Trekking, diving, origami and murder!

Don’t miss the Loop update below, with all the news from Alphas 1–4.

Meanwhile, you must be dying to know what our divers and trekkers in Alphas 5 and 6 are up to, and of course those lovely folk at Field Base in Kota Kinabalu. Here’s a quick rundown of all the latest, and please check the blog again around the middle of next week for a full update on the new Alpha Group allocations for Phase Two (yes, it’s almost that time already!)

Alpha 5 kicked off Phase One with an adventure trek starting in the village of Long Pa Sia. So they were straight in at the deep end of the expedition, getting stuck into some serious mud, heavy rucksacks and hills from Day One. As a result of the unusually wet weather we've been having (even for here in rainy Sabah) several Alpha 5s have been afflicted with that common trekker's ailment - foot rot - and so for the final few days of their trek phase, they were back in Long Pa Sia staying with families in the community there.

It wasn't all lounging around with feet up, though: the group had blowpipe lessons (some more successful than others - lucky their dinner didn't rely on Alpha 5's traditional hunting skills!) and went swimming in the river. The group were disappointed not to complete their trek but enjoyed the relative luxury of a few leech-free nights with a roof over their heads. They have since moved on to the island of Mamutik, just offshore from KK, where they are currently relishing some long overdue sunshine as they complete their PADI scuba diving qualifications.

Alpha 6, meanwhile, are on the same adventure phase but in reverse order. So they got the "cushy" option of starting their expedition on the dive island - although as it rained pretty much the whole time they were there, they may not have topped up their tans as much as hoped! Having successfully completed their diving courses, the group came back to the mainland around a week ago to begin their trek. Since then, like Alpha 5 (but with slightly less rain) they've been getting to grips with the steep inclines, squelchy terrain and leeches around Long Pa Sia.

Meanwhile in KK, those staff who haven’t been out and about on the Loop have been bringing domestic bliss to Field Base, with home-baked brownies, banana bread and cookies courtesy of Administrator Gill, and in-house aerobics and circuit training sessions led by leotard-clad Medic Karen and Accountant Nic (just kidding about the leotards). Country Director Jim has been sharing his origami skills (yes, really) with the group, and Field Base is now festooned with paper birds, flowers and stars.

And that’s not the only decorating that’s been going on. As fortunately (touch wood) there haven’t been too many medical incidents taking up Karen’s time, she has been busy re-painting Field Base sickbay. Previously featuring peeling floral wallpaper and a yellowing ceiling, it is now a delightful pale blue with matching curtain ties – nice one, Karen!

Gill has also been busy with a paintbrush, resourcefully fashioning a Raleigh Mail postbox out of an upside down biscuit tin. Here it is about to set off in the back of the Loop vehicle. It returned to Field Base somewhat battle scarred (sorry Gill) but stuffed full of letters which should now be winging their way to some of you even as you read this...

Last night was Murder Mystery night at Field Base, necessitating much raiding of the leftover Raleigh kit box to craft suitable fancy dress outfits out of old bits of trekking gear! In the superbly appointed drawing room of Aldbury Manor (aka the upstairs meeting room) a motley assortment of minor aristocracy and servants quaffed the very finest vintage Ribena, nibbled cucumber sandwiches and scones, and attempted to find out whodunnit.

Your all-star Murder Mystery cast from left to right:

• Ed Dimmock as Seb Raider, arrogant City boy and all-round cad
• Martin Warnock as Charlie Smock, the gardener with a dark secret (and a silly hat)
• Gill McLellan as Delia Ingemells, the village vicar who may not be all she seems
• Anna March as Victoria Strutbury, spoilt It Girl obsessed with fame and fortune
• Nic Steele as Hilary Strutbury, a shy, reclusive librarian
• Karen Gambrill as Lady Strutbury, old, bossy and unmoved by her husband's murder
• Larissa Robson as Kathy Mart, the cook and village sticky-beak
• Martin Knowles (not pictured because he took this photo) as Knowles, the faithful family butler

The Loop returns!

