Raleigh Costa Rica and Nicaragua: Finally...Photos from Coast to Coast Trek

Tuesday, 20 October 2009

Finally...Photos from Coast to Coast Trek

Alpha 2 Update from Venturer Claire Watson

Hello All
So what an adventure... I’ve been here a little over a week and already had some of the most memorable times of my life. The beastly start to the trek tested all of us but the views, smells and animals are out of this world. Unfortunately the aches and twinges of my knee, suffering from the vertical mixed terrain descent to today’s river crossing meant I’ve had to return to Field Base for a few days to let it heal. The physical and emotional support from both the Raleigh Project Managers and the strong bunch of characters in Alpha 2 perked me up no end – so it was hugs of ‘see you later’ not goodbyes as I will be returning to the group in a few days time as soon as they have passed the extremely remote Barbilla National Park. For now I’m resting up in the relative luxury of Field Base awaiting my return to the jungle and completion of Coast to Coast. Go Alpha 2!...I’ll be seeing you all very soon.

A few of the things from Alpha 2 that I’ll be missing:
Ashley’s motivational machine like attitude
Gemma’s impressive Spanish
Joe being Joe – ‘My camera even takes pictures of the ants’ faces!’
Cat with her high tech mountain climbing trekking poles, which I stole!
Happy banter between Noah, Thomas and Ashley...aaahhhh...young love!
Rich’s iPod – regualr plays of ‘Eye of the Tiger’ get us all going when the going gets tough.

Ashley the Machine!

The stunning and remote Barbilla National Park

Guy checking weight distribution after A2´s first food drop

Alpha 2 - ready for some harcore jungle action

Joe

Gemma ´Gemita´Armes

Alpha 2 Action Men Guy and Ricardo

...off they go into the jungle. They will be spending the next two nights in indigenous reserves - the first in Guayabal the second in Valle Escondidio, befor coming out the other side at Bajo Pacuare.

22 comments:

Kei20 October 2009 at 17:30
Good Report Claire!!! keep on!! i hope that you going to back the coast 2 coast soon, my best wish for you, take care of your knee, we´ll be dancing again :) Pura Vida!! xxxkei
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Stephen21 October 2009 at 10:04
Hey Cat,

Looks like your having quite a hard trek, hope its going OK and your feet are still in one piece. Im sure trekking in a jungle is quite something! Nice to see my "high tech mountain climbing trekking poles" are being used all the way in Costa Rica!

I am good, just settling into Uni life. Had a alphabet party last night, being J block went as JD from scrubs!

Miss you lots, have funnn!

Steve XX
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The Watson Fanclub21 October 2009 at 10:47
Oh dear claire,obviously concerned, but relieved your in such safe hands. Thinking of you and by the sounds of it happy you have such a wonderful group of Alpha 2 friends. keep those knees safe and love as always. To think we were worried about the feet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the watsons
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Anonymous21 October 2009 at 12:24
Hi Claire say hi to Ashley from his mum. letters are on their way x
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Anonymous21 October 2009 at 14:04
message for andrew needler (alpha 1 )
hope your ok x been to your house today with the kids taken your mum some flowers from us both for her birthday xx love and miss you loads , hope your enjoying the experience , cant wait to share them with you when you get home xx me and the children miss you so much xxxxxxx
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Unknown21 October 2009 at 14:20
Hey lieve Tho,
Hoe is de trek? Het klinkt allemaal supergaaf!
Dikke dikke zoen,
Julie
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Anonymous21 October 2009 at 15:19
Hi Gemma
Wouldnt like to be carrying that pack! Hope the back muscles are not aching too much and that you are having a great time. look forward to seeing more photos soon. Take care and enjoy!
lynda and Steve x
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Anonymous21 October 2009 at 15:27
hey hey PM ale alpha dos..... espero que todo vaya de lo mejor y disfrute muchisimo... la estaremos esperando en fiedbase cuidese mucho atte ivan
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Anonymous21 October 2009 at 23:18
HI Claire,
Sorry to hear about the knee, hope it heals soon so you can get back out there with your fellow expeditioners who sound a great bunch of people. Love and hugs Vicky and Terry. x
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Anonymous21 October 2009 at 23:47
For Thomas Fleischer Alpha 2

Ha die Thomas, wat ziet dit er geweldig uit - wat een ervaring en wat een prestatie. Ik hoop dat jullie het als groep gezellig hebben en wens je heel veel goeds toe. Heel leuk om jullie via de blog te kunnen volgen.
Lieve groetjes uit Noordwijk,
Poeka
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vaughan chatfield22 October 2009 at 02:44
Message for Craig Chatfield;
Hope your having the time of your life mate, everything fine at home. Love and wishes from Mom, Dad, Scott, Lorna and Stan. xx
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O'Connor Family22 October 2009 at 18:53
Hi Ian! (Alpha 5)
Thinking of you...Love and miss you..
Love, Mom and Dad
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Susanne23 October 2009 at 10:35
Ha lieve Thomas,

Zo te lezen hebben jullie naast je inspanningen ook nog - of misschien wel juist - energie voor humor! Leuke foto's. En, wat een prachtige natuur. Ben je inmiddels één en al spierbal en eelt?!

