Raleigh International Sabah Expedition 02L
Update One
Think David Livingstone. Think Scott of Antarctica. Think about discovery and adventure. That’s what everyone involved with expedition 02L in Sabah can expect over the next few months.
An array of exciting projects have been lined up for everyone to tackle and though there’s an element of adventure in most there’s certainly plenty of personal discovery for the young venturers who have signed up to the Millennium Awards Scheme.
After a break of four years Raleigh International has returned to Malaysia, to the state of Sabah, one of the most bio-diverse places on earth. It’s an exciting time for everyone and a lot depends on the success of 02L – it is the expedition that will set the tone for the next three years.
Expedition leader Andy Wahid and wife Cait have certainly had a warm welcome from the local community here and this good start will be built on over the next 10 weeks as everyone knuckles down to some hard work.
All the staff and venturers arrived safely and have settled in well. Sabah, known as the Land below the Wind because of its position just below the typhoon belt, is one of 13 states of Malaysia and is situated in the north of Borneo, the world’s third largest island. It is washed by the South China Sea on the West and the Sulu Sea and Celebes Sea on the East.
Sabah has a population of nearly two million and has a rich cultural diversity of 32 ethnic communities which includes Chinese, Malay and local tribes such as the Murut and the Kadazan Dusun.
At the moment it’s very hot and humid, which is no great surprise as the climate is much the same all year round, daily temperatures range from 74 to 90 degrees fahrenheit. The state’s rich landscape has a wealth of treasures with everything from the world’s largest flower, the Rafflesia, to South East Asia’s highest peak, Mount Kinabalu. It’s hoped that everyone on expedition will get the chance at some point to scale the magnificent mountain with its rainforest, alpine environment and granite summit.
And it doesn’t stop there. Primary rainforest, jungle, rhinos, orang-utangs (also known as ‘The wild man of Borneo’) and some of the world’s top dive spots made Sabah the perfect choice to film television programmes like Survivor and to stage the Eco-Challenge 2000.
All this, and more, is waiting for the 84 Millennium Award winners from Scotland, the 17 host country venturers and an international venturer from Denmark.
Most of the 32 staff arrived two weeks before the venturers. They settled in well at field base despite an eventful first night which saw torrential rain flood one of the bedrooms. The first they knew of the excess water was when Sarah Killie went floating past on her inflatable bed!
Field base is a suburban house 10 minutes from the capital city centre of Kota Kinabalu. The staff were reassured to know that they have been staying in a place which translates as ‘vomit street’ in Malay.
Tengku Adlin, prince of the Kelantan royal household, visited staff at field base and honoured them with a talk and a slide show about Sabah. Tengku wears many hats - chairman of the Sabah Tourism Promotion Corporation and honorary vice president of Raleigh International among them.
Staff induction, which included everything from casualty evacuation procedures to risk assessments to two nights deep in the jungle went without too many hitches and there was even time for a swim at the beautiful island of Pulau Gaya following radio tuition. Then it was off to the project sites where staff had the chance to meet the people they’ll be working with over the next nine weeks.
The Host Country Venturers (HCVs) and an international venturer from Denmark were the first to arrive at jungle camp in Tamparuli. They were put through the pilot HCV induction programme which went very well.
A few days later they were joined by 84 tired young venturers from Scotland. Induction was spent getting everyone up to speed with the practical skills they’ll need before they head out to their various projects. Jungle camp has proved a challenge – building bashas (hammocks), digging toilets, radio communication and learning how to cross rivers safely are just some of the activities that the venturers and staff have undertaken.
This is all to prepare for life on the project sites. There are eight projects in the pipeline which will be headed up, in most cases, by a project manager and an assistant project manager. Medics will also be deployed to various sites. Field base staff will provide support with admin, accounting, logistics, transport, publicity and medical expertise throughout.
Last minute confirmation of a community project in Balat lifted the spirits somewhat and everyone is looking forward to getting down to business and making the next few weeks ones to remember.
Expedition leader Andy Wahid is certainly hopeful of kicking off and maintaining a beautiful friendship between Raleigh International and Sabah which will stand them in good stead for expeditions to come.
