Another Night, Another Basha - News from Echo Four

Following our recent flying visit to Echo Three a few days ago, it would have been churlish not to visit Echo Four. Their camp was a short ten-minute walk away along the shore of the reservoir. The bashas are so comfortable that another night in one was something to look forward to.

As we approached their campsite, George stepped out to greet us. As he’s a medic, it seemed only right to greet him with a ‘Dr Pavey, I presume.’ He then handed out the menu for the day and apologized that there were no chocolates on the basha pillows (nor pillows either, come to think of it.)

As with Echo Three, hospitality was to be reciprocated by digging, just as we’d done the day before. Echo Four’s project is similar to Echo Three’s – four biogas units for four beneficiary families, about fifteen minutes’ walk from the campsite. More holes, more chai, more smiling children.

But only for half a day, as we all had the morning off. Time to relax, catch up on some sleep, do some washing or write our memoirs.

Then after lunch it was on with the boots (no lapsing of Health and Safety standards at Raleigh) and down to the worksite for a few hours’ grafting. After work came Radio Raleigh, dinner and another early night under the stars.

Here are some photos I took during our very brief stay. Sadly I didn’t manage to catch everyone or do a ‘hello’ video. But please rest assured that they’re all still there and no-one’s escaped!

'Dr Pavey, I presume'

Seth (the one one the right)

Frederique unreefing her shorts

Quinten not blowing his nose on his towel

Rory - 'I thought they said it was a black tyre event' 

Chris and that woman again - who's the best dressed? 

Anna engaging in skills transfer

'Now we're all clean, it's time to go and get dirty again'

'There were we, diggin' this hole, hole in the ground...'

Happy beneficiaries

The master mason checking how the hole measures up

The next morning before breakfast we were off to Charlie One, the subject of the next blog …

News From Echo Three

During Anna’s and my recent short visit to Echo Three with the Loop a few days ago, we were treated to the delights of sleeping in bamboo and canvas bashas on the shore of a serene and picturesque reservoir about a kilometre away from the worksites in Gandathur.

To pay for the privilege, we were of course enlisted into the digging brigade. The first part of installing each biogas unit involves digging a very large hole – over a metre deep by nearly four metres wide! Fortunately the beneficiaries – and of course their children – join in to make this arduous task lighter and more entertaining.

The team is constructing four units during this phase.

Once the holes are finished, the skilful part starts – constructing the biogas digester domes, under the guidance of a local technical mason. Our visit came too early to see this, but Simon and David are out with the second loop at the moment and will hopefully bring some pictures when they return next week.

Meanwhile here are a few photos that I took.

Bashaland - the blue shelter is the communal chilling area

Local colour - ladies washing by the reservoir

The health problem to be solved by biogas - harmful, acrid firewood smoke every mealtime

Digging the hole for the biogas unit

Hooray! It's deep enough

Carrying the 'jelly' (stones) for the next step. It takes two ...

... or does it?!

Last but not least, here are two short ‘hello’ videos. The first shows everyone except Hannah and Jess, who were missing when the time came to film the team about to leave for work (doubtless for excellent reasons!) The second one is their own special clipette. I hope you enjoy them.

News of Echo Four and Charlie One will follow very soon ...

News from Charlie Two In The Hills of Tamil Nadu

Anna, Ruth and I recently enjoyed a brief visit to Charlie Two at their bijou ‘home from home’ in Chapanthodu, a small tribal village nestling among the hilly tea plantations of Tamil Nadu.

The hospitality of the team and the local people was superb, including an Agatha Christie style murder mystery the team had conjured up for us! Did we guess the guilty party? We’re still waiting to find out!

Here are a few photos I took, and a short ‘hello’ video of the team. But first, a guest blog kindly written by Carline to give you a feel for how well they’ve settled in.

Hello, home! This is the first message from the fantastic Charlie Two group.

 At this moment it’s 10 pm, and we’re all in our tents chatting with our roomies and laying on our beloved muddy ground. It’s only been five days since we left Fieldbase, but we already have loads of new experiences!

After we left at 7 o’clock on Wednesday morning we started the phase with a lovely Indian breakfast on our way. We drove five hours until we arrived in the village, called Chapanthodu. We received an incredibly warm welcome from the villagers, who handed us beautiful flower bouquets and necklaces. They led us to our new ‘home sweet home’ for the next three weeks, and we were given our first cup of chai.