A little later – and quite a lot muddier – than anticipated, the intrepid Loopsters (Ed, Martin "Bob" W and Anna) have now safely returned to Field Base after an exciting and eventful week driving around Sabah visiting Alphas 1–4 at their project sites. A fantastic time was had by all, and we’ve got plenty to tell you about how everyone’s doing and what they're all up to. So here goes…

DAY 1
The views were stunning as we headed off at first light last Thursday, driving out of town, up into the hills and past Mount Kinabalu. Squeezed into a 4x4 with tons of kit plus two extra passengers (team coach Penny and participant Anu, both transferring from Alpha 6 to Alpha 1) the Loop’s first destination was the village of Tampasak.

Getting to Tampasak from Field Base involves a 3-ish hour on-road drive from KK to Telupid (the kind of town you would only go to if you’re on your way to somewhere else, although the Loop Crew developed a certain affection for it) and then an off-road drive that could take anything from two hours to two days (see posting from 5th Feb). We managed the whole journey in a respectable ten-ish hours, despite being faced with The Hill of Death (very steep muddy track) and The Bog of Doom (very deep squelchy track).

On arrival at Tampasak the Loop was greeted by sugar-crazed Alpha 1s desperate to get their hands on the fizzy drinks and chocolate on sale in the Loop shop. Cravings satisfied, the group then gave us a guided tour round their campsite, which is on a gentle slope on the edge of the village, with a nice cooling breeze and amazing views. They've been given the use of the community hall (see left) and have set up their basha (sleeping bunks) inside, with a kitchen and lounging area at the back under a tarpaulin.

Alpha 1 have settled nicely into the community - teaching English (the song Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes is a particular favourite), playing football and badminton with the local kids, and receiving Malay language and cooking lessons. They are making good progress on their kindergarten construction site, where they have now put in the supporting stilts and begun work on the floor.

DAY 2

After another pre-dawn wake-up call, the Loop bid a fond farewell to Alpha 1 and set off bright and early, having dropped off Penny and Anu and picked up Expedition Photographer Mark. However, we had not reckoned on The Revenge of The Bog of Doom, which despite our best efforts, and much pushing and pulling, had us well and truly stuck in the mud until a truck came from Tampasak to tow us out. Undeterred and in true British fashion, we awaited the cavalry with a nice cup of tea brewed up at the roadside, and a slice of fruitcake...

Without enough time to get to our next destination - Alpha 4 at Danum Valley - in daylight, we stopped off at the river to wash our now extremely mud-encrusted vehicle, then had an unscheduled overnight stop in (yup, you've guessed it) Telupid.

DAY 3
The Loop set off once again at Early O'clock the next morning, fortified by porridge cooked up on our trangia stove, with a magnificent view of the sun rising over Telupid's carpark, rubbish bins and resident pack of stray dogs. We continued on the main road towards the south-east coast of Sabah and the town of Lahad Datu. From there, it was off-road once again as we entered the Danum Valley Conservation Area and were wowed by the awesome scenery.

Alpha 4 are living in a fantastic campsite in the middle of the forest, built by Raleigh volunteers on previous expeditions and with a few improvements added by the current group. It has wooden walkways connecting a sleeping area, kitchen and dining area, and - incredibly for a Raleigh project - a loo and shower block with running water. The participants have been fine-tuning their cooking skills too, and the hungry Loopsters were impressed by a delicious two-course dinner rustled up from Raleigh rations.

The day the Loop was there, some of Alpha 4 had spotted an orang-utan in the trees above their camp. We were also visited by a bearded pig and her piglets, who seemed to be taking quite an interest in the camp kitchen...

Day 4

Reluctantly leaving Danum - and Mark, who has stayed on there for a few days to take some photos - the Loop headed back to Lahad Datu and on towards Batu Puteh and Alpha 2.

On the edge of the Kinabatangan River, the Alpha 2 campsite boasts spectacular views. Situated about 15 minutes' walk from the village and about 15 minutes by boat from the site of the eco-lodge the group is helping to construct, Raleigh Palace (as it's become known) has the usual basha for sleeping, and covered areas for cooking and eating, as well as a jetty for washing, lounging around and keeping an eye out for wildlife along the riverbank.

