Alpha 1 - tired but happy!

Alpha Uno on the final stretch

Hola everyone!  This is Alpha Uno again, checking in approximately 101kms from when we chatted last.  Over the last 9 days we've wandered through the wilderness of the Costa Rican jungle, hiked up to the highest point of our trek and finally ended up on some semi-flat land.

Alpha one - a well deserved sit down

Our 3 day stint in the jungle was an experience in itself.  Often we found ourselves slipping and sliding in mud up to the tops of our boots whilst our cries for help were drowned out by the laughter of everyone else watching us flail around uselessly.  Although the majority of the slopes we climbed resembled towering walls rather than forgiving inclines, we somehow managed to drag ourselves, and our team mates, into the light of day to stay in some of the most amazing places any of us had ever seen.  The breathtaking views we woke up to every morning more than made up for the soggy boots and caked on mud we endured the previous day.

Candle lit dinners on trek

After leaving the jungle behind we continued our ascent up massive hills, everyday coming closer to our highest altitude of 2842m above sea level.  What an incredible achievement to have walked more than 100kms, but also nearly 3kms above our starting point on the shore of the Caribbean Sea.  Many a hug was shared atop that mountain.  It was a moment all of us will remember with pride whilst recounting our trekking tales in the years to come.

Filling up on pasta

However something to be kept in mind whilst climbing such heights: although technically closer to the sun, one must always pack a fleece and at least on pair of warm and dry socks.  This was unfortunately forgotten by many on Alpha Uno, we have instead resorted to cuddling to share body heat, eating as many meals as possible in our sleeping bags, as well as consuming copious amounts of tea and coffee.  So far this seems to be working.

Keeping warm

As we enter the final chunk of our trek we welcome flat land with open arms.  It is a much needed break for our aching knees and feet.  Although we tend to begin and end these days shrouded in a fine mist, we easily breeze through 20kms days on this less hilly terrain.  This does, however, require many an early start.

Sophie signing off

On that note, Alpha Uno signs out and into the home stretch of our journey.  See you on the other side.

from Sophie, Project Comms Officer

Alpha 1, Coasting along.........

Alpha 1 

Here is a taster of life on the coast to coast expedition as written by our Project Comms Officer Sophie.

Hey there, outside world! This is Alpha Uno reporting 8 days and approximately 102 kms into our first phase of this expedition.  So far, we've seen a large variety of the weather Costa Rica has to offer, from the scalding sun during our first day at the Caribbean Sea to the evening rain we set up camp in last night, we've survived it all! We've also covered a lot of distance over a wide range of terrain, and are feeling rather accomplished!  The map sheet we've just moved off of had roads, rivers and railways and the map we've just began is essentially only contour lines.

A little breakdown of what our days look like: a typical rooster-call wake-up, courtesy of venturer Chama, is around 4 am, followed by a quick breakfast of porridge.  Our early wake-ups allow us to (for the most part) avoid the full heat of the Central American sun.  Lunch consists mainly of crackers, re-fried beans, and if we're lucky meat!  Although we already seem to have misplaced half of a salami.....! Our afternoons contain slightly longer breaks and water refills kindly supplied by locals. This generosity never ceases to amaze us.  All of us have tried some new fruits and had a dry building (community centres) to sleep in with an occasional shower provided to us by strangers.  It's incredible and humbling to experience this great kindness, and all of us are very grateful.

Every day on this trek is a new experience for each of us. As one of the venturers put it "every breath is a new beginning".  We're all learning to be present in the moment, and to appreciate every aspect of this amazing experience that we're so lucky to be a part of.

They may have been sparkly new boots on arrival  but have certainly now seem some action since  Alpha 1 emerged from several days trekking in the jungle!

This is zero, this is zero... over

When everyone is out on their projects there is always a core team here at Fieldbase.  Each Alpha group has various means of staying in touch (a radio, a mobile phone and a satellite phone) so they are never cut off from advice, support or a friendly word.

There are two official communications from each group at a set time each day.  One is just to check in and the other ones is a more detailed SITREP (situation report).  This is a structured conversation that includes where the group are, what they've been doing, what they are going to do and allows information to be shared both ways.  One person is responsible for manning the Comms Room at Fieldbase each day to take the calls morning and night.  Our call sign here is zero.