Our home means a little actual house where we can store our bags and tools, and where we enjoy delicious meals made by the villagers together, in front of which is a muddy space of ground where we have pitched our tents.

The first few days were full of … RAIN. From the moment we arrived until 48 hours later, it rained non-stop. But that didn’t stop us from working! As everyone got completely soaked, and the wet muddy ground almost washed us away, we started digging the toilets in the village. The first stage included digging the foundation and the cesspits for the toilets.

Luckily the villagers were all extremely friendly and helpful, so most of us stayed dry for at least the nights. Being here has made us reinvent the idea of eating by candlelight and waterproof jackets!

After three days we finally saw the sun, and we could have a good look at the beautiful environment we’re living in. The place is surrounded by tea plantations, palm trees, rainforests and hills.

The next stage in the project is cementing the foundations, as we spent the last two days on making the cement slabs. We’re now happily enjoying the sun, and the peaceful living up here. Can’t wait to update you guys again, and let’s hope the sun will keep shining for us!

Love, Charlie Two.

A compact living environment

'These boots are made for working'

Before work - an energizer ...

... and a curious onlooker

Working now - transporting bricks by human chain

250 bricks later

Another beneficiary house, ...

Another toilet, ...

And another breakfast! Carline sitting on the right. Anna asking for more?

Charming and hospitable beneficiaries

Lastly, here's a quick hello from the team ...

News from the other three projects will follow very soon.

Phase 1 - The Slideshow!

Hi all.

After a few days' travelling with the Loop I'm back at Fieldbase, and so I'll be updating you on each of the four projects during the next few days. Meanwhile, feast your eyes on this. It's the slideshow compiled by David and shown to all at First Changeover recently. It'll give you a good flavour of some of the things your loved ones have been up to during Phase 1. Enjoy!



Watch out for news from the teams soon ...

Moustache Mania – Expedition 12J Supports ‘Movember’

Inspired by the splendid state of moustachery in India, several Venturers and PMs of Raleigh India's Expedition 12J have decided to take up the Movember challenge and help raise money towards the fight against prostate cancer.

Please support us!

What is Movember?

Movember (Moustache-November) is a moustache growing charity event held during November each year to raise funds and awareness for men's health.

It's responsible for the sprouting of moustaches on thousands of men’s faces in the UK and around the world. The aim is to raise vital funds and awareness for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer and testicular cancer.

Each participant (or ‘Mo Bro’) begins on the 1st of November with a clean shaven face. For the entire month they have to grow and groom a moustache. There can be no joining of the mo to the sideburns (that’s considered a beard), no joining of the handlebars to the chin (that’s considered a goatee) and each Mo Bro must conduct himself like a true gentleman.

Mo Bros become walking, talking billboards for the 30 days of November, raising awareness by prompting private and public conversation around the issue of men’s health.

Those who are rising to the challenge are: Alex, Ali, Angus, Blair, Dan, Dave, George, Gilles, Graham, Rory, Sam, Seth and Simon.

Clean-shaven Blair - The main instigator

A fine example of Indian moustachery

How Can You Support Us?

Just enter  http://mobro.co/raleighindia12j  into your browser to go to our Movember donation page and donate as much or as little as you feel able. After 30 November we’ll let you know how much we’ve raised.

Progress Updates

I’ll aim to provide an update around second changeover – 18/19 November – when everyone is back at Fieldbase and we can see how they’re doing. Although this is a charity event and not a competition, I’ll also try to post any particularly amusing or impressive moustaches as soon as possible after 30 November when we can get photographs, as the teams will be out on Phase 3 by then.

First Changeover – Skits and Phase 2 Allocations

After returning from their brief sightseeing/shopping trip to Mysore on Monday, the Venturers returned for an evening of dinner, catching up with their friends from the other teams and entertainment.

They also greeted our two new arrivals - Amber Elisa from Holland and Jennifer from the UK, who have just joined us for Phase 2 and 3. Welcome, both!

The entertainment took the form of skits by each team summing up their project in Phase 1. All four teams had clearly put much effort into preparation (several minutes or even more in some cases!) and the resulting skits were suitably hilarious.

Tango Six - Leeches on trek!

Echo 3 - basha life has all been such fun!

Charlie One - Village life set to music 

They were judged by an incorruptible trio of judges – Simon, Ruth (aka ‘Yummy’ following a possibly misinterpreted comment on last week’s Radio Raleigh broadcast!) and David. The criteria were that they had to be funny, involve the whole team, use at least two languages and sum up the trek.

