Alpha 4 - La Amistad

Alpha 4´s Rob, gives a poetically penned account of life in La Amistad

Hello to you all, relatives, friends and family back home. We thought it was time you heard of our trials and tribulations out in the Latin American jungle so you may further appreciate those excessive luxuries of double beds, bidets and other bastions of the ´decadent´ West!

After spending 3 days of crazy paint parties, salsa and a horrendously wet and muddy jungle experience, we set off for our environmental phase in La Amistad National Park.

The bus journey was long, but the banter strong, punctuated with inspired jokes from Jack, the common, frustrating theme being that they lacked an obvious punchline. We continued our journey across what seemed to be the Bridge on the River Kwai and prayed our bus´ herculean efforts up the steep slope at the far end would not be in vain.

They weren´t. We were greeted by the formidable ranger Don Olman who led us to our home for the next three weeks, and the immediate impression was that we were in luck. We took a moment to take in the awesome views across the ethereal hope to Panama and check out our salubrious shower block, complete with resident giant spider and moth!

Alpha 4 set to work with typical energy and efficiency…although now I look at it, Amy, Ciara and Dara´s tent technique has a lot to be desired, as it slowly sags as the days pass.

Despite our impressive work ethic, we have not finished rebuilding the trail by Day Three as Alpha 4 presumed with characteristic optimism. Still we have created some highly attractive stairs and irrigation ditches, and Don Olman is seemingly pleased with our determination and enthusiasm.

A4 has been through so much, in so little time, including the experience of an earthquake (no damage to note), and the inspired creation  from Andrew and Jack of the United States of La Amistad (USL). Our constitution is proudly displayed with our daily elected president wearing an increasingly grimy shirt of power, leading 5 states (tents), five senators and ten congressmen and women. Sunday´s Radio Raleigh was also an event of note – the mock BBC report convincing some that they´d tuned into the World Service, and the tuneful Whitney tribute barely leaving a dry eye in Amistad.

Tomorrow we celebrate Amy´s birthday and sing our national anthemn in her honour, and salute Raleigh Photographer Ale, as she heads north to join the Turrisantos trekkers.

So all the best from Alpha 4 and the USL, we´ll be back in a fortnight.

Alpha 3 in Carara National Park

Last Saturday Alpha 3 arrived comfortably early at the Cara Park after just a three hour journey from fieldbase. Having met the rangers and their giant iguana, we were shown to the casa verde, just a few kilometres from the crocodiles we saw on our way. We pulled together as a team and managed to overcome the disappointment that the bamboo wouldn´t be ready for another day so we´d have not one, but two nights sleeping inside on mattresses! Excitement was also at fever pitch at the prospect of showers and toilet facilities for the whole phase…apart from PM John, who was keen to ´go jungle´, and stick to the bucket plan.

Over the next few days we met the Rangers who were keen to get us started on the work we´d be doing; showing us around the jungle that is Carara National Park. On our very first morning we were fortunate enough to see numerous scarlet macaws, ant hills brimming with life and much more wildlife typical of the Park. We were also shown one of Raleigh´s previous projects, a footpath constructed back in 2001, and the area we would be working in during phase one, including a 15m wall on which Raleigh Artist Jemma would be orchestrating the painting of a mural. It appeared then that there was much to do in a park of some 2500km squared, covered by a mere 9 rangers! Our role predominantly entailed the reconstruction of pathways to increase tourist access to the national park, rebuilding stairways and digging irrigation drains along the footpaths. An exciting prospect for the weeks ahead.

Meanwhile at the casa verde we began the construction of what was to be our jungle camp; clearing a small area under trees home to capuchin monkeys, and constructing basha beds, a longdrop and a pathway. It took around a day and a half, but the end result felt well worth it. Not only are there now 15 basha beds, we also have a welcome sign, a loo seat, signs directing us to our hometown and what is soon to be a swing. Understandably we were all excited at the prospect of our first night in the jungle, and it lived up to our expectations, since, with the help of no rain to test our tarps, the bashas are still holding strong .It was great to start our environmental work on our fourth day, a full schedule of sourcing rocks for the path made the dinner of masa and refried beans taste even better.

In the past week, work has progressed at a good rate. Around 600m of pathway has been constructed, and the completion of the mural is imminent. It’s tiring, but rewarding work, especially as many tourists walk through, commending us for our efforts. While we’ve been working we’ve seen our fair share of jungle life – more macaws, a morph butterfly and a poisonous dartfrog.

Alpha 3 has also adjusted to life without showers at jungle camp, bathing and washing in the nearby stream every evening after a long day of work has become a fitting end to some tough days work, and other memorable moments included pancakes on shrove Tuesday, cooked by the indispensable trio of Jemma, John and Adri, in addition to learning Spanish, English, Dutch and Greek!

The next few days contain more of the same, mingled with a beach trip and a visit from fieldbase, and Louisa’s 19^th birthday! We’re tired most evenings, but high spirited and looking forward to the rest of our phase!

Pura Vida!

Alpha 2: Corcovado Trek

Short, but sweet update from Alpha Two's Pamela on the Corcovado Trek

Trek: una pelea con uno mismo sin duda alguna la mente tiene un enorme poder, nosotros Alpha 2 vamos a ganar esta pelea.

Rose: caminar en la jungla y ver con mis propios ojos la belleza de Costa Rica y que realmente esta naturaleza existe y no solo en las películas.

Tom: Hoy fue un día increíble, a pesar de estar cansados, no podría decir que hubo algo malo durante el día.

Bud: Solo espero tener la fuerza suficiente para terminar el día de mañana y lograr que mi grupo esté junto a mí.