He said: “We have enjoyed 12 expeditions to Malaysia during the 1990s. I was a Venturer here myself in 1992 and I am sure Sabah will get under everybody’s skin, just like mine. We are lucky to be here and I am confident that through the hard work and commitment of the Venturers and staff this expedition will be the benchmark for others to come.”
COMMUNITY PROJECTS
Construction of a community hall in Kampong Narandang, Pitas District
Project partners: Malaysia Red Crescent Society/Ministry of Community Development
Project manager: Sarah Killie
Assistant project manager: Guy Antonini
Venturers: Adrian Yeo, Sam Cheong, Judith Kavanagh, Lisa McCann, Mairead McCann, Marc Wallace, Dominic Johnstone, Phaidraig Tierney, Stephen Christopher and Andrew Stevenson.
The Malaysian Red Crescent Society Sabah branch has identified the need to build a community hall in the north east area of the state in the village of Narandang for the past few years. Raleigh International’s decision to base expeditions in Sabah came just at the right time for the society who will now, hopefully, be able to realise this dream.
Pitas is the second poorest state in Malaysia. Funds from the Italian Red Cross of Bergamo have been secured to pay for the construction of a hall that will be used for health and education provision for the communities, most of whom are subsitence farmers.
The project was identified through Raleigh International’s connections with the government’s Welfare Services committee, which comprises around 20 charities under the Ministry of Community Development.
Raleigh International are charged with building a community hall with three separate areas. The hall will be made mostly of wood and will rest on Belian (ironwood) stilts. Their first big task is to lay a concrete floor.
Venturers will be housed in an older building nearby. The community will provide most of the materials, mostly wood and the Red Crescent Society will ensure that regular visits from health specialists and teachers will be ongoing once the building is up and running.
If there’s time towards the end of the project then venturers will also construct some toilets.
Children’s storybooks, brought over by staff and venturers, will be distributed to the library once complete.
Building eco-lodge infrastucture on the Kinabatangan River
Model Ecologically Sustainable Community Tourism (MESCOT), lower Kinabatangan River
Project Partners: World Wildlife Fund Malaysia
Project manager: Julie Adams
Assistant project manager: Elaine Stitt
Venturers: Adriene Leong, Claire Kelly, Darren Little, Josef Fuchs, Katy Linton, Lianne Roberts, Lisa Kirkpatrick, Malcolm McNeil, Philip Sim and Scott Cooper.
At more than 560 kilometres long the Kinabatangan River is the biggest in Sabah and is important to the people of the villages along its banks. The village of Batu Puteh is no exception.
Local families are looking to eco-tourism to provide for future generations. They plan to construct a Jungle Camp and eco lodge complex for tourists – and the foundations of this huge undertaking will be laid by Expedition 02L.
Venturers, in conjunction with young people from the local communities and project partners World Wildlife Fund Malaysia, will build a jetty, boats, a ramp, stairway and boardwalking in this wildlife rich area.
The region is renowned for colourful tropical birds, crocodiles, huge monitor lizards, wild pigs, otters, several species of monkeys and tree snakes and is a haven for the rare proboscis monkey.
The aim is to give the local community the capacity to manage tourism, on an ecologically sound level, to generate income. This will be used as a model for other communities wishing to do the same and in doing so will conserve the surrounding environment. Most of the materials for the site will have to be transported on the river.
The project has been taken forward by WWF Malaysia for nature for the past five years and lots of groundwork has been undertaken to ensure that this venture will serve the community for years to come.
A homestay programme – where tourists stay with a family – is already in place nearby and this will be enhanced by the new developments.
The project site is around eight hours drive from the capital Kota Kinabalu and will give a real taste of community life for the venturers.
Construction of a gravity feed water system at Balat and building a kintergarten at Kodong, Pitas
Balat and Kodong
Project Partners: Pacos
Project manager: Stephanie Pollock
Assistant project manager: Ed Persey
Venturers: Gabriel Lim, Lee San Cheong, Carmen Kerr, Kelly Biskup, Rhona Greene, Donald Gibson, John Beck, Martin Miller, Steven Diversi, Jamie Cuthbertson and Lee Carrick.
The small community of Balat, situated on the Kinabatangan flood plain, has been waiting for the construction of its gravity feed water system for over a year. Gravity feed involves building a dam and running a pipe downhill so that, under force of gravity, water pressure is forced through taps at the bottom.
