Jungle Training!

Monday 27/06/11

Jungle training today! A bit apprehensive about trekking with my huge pack. Met at 7.30 at the office and packed everything into the trucks and drove down the hill to another village where we waited outside someone’s house for the guides, John (jungle training dude) and Dr Dom to come back from the other group. The first part of our trek was to walk through a river! We had to wear shoes and as we weren’t told to bring our sandals (extra weight) I had to wear my boots and get them soaked. I had puddles round my feet for the whole trek – sort of refreshing and squelchy. The whole trek was beautiful, before we got into the jungle we walked through rice paddies surrounded by mountains, and then up the mountains. It was hot – so hot! The weight of my pack was unbearable for the first ½ hour and then I got used to it and it was fine. We weren’t sure how far it was because the guides won’t say (keep sprits up I suppose) ‘nearly there’ or ‘not far now’. We were walking up through dense jungle; Kelly was in front of me and fell a couple of times in the slippery mud.  Really appreciated my 3 litre platypus; didn’t have to stop and get a drink unlike some people who felt bad for holding people up. The whole trek only took 2 hours but it felt like miles and miles, were exhausted when we got to the first camp. The first camp was gorgeous; it had a stream through the middle one side there was the camp fire and kitchen area and the other side was our camp. After lunch we put up our hammocks on the trees with mosi net and basher (rain cover), it was so cool; it was like being a kid again! After we’d set up we went out for an orienteering exercise where we followed on the guides, when we couldn’t see him we would stop him and take down a compass bearing so we could draw a map later on. Our guide took us through the steam! He thought it was funny to get our feet wet L all the guides were either in flip flops or bare foot but we weren’t allowed to walk around bare footed. Fifin and John showed us traps for trapping food in the jungle and then we went back to our camps and cooked dinner on our fire. We tried to dry out our boots and socks on the fire but it didn’t work very well. My feet had become wrinkly from being in wet boots all day. We had hot chocolate which makes everything better J then early to bed. This was my first time sleeping in a hammock; it wasn’t that comfortable my knees seized up during the night and was worried I would fall out.

Wet Feet!

Tired at the first camp

Steph and our fire and hammocks

Tuesday 28/06/11

Woke really early (5.45) and got dressed in the dark and got the fire started for breakfast. Packed up my hammock and waited for the others to wake up. Used a bush instead of the mandi, because it was a disturbing hole in the ground with scary flies. Filled my platypus with the cloudy boiled warm stream water, which had an interesting smoky taste, and put it in the stream to cool down. After breakfast we packed up and headed off about 9. The weather was so nice sunny and warm – getting used to the heat now. We hiked for 2-3 hours up steep hills; we stopped half way and had a jungle cooking lesson. We were shown how to cook eggs on leaves in the fire (mine caught fire but was still edible) and get drinking water from rattan (spiky, thorny, evil plant) and lianas (vine). The second camp was a real climb; it was on the top/side of a mountain. It was a lot cooler and the vegetation changed to pine and scrub. We set up camp again and cooked lunch. I helped Tom set up his hammock as he was feeling really tired and his brain wasn’t functioning properly! He put his hammock next to mine with one end on the same tree as mine; it was a small tree but it seemed sturdy enough. After everyone had set up we climbed to the top of the mountain to watch the sun set over the ocean and forest. It was an amazing view, and there was phone signal so I could text home J When we got back we had dinner cooked for us and we all sat around a big camp fire and chatted. I got tired and went off to bed a little earlier than the others; got into my hammock and could feel the wind blowing the small tree that both Tom and I were tied to! The whole night I was convinced that the tree was going to fall on me – wasn’t a good night’s sleep.

Trekking to the second camp

Drinking from rattan

Kelly, Tom, Steph, Jamie and Me (in my craghoppers NosiLife shirt and trousers)

Beautiful sunset from the top of the mountain

Wednesday 29/06/11

Survived the night! Packed up and had breakfast and were on our way by 9.30. We went a different way back which only took an hour. I was really close to the front and as we coming down the hill we saw some macaques! They were jumping along the tops of the trees J. We got to a river and were able to have a swim – it was so refreshing after wearing the same clothes for three sweaty days it was so nice to get a little clean. After 30 minutes we were off again to the vans and on our way home to Labundo Bundo. Got back about 11am and had a mandi straight away and got my clothes into be washed (thanks Mama Nia!) and had lunch. Feels so good to be clean! Ordered our beers for party night and Charlie and I got rattan bracelets made on our wrists by one of the guides. Had a test on what we’d learnt that week. And then dinner! Because it was the end of the week and party night we had special coconut rice and fried chicken – was so good! After dinner all the scientists got up and told us about their projects and how many people they needed and then we all rushed to the front to choose the project we wanted. I chose Tarsiers – luckily I got there just in time some people weren’t so lucky and had to do things they didn’t want to do. For some reason one girl managed to do two projects (?!!) – bad system. The party night party started at 8pm and a special dance floor was set up with massive speakers up at the office. I thought it was going to be naff and decided I was not dancing – I was so wrong it was so much fun, we all danced and had a laugh. Stayed up til 12 (that’s really late for Indonesia :P) – pooped!      

