After completing the basic jungle training, the trekkers and TELs headed to San Ignacio to begin the ‘grueling’ training for the Ruta Maya Canoe Race (4 hours of poncing about on the river). Teams were chosen by Colin and Jade, and the Trekkers were split into 3 boats: HMS Cheeseburger driven by Taylor, Mike and Katie; The Gobi Desert Canoe Association led by Stephen, Gavin and David; and Josh joined Colin and Jade in the Lame Ducks. With about 30 hours of paddling the 170 miles over 4 days and limited bags of flapjacks and bananas, the Trekkers beat the TELs in the Trekforce race. The Gobi Desert Canoe Association earned the gold with a 70 second advance on team Spitroast, the TELs top team. Upon arriving in Belize City, that night we went out on the town and stocked up on essential post race supplies; pizza and coke. We then had a fun night and a delicious breakfast at a local guest house before setting out for advanced jungle training.
On our way to becoming Jungle Warriors (the next level up towards becoming a Jungle Ninja Pirate) we set up camp at Jaguar Paw and began our training. Marcos the Jungle Jedi began teaching us about local flora and fauna, advanced navigation, how to follow different types of trails, firelighting, shelter building and how to make successful animal traps. All did not necessarily go to plan however, Jade “trapped’ six chickens from a local market but one particularly fast rooster led the entire camp on a frantic chicken chase through the jungle.
Dave’s medical skills were tested when Anya, our medic, fell from a tree in a mock rescue scenario and the rest of us had to carry her across the river and up a steep hill on a stretcher. Unfortunately, Anya wasn’t the only casualty – Colin decided to drown himself in the river with the hope of a rescuer, but no one paid him any attention… just kidding. In a camp game of Cluedo Dave was taken down by John (a TEL) with a bottle of deodorant while taking Anya’s vitals. The fun continued when Katie celebrated her 19th birthday with coke and chocolate ice cream floats.
For the first time ever, the Trekkers and TELs experienced 2 belt kit nights – we had to build our own shelters, fires and animal traps. Our rations then reflected the success of our traps. Notable events included Stephen accidently burning down some of his shelter then redeeming himself by winning the live chicken in the trap making contest, Gavin witnessing a vine snake eat a lizard, Mike chopping down a cohune tree to eat, Katie’s close encounter with a snake and Dave’s battles with ants and a scorpion. After two successful nights the Trekkers and TELs parted ways and we headed off to begin our project.
We have now been in the jungle for almost two weeks, working with a crazy monkey lady to facilitate and assist with a census of rehabilitated and released rare black howler monkeys. We’ve been having fun clearing trails, tracking monkeys and building a kick-ass camp featuring a fire shelter, clothes rack, benches (complete with back rest) and a table. In our free time we have visited the Belize Zoo, swam in the Sibun River, and helped Dave compose entertaining songs on the guitar. Overall, we are having a great time and very much looking forward to the challenge of trekking up Victoria Peak in a few weeks!