Pacos, a Sabah based non-government organisation who run a number of education, health and capacity building programmes within remote communities, are delighted that Raleigh International have committed to this project.
Completion of the system will greatly improve health and sanitation in the area. Materials for the work have been on site for a year and the volunteers will be putting together a two kilometre water system with a dam and will also construct four 400 gallon tanks.
Depending on progress, venturers may have the opportunity to teach in a school which they may also paint, time permitting. The project is funded from international donations.
The gravity feed water system in Balat should be completed by the time the second phase finishes. Project staff will then move onto Kg Kodong in the Pitas district where they will build a kintergarten.
ADVENTURE PROJECTS
Cutting a trail through Crocker Range National Park
Crocker Range National Park
Project partners: Sabah Parks
Project manager: Andy Wadsworth
Assistant project manager and medic: Sally Roberts
Venturers: Gon Goloi, Lena Quadra, Caroline Beveridge, Jennifer Mackenzie, Lee Dempsey, Laura Begley, Jennifer Argent, Fiona Macaulay, Stephen Siegerson, Gavin Hosie, Kashif Bashir, David Mazzoni, Richard Struthers, Barry Butchart, Ric Owen, Stephen McGurn and Tom Baker.
Teams from Raleigh International will re-cut a trail that runs across the heart of the Crocker Range, starting from Tikalod all the way to Inabong. That’s a distance of 50 to 60 kilometres – no easy feat.
Crocker Range National Park covers 139,000 hectares and is the largest national park in Malaysia. Sabah Parks wish to open up the range to researchers and serious trekkers, with the trail starting at an existing visitor centre at Tikabod and finishing at a proposed second visitor centre. There will also be some work on boundary clearance and the whole project will be developed in partnership with Sabah Parks staff. This will help generate income for the communities who live along the trail.
Venturers will have some contact with villagers from the remote kampongs (villages) as they progress, meaning they will experience the local way of life first-hand. This will be a gruelling challenge and a lot of hard work awaits the teams. At least they will be able to get some respite from the hot and humid conditions here in Sabah. Much of the range is between 2000 and 5000 feet, meaning temperatures will be cooler.
This team will, eventually, meet up in the middle with another team cutting the trail from the north.
It is likely that venturers and staff will have to move campsites every few days, making this a very demanding project. Venturers on this phase may also get the opportunity to climb Mount Kinabalu.
Tracking rhinos at Tabin Wildlife Reserve and cutting a trail at Crocker Range
Tabin Wildlife Reserve and Crocker Range National Park
Project partners: Sabah Parks, Sabah Wildlife Department
Project manager: Chris Ball
Assistant project manager: Dave Habgood
Medics: Kathleen Eyre and Gareth Lewis
Venturers: Milford Draily, Chae Li Diong, Caron Fraser, Joanna Barber, Shauna Dempsey, Kirsten Maclennan, Joni Mackay, Anna Price, Callum Turner, Gavin Fleming, Stuart Matheson, Marc Mackay, Kevin Taggart, Stephen MacPhail, Christophe Perron, Mohamid Said and Neil Steward.
Venturers will spend phase one (their first three weeks in Sabah after induction) at Tabin Wildlife Reserve where they will look for signs of Sumatran Rhino as part of an ongoing research project.
Tabin holds one of, if not the best population of Sumatran Rhino in Sabah and is a very important site. It is estimated that between 10 and 15 rhinos are in the area.
The team face a demanding 30 kilometre trek to the reserve, carrying their supplies for the whole phase. After two days of research training from project partners SOS Rhino (an organisation set up to look after the long term protection of the rhino and the lead player of around 10 organisations involved in this survey) the group will split in two and each will be responsible for a remote sector of the reserve at Tabin.
They will be looking for wallowing areas, rhino dung and other signs which will give the researchers a good estimate of the rhino population. As their phase draws to a close the venturers will be charged with writing up their findings which will form part of the final report.
During the second and third phase the project moves to the Crocker Range and venturers undertake a completely different job – cutting a trail.
