Message from Delta 1

Bravo 2, with Ross, Oli and Wendell, has just returned from visiting Deltas 1,2 and 3. Delta 1 sent this message along with lots of photos.......... Week 1

It’s been a week of highs and lows, sun and rain and lots and lots of muscial accompaniments (especially by Andrew who has a song for every eventuality).

The trek to Bajo Coen was stunning (when we remembered to look up) and none of us had ever sweated so much. We arrived in the dark but spent all day sunday decorating our camp (an event which has been going on ever since). We’ve now got a glamours long drop, a fancy bag rack, an awesome seating area complete with rocking coffee table as well as a separate cooking area and there will be much more to come. Watch this space for the wide screen tv, sound system and jacuzzi.

All of Delta 1 have developed a slight obsession with building the school (James in particular finds it difficult to put his tools down at the end of the day). So far we’ve mastered the art of sawing, hammering, digging and juanmaing and the school is well on its way to being completed.

Even the rain has failed to dampen our spirits. Just one glance over at the current leaky school and a good sing song spurs everyone on. We have now dug and filled 70 foundation holes with posts (finding a bit of columbian pottery along the way), and are now laying the beams and joists for the floor. We are all in awe of the maestro who seems to be able to do about ten things at once.

The food cooked by the locals has been fantastic although there has been alot of pinto, there has been a good variety of food and a huge amount of plantain. Everyone is doing their best to learn Cabecar to talk to the locals with!

At the end of the long hard day we look forward to a refreshing dip in our secluded river. Never the less we are quite surprised the locals will come anywhere near us as we all stink bad! We are enjoying the locals company and Harry and Hugo have started their own mini football team which the children love. The ticos (Danny and Caro) have been fantastic translators, teachers and entertainers and you will be glad to hear the PMs have settled in well. Only joking they have been fantastic with everything and we especially liked the rice pudding they made for breakfast.

We have a brilliant alarm system, the cockerel hasn’t failed to wake us up at 5am yet! Our week has been packed full of laughs. Our highlights so far definitely include Sam using vegetable oil instead of bleach, only mentioning it 4 days later when he was certain we wouldn’t get it!

Alice’s position as photographer seems to ensure that she has not been caught in any of the photo’s and Anisha’s colour co-ordination is putting us all to shame. All the girls are really appreciate Emily’s daily french plaiting sessions as a way of making themselves slightly more presentable. As for entertainment Caro has taught us ‘La Bamba’ which we never seem to stop siniging and the whole group have become slightly obsessed with the game ‘Mafia’. Chloe’s memoirs of a Russian exchange keep everyone amused.

Delta 1 say a massive Hi to everyone missing us terribly at home with a special happy birthday to Alex’s brother Tony and Andrew’s brother Robbie.

Written by Emily and Anisha

Delat 1 doing a river crossing on the way into camp

Their new home for the phase
Delta 1 unpacking and settling in

Home sweet home!