Charlie and Martina manning the radio - this is zero, this is zero...

The news from our Alpha groups over the past couple of days is:-
                           
Alpha 1 - Yesterday they walked 18km to San Miguel and ate some fantastic salami.

Alpha 2 - They have walked from Miraflor Ranger Station to La Naranjita.

Alpha 3 - Arrived at Playa Hermosa and have succeeded in building basha beds to keep dry.  They have gone straight into Turtle patrols and working with the rangers.

Alpha 4 - At Carara National Park the jungle camp site is waterlogged so they are living in a ranger house - and it has the bonus of electricity.  They've started work on the trail.

Alpha 5 - Arrived at Achuapa, they are having a tour of the community and the water source today.

Early starts and fond farewells...

Today is deployment day - the day when all Alpha groups head out to their projects.  It starts early with alarm calls at 3.30 am, that's right I said 3.30 AM!  And there was no avoiding it as Martina drove a Land rover around the campsite with both the horn and radio blaring - nice one Martina.

Ben and Sophie and a big sandwich

There was time to make a big sandwich for breakfast and another one for lunch and then belongings and tools had to be loaded on the buses.

Yorleny, Tigi and Patrice - watching over a lot of heavy rucksacks

Bonds have been formed over the past few days so there were fond farewells, best wishes and hugs as new friends said "Adios" for 19 days.  And a few venturers had a special goodbye for Splatches, the resident Fieldbase dog, who is keen to be everyones best friend.

Henry, Matt and Lilian say goodbye to Splatches

As the sun came up the buses headed off in different directions - to Playa Hermosa, Carara National Park, Nicaragua and the start of the Coast to Coast Trek.  Some will be travelling for a couple of hours and some for a couple of days, before they arrive at their destination and the work begins. 

On their way

Remember to leave your messages here and we will make sure that they are received by you loved ones whilst they are away at their projects - your kind wishes mean a lot to everyone.

Jungle camp, muddy boots and energy bombs

Just to report that all of the Alpha groups made it back from jungle camp - safe and sound, if a little dirty around the edges. 

Callum setting off in the sunshine

The sun was shining when they left, and I'd love to tell you it stayed that way throughout, but the truth is that it did rain.  And it rained Costa Rican style.  Most groups managed to get some kind of shelter up before the downpour which meant that spirits stayed high, buoyed by pasta or rice and energy bombs.

Bright and early this morning the venturers headed back to Fieldbase, but on the way ran through the procedure for a medical emergency.  This involves some Oscar winning performances of injury or illness, the creation of a stretcher and then carrying the "victim" back to Fieldbase. Everyone dealt with the emergency really well, another set of skills acquired and understood.

Once back at Fieldbase there was work to be done cleaning off tents and equipment, so everything will be ship shape and ready to go when the expedition starts on Friday. 

Lunch and showers were a welcome sight - and the local launderette is doing a roaring trade thanks to Raleigh venturers.

Alpha group allocations - then off to jungle camp

An important day today, the venturers were told which projects they will be doing through the first phase of expedition.  The project managers took to the stage and performed project based skits - hence the kilts, mutant turtle masks, monkeys and shell suits that appear in the photographic record.

So here is the running order...

Alpha 1 - Coast to Coast Trek

Left to Right: Pedro Ocon, Florentine E van Selms, Jonathan Gerardo Corrales Marenco,Vera Juarez Vargas, Aisha Green, Sophie LaMarre, Benjamin Avern, Natalie Metcalfe, Matthew Wilkinson, Benjamin Hilton-Delhaye, Nicole Ferris, Rory Thompson, Dave Myer

Alpha 2 - Miratombo Trek (Nicaragua)

Left to Right: Claudia Fiedler, Diego Molina Rodriguez, Arlenne Rodriguez Leandro, Puck van der Vet, Archie Finlayson, Benjamin Persofsky, David Rosam, Suwen James, Harley Decker, Shannon Potter, David Agombar (Omar Antonio Amaya Ochoa will join in Nicaragua)

Alpha 3 - Playa Hermosa/Carara National Park

Left to Right: Henry Anderson, Tracy Heyburn, Callum Blues, Angel Roberto Mejia Quintero, Marco Mora Jimenez, Eveline Kroese, Rahim Hassanali, Laura Perry, Jim Howard, Lilian Keller, Clare Skelton, Lydia Auty, Matt Whiteside (Max Smith arrived today to join the group and Andrea Grundke will join shortly.)
  