The Crocker North team will follow the path of a previously cut trail through Crocker Range National Park which has now overgrown. Their aim is to, eventually, meet up in the middle with the Tikalod team cutting the trail from the south.
Venturers will cut the trail and it’s likely that they will have to move campsites every few days. Venturers on this phase will also climb Mount Kinabalu.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS
Building a gravity feed water system in the Maliau Basin
Maliau Basin
Project partners: Yayasan Sabah
Project manager: Jaclyn Miller
Venturers: Jia Yaw, Jasmine Clarke, Michelle Duncan, Jenny Whitley, Louise McManus, Chris Kirk, Kim Mack, Craig Miah, Stewart Dickson, Gavin Shields, Blair Gold and Betly Martin.
The Maliau Basin is an area of pristine virgin rainforest surrounded by a horseshoe of 3000 to 4000 foot mountains. Known as the ‘Lost World’ of Sabah, this area was unknown to the rest of the world until a pilot nearly crashed into the mist-shrouded cliffs in 1947. Access is extremely limited.
In order to protect this important place a balance has been struck whereby 10 per cent of the area will be opened up for managed research and tourism. A facility at Belian campsite, just outside the basin, is going to be constructed that will include facilities for researchers, tourists and staff.
Raleigh International has been asked to carry out landscaping and tree planting work at Belian Camp. They have 2000 seedlings to plant and some research will also be undertaken. There are also plans to build a 2.6 kilometre gravity feed water system and incinerators at the site. Teams will work with around 15 Yayasan staff from the Maliau Basin and will most likely set up camp on the existing football pitch!
Although this will prove a tough project for all concerned the venturers will be seeing first class rainforest at close quarters, an experience of a lifetime.
They may also get the opportunity to undertake a five day trek to visit the Maliau Falls, a distinctive layered arrangement of seven tiers, which is said by the Murat people to be the home of a mythical dragon.
Rainforest rehabilitation experiment in Danum Valley
Danum Valley
Project partners: Yayasan Sabah, The Royal Society
Project manager: Stuart Simpson
Assistant project manager: Cecilia Oram
Venturers: Jason Yee, Shamini Kandiah, Sarah Morrison, Fiona Cumming, Mairi McQueen, Alastair Smith, Mark Woods, Kevin Dickson, Andrew Gilbert, Duncan Tossell and Brian Dott.
Universities in the UK have been involved in projects in Danum Valley, a beautiful stretch of primary rainforest in central Sabah. The area is home to a world-renowned research centre and scientists from all over the globe go there to study the vast array of flora and fauna.
Danum Valley is said to have the world’s most complex eco-system and is home to over 275 bird species, numerous reptiles, amphibians, fishes and insects.
The Royal Society manage the research programmes that take place at Danum Valley Field Centre (DVFC) including the South East Asia Rainforest Research Programme (SEARRP). There are a number of initiatives currently taking place and
Raleigh International will be working with the project partners on a 500 hectare experiment site, building infrastructure and collecting data on seedlings planted in an area that has been previously logged.
The seedlings are being planted in four hectare plots and are of single and multiple species groups. The aim of the programme is to research which combination of species of trees produce the quickest, strongest, most robust rainforest regeneration.
During the first phase the team will be building basic overnight accommodation for the research assistants from the DVFC who manage the site day-to-day. The teams on phases two and three will be monitoring growth rate of the seedlings using specialist surveying equipment.
This will be the first of many projects in the area for Raleigh International, who are also helping to fund training for two of the research assistants taking part in the project.
Building bird hides at Likas Bird Sanctuary and infrastructure work at Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park
Danum Valley
Project manager: Nicholas Scullion
Project partners: Sabah Parks, World Wildlife Fund Malaysia
Venturers: Chung Ming Lee, Stacey Spence, Morven Campbell, Angela Pike, Selena Georgiou, Katrine Lindvig, Sean Newall, Andrew Gibb, Stuart Wright, Michael Cooper, Stephen Dobinson, Simon Robbins and Marcus Shields.
A 20 minute boat ride from a beautiful island teeming with white sands and coral reefs will kick off the day for venturers working on this project.
Although based on the island of Pulau Gaya, neighbour to Pulau Tiga which featured on the first series of the Survivor television programmes, the young people will be working at Likas Bird Sanctuary, just a stonesthrow from Sabah’s capital – Kota Kinabalu.