Swimming

Rattan bracelet
  

Party Night!!! 

Friday 24/06/11

We had two lectures today; an introduction to biodiversity and endemicity. We were given a break before lunch and I used the mandi to wash – it wasn’t as bad as it looked, quite refreshing actually. At 10 Fifin Flamingo started us off with the name game where we all sat in a circle and repeated the names of 8 people to the right of us and our own name and a animal beginning with the first letter of your name (so I was Annalea Antelope). After that we did another team building exercise involving pairs getting tied together and escaping without breaking the string – I did not get it and had to be shown by Fifin how to get free. After this we were put into our groups for jungle training; my group was Jamie, Kelly, Steph and Tom. we were then split into two groups as a whole, our group was going on jungle training on Monday the other tomorrow. We then had a run through of whet to expect from jungle training and then what we had to pack. Fifin took us on a village tour which was really interesting, he showed us plants that were edible and medicinal, we walked through the village and down the hill towards the coconut plantations. Some people jokingly ask him to get them a coconut from the tree and he said that it might be too dangerous because of the rain and it making the trunk slippery, but as we got closer he went straight up to it and started to climb – he climbed to the top and cut down 6+ coconuts came back down and dished them up, it was fantastic! The day was a little boring (apart from Fifin’s village walk!), trying to remember everyone’s name was hard but everyone seemed really nice and friendly.

Saturday 25/06/11

The other group went off to Jungle training today which made our whole group shrink which was nice at meal times. More lectures today; birds, mammals and surveying techniques, with a break of rice for lunch! Got caught in a rain shower (which are nothing like the showers in England) got drench through in a matter of minutes. I was wearing my craghoppers shirt and trousers which dried off really quickly (once out of the rain) and I’ve noticed the shirt is a lot cooler than my cotton t-shirt, though my t-shirt is more comfortable. Went on a bird walk where we were driven down the road about 4 km and walked back looking for wildlife on the way; we saw lots of birds (can’t remember what they were called) and a cuscus! Which is a strange slough type animal. The walk back was nice. After dinner (of rice and various other things) we watched a film on the over head projector from Kevin’s laptop.

Sunday 26/06/11

Very hot today, went out habitat surveying. First time actually in the rainforest, it was so cool just how dense the vegetation is and the smell is amazing; like a mixture of warm compost and vegetation – it’s hard to explain. We had various types of surveying to do; counting seedlings and saplings, tree girth, touch pole and canopy cover. All the data was going to REDD to help protect this area of forest. It started raining and did not stop, got absolutely soaked! Used my raincoat but was wet underneath anyway and didn’t dry out at all. Had packed lunch in the forest which was cool. Cut our surveying short as all the data records were wet and could not be used. Finally got some washing done by Mama Nia – wasn’t sure how you asked but when we came in all soaked I think she knew we needed it done. Leaving for jungle training tomorrow! Got our supplies and sleeping equipment and packed everything up that I wasn’t taking to store in the office and then packed my bag. 

Monday 20/06/11 – Tuesday 21/06/11

Excited, nervous and heart wrenching were my feelings at Heathrow. Leaving Simon was awful, though once I found my departure gate and calmed down I felt a lot better, this was a real adventure. Qatar airways were great, the first flight I had the 3 middle seats to myself, the second flight I was sat next to an angry Saudi Arabian man, I wasn’t sure why he was so angry until we landed in Jakarta and it turned out all his mates were in business class, don’t blame him really. I changed planes in Doha and while waiting for the second flight I found Charlotte who looked like she was with Opwall (walking boots and long walking trousers – not typical wear for a long haul flight but that’s what we were all wearing). She seemed really nice and we chatted until we boarded and then split to sit in our separate seats.