The winner was .... Tango Five.

Tango Five - portraying rowing on trek, ...

 ... Showing what living in a cramped shelter is like,... 

...And finishing with gusto

They were rewarded with chocolate biscuits presented by Ruth.

'Yummy' and yummies for the winners

Yesterday (Tuesday) morning brought the news everyone was waiting for – the new team and project allocations for Phase 2.

The PMs - also rearranged from Phase 1 - used a variety a ways of ‘attracting’ their new team members – from including their names in poems to making everyone close their eyes and relax while the ‘chosen ones’ were gently tapped on the back!

Charlie Two revealed

Echo Three delighted to be born

The full teams and allocations are:

CHARLIE ONE
PMs: Emma, Harry, Laura
Venturers: Ali, Dan, Fabian, Gilles, Jocelyn, Mel, Pauline, Raja, Shivam

CHARLIE TWO
PMs: Jenny, Lou, Sarah
Venturers: Alice, Carline, Carrot, Hinesh, Jennifer, Lennard, Mangesh, Shahid

ECHO THREE
PMs: Alex, Hannah, Jess
Venturers: Adele, Amber Elisa, Angus, Appu, Caroline, Joris, Kana, Sam, Stalin

ECHO FOUR
PMs: Blair, George
Venturers: Chris, Crystal, Fiona, Frederique, Kavya, Quinten, Rory, Seth, Sridhar

You can look up the project locations on the map by clicking under PHASE MAPS on the right.

The afternoon was spent relaxing, washing clothes and packing for the next nineteen days.

Packing for nineteen days - the kitchen sink must be in there somewhere!

After another delicious curry dinner  - Halloween fancy dress was the order of the evening - they enjoyed a super slide show produced and set to music by David, showing some of the highlights of Expedition 12J so far. This was followed by Halloween-themed games including apple bobbing.

This morning the teams all set off for their new project sites, and all have phoned in to confirm their safe arrival.

Watch out for more on David's slide show, the evening's fun and games, and our charity challenge …

Reflections on Charlie One and Echo Three

While back at Fieldbase for the first changeover, two of the PMs took time out to reflect on the end of their projects. Here are their thoughts:


Charlie One - Jenny

Garlands and the words of Gandhi were the parting gifts for Charlie One on their last day at Gandanahalli.

The team of twelve successfully completed twelve eco-sanitation toilets on time, painting several with educational murals and giving beneficiaries a lively lesson on how to use their new loos – dubbed ‘high tech toilets’ by the locals. 

To say thank you, Raleigh’s project partner MYKAPS and the villagers held an ‘opening ceremony’ at the high school, where each Charlie One member was presented with a colourful floral garland and small gifts of appreciation for all their hard work over eighteen days.

One villager quoted Gandhi, saying that by changing the villages, the whole country could then change.

And there was a fond goodbye for the masons, some of whom will also be working on the environmental projects in the next phase.

Jenny taking her turn to receive thanks and a garland 

All smiles for a job well done

Echo Three – Emma

As phase one draws to an end for Echo Three, here’s a look back at our time in Gundathur and achievements to date.  Firstly we designed and built a luxurious and sturdy basha camp (sturdy except in monsoon wind and rain, after which it did need rebuilding on several occasions), and then got on with the task at hand, namely digging. For the first seven days of work in the village the group dug continuously, creating four circular biogas pits, each 4m in diameter and 4ft deep (it seems Indians like using a mix of units as much as Britons!)

This hard slog was interrupted by the Dasara festival, a major event in the Hindu calendar, celebrating when Raman killed Raean who had kidnapped his wife Sita. Over this time everything in the home and even vehicles are blessed to ward off evil, so with everybody celebrating there were no masons available to assist us in the next stage of the construction process. 

Thankfully the Loop arrived, bringing Ruth, Gemma and Teija with welcome shop goodies for the group to indulge in.

Ruth also brought twelve monitoring and evaluation (M&E) questionnaires for the beneficiaries of the first Raleigh biogas project, which took place this time last year in Gundathur. These asked about the families’ experience with Raleigh groups (unanimously positive), how well the unit functions, the reduction in firewood consumption (previously their only fuel source), and the benefits from milk and fertiliser production from the cows. Most group members got involved with the interview process and really enjoyed the experience of visiting families and seeing the benefits first hand, with Jocelyn declaring that by doing M&E her enthusiasm and focus for the project were renewed. 