There they will construct a new bird hide. The sanctuary is home to 87 species of bird including the Blue Heron which nests there. It is a prime spot to educate a large chunk of the population in environmental conservation. Around 10,000 visitors pass through the gates every year and the current bird hide is too small to cope with the number of schoolchildren who use it for educational purposes.
Work doesn’t stop there for the venturers. They will also create a 10 foot wide firebreak on their temporary home of Pulau Gaya for owners Sabah Parks.
Given their close proximity to the capital city it is envisioned that venturers will obtain most of their food from Kota Kinabalu, giving them the chance to explore life in the city.
FIELD BASE
Floods, blocked drains and the sudden influx of more than 20 people including a radio ham from Alaska. It’s all been happening at field base, the support for Expedition 02L. Field base is a suburban house on the outskirts of the capital Kota Kinabalu, which has been converted into an office and accommodation for the staff who’ll be working there.
Expedition leader Andy Wahid and wife Cait, who will be working as the press officer, have been in Sabah for three months. The house was only secured mid-August so it’s been a bit of a rush trying to get things up and running.
Thankfully, the office is now looking like an office thanks to the arrival of computers and laptops from UK and some superb organising from administrator Anna Goy. That said a photocopier and another modem wouldn’t go amiss!
Deputy expedition leader Sean Bolton knows that organisation is the name of the game. He has been working hard to get the staff and venturers through the induction period and making sure everyone gets from A to B.
You can’t go to work on an empty stomach which is why logistics manager Michael McClughin and assistants Matt Hough and Ian Buchanan have been rushing around town trying to find suppliers for various items – including food, tools and utensils.
They can’t buy food without ready cash – and thankfully we have Mark Wideberg to look after the money side of things.
Dedicated drivers Jacqueline Melvin and Ian Wood have been sorting out bravo one, two and three, otherwise known as the three Land Rovers. As well as sorting out vehicle checks, tachographs and driving staff to project sites the pair have taken to washing all the bravos with a soapy sponge.
Press officer Sally Ferguson has been busy writing up this expedition update and identifying the vast array of wonderful stories this expedition has to offer. Thankfully she has Cait there to help and Cait will be dealing mainly with the press in-country.
Doctor Anna Beedel will spend the first phase of expedition in the loop vehicle touring project sites at various intervals while chief medic Simone Adams will stay at field base so that everyone can be reassured that medical expertise is only a radio call away.
And talking of radios – who can forget Laurence Howell (known to us as Flo) who can always be seen with rolls of cable and a big smile on his face. The radio man from Alaska has been busy making sure that all staff are familiar with radio procedure.
Raleigh International Sabah Expedition 02L
Update Two
DEEP in the jungle the weather has turned. Now we can see why this time of year is monsoon season and why the rainforest so called.
The weather hasn’t stopped play though and all eight projects have got off to a good start, even if there have been a few minor alterations along the way. The Venturers and staff have now completed their first of three phases of this expedition and while they may be sad to leave the place they’ve called ‘home’ for the past three weeks they can look forward to a whole new challenge with a whole new bunch of people.
It seems like eons ago that the 85 Scots, 17 Malaysians and our Danish Venturer were deployed from Belia Stadium. That went without too many hitches save for a broken down lorry, a bus driver who slept in and some two sites getting food supplies mixed up (they had to negotiate over who was left with the porridge!)
Thereafter reports have come in of sightings of elephant, python, gibbons, monkeys and so on with every site seeing something new. And sport has been on the agenda too – volleyball and football are the main past times with many a match between locals and Raleigh International. The games give everyone a big boost after a hard days work in the sun (or in the rain!)
We have just completed our first changeover at Likas Stadium which is a massive exercise. Teams come back from a phase, hand in equipment, pick up personal belongings, complete admin, change money and sort out any medical problems before being put into new teams and reallocated to different projects. They are then issued with enough food to last them a phase and with equipment allowing them to carry out the work they will be undertaking.
The first of the visitors arrived last week – Gillian Watson, Millennium Awards head office co-ordinator and John Strachan, patron for the Millennium Awards in Scotland. No sooner were they off the plane than they were scaling Mount Kinabalu with the first two teams, Tikalod and Tabin, all of whom managed to attain the summit of Low’s Peak.
