It's just not (only) cricket at Echo Three

Myself and Polly B had the pleasure of having a long weekend with Echo Three. We arrived Saturday afternoon just in time for the end of their digging shift which runs daily from 6.30am to 1pm. After the Raleigh rations staple of noodle lunch prepared by the 'housewives' on camp duty (the two team members who stay behind at camp to look after the site and prepare tea break and lunch), a spot of cricket was played with the local children from Basava Pura.

That evening we were treated to Kat's delicious cheesy pasta followed by Elisabeth's Banoffe Pie, most de-lish. Round the campfire we were serenaded by Owen, Robbie and Dr Phil, who each took it in turns to strum the guitar and sing us some good and some questionable songs!

The next morning we were roused with their delighted yells of 'DIGGING' which motivates them out of bed! Into the trench we put in a good day's work. The ground they're working on is full of rocks so it can be slow progress at times but spirits are kept high with plenty of banter and trench games.

Time for tea! 'Housewife'  Katie is a welcome sight

Shift over and Sunday afternoon was a blaze of sunshine, normally office bound myself and Polly B took the opourtunity top up our tans. Some of the group popped into local Basava Pura for some chai while Robbie and Owen entertained the local kids by making up 'crimping' songs to much humourous affect!

Sunday night was Hannah L's last evening as PM with Echo Three as we were bringing her back to Field base for her to job share with Hannah W in Mointoring and Evaluation for the expedition. As Sunday was also 'Sinterklaas' for the Dutch Venturers, the group gave out their secret santa pressies.

A misty Monday was welcomed with more yells of 'DIGGING'.

The group changed trench digging location for Monday's shift to where the soil was easier and less rocky and really got stuck in.


The commute to work ...

 



Anniek adding a touch of glamour to the trench



Then all too soon The Loop was there to deliver Hannah W to take up the reigns of PM for the final part of the phase and whisk me, Polly B and Hannah L away. We'd had a lovely weekend with Echo Three, they really seem to have the perfect set up there - a good enthuasuim for digging and entertaining ways to while away the well deserved lazy afternoons. We bid a fond farewell to Echo Three with big waves and drove off to the yells of 'DIGGING' in the air ...

 

All text by Polly Carpenter and photos by Polly Baldwin http://www.dynamicpictures.co.uk/ (unless stated otherwise).

Phase Three: Join the the dance

On Tuesday the venturers arrived back at field base eager to catch up with their friends from Phase One, to share big hugs and swap tales. It was great to see them all reunited and see all the new friendships that had formed throughout Phase Two.

Changeover was a hive of actvity but had a lovely chilled vibe. On skit night the bar had most definetly been raised with some funny, some musical and some darn right surreal! The Charlie Two girls all looked gorgeous in their new saris but it was Echo Three who scooped the prize with an awesome The Good, the Bad & the Ugly take off.

Wednesday was handed over to the Graduates to run the show, as they took the reigns of the schedule, activities, food and entertainment. A trip to local village Jayapura in the morning was a lot of fun. The group were split into teams and given a scavenger hunt to complete. The children in the village were particularly excited to have us invade!

A delicous bbq feast was prepared by them for lunch. We then bid a fond farewell to Irena and Shaun ...

The afternoons was chill out time with optional henna painting

and then an Indian Ball in the evening, complete with an Indian drumming band.

It was also a double celebration as it was Anu's birthday.

Onto Friday and at last, Phase three allocations. It's all change again as the groups get mixed up for the final time. Alan Watts, the American Writer, once said: "The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance." So to announce allocations this time, the PMs each started their own conga line picking up their venturers as they danced across the floor. With hillarious results ...

The groups are as folllows:

Charlie One
Off to finish the five tribal houses in Uluvadu are:

PMs
Eira Evans
Liam Gallacher
Caroline Millar

Venturers
Sean Edlin
Kirsten Elliot
Arthur Fane
Laura Hulley
Michiel Kruize
Samuel Mason
Jennifer Rimmer
Denise Stoelzel
Justine Stuart
Ajee

Charlie Two
Heading to Hagarahalli to build twelve more eco-sanatation units for the scheduled caste community are:

PMs
Rachel Allan
Charlotte Parbery-Clark
Susan Pollock

Venturers
Coen de Mol van Otterloo
Lucy Flint
Iain Hood
James Mcintosh
Jessica Norgrove
Jack Phillips
Katharine Studley
Sarah Ward
Isabelle Wijsmuller
Jonny Womack

Echo Three
Trench digging bound, to live in a homemade campsite outside the village of Basava Pura are:

PMs
Phil Dart
Bethan Jones
Hannah Lobban & Hannah White (job share)

Venturers
Anniek Akerboom
Owen Duffin
Robert Dwyer
Olivia Ferrari
Kane Grennan
Katie Macnaughton
Kat Ulichnowska
Elisabeth van der Zee
Aimee Welch
Erdinch Yigitce
Raghu

Tango Five
The Missapulimala trek is going to be tackled by the following:

PMs
Christina Ambrose
Laura Burnet
Sterling Grey

Venturers
David Frattinger
Amy Gannon
Ryan Heeley
Simon Majtlis
Tessa Nooteboom
James Rowantree
Kavita Shah
Anupama Varghese
Basil

Tango Six
The Demon Mountain trek is going to be taken on by:

PMs
Oliver Whittle
Lynne Cooper
Luke Jones

Venturers
Fiona Marchbank
Natalie Gordon
Shanelle Ward
Kimberley Delamare
Hubertus Kramer
George Miller
Philip Smith
Rosie Ward
Narthan

Field base medic this phase will be the lovely Dr Josse Emanuel and Hannah & Hannah, who not only share the same name, will also be sharing the Mointoring & Evaluation role at field base and also PMing at Echo Three.

 And then suddnelly Changeover was all over and Phase Three had begun as off they went bright and early on Friday, when we also said goodbye to Ros and Raja.

The Loop is planning to visit Charlie Two on Tuesday so get your messages on the blog by Monday evening for us to pass on.

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All text by Polly Carpenter and photos by Polly Baldwin http://www.dynamicpictures.co.uk/ (unless stated otherwise).