Dag lieve zoon, dikke zoen van Mamma
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Dordie24 October 2009 at 02:10
Hi Claire,
What trials and tribulations the intrepid explorer has to put up with!! Hopefully your knee will be better by the time you get this and you will be enjoying bounding through the amazing jungles and rainforests again. Do post millions of photos.
Lots of love to you, Dordie, Graham, Hector and Harry and Foxey and Smudge XXXXXX
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Anonymous24 October 2009 at 13:14
Message for Craig Chatfield, Hi thought had sent a message last week but can't see it. You had a bit of a long haul to get there but you made it. Hope you are having a really good time. Enjoy it, make the most of it. Lots of love Aunty Anne, Uncle Dave and the girls :)
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Anonymous24 October 2009 at 14:20
Hi Hamish

It was really good to see you recently, have a fabulous time, we look forward to hearing about your trip when you get back!

love from John and Rolli
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Adam Justice25 October 2009 at 07:19
Heya Clare,
I hope your knee gets better quickly so you can carry on walking, am missing you like crazy here,
loadsa love
adam
xxx
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Anonymous25 October 2009 at 12:03
Hi Claire sounds like you are having a great time despite the knee, keep going and have a fabulous time. Love Ray & Margaret
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Anonymous25 October 2009 at 17:16
gemma see told you it would all fit in the back pack just that it looks bigger than you lol . you will be lifting more then me by the time you get back lol
lots of love mum &dad xx
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Anonymous27 October 2009 at 02:37
Hello Gemma, Looking well, great experience, astonishing country - enjoy. Lots of love Carolyn, Geof & family xxx
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Anonymous27 October 2009 at 02:39
Hello Gemma, Lovely to be able to track your experience on the blog, looking well. Enjoy your adventure. Lots of love Nanna xxxx
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Anonymous29 October 2009 at 08:51
Ha Thomas,

Het ziet er uit als hard werken en veel plezier! Je Vodafone telefoon zou tot en met 31 december beschikbaar moeten blijven. Liefs van Pappa en Ylva.
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Raleigh Lingo

Copy that?

Sometimes our Raleigh technical terms can be a tad confusing so we've put together a glossary for you blog followers. This will appear as a quick-reference section on the right-hand column so you can translate our Tico-terms into something a bit more palatable. And for those keen to brush up their Central American Spanish, we've included some handy translations. Here's a few to get you started...

Alpha, X-Ray and Zulu groups
(Grupos Alfa, X-Ray y Zulu)
The official name for project groups during the phases of CR&N 13A. Alpha will be out on project from 3rd to 23rd February, X-Ray from 24th February to 15th March and Zulu from 17th March to 5th April. Project groups are allocated during induction

Basha
Jungle ‘bed’: consists of a tarpaulin for shelter, a hammock and mosquito net. A basha is hung up between two trees and supported by rope, bamboo and canvas straps

Bodega
A Spanish word meaning store or warehouse

Bravo
A term of endearment for our hard-working Land Rovers. The four vehicles are officially, and imaginatively named Bravo One, Two, Three and Four

C.A.T.I.E.
The agricultural and development research institute on whose campus Fieldbase is situated. Find out more at http://www.catie.ac.cr/

Changeover (Cambio de Fase)
Two day period where all staff and Venturers return from their project sites for some respite before they are all reallocated and sent off to do it all over again...

Chicas, Chicos
Spanish term meaning girls (chicas) or guys (chicos) or both (chicos aswell). As in “Vamonos chicos!” or “Let’s go guys!”

Craic
A way to gauge how people are feeling, usually measured from 0 to 90. If your ‘craic’ is high, you’re pretty happy. If you announce a low craic, people will probably fix you up with an energy bomb and a nice big hug

CR&N 13A
Costa Rica and Nicaragua expeditions 13A

Day Leader (DL) (Líder del día)
Every day on project, one of the Team is designated DL – they are in charge of the day, including organising the day’s briefing, keeping group morale up, dealing with any problems, sticking to schedule and de-briefing at the end of the day. The DL role rotates round the whole group so everyone takes a turn

Energizer (Actividad Levanta Muertos)
An activity to gather the group together and raise energy levels. Can be used at the beginning of the day, or whenever a quick pick-me-up is required