Alpha 4 - Carara National Park/Playa Hermosa

Left to Right: Hidde Van Lent, Ben Byers, Victoria McIrvine, Carlos Lugo, Patrice Hollywood, Gustavo Granados Bolanos, Zahir Parri, Yorleny Bermudez Murillo, Paul Darius, Antigone Taliadoros, Jae Quiroz, Sarah Crawford, Charlie Cox, Pauline Wright

Alpha 5 - Water project, Achuapa (Nicaragua)

Left to Right: Florian Cross,  Jose David Quesada Murillo, Sarah Flynn, Vic Lapsins, Jonas Koch, Hester Van Marwijk Kooy, Anika Kandola, Melania Piedra Castillo, Nicholas Masters, Alexander Robertson, Anna McManus, Luke Waldock (Jakeling Escoto Rivera will join us in Nicaragua.)

Now that the Alpha groups are formed each will head out to learn campcraft and navigation skills, bonding over basha beds and trangias.  Bags packed they headed off to spend the night at jungle camp.

The lie of the land...12L project recce

Each of the PMs, newly formed in their Alpha groups, have spent the past couple of days visiting their projects to familiarise themselves with the lay of the land.  This is an opportunity to check that everything is as it should be and generally get ahead of the game before the Venturers arrive.

The Nicaraguan groups (Alpha 2 and Alpha 5) have just walked in the door, but Alphas 1, 3 and 4 came home to Fieldbase yesterday.

Here is a little flavour of what they got up to.

Natalie, Dave and Nicole raring to go

Alpha 1 had the opportunity to walk part of the Coast to Coast Trek with a local guide, sleeping out along the way.  Boots got muddy and t-shirts got sweaty but the view was the reward.

Natalie watching her footing on the Coast to Coast Trek.

Early morning on the Coast to Coast Trek.

Alphas 3 and 4 are looking after the first Environmental phase based in Carara National Park and at Playa Hermosa.  Whilst at Playa Hermosa the guys got a chance to stay up for a night patrol where they collected 800 turtle eggs and then the next morning they were able to help release 47 turtles back to the sea where they would have the best chance of survival.  Not your average Monday morning, but this is Raleigh.

Releasing turtles and Playa Hermosa

Turtles heading for the sea.

The magic sorting hat of Turrialba

Each PM, as nervous as any new wizard to Hogwarts, took the stage to don the sorting hat of project selection.  How will the hat pronounce?  Will it be environmental, community or a trek?  Who will be your team mate/s?  Only the magic hat can decide.

Jae receiving pronouncement from the sorting hat

In a Harry Potter/Ready, Steady, Cook mixed metaphor the first task for the new teams was to create a pudding with store cupboard ingredients in 20 minutes - marks awarded for taste and presentation of the dish.

Pedro and Barney - judging pudding

Alpha 2 succeeded on taste - with David (call me Heston) and Claudia presenting a tropical flapjack.  Alpha 1 took presentation to extravaganza levels by bringing bunny ears and gold sequins to the table.  Fieldbase scored for team effort with Phil being the actual table, Joss being the waiter and the girls providing the crunchy bottom, fruity layer, velvety chocolate and zesty topping of their Fieldbase Fantasy.

Alpha 5 in the dance off

It all had to be decided with a dance off and Fieldbase pipped the competition at the post.  There may have been strength in numbers, and we have had an extra week to bond - but personally I put it down to sheer skill and creativity.

So, now fully bonded over cooking and dancing, the teams are assembled and ready to go.  The running order for the Project Groups is as follows:
Alpha 1 - Coast to Coast Trek, Costa RicaNicole, Dave and Natalie
This Trek has taken various forms over the past few years, but Expedition 12L will feature a particularly exciting version, starting at the Caribbean Sea and ending on the Pacific Coast.  Crossing a continent as well as a country.