Just like Alpha 1 in Tampasak, Alpha 2 are making the most of living and working alongside the local community. Post-work volleyball matches have become a daily fixture, and the participants are also getting stuck into Malay cooking, language and culture. To show off their new found skills, Alpha 2 treated the Loop to an evening of local cuisine (curry, rice and pumpkin, with home-made donuts to follow) accompanied by traditional music and dancing.

Day 5

Having woken to a stunning sunrise over the Kinabatangan River the next morning, the Loop hit the road once again. Our final destination was Imbak Canyon, which meant a third trip to Telupid and then another off-road stint, mainly through palm oil plantations. This time we managed not to get stuck in the mud, and were met by the rangers, who helped us to get our stuff across the Imbak River in a little boat, followed by a drive to a second river next to Alpha 3's campsite. There, the group helped to carry all the Loop kit across the water and gave us a guided tour of their fantastic new home - which was built by previous Raleigh volunteers for the film crew of BBC documentary series 'Expedition Borneo' - and their work site, where they are making a fantastic start on the new suspension bridge.

The Alpha 3 set-up is amazing, with tons of space to hang out. The sleeping basha has lovely long, comfy bunks and is connected by wooden walkways to a big dining area, kitchen and another space to sit and chill out. There are 'proper' loos (not plumbed in, but they look nice) and the river provides the best washing facilities anyone could wish for.

After seizing the opportunity for a refreshing swim and much needed scrub-down, the Loop sat down to a sumptuous Alpha 3 feast featuring home-made veggie burgers and Raleigh-style banoffee pie. Suitably stuffed, we spent the rest of the evening playing games (superbly compered by participant Mike) and listening to the sounds of the jungle.

Day 6
Gutted to be leaving beautiful Imbak and hospitable Alpha 3 (and to be getting up outrageously early for the umpteenth day in a row) the Loop set off back towards Field Base. Escorted off the campsite and back over the river by Project Managers Bec, Skinner and Sancia, we happily whiled away a few spare minutes waiting for the rangers to pick us up at 7am (see left). And then, after another roadside porridge breakfast by the Imbak River, we were off. With a fourth and final stop to enjoy the sights (well, yummy fried noodles and iced coffee) in Telupid, the Loop hit the surfaced roads again and drove back to Kota Kinabalu, civilisation and Gill's delicious home-made cakes at Field Base.

Week 1 on project sites

Firstly, a big thank you to everyone who has left comments on the blog – we’re delighted it’s being read! We will try to make sure your messages are seen by all Alpha Groups at changeover (the mad couple of days between phases when everyone swaps projects).

It’s already a week since Phase 1 began, and Raleigh participants and staff have been getting stuck into their projects. As you may have gathered by now, the weather in Sabah has been pretty rainy and so for most groups getting their campsites shipshape has been a priority. Here’s a quick rundown of what each of the Alpha Groups has been up to:

In the village of Tampasak, ALPHA 1 have made fast work of completing the foundations of the Kindergarten, and have started on the stilts that will support the structure. They have set up a luxurious campsite with kitchen, dining area, a “snazzy” long-drop (their words – we are all intrigued!), a washing area and hammocks. They have also been busy learning Malay and giving English lessons in the community.

Meanwhile, down in Batu Puteh, ALPHA 2 have been making good progress despite the heavy rain. They have made repairs to improve their camp site on the shores of the Kinabatangan River, set up a system for collecting fresh water, and visited the eco lodge where they will be working on the construction site. They have also been working with the local community to plant trees in areas affected by fire or deforestation. On a day off, they visited the local caves famous for the birds' nests much prized in Chinese cuisine – and stepped in lots of bat droppings!

In Imbak Canyon, ALPHA 3 have been getting back to nature, including plenty of close encounters with bats, bugs and the odd leech. Work was hampered at first by high water levels in the river, but they are now able to get to their construction site (which we are pleased to announce has been declared a leech-free zone!) They have been on a trek with the local rangers and are hoping to do a night-time trek in the next few days, to spot nocturnal wildlife.

