Alpha 1 completed their Guanacaste Quest walking an amazing total of 250 kilometres in just 19 days! After days of rain the sun finally shone on Alpha 1 in time for a well earned break relaxing on the beach at Playa Junquillal on the last day. Tim and Guy were there to capture the moment they arrived at the beach after a 30k day!
Fee, Michael, Harry, Vicky and Tina taking a dip!
The classic 'Where is the beach' pose! Alpha 2 took on the 280 Kilometres Maribios trek and won! Volcan Consiguina was the target, 859 meters tall with a crater 500 meters deep and 2 kilometres wide. The views of El Salvador and Honduras from the top were worth waiting for. The group hiked to the top where they set up camp for the night and watched the sunset over the volcano. The next morning as they watched the sun rise it lit up the 280k route they had spent the last 19 days trekking! Then it was off to the beach in Mechappa - a mere 33K away for a chill day!
Enjoying the view from the top of the volcano
Where is the beach?!
Its in sight.......
They made it!
Alpha 3 finished phase 1 of the water project in Achuapa providing fresh clean water to a staggering 240 people in 44 houses throughout the village. In just 19 days they become expert diggers and builders and were able to turn the taps on in the village for the first time. An amazing achievement in such a short time - well done Alpha 3.
Ben, Oli, Bernardo and Deven getting ready for a hard days work
Laura chatting with Chico (foreman)
Bernardo, Rob, Alex and Karla
Jane digging it!Alpha 4 rocked Miraflor with their digging skills. The first phase of building the community centre was to level a rocky 30˚ slope and lay the foundations, not an easy task! Alpha 4 steamed through the work and even had time to collect the materials for the walls that will be built in phase 2. Good work Alpha 4.
Ben showing us how to do it!
Work work work
Gemma and Ben taking a moment!
Back at fieldbase the Alpha groups are enjoying some free time in Turrialba eating pizza, emailing home and playing football against the volunteer managers and winning! Its now time for project allocations for phase two and getting to know their new Alpha groups before deployment tomorrow. More on that later...............
Michael,
ReplyDeleteThe only night I've been to Soph's and you called- can't believe it! Shame i missed you but thanks for the message. The others are all at Sutton but they'll hear it in a couple of days
Enjoy the next part of the challenge
Oh and Soph's a bit worried about the hamster on your chin!!!!!
Dad
Matt (Ush)
ReplyDeleteGreat to see you and the rest of Alpha 2 at the end of your trek. Wow, as you would say 'a good effort!!' Hope the next phase is as satisfying. Matt, Jasper says 'hello and where's my biscuits?'
Dad & Mum xx
Hi Carl,Well done to all of you. It was good to have news of your group & see you all still smiling in the photos.Good luck with phase 2,we look forward to hearing about it on the blog.Enjoy the experience. Love Mum & Dad XX
ReplyDeleteHi Deven,
ReplyDeleteWas good to talk to you. All the best for your next project. We are so proud of what you and the others have done so far. Well done guys!!
Lots of Love
Mum, dad and Hemesh
Hi Harry
ReplyDeleteJust got over your phone call, sorry about whinging about your hair - ben thinks its really funny. i am sure I will get over it, but please don't have a mohican, that really would be too much.
I meant to ask how are your boots? but I am sure you will find out when you are doing your trek, which by the way sounds awesome.
Hope the next few weeks go well for you and alpha two, i am going to have to ring round now and tell everyone to watch out for the new Alpha, and the lad with the red hair!!!!!!
Its been great hearing your voice and having some contact, really miss you around the house and funny the fridge is staying full for longer. Love you loads mom xxxxxx
Hola Maryannita.
ReplyDeleteDonde estas? que no te veo desde hace muuuuuuchos dias, tampoco a Delta 3,seguro estan disfrutando de la naturaleza.
Un pupic, la revedere
Parinti tai si Eduardo.
Alex-CL...look great! Dirt seems to agree with you. Maybe you should give up accounting and just do more of this for Raleigh?
ReplyDeleteCheers
Diana
Hi Ross
ReplyDeleteGreat picture of you working on the chain gang!
Thanks for calling the other night you sound fantastic and so up beat-sounds like your having the time of your life.
We are off to Astie tonight for two weeks(15 hour drive!)
Have a great time on your trek and watch out for the creepie crawlies!
Loads of love
Dad
Adam:
ReplyDeleteWhat is it with you and money? Treks huge distances, swims croc infested waters & cant get a simple cash machine to work! Problem with your pins? - Oh, it wasn't you who was moaning at me about pin numbers, was it?
Dad to the rescue. He has sent an email to Pedro, who will give you the details.
I notice that you have managed to remain lily white and look fairly healthy.
Love the photos and we are intrigued by the one showing the rear views of at least two of you who appeared to be carrying your mates on you backs! that is extreme.
Enjoy your next challenge everyone.
Adam,s Mum and Dad.