The next day we took a trip to a temple on a hill with a spectacular view. The temple itself was currently more of a building site... but many people were still worshipping and receiving blessings there, including Carrot, Sivam and Jocelyn. After delicious chai and sweets we took the rollercoaster-like bus ride back down the hill.

On our last free day before being able to work on construction again, we filmed some of the music video to be shown back at Fieldbase (wait to be wowed!) and painted a mural on the bus stop in the village illustrating the biogas process. Carline organised and designed this fantastic and lasting image for the village, with everybody else helping with the painting and at least writing their names. 

We were then back to work after the Dasara festivities had subsided and skilled masons were finally available. With yet more digging to be done to change the slope angle in the bottom of the pit (would it never end?!) we then got on with concreting the base of the biogas pits, mixing sand, cement, stones and water in the right ratios and in the right way. This was really interesting for everyone in the group to learn and get very messy in the process. After concreting the base we built brick walls around the circular pits and output tanks, where the digested cow dung goes to be used as fertiliser. 

In challenging circumstances the group has had to accept that due to Dasara we simply ran out of time and masons to complete the biogas units. The next stage of the construction is to make domes to cover the pits and trap the gas that is released from the cow dung. The masons will finish this technical work over the coming weeks, so we left safe in the knowledge that the units would be finished and the benefits of biogas felt by all the families we had become very fond of. 

One of the four biogas holes - lots of hard work went into them ...

... And lots of appreciation came out

To show their gratitude and great thanks to the group, the village leaders and beneficiary families came to give us a farewell ‘function’ on our last evening. This consisted of speeches of thanks, beautiful fresh flower garlands and a cheers toast using bananas! The male heads of the families and members of our group expressed bonds of friendship and goodwill, followed by shouts of ‘matchee’, the Tamil word for friend that has been the catchphrase of Echo Three. 

More smiles all round - Emma kneeling on the right

Details of what happened at first changeover and team allocations for Phase 2 will follow very soon …

Everyone Back At Fieldbase For a Spot of R&R

Just a quick update to say that all four teams arrived safely back at Fieldbase this morning.

They've been handing in their kit and doing some basic admin, and are just heading off into Mysore for a few hours of sightseeing and shopping. This evening will see the first public showing of the skits each team has been preparing. It should be a lot of fun ...

More news soon.

Tango Five - The Final Few Days

David and I have just returned from a three-day visit to Tango Five.

Our visit had been delayed by a day because of the annual Ayudha Pooja blessing, which took place at Fieldbase on Tuesday morning. All the tools and equipment had to be blessed, including the generator, vehicles, computers and hand tools!

In the case of our Bravo vehicle, this involved waving incense and a flame, ringing a bell, attaching leaves and chillies, throwing a watermelon containing red paint at it, painting the wheels and steering wheel and running over lemons! A fascinating glimpse into an aspect of Hindu culture.

'Blessed be the Bravo'

We caught up with Tango Five on Tuesday evening at their campsite in Kerala – a flat drying area in a coffee plantation.

David and I selflessly pitched on the grass, leaving the best sites to Tango Five

 On Wednesday we completed a 12-kilometre trek – fairly flat terrain but very hot weather.

Shahid, Lennard and Appu stopping for chai in the shade

We arrived at our new campsite, which would serve us for two nights, in mid afternoon. Almost immediately on arrival most of us took a dip in the nearby river to cool off and wash skin and clothes. I’m not sure how much cleaner we came out, but we certainly felt much refreshed!

Our campsite for two days - cosy and near a river

The next job was to pitch our tents, change into ‘longs’ and have dinner – predictably noodle-rice- or pasta-based. After dinner, things follow a set routine. First comes the debrief of the day – the day leader giving their view, followed by comments from everyone else including the PMs. Then comes appointment of the next day’s leader, new allocation of jobs (comms, cooking, cleaning etc) and a briefing on the next day’s task. This usually leaves an hour or so for chatting, playing cards etc followed by an early night.

Enjoying a good night out - trek style

On Thursday we rose at 06.00. After the inevitable porridge breakfast, we set off on the 16-kilometre Pakshipathalam trek at 08.30. This was billed as the toughest trek of the expedition. Happily we needed only light packs as we would be returning to the same campsite.

Mel and Ali trying a revolutionary new porridge recipe - stirring anti-clockwise

It started pleasantly enough - a gentle walk through a flat forest looking for elephants (finding only elephant dung, a couple of snakes and an impressive forest squirrel).

