Jungle training is over and the trekkers have progressed from wide eyed new arrivals into fully fledged jungle survivors!
Their training started at Douglas Da Silva camp, a former forestry camp in the Mountain Pine Ridge area of Belize. Here the trekkers formed buddy pairs (who they will become joined at the hip to) and learnt first aid, stretcher carrying, communications and how to cook for a big group of people with jungle rations.
Two and half days after their arrival, they plunged into the jungle to head for ‘Scorpion Camp’ (it’s just a name!). Along the way, the group learnt about the various flora and fauna they passed, until 3 hours later they arrived in camp, sweatier and dirtier.
Everyone feverishly set about clearing the camp, erecting a tarp covered area and finding two adequate trees to put up their bashas. Everyone also successfully made their first fires and enjoyed a cool wash in the river. That night, a ‘wahhh’ *thud* meant that Clare D became the first person to fall out her hammock!
Another day was spent learning how to navigate through the thick undergrowth, how to build shelters from jungle materials and collecting water in a survival situation. All essential skills for their final task, as the group were lead thinking they would be leaving the jungle, but sat down and told they would be spending the next 24 hours by themselves alone!
Matt, our leader, placed everyone in pre-determined spots out of sight of the next person and armed them with rations for that night. Everyone jumped at the experience and embraced the opportunity, (especially Julie, who made modesty screens for her cat hole, and Laura M who made a whole separate kitchen area!) to have some alone time and practise the skills they had learnt, Josh going all out and constructing the biggest shelter!
The next morning, starting at 4am saw the group walking down a river and through Rio Frio Cave, a 100 metre high and 300m long cave. A good test for waterproofing their kit! On their cold and wet exit, their final surprise saw them having to search and rescue Sean, the Country Director, diagnose and treat the injury (in this case a snake bite drawn in pen!) and stretcher him a mile before loading into a Land Rover!
The group pulled together extremely well with all they had learnt and demonstrated an efficient CASEVAC operation, should they ever need to do it again for real.
All were able to unwind that night with a few beers and watching a magnificent sunset over the jungle from a lookout tower, lead by Bruce singing Breakfast at Tiffany’s. A night time nature walk distracted them enough to bring the surprise of a candle lit dinner under the pallapa at Rio Frio Cave, arrayed with rum punch and the Belizean cuisine of chicken, rice and beans. The drinks flowed and everyone relaxed into the party until late into the night, Clare S showing her dancing skills and Harriet teaching everyone to dance like Shakira!
On Saturday 21st July, the group deployed on project in the back of a Belizean Defence Force truck, before walking 8km in the first torrential rain we’ve seen this week. The wet season is finally arriving!
At their project site, the two main tasks for the coming week are to create a system to collect water from a spring and starting work on the main pallapa.
Watch this space for more updates and photos shortly!
Their training started at Douglas Da Silva camp, a former forestry camp in the Mountain Pine Ridge area of Belize. Here the trekkers formed buddy pairs (who they will become joined at the hip to) and learnt first aid, stretcher carrying, communications and how to cook for a big group of people with jungle rations.
Two and half days after their arrival, they plunged into the jungle to head for ‘Scorpion Camp’ (it’s just a name!). Along the way, the group learnt about the various flora and fauna they passed, until 3 hours later they arrived in camp, sweatier and dirtier.
Everyone feverishly set about clearing the camp, erecting a tarp covered area and finding two adequate trees to put up their bashas. Everyone also successfully made their first fires and enjoyed a cool wash in the river. That night, a ‘wahhh’ *thud* meant that Clare D became the first person to fall out her hammock!
Another day was spent learning how to navigate through the thick undergrowth, how to build shelters from jungle materials and collecting water in a survival situation. All essential skills for their final task, as the group were lead thinking they would be leaving the jungle, but sat down and told they would be spending the next 24 hours by themselves alone!
Matt, our leader, placed everyone in pre-determined spots out of sight of the next person and armed them with rations for that night. Everyone jumped at the experience and embraced the opportunity, (especially Julie, who made modesty screens for her cat hole, and Laura M who made a whole separate kitchen area!) to have some alone time and practise the skills they had learnt, Josh going all out and constructing the biggest shelter!
The next morning, starting at 4am saw the group walking down a river and through Rio Frio Cave, a 100 metre high and 300m long cave. A good test for waterproofing their kit! On their cold and wet exit, their final surprise saw them having to search and rescue Sean, the Country Director, diagnose and treat the injury (in this case a snake bite drawn in pen!) and stretcher him a mile before loading into a Land Rover!
The group pulled together extremely well with all they had learnt and demonstrated an efficient CASEVAC operation, should they ever need to do it again for real.
All were able to unwind that night with a few beers and watching a magnificent sunset over the jungle from a lookout tower, lead by Bruce singing Breakfast at Tiffany’s. A night time nature walk distracted them enough to bring the surprise of a candle lit dinner under the pallapa at Rio Frio Cave, arrayed with rum punch and the Belizean cuisine of chicken, rice and beans. The drinks flowed and everyone relaxed into the party until late into the night, Clare S showing her dancing skills and Harriet teaching everyone to dance like Shakira!
On Saturday 21st July, the group deployed on project in the back of a Belizean Defence Force truck, before walking 8km in the first torrential rain we’ve seen this week. The wet season is finally arriving!
At their project site, the two main tasks for the coming week are to create a system to collect water from a spring and starting work on the main pallapa.
Watch this space for more updates and photos shortly!