ALPHA 4 are settling into life in Danum Valley Conservation Area and have already spotted tons of wildlife, including orang-utans, flying squirrels and snakes! They’re also well on the way to earning a reputation as the Alpha Group party animals, having already organised not just one but two parties: Valentine’s Day fancy dress and limbo, and an American theme night complete with burgers and card games. They have made repairs to their campsite, played football with the rangers (Raleigh lost!), met the scientists at the Field Centre, and are helping to clear an orchid trail in the forest.

ALPHA 5 made the most of a slight delay in the start of their trek (while Field Base rushed some replacement bits of radio kit down to Long Pa Sia) and organised a disco and a feast to celebrate Carolyn’s birthday. Since then, the group have been getting stuck into their trekking and fine-tuning their jungle skills as they set up a new camp each afternoon.

Finally, after a somewhat damp and blustery week on the island of Mamutik, ALPHA 6 have completed their PADI scuba diving qualifications and have now just headed down to Long Pa Sia to commence their 12-day trek (separate from Alpha 5 but in the same area). They too were keen to join in the Valentine’s Day celebrations last week, staging Alpha 6 Blind Date hosted by Cilla Black aka Andrew. We look forward to seeing the photos!

Tomorrow, what’s known in Raleigh speak as The Loop will be heading out from Kota Kinabalu. The Loop is basically a Landrover full of Field Base staff and lots of kit, which travels (in a sort of loop-type shape) around Sabah in the middle of each phase. The Loop aims to visit all the static sites (i.e. Alphas 1–4) bringing supplies, picking up and dropping off any staff who need to move sites, and generally checking in with the projects.

Your fearless blog correspondent will be braving car sickness and Ed's Bryan Adams albums, to travel in the Loop vehicle and bring you live news (and hopefully some photos) direct from the Alpha Groups. So please look out for further updates here in around a week’s time…

Miscellaneous missed-out bits…

As you’ll probably have gathered, it’s been a packed schedule for the last few weeks here at Raleigh Malaysia. Hopefully all the most important info has appeared on the blog already, but now that there are a few spare minutes, here are a few bits and pieces that didn’t make it until now. (For an update on how things have gone for the Alpha Groups during their first week out on project sites, please check back here around the middle of next week.)

4 February 2008: volunteer managers’ karaoke night
Karaoke is huge in Malaysia and an essential part of any cultural induction. However, to save all our blushes, it would probably be kinder to quietly gloss over the staff team’s karaoke night… But of course that’s not going to happen! So here are a few selected highlights:

· Martin W’s Hawaiian shirt
· Bev singing in Malay
· Jon’s Elvis impression
· The boys sing Spice Girls
· The girls sing Tiffany
· Sancia, Carolyn and Alex get Bootylicious
· Penny’s FAME dance

[Ever the dedicated roving reporter, your very own blog correspondent was on the scene as always. I won't give up the day job yet though - my full-tilt rendition of Hey Big Spender was met with slightly stunned silence broken only by Country Director Jim: “Blimey, she’s got a pair of lungs on her”...]

6/7 February 2008: participants arrive!
The expedition properly kicked off with the arrival of our nine host country participants, from here in Sabah as well as from West Malaysia. After a quick stop-off at Field Base, they headed over to the camp site where they would be spending the next week or so. The next day, and coinciding with Chinese New Year (sort of the Malaysian equivalent of arriving in the UK on Christmas Day, only with fireworks) it was the turn of the rest of the participants, who reached Kota Kinabalu safe and sound if a bit tired and bedraggled after their long flights.

7–11 February 2008: participant induction
With the whole expedition now in one place – the same fantastic riverside camp site where the staff had their inductions a few weeks ago – the Raleigh timetable kicked into action like a well-oiled machine. (Well ok, maybe more like a slightly rusty second-hand machine, but we are operating on Sabah Time!) The participants were put into temporary groups known as Delta Groups (before their final Alpha Groups were confirmed) and over five busy days they took part in ice-breakers and name games, a swimming test and admin sessions; they had their photos taken individually and with the whole expedition; they learnt about health and safety, and first aid; they were trained in camp craft, river crossings, radios, navigation and tools; and for a bit of light relief, they joined in quizzes and games, and watched staff make idiots of themselves performing skits.