Nicole, Dave and Natalie - Alpha 1

Alpha 2  - Miratombo Trek, Nicaragua 
David and Claudia
Starting in the far north of Nicaragua, near to the Honduran border, the Miratombo Trek meanders through the diverse landscapes of Esteli and Leon.

David and Claudia - Alpha 2

Alpha 3 - Environmental, starting in Hermosa, Costa Rica
Jim, Clare and Tracy H
Working to preserve the turtle populations of Hermosa beach, this project will collect turtle eggs, ensure that they hatch safely and release the turtles back into the wild where they have the best chance of survival.  This team will spend the second half of their phase at Carara National Park (see below).

Jim, Clare and Tracy - Alpha 3

Alpha 4 - Environmental, starting in Carara National Park, Costa Rica
Pauline, Jae and Sarah
Starting in the Carara National Park this group will work to clear the Lago Meandrica trail, previously inaccessible in the rainy season.  This work will enable many more visitors to the park, and therefore increase the revenue for the Park and allowing them to continue their other environmental work. This team will spend the second half of their phase at Hermosa (see above). Where they will be joined by Charlie.

Jae, Sarah, Pauline and Charlie in the background - Alpha 4

Alpha 5 - Achuapa water project, Nicaragua
Sarah,  Florian and Vic
This project group will work with the local community of Los Loros in Achuapa to develop a gravity-feed water system to bring clean and safe drinking water to 40 families living there.

Sarah, Florian and Vic - Alpha 5

Alpha 1 - COAST TO COAST!

Pampered, soft feet and an equal number of shiny new boots set foot onto the soft Caribbean sand, armed with a youthful exhuberance, were eager to go. 40 minutes in we had our first half-hour break – a luxury we would look back at wistfully!

The first half of the trek was over 130km of torrential rain, sliding in mud, fruit, fallen heroes (Tom, who later went to San Lucas Island), welcoming communities, Terciopello snakes, river swimming (a highlight!), and not being able to recognise our own boots! However we kept on going and finally arrived by a beautiful river, where we camped: we had survived the first half of our trek!

 During the second half of the trek, we entered the jungle and after this, we had another battle to fight – the mountains! They were endless and inclining, but getting to the peak of 2842m made it all worthwhile, despite the fact we couldn’t really see anything (we were standing in a cloud!)

 After living together for many days, the conversation topics could vary enormously, from religion and the meaning of life to who we could smell from the furthest away and needed to be wrestled into the shower (Mau).

Day 16 contained the last hill climb (or so we thought)  and ended in sunbathing and star-gazing at night, which we should have known was too good to be true as the next day we encountered so many hills we started to doubt whether we’d ever get back to sea level again...

However, we trekked on all the way to the last km, during which the sea breeze and salty air were tantalisingly close but forever hidden by a layer of trees. At the first glimpse of the beach we forgot about our blisters, the280km and the weight on our backs and just started sprinting towards the sea, throwing off our bags and storming fully clothed into the roaring sea. We had reached the Pacific and crossed a continent. 

Our best moments included:

Fighting, Oliver Twist-style, over mashed potatoes and energy bombs.

Josue playing his drum to keep us going on trek.

Mau getting us coconuts, sugar cane, guavas and mangoes.

Lizzie being the alarm clock and mother of the group.

The ongoing snoring competition between Carlton, Richard and William.

Lu Ying being the only one able to blow out the trangia.

Pura Vida!

Alpha 1 - Om Nom!

Here are some pics from the Alpha 1 food drop - I think the group were pleased to see the crew from Fieldbase!

Apparently all were in fantastic spirits (they are a pretty lively bunch!), well organised and making brilliant progress through the 250km they're set to cover on this amazing trek.

Power on guys! Your new fuel should help...

Tending to the old pies...

Meeting new pals along the way...

Carlton loves a list...

One for me...

Zinc oxide is our friend

Plugged in and recharging!

 Walk or drive Coast to Coast... hmmmm....

 Bye bye Bravo 1 :)

Not a bad view to start a new day´s trekking!