out of bamboo.

Back at camp there was just time for a quick dip before PMs Rachel and Jonny cooked up a wonderful dinner and, as a special treat, Hannah and Tita had prepared an amazing banoffi pie.

It turned out there were more surprises in store for us, as Lukas and Jamie led us down to the banks of the reservoir in the dark, and produced handmade coconut shell candle boats to float in the water, while the group then huddled together and sang us a song.

Back at camp the group taught us a new exciting game before we spent our last night under the stars.  Waking early the next day for our journey back to fieldbase, we all agreed what a lovely loop it had been.