Probably the biggest event of the inductions was an overnight trek into the jungle. Just like the staff volunteers a few weeks ago, the participants packed up all their stuff and carried it over a steep hill to a spot where they would set up camp for the night. The weather was not especially kind and there was plenty of rain and mud. However, it was a great opportunity for participants to put their new-found camp skills to the test when rigging up their hammocks and tarpaulins – some of which turned out to be more sturdy and weatherproof than others (although there was only one reported incident of the thud...ouch that signals a hammock giving its occupant a rude awakening in the night).

12 February 2008: Opening Ceremony
The day before they headed off to their various project sites, all participants returned to Kota Kinabalu to find out their final Alpha Groups and sort out all their (mostly already pretty muddy) kit, ready for an early start on the 13th. The whole Raleigh group was also treated to a buffet dinner and traditional Malaysian dancing at the official Opening Ceremony for the expedition, courtesy of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Sabah. Tiredness soon evaporated as everyone tucked into some fantastic Malaysian food and willing volunteers got up on stage to join in the dancing.

Then it was finally time to go: after a 5 o’clock start the next morning, Field Base staff waved off the project managers and participants as each Alpha Group headed off – with lots of hugs, a few tears and plenty of bleary eyes – to their first projects…

Who's gone where?

Phew, at the end of a long, wet and muddy week of inductions, everyone has managed to cram all their kit back into their rucksacks and, with much excitement, headed off this morning to their project sites around Sabah. Here's a quick rundown of who's gone where. More info to follow soon (and please see also the last posting, below, for a brief summary of each project)...

ALPHA 1
Heading off to Kampong Tampasak to help build a Kindergarten with Izzy, Betty, Mark and (next week) Penny are: George Askew, Grace Bickmore, Malcolm Chambers, Jia Loon Chong, Sophie de Valk, Michael Donlea, Emilie Halligan, Jack Moody, Samantha Pitts, Michael Richards, Eleanor Stewart, Christina Stockting, Caspar Todd, Emma Williamson and Richard Wingfield Digby.

ALPHA 2
Assisting the community of Batu Puteh, and Project Managers Jon, Bev and Kelly, with the completion of the eco-lodge project are: Mark Abram, Tamara Castelli, Bivieana Fredzex, Christopher Hill, Roy Johnson, Anna King, Cyril Masuil, Clare Morrow, Jon Peters, Aleksander Piskorz, Lauren Roberts, Daniel Robinson, Philippine Ruskamp, Ashley Smith and Tobias Stedman.

ALPHA 3
Heading off to Imbak Canyon with Bec, Sancia and Skinner are: Michael Anstis, Edward Berrill, William Evans, Jessica Greenwood, Lucy Hitchen, Frederick Jago, Estanto Karatus, Tom Lowe, Ryan Marshall, Julia Robertson, Camilla Stasiak, Vicki Unwin and Sieb van Es.

ALPHA 4
On their way to Danum Valley with Kate, Alex and Adrian are: Helen Armstrong, Lewis Bowick, Helena Brice, James Carn, Tom Davies, Iman Effendi, Natalie Forrester, Sophie Hiatt, Catherine Hirst, Emma King, Alexander Merz, Jonathan Morris, William Newman, David Smith and Guy Woodgate.

ALPHA 5
Setting off to trek with Mike and Carolyn in the area around Long Pa Sia are: Alice Baxter, Rosie Curtis, Christian Davis, Andrew Dockerty, Vinay Gandhi, Sam Gost, Thomas Hywel-Edwards, Jack Kessler, Song Jie Lim, Kate Lomas, Jeremy Marchant, Matthew Page, Jonathan Pilcher, Lizzie Rumble and Sarah Turpin.

ALPHA 6
Kicking off with SCUBA training and diving off the island of Mamutik with Dave, Antonia and (for this week only) Penny are: Charlie Beadle, Anubhav Datta, Edward Dick, Thomas Dixon, Jasper Fry, Ariana Janjua, Stephanie Le Cornu, Sailee B Limat, Andrew Morton, William Novell, Alex Robinson, Jennifer Sheardown, Alice Small, Anna Underwood and Lu Yi Yap.

