We hit the ground running in Miri with our full team coming together for the first time with everyone getting on like a hammock on fire, after long flights and jet lag we were finally here. Next morning we boarded our light aircraft and made our way to our new home in Bario leaving behind bread, starbucks and Tristan's Ipod charger. We were startled by the amazing views from the plane of jungle canopy and the snaking rivers. However before this we would witness the vast palm oil plantations and logging inroads which were enveloping the jungle that we are trying to protect.
When our plane landed in Bario we were immediately impressed with the hospitality of the locals with a ride to our long-house in the back of several pickup trucks. We met Rian, our local guide to the wonders of Bario and the jungles beyond. He explained that cultural sites deep in the jungle would be a key to the conservation. If we found these cultural sites, that included tombs ancient long-houses and megaliths to ancient warriors, we could 
create a large perimeter of protected jungle around them. The next day we begin our training with our trek medic Darren, who would assure us in a Douglas Adam's approach that no matter what happened he would be there to help us. The next few days would be spent learning simple but essential survival skills, including navigation, how to use our kit and search and rescue while enjoying the food and hospitality of the kelabit people, not to mention karaoke in the bar.
The next day we made our way to jungle training camp and we would soon be taught to sling our hammocks and prepare for our first night in the jungle. The next morning we were woken by “delicious” porridge waiting for us. We started the day with parang training which we were eager to get into; we then headed off to the nearest river and undertook our first river crossing, but soon warmed up when we learnt how to start camp fires with wet or damp wood. The camp fire banter has been quite hilarious with regular inputs from our leaders, most of which are not suitable 
for internet publication, along with the regular Guildford verses Wales jibes. Our group is quite diverse with tall people, short people, ginger people, hairy people and even a northerner. The jungle washes in the river have turned into a debate as to whether Andrew will get his kit off.
The day has turned into a regular routine of gourmet porridge, Dan searching for the night panther and Frances trying to convince everyone she hasn't fallen out of her hammock. We are all still waiting for Nick to carve a throne out of a tree and for Sophia to announce an engagement to a water buffalo. After spending our last day making animal traps for survival situations and jungle shelters we began our long trek back to Bario. The trek was tough but it was the last stage of our jungle training. That night we had a ceremony where our fearless leaders Al and Oz and Rian, our local guide, congratulated us for our efforts and awarded a certificate and our very own parangs. That night we had a party in the village of Bario and were inspired by John Tarawe's epic use of the G chord. Many beers later we returned to the long-house and spent the night on the balcony under the stars. We look forward to beginning our jungle project.