Energy bombs (Explosión de azucar)
A trekking treat – mix together oats, raisins, condensed milk and chocolate powder and roll into little balls of gooey goodness to power you through the day

Fieldbase (FB) (Campo Base)
Refers to the Raleigh ‘office residence’ which is where the Fieldbase staff eat, sleep and work, whilst organising the expedition, manning the radios round the clock, supporting the projects, planning transport and logistics, keeping tabs on the finances and much, much more

Field Base Volunteer Managers (Equipo Logístico Voluntario del Campo Base)
Volunteer support staff for the expedition. The team looks after the ‘behind the scenes’ of the expedition and ensures everything runs smoothly. This consists of three permanent staff members - the Country Director, Country Project Manager and Country Expedition Manager - plus a team of volunteer staff including the, Medic, Photographer, Administrator, Finance Officer, three Logistics (logs) team members and the Communications Officer

Gallo Pinto
A traditional Costa Rican dish of rice and beans (yum!)

Icebreaker (Rompe Hielos)
A getting-to-know-you game

Longdrop (Letrina)
The camp loo. Literally a deep hole in the ground, it is one of the first tasks to complete when setting up jungle camp for obvious reasons! Short drops are similar, normally used for overnight stops when a shallower trench will suffice

Longs (Pantalones)
From 6pm onwards, we all don long trousers and sleeves to discourage the bugs that aren’t deterred by DEET

Maxis
Short for Maxi Pali, the stock-everything shop about a kilometer from Fieldbase where you can buy all those things you forgot/ran out of/lost

Nicas
An affectionate term referring to the native population of Nicaragua

Ninja
A popular game/energizer used by venturers and Project managers alike. Everyone stands in a circle and tries to hit the team members either side of them on the hand via a single ninja movements. Sound effects welcome

POPS
Legendary milkshake and ice-cream parlour chain found all over Costa Rica – perfect for a sweet splurge

Pork and beans (Frijoles con cerdo)
Another staple foodstuff for trekkers: tinned beans with a slightly sausage twang, served cold for lunch. Usually accompanied by dry cracker dust, sprinkled liberally on to the top. If you’re in a hurry, this can be consumed without cutlery straight from the can

Project Managers (PMs) (Guías)
Project staff for the expedition. Each of the groups has at least two PMs who work with the Venturers to develop skills, lead projects and challenge themselves

PURA VIDA!
A very special Costa Rican phrase that means hello, goodbye, I’m great, it’s good, pure life, basically any positive, feel-good thing can be Pura vida!

Radio check (Chequeo de Radio)
As well as a daily SITREP, all Alpha projects are required to complete a second radio call-in each day to check in, receive messages and report any developments

Review (Revisión)
A round-up that assesses how everyone feels, what went well and what needs work. This is sometimes an ‘activity’, sometimes a chat around the campfire, or sometimes just a bit of time to reflect. It’s an important part of everyone’s personal development so we make sure it happens every day

Roadtrip (Paseo Volando Rueda)
The logistics team and some of the Field Base team drive the Bravos on a loop round to each of the accessible project sites once per phase. They deliver kit, supplies, site visitors, messages from the blog and of course the all important post

Ropa Americana
Purveyors of the finest second hand American threads. Perfect for fancy dress/obtaining that long coveted college sports jersey

SITREP (Reporte de la Situación)
Literally Situation Report. A special radio message sent from the satellite project sites back to fieldbase once a day. It follows a certain format and includes all sort of handy information like where they are, what they’ve been up to, what they need and what they’re planning to do next

Tang
A fruity powder that is used to make squash. Jolly useful for taking away the chlorine taste of purified water

Ticos
An affectionate term referring to the native population of Costa Rica

Trangia (Mini Cocina)
A portable cooking stove. Used primarily for trekking, a trangia’s compact design makes it perfect for easy transportation. Literal translation in spanish - mini kitchen. Makes sense

Turrialba
The location of Fieldbase

Venturers (Aventureros)
Participants in the Raleigh expedition. Aged 17 to 24, they come in three varieties: Host Country Venturers (from Costa Rica and Nicaragua), Partnership Venturers (positive young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in the UK who participate in Raleigh expeditions as part of a longer term development programme) and UK and International Fundraising Participants (who work hard to raise money to contribute towards the charities work and expenses in order to take part in the expedition)

Wash up (Revisión Final)
The last few days of expedition, spent debriefing, returning equipment, performing skits, and most importantly enjoying the farewell party (tears alert)

Zero (Cero)
A radio term that identifies the radio controller at Fieldbase. Fieldbase monitors the radios 24-7, listening out on three frequencies for calls from our satellite project sites. When the radio alarm sounds, we might answer something like this: “Hello unknown call sign, hello unknown call sign, this is Zero, this is zero, do you copy, OVER?”