Jess pointing to her new hairstyle?

Alice and Lou - surely not laughing at Jess's new hairstyle?

The terrain then became more challenging – still flat but leech-infested. This was my first experience of these creatures. Although very small (about 3 cm long and 2 mm wide in their pre-bloodsucking state) and harmless, their writhing bodies trying to get into my boots and socks reminded me of Raiders of the Lost Ark!

The arduous part came next – a hillside climb of somewhere around 700-1,000 metres, much of it through long grass. The team, fighting fit after fourteen days’ hard exercise, handled it with ease. I, softened by six weeks of ‘easy living’ at Fieldbase, found it more of a challenge and was not exactly at the front, shall we say.

After a quick cheese and cracker lunch, the spectacular part of the trek began. Clambering through bat caves was followed by beautiful views reminiscent of Austria as we made our way along the ridge.

Quinten taking everything in his stride

Appu and Shahid proudly showing off their country

Tango Five - on top of the world

After a short stop to film part of a team skit, we set off gently downwards.

Eat your heart out, Bollywood - Dave attempting to remake Wuthering Heights with Ali as Heathcliff?

Nine hours after starting, we were back in the river near our campsite having another much needed wash. After a tasty and filling boil-in-the bag curry dinner, the evening followed its standard routine.

Thursday was a cycling day through some beautiful scenery and lush fields of crops – rubber, rice, tobacco, bananas and many more. A wide variety of abodes was on show, from very basic to almost palatial. And there was a river crossing.

Lennard - always ready to photograph elephants

Crystal - enjoying being day leader

All-terrain cycling! The water crossing

Tango Five arrived at their new campsite shortly after lunch, in time for David, Big Manju (our driver) and me to get back to Fieldbase before dark. We left the team in good spirits and look forward to seeing them and the other teams on Monday when they return to Fieldbase for first changeover.

As Phase One of Expedition 12J draws to close, I can think of no better way to round things up than to commend to you the following guest blog which Mel kindly phoned in this morning. It gives her overall impressions of her time on Tango Five. Thanks again, Mel!


'Tango Five have been completely and utterly crazy for nineteen days and I’ve loved every minute of it. From day one our group of eleven has been full of enthusiasm and energy as it’s climbed mountains, explored caves, capsized in rivers and eaten enough porridge to keep Quaker Oats in business for another hundred years.  

It’s been epic. It’s now day eighteen and I can’t believe how quickly our trip has gone. We have travelled over 220 km, which to me sounds completely insane. Why would anyone want to do that? It sounds masochistic and cruel, completely impossible to actually enjoy, but I’ve had some of the greatest moments out here in Kerala.

It never ceases to amaze me how many smiles and hellos we get as we walk past shops and houses. “Hello, what is your name?’ is said so often, yet it never gets old. “My name is Mel. What is yours?’ And the majority of our answers are just giggles and huge grins from the teeny weeny, bubbly kids. It’s so sweet. 

We’ve seen one elephant, heaps of monkeys, a few deer and approximately two million leeches. Tango Five have climbed through caves like Gollum while on search for Nirvana, tackled a 3 a.m. night trek and have never, ever, ever eaten enough parotta. Parotta is life. 

The concept of a capsizing war had never occurred to me until our rafting day when our two crazy Dutchies Lennard and Quinten took it upon themselves to do whatever it would take to get everyone in the water. They succeeded numerous times. We had so many that it was really difficult to find an exact figure, but we guesstimated at least twenty! When in the water, stay away from Dutchies.

After three cycling days covering over 130 kms, travelling through serene, lush forests and busy tuk tuk scurrying streets, the universe didn’t think it was fair that I hadn’t fallen off my bike yet. So on our last kilometre of such a stunning trip, I flew over my handlebars, crash landing palms first into the asphalt, and causing poor Jess behind me to do the same. We’re both okay, the only thing wounded being my pride.

 I’d never thought I could walk so far. I didn’t even comprehend the idea of a backpack as well as walking so far. But I’ve done it. We’ve done it. Tango Five have conquered Kerala’s roughest of rough and come out smiling, and of course singing. This has been a completely unbelievable experience and I’m so delighted I’ve been able to do it alongside such awesome people.'

Stay tuned for news of first changeover and the team allocations for Phase Two. Plus a hairy charity challenge we're aiming to start on 1 November ...