Project sites revealed

Over the last few days all Project Managers have been out and about around Sabah, “enjoying” long and bumpy – in some cases very long and very bumpy – bus and 4x4 journeys. They’ve visited their project sites and met the project partners and communities they will be living and working alongside for the next ten weeks. Now, with just hours to go before the first participants arrive and the Raleigh Malaysia Spring 2008 Expedition swings fully into action, we can exclusively reveal details of projects and staff teams*.

[* A note on Raleigh jargon: all project groups are known as Alpha Groups and each project is allocated a number 1–6. Each Alpha Group has two or three Project Managers, who will be joined on each three-week phase by around 15 participants from the UK and Malaysia as well as other countries. Please come back for another look at the blog in around a week’s time to find out which participants will be in which Alpha Group for the first phase of their expedition...]

Community Development Projects

ALPHA 1: Building a kindergarten in Kampong Tampasak
Project Managers Izzy Noble and Clare Bethell (aka Betty) and Youth Worker Penny Hinchcliffe had an eventful trip to their project site in the rural village (kampong) of Tampasak, where over the next ten weeks Raleigh volunteers will be helping to build a kindergarten. Despite it being closer to Kota Kinabalu than any of the other project sites, they managed to take a whopping two and half days to get there, due to a combination of slow buses and not just one but two broken down cars. Undeterred, and fortified by avocado ice-cream and a slap-up curry resourcefully rustled up on trangia stoves in a car park, they eventually made it to Tampasak to meet the local school teacher and staff from the project partner, PACOS Trust.

ALPHA 2: Supporting the community of Batu Puteh with eco-tourism initiatives
Raleigh International has been working with the community of Batu Puteh since 2002, helping to develop a cutting-edge eco-tourism project. Alpha 2 will live in an environmentally sound jungle camp, just 10 minutes up river from the site of the eco lodge that they will help to construct. The team will also help develop trails, plant trees and support the local community in its battle to rid the Tungog Lake of invasive weed species Salvinia molesta. Last week Project Managers Bev Salmon, Jon Rowe and Kelly Rheam headed off to Batu Puteh to meet the community and plan the work their volunteer group will be involved in over the next ten weeks. Living in an amazing riverside setting in the rainforest, and with recent elephant and orang-utan sightings in the area, Alpha 2 are promised a fantastic project!

Environmental Projects

ALPHA 3: Trail and infrastructure development in Imbak Canyon
Yayasan Sabah (Sabah Foundation) wants to preserve Imbak Canyon as a natural gene bank to help protect future biodiversity of the whole region, and has asked Raleigh International to help. In this expedition, Alpha 3 will be helping complete the field centre complex, develop trails into the canyon and upgrade existing tracks to a waterfall and jungle camp. The team will also begin work on a new suspension bridge across the Imbak River. Project Managers Claire Skinner, Sancia Keogh and Bec Atkins travelled to Imbak last week to meet the rangers, check out their camp site (as featured in BBC documentary “Expedition Borneo”) and hug some trees.

ALPHA 4: Trail clearance and camp construction in Danum Valley
In the world-renowned Danum Valley Conservation Area, Alpha 4 will help to improve access for scientists so that they can carry out further research. The group's ctivities will include continued trail clearance and maintenance, and building a satellite camp site near the bridge for scientists to base themselves there while conducting research. Alpha 4 Project Managers Kate Parkinson and Alex Zawadzki, with Medic Carolyn Henry, headed down to Danum last week to check it out. They soon got to know the local population of extremely large bugs, as well as a few of Danum’s famous leeches, and even spotted elephants on their first day!

Adventure Projects

ALPHA 5 & ALPHA 6: Trekking and diving
Representing Alphas 5 and 6, Trek Leader Mike Reilly, Medic Antonia Stocken and Photographer Mark Larner (he's not in this photo because he took it) headed off last week to the village of Long Pa Sia, in the south-west corner of Sabah on the Kalimantan and Sarawak border. They braved yet more leeches, not to mention a local dog taking an unusual interest in their radio log book, to meet the local guides and plan a 12-day trek through this beautiful and challenging terrain. As well as trekking, adventure groups will also qualify as scuba divers and take part in an underwater conservation programme in the stunning Tungku Abdul Rahman Marine Park. Lucky them!