Expedition 08A Blog 7: Alphas 2, 4 & 6

So far B3 (Toyota Hilux) has made 2 road trips in the last week to visit various project sites. The first trip took Catherine Simmons (Logistics Manager), Pauline Dunn (Administrator), Belle Taylor (Photographer) to Barra Honda (Alpha 5) and La Cangreja (Alpha 6). Ross McKenzie (Country Programme Manager) and Alejandra Leon (HCP Co-ordinator) came as far as Barra Honda to recce some caves located within the park. We took with us a motley assortment of provisions from the mobile shop to new radio parts. We found A4 in good spirits – they’d made

a great camp in the dry heat and were appreciating the luxury of a shower and plumbed toilets (no long drops for A4!). The night we arrived A4 were having a lesson in cooking Costa Rican cuisine from the local ranger Anna. We ate the delicious Gallo Pinto (Costa Rica’s most famous dish) and cheese for supper – a welcome break from Raleigh rations (what no tuna tonight?!). After supper, the group decided that an international sing-song was in order – from a Chinese New Year song complete with actions courtesy of Oscar Yip to a stirring rendition of the Marseillaise from Edouard de Bernis. As we left the next morning, the group were starting to dig and clear a water irrigation trench on the side of the main approach road. Project Managers Paul Spiby and Bevin Aston and their group are off to a great start.

























The next day we headed for La Cangreja via San Jose, dropping Ross and Ale off on the way. A quick stop at Costa Rica’s largest mall for lunch left us slightly frustrated not to have time to do some proper shopping but we had to reach La Cangreja by nightfall so nobly ploughed on. The roads became smaller and smaller and our map reading proved somewhat imperfect as it became clear that though we weren’t far from A6, we were definitely a little lost. Luckily a chat with a local shop keeper pointed us towards the MINAE ranger station at Mastatal from where the delightful Bolivar led us deep into the jungle to A6’s deluxe jungle camp. Despite being two hours late we were greeted with a warm welcome as the group helped us and our luggage (and the mobile shop) over the river to their camp. This is true jungle living. A6 had had to clear a space and the undergrowth before they could even so much as build a basha or hang a hammock.

Project Manager Sian Thomas proudly showed us her kitchen unit constructed entirely from bamboo whilst the group cooked us dinner. Having to fend very much for themselves has brought out great ingenuity in the group…. After dinner we were treated to a starlit concert of self-penned songs by Oscar Saborio and Tim Hardie, whilst the next morning Jonny Blanco and Melvin Talavera made us fresh coffee from a chorreador (coffee filter) constructed from bamboo and one of Sian’s socks (hopefully a clean one!). We left for the journey back to Field Base very impressed by the fantastic camp that Tim, Sian and the group had put together in such a short time.





















A couple of days later, Belle and Catherine headed out once again in trusty B3 to take A2 – the Dragon trekkers – their first food drop. As it was also Tjarda Glas’s birthday we also took a large cake as well as some eggs for the next day’s breakfast. Treats indeed! Our drive took us from Turrialba, round San Jose and out into the sticks via some pretty little towns up into the hills. Driving super-slowly on possibly the windiest, steepest road ever we reached Sabanillas to find A2 sprawled outside the local community centre (handily situated between the bull ring and the football pitch). Day Leader Barbara Bordewijk had definitely put them through their paces! After tea and cake, the group still managed to find room for dinner and shop-bought chocolate before bedding down for the night. Steven Leckey tried to tempt us to a game of poker, though bizarrely we seemed to be more tired after a day of driving than the group did after a day of walking. Project Managers Kate Chapman and Ed Rowberry were equally glad to see us as we brought much needed new stocks of foot tape and a new satellite phone battery.


















Leaving A2 to continue their trek to conquer the Dragon, we drove back through the fantastic scenery at dawn. Field Base seems all rather tame in comparison to the groups’ adventures!