Gillian and John will be dropping in to see how the volunteers are progressing with their projects and life on expedition.
As for life on expedition – the Venturers have had to get used to early starts, plenty of porridge, hard work and all the things that come with group living. Being around the same people for three weeks is an intense and challenging experience but all groups have coped well. Most have found that the harder the task in hand the closer they become.
Interaction with the local community is also a big part of expedition life and all volunteers have relished the opportunity to learn more about the culture and traditions of Sabah be that an impromptu bit of dancing or dressing up in the traditional garb!
Rungus (local dialect) lessons have been undertaken in Narandang, nightly volleyball games are taking place in Batu Puteh, football is bringing everyone together in Tikalod and Balat and the Gaya island Venturers have been perfecting their haggling techniques at the markets in the capital city Kota Kinabalu. In Tabin the SOS Rhino rangers taught Venturers how to fish using traditional methods and a BBQ gave everyone the chance to get the guitars out and have a sing song around the campfire.
The Danum team have been working with researchers at Danum Valley Field Centre. They’ve also been learning about the flora and fauna of the rainforest – and spotting elephants. Tengku Puteri Soraya, of the Kentalan royal household, led a five day trek into Maliau Basin which took Venturers to three beautiful waterfalls. Less than 1000 people have ever visited these sites.
Birthdays have been popping up with great regularity with cakes, cards and candles making an appearance in many a resupply request.
The work has been very hard but rewarding with all projects on course for completion at their scheduled dates at this pointing the proceedings. There is even the possibility of identifying much needed new projects for phase three as some sites are well ahead of schedule.
All in all things are going very well with a lot of hard work completed and a lot of hard work still to be done. Everyone is happy and healthy and looking forward to the next six weeks here in sunny (and rainy) Sabah.
COMMUNITY PROJECTS
Construction of a community hall in Kampong Narandang, Pitas District
Project partners: Malaysia Red Crescent Society/Ministry of Community Development
Project manager: Sarah Killie
Assistant project manager: Guy Antonini
First phase Venturers: Adrian Yeo, Sam Cheong, Judith Kavanagh, Lisa McCann, Mairead McCann, Marc Wallace, Dominic Johnstone, Phaidraig Tierney, Stephen Christopher and Andrew Stevenson.
Second phase Venturers: Ric Owen, Joanna Barber, Michelle Duncan, Neil Steward, Katrine Lindvig, Stuart Matheson, Anna Price, Stuart Wright, Alastair Smith, Milford Draily and Betly Martin.
WORKING closely with the local community was always going to be a big part of this particular project - and that’s exactly what’s happened in the small community of Narandang Darat, one of the group of villages which make up the Narandang area.
The community interaction has included both English lessons to local villagers – young and old, along with Rungus (the local dialect) lessons to the group by the community.
The group has also taken part in demonstrations of the traditional dress weaving (which included full dress rehearsals!) and rubber manufacture along with a combined Narandang and Raleigh International football team challenging an adjacent village to a match which they won 4-3 thanks to a late goal.
During phase one the aim was to complete the foundations, concrete the floor and erect 16 structural posts. After the area was pegged out the foundations were dug to a depth of two feet through clay soil and then concreted which was hard work in the hot midday sun.
Once the foundations were set concrete columns were constructed up to floor level into which were cast the timber posts. Following on, the four inch reinforced concrete floor was cast within timber shuttering which will now receive a two inch sand/cement screed to give a nice finish.
Over the next three weeks the programme will be accelerated with a view to completing the hall. The roof cover will be constructed first before works continue beneath thus shielding Venturers from the elements – namely the hot sunshine and the heavy rain.
Venturers presented the local community with a four feet by six feet painted plywood mural depicting the events of the last three weeks and have been told by the head man of the village that he now considers each and every one of them as part of his family!
Model Ecologically Sustainable Community Tourism (MESCOT), lower Kinabatangan River
Batu Puteh
Project Partners: World Wildlife Fund Malaysia/Community of Batu Puteh
Project manager: Julie Adams
Assistant project manager: Elaine Stitt
First phase Venturers:. Adriene Leong, Claire Kelly, Darren Little, Josef Fuchs, Katy Linton, Lianne Roberts, Lisa Kirkpatrick, Malcolm McNeil, Philip Sim and Scott Cooper.