Landed in Jakarta and was hit by the heat, feeling tired and dehydrated (severe lack of drinks being offered on the second plane) did not help. Lining up to get my Visa on Arrival thought I was going to faint, luckily I had a stash of extra strong mints to keep me alive. VoA people where scary but survived. Made my way to baggage collection and met a load of Opwall volunteers looking all as scared and hot as me. Our next step was to meet with the Losari tours rep and catch our internal flight to Makassar. Went out to arrivals and the rep deposited us outside a restaurant until all the Opwall vols had arrived. It was horrible waiting in the heat, we didn’t have any water and I didn’t have any cash yet. Luckily a nice girl (called Aime) gave me one of her bottles of water otherwise I would have fainted for sure. We started the introductions which normally involved name, where you come from, which uni you go to, what degree, how long are you staying and are you going to Hoga or Labundo? Finally we were split into the forest and marine groups which got different flights. My group seemed nice and we were all put in an air-conditioned (yay!) mini bus and taken to our terminal. Another wait and then the flight to Makassar (on a tiny plane), on the other side it was another bus to our hotel. By now it was 1am ish and everyone was sleep deprived and hungry (I hadn’t eaten since the last meal on the plane). We got checked into the hotel and headed for our rooms. Mine was massive! Huge great room with an entrance part, then the bedroom section with king-size bed and seating area, the bathroom had a smaller dressing room attached to it; it was great! Had to eat my stash of chocolate so I could take my malaria pill (doxycycline) and then sleep.

Wednesday 22/06/11

Didn’t sleep too well – was too excited. Had breakfast which was interesting – rice and other savoury thing for breakfast? Strange. Met up with Charlotte and a guy called Aidan and went out to have a look around. Walking on the streets out here is a bit hazardous; open drains, holes in the pavement and nowhere to cross the road – just walk out in front of the traffic, the locals seem to be able to stop the traffic doing that but we chickened out. Got some cash out – now an Indonesian millionaire! Also got some water supplies don’t want a repeat of yesterday. Left the hotel after 12 for Makassar airport to catch our final plane to Bau Bau. Had lunch and waited around. Charlotte joked that our plane would be so small it would have propellers – it did! Not a keen flyer and after accidentally reading that Indonesia has the worst air safety rating of the world I was not pleased about the teeny-tiny plane. It was only an hour’s flight and managed to sleep the whole time, the take off and landing were a bit hairy, but we survived. Bau Bau airport consists of a strip of tarmac and a few buildings; luggage collection was grabbing your bag off the trolley – it was ace! We found our rep and were piled into taxi/van things which had seats along their sides and massive speakers. That trip from the airport to our hotel was the best trip I’ve ever had! Driving along with Akon blasting (don’t get me wrong I’m not keen on his music but it was hilarious in this situation), side door wide open with a dude hanging out. All sense of health and safety goes out the window here. Thing is I kind of like it. Our hotel was nice, basic but clean, and excellent air-con, which was needed with 30oC at 6.30pm. Settled in to our rooms and went down for a talk from Chris the land manager for Opwall. After we were sent off in taxis to get photocopies and dinner. I had fried noodles and ice tea (25,000Rp). Got back about 9pm and Charlotte came to chat, got the impression she didn’t like her room so invited her to stay in mine (I had two single beds).

Thursday 23/06/11 

 Had rice for breakfast – strange. Went for a swim in the hotel’s swimming pool, it was so refreshing, could have stayed there all day. After lunch we all got in the buses heading for Labundo Bundo. The journey was amazing loads of houses and then rice paddies, we climbed up and the forest started to get dense and the roads got worse. It only took 2 ½ hours in the end, but my bum was still pretty numb. We got to the village around 4pm, it is very pretty; little huts on stilts and brick buildings. Everyone seems really friendly and say ‘hello’. We were shown our house; I was grouped with 2 other girls Becky and Danielle. Our house is a separate building from the families, with 3 rooms; a main room/corridor and a porch area. We were introduced to the mandi (which is bathroom in Indonesian) not like our regular loo, similar to the French squatting toilets, with a large tank of water which is used for flushing and washing. It was very scary at first but wasn’t too bad. The lady of the house came and introduced herself as Mama Nia, she was really friendly. We went down to the main meeting and eating place (the restaurant) for our introduction to the site, dos and don’ts and health and safety. We had dinner and played cards until 10.30pm ish, when we came back to our house Mama Nia was waiting up for us. We felt really guilty because they go to bed quite early here and it was probably really late for her. She showed us how to lock ourselves in which was nice.

First Post

Hello! 
6  months until I leave and so much to do! I have already paid the deposit, booked the international and internal flights, also organised the accommodation for before and after the expedition. On the to do list: vaccinations, kit and most importantly raise the money! I have raised so far £1000 through wages, raffle ticket sales and a scholarship from my university. Just need another £2000 or so and I'll be OK, I think that's going to be hard work... Ah well never mind, got a bake sale organised and if all else fails overdraft will save me :) Craghoppers has very kindly donated specially designed shirt and trousers that will repel the biting insects.