And so the end is in sight

As I sit here listening to the rain outside (yes here at Fieldbase the rain has continued for over 3 weeks!) I thought I would take advantage of what is surely one of my last quiet moments before the craziness begins again tomorrow to give you a final update on the achievements of our Alpha groups.

Last night we celebrated with Alpha 2 the Macho trekkers who have reached the beautiful Punta Judas where they will stay again tonight. I can only imagine what it must have been like for these guys to have reached their goal. Despite the adverse weather conditions, additional weight, an awful lot of up (they have now climbed the equivalent of Everest!) Alpha 2 members have remained positive and upbeat throughout. Led by Stu, who yesterday completed his half century of 51 walking days, and the amazing Stevo who's positiveness has inspired us all, this group has exceeded all expectations. Congratulations guys!

Alpha 1 is today packing up their island paradise in preperation for their 6am departure tomorrow. I am sure there will be some tears as they say goodbye to what surely has been a once in a lifetime experience. The question is will overcome all their fears to sleep in the prison tonight, or will they go alfresco and sleep on the pier in order to experience one last sunrise over the ocean.

Alpha 3 have returned from their mini break to the beautiful Playa Hermosa beach, for one last crack at their wheel chair path. They too will be packing up their jungle camp and beginning to wash some of that mud away. Although they've had their share of tough times in the jungle, this is one tight knit group who have shared something pretty special together.

And here at Fieldbase, we are putting the finishing touches to the final slide show (I started crying about 3 days ago), the Christmas tree is up, the Golden Mess Tin awards are ready and the terrace is preped. We will begin with skits on Sunday night, wash up and free time on Monday (that's when you'll get your phone calls) followed by the Golden Mess Tin awards and a Scottish Fling on Monday night. On Tuesday we will host our inaugral Raleigh Olympics, before groups return to their phase 1 teams in order to reflect on their whole experience before we celebrate with a "Black Tie" dinner on Tuesday night.

And so as this part of the journey comes to an end, I thought I would share one of the many inspirational/reflective readings that we use here with you guys.

The Station

Tucked away in our subconscious is an idyllic vision. We see ourselves on a long trip that spands the continent. We are traveling by train. Out the window we drink in the passing scene of cars on nearby highways, of children waving at a crossing, of cattle grazing on a distant hillside, of smoke pouring from a power plant, of row upon row of corn and wheat, of flatlands and valleys, of mountains and rolling hillsides, of city skylines and village hails.

But uppermost in our minds is the final destination. On a certain day at a certain hour we will pull into the station. Bands will be playing and flags waving. Once we get there, so many wonderful dreams will come true and the pieces of our lives will fit together like a completed jigsaw puzzle. How restless we pace the aisles, damning the minutes for loitering - waiting, waiting, waiting for the station.

"When we reach the station that will be it!" we cry. "When I'm 18" "When I buy a new 450SI Mercedes Benz!" "When we put the last kid through college" "When I have paid off the mortgage" "When I get promoted" "When I reach the age of retirement, I shall live happily ever after!"

Sooner or later we must realise that there is no station, no one place to arrive at once and for all. The true joy of life is the trip. The station is only a dream. It constantly outdistances us.

"Relish the moment" is a good motto. It isn't the burdens of today that drive men mad. It is the regrets over yesterday and the fear of tomorrow. Regret and fear are twin thieves who rob us of today.

So stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles. Instead, climb more mountains, eat more icecream, go barefoot more often, swim more rivers, watch more sunsets, laugh more, cry less. Life must be lived as we go along. The station will come soon enough.

By Robert J Hastings

While this is will not be our last post, I do want to thank you all for the support you have shown to everyone here. I can't tell you how much it means to us. It has been a truly lovely experience reading and passing on all your messages and in many ways I feel like I know you just a little.

Remember everyone is back tomorrow and will be in Turrialba checking out the blog on Monday, and I know that they would all appreciate just one more message from home.

Hasta luego

Anna