Hi Ollie
ReplyDeleteIt was really great to be able to speak with you, we are so pleased you are enjoing everything that you are doing.I have checked this morning to see where you are trecking to but that information is not available yet. Hope it Costa Rica! I have collected your guitar and they have made a very good job of it. Lucy and Chris are coming on Monday for three days before going off to Frnce the see David and co. for a week. Chris is going to look into your return ticket then, he thinks we may have to pay around £100 so thats not too bad. Lydia and Rob are coming to night, it s the private view for the Ludlow art exhibition and she has had two painting selected for it. I can not remember whether I told you that Lucy has the lead role in After Miss Julie at the Salisbury play house so she is delighted. Will send another message as soon as we here where you have gone off to.Have a great trip.
Lots of love
Mum and Dad xxx
Message for Oli Millward
ReplyDeleteHello darling brother, it's so lovely to see all the photos of you having such a wonderful time...and I hope you are not missing me too much!
Tigga and Bennington keep asking when their favourite uncle is coming home, but want to let you know they are going on their holidays to Wales...
Missing you so so much and love you lots, Lydia and Robbie x x x x x big kiss from Tigga x x
For Louise McCallum &
ReplyDeleteTo Alpha 2 who have just completed Maribios Trek. Well survived - I tried google earthing your trail. Amazing. You look grand in the photos if a bit grubby but you're not the only one.
Louise, Iain has dislocated his shoulder (again) - windsurfing near St Andrews. At least he managed to pop it back in this time to get back into shore. So at least no trip to casualty this time. He is recovering with the ECA crew at some gig in Edinburgh tonight.
Good luck to you all for the next phase and take care. Mum & Dad XX
Hi Ross,
ReplyDeleteReally good to hear from you on cheese show day!
Glad you are having a great time and enjoying it, the spanish seems to be coming along nicely!
A Nora was v interested in your trip and sends you
her love as usual.
Have looked carefully at all the pix of alpha 4 digging and cant see you on any of them!
Lots of love Mum, Paul and Lucie
Pixie and Trixie.xx
Fee,
ReplyDeleteGreat photos what fun.Bet youv'e been dreaming about that lake. A fantastic achievement well done.We look forward to hearing about your next adventure.
All love
M.and D xxxxxxx
To Louise McC and the mysterons,
ReplyDeleteWe have checked again to try and find out what your next possible mission (or mission possible) possibly is and have narrowed it down to somewhere in Nicaragua! Are the staff at field base (Hi guys - you're doing a great job, much appreciated, Blog is acutally v good) doing the equivalent of a results show on the telly - keeping the suspense going for as long as possible? Enjoy yourself and work hard. It's raining here - again. Hamish is on the metacam for his sore back. Too much trekking and football. Ok, so enough chat. Need to let you folks get on with what you're doing - both at field base and out on your projects. Keep smiling! Love from McCallums
We are so impressed with all the hard work - we're sure the locals appreciate it! With all those beans, isn't it just as well you're all spending so much time outdoors! Hope the next part of your stay is just as fulfilling - keep up the good work, Oli!
ReplyDeletehi ben, just saw you on bloggs,you look real tired,but im real proud of you,big time. youre mates are missing you they keep popping over to see if any news from you,wich is well nice.wen you come home youre pc will be up and running for you.but i want to give you massive hugs when you come home,by the look of you a nice bath and cooked inside you,im glad youre enjoing youre projects,you all are working real hard, Im pleased to have you as my son,but i miss you terrible,what was the turtel project like, Max is fine But he has had fleas,but the vets have given him Frontline so hes allmost all rid of them. Im on youre dads pc, until youres is working again. Love you Loads
ReplyDeleteMam and Dad
x x x x x x
Hi Bigfoot!
ReplyDeleteevery1 here in london has been missin u! so your new name is Bumble Bee yea? lol
i saw the pics! you seem 2be enjoying yourself aswell as working hard, hence all dat sweat on yah Shirt!
i hope u work jus as hard wen your back.
every1 is ok, Ryan is upset dat u won't be her for his birthday but am talking him round. Tremel keeps asking for you also.
please: all the people around him there make sure dat he returns with a Six Pack cause dat belly just ain't working for him.
Miss you loads
Your Big Sis,
Tanya
Claire Wilson
ReplyDeleteHi , claire missing you alot.Well i went too mexicoo so i wasn't that far away from you!it was hot aswell i thought i a going too melt haha x
i camee backk and it was raining i was sad,butt thee sunn camee ot aventually.
Anyway i am getting really excited because im going in to 1st year in 2 weeks frightning lol, so what have you been up too ? is it good i want to here all about it when you get back and whee are you in those photos normally you would be in the front of all of them (poser) haha xxx well am going to go now and i will be checking those photos xxlove you bye bye Jordane xxxxx
Hi Brandon,
ReplyDeleteit looks like you are are having fun in the wilds!
Like your new names and will need another one when you get back from the jungle.
Grandma and Grandad, aunty Murie and Bernadette has gone back to Grenada!
Keep up the good work and look after yourself and others,
DAD