Second phase Venturers: Stacey Spence, Kashif Bashif, Kim Mack, Shauna Dempsey, Marc Mackay, Kevin Taggart, Gavin Hosie, AJ Bin Bacho, Kirsten Maclennan, Shamini Kandiah and Stephen Siegerson.
THIS team’s expedition got off to a confusing start thanks to some mix-ups with transport. Despite some excellent work done by the logistics team, with which Batu Puteh were most impressed, the bus driver slept in and things were delayed by two hours.
Camp was set up next to the MESCOT building, which nestles next to the Kinabatangan River under a bridge. Heavy electrical storms, a common occurrence, light up the whole sky which is a beautiful sight and the sunsets and sunrises have been spectacular.
Camp took a bit longer than expected to set up and debarking the huge Belian trees was a hard chore. But they persevered and by the end of the phase they had managed to not only debark the trees but to carve intricate markings on them which were chosen by the villagers. The carvings were sourced from ancient burial stones housed in a nearby cave. The poles will be erected at the entrance to the area to the village, a symbolic welcome to visitors.
The group also had to build a boatshed to replace an existing one which was in need of repair and there was a change of scene when Venturers moved 8000 bags of plants to the nursery to help with the reforestation programme.
Good friendships have been struck up with the community who are teaching the young Scots a lot about their culture. The team are getting a lot out of working closely with the local community, enjoying the customs and culture of the people and some of the Venturers have even had their nails painted with henna.
A regular visitor is a five feet monitor lizard which can often be seen hanging around the toilets. Thankfully it often disappears when it sees anyone.
Although the Venturers and staff did tire of noodles their spirits have been lifted somewhat by the daily volleyball matches with the villagers. Before games can commence the court has to be cleared of cowpats – and one night the cows exacted revenge by walking through the campsite. They were shown the way home.
This phase will kick off with the cutting a trail and making boardwalks at the eco-lodge site to open up access for materials.
Construction of a gravity feed water system at Balat and building a kintergarten at Kodong, Pitas
Balat and Kodong
Project Partners: PACOS
Project manager: Stephanie Pollock
Assistant project manager: Ed Persey
First phase Venturers: Gabriel Lim, Lee San Cheong, Carmen Kerr, Kelly Biskup, Rhona Greene, Donald Gibson, John Beck, Martin Miller, Steven Diversi, Jamie Cuthbertson and Lee Carrick.
Second phase Venturers: Andrew Gibb, Craig Donachie, Stewart Dickson, Lee Dempsey, Stephen McGurn, Jason Yee, Jenny Whitley, Tom Baker, Kia Jia Yaw, Chung Ming Lee and Mairi McQueen.
CONSTRUCTION of the new gravity feed water system on the imaginatively named Upper Going Up River at Balat, Central Sabah, has continued at a rapid pace over the past three weeks. The work has been carried out by Raleigh International Venturers and staff in conjunction with local villagers and Sabah development agency PACOS.
Despite difficult working conditions and communication problems presented by the language barrier a mixture of enthusiasm and hard work from the community and Venturers alike has driven the project forward.
To date the work completed has included cutting 4km of trail from Balat village to the dam site, construction of a camp site for the Venturers, laying of pipe along the trail, digging a trench to protect the pipe from wandering elephants and finally, construction of the dam itself.
Although some teething problems were experienced at the campsite the Raleigh International team soon settled into a pattern of early starts and long mid-afternoon breaks to avoid the draining heat of the day. Some of the hardest graft involved carrying heavy bags of cement, sand and gravel from the forestry department facility upstream to the dam site. The dam itself was constructed in two stages.
Firstly a temporary coffer dam with flush pipe was built to divert water away from the construction site and then wooden shuttering was put down to hold an intake pipe in place and support the reinforced concrete and stone structure while it set.
During days off from the work Raleigh International Venturers visited Balat village and took part in various activities from playing football to teaching English and Scottish dancing. The football seems to have been particularly exciting with one Venturer sporting a haircut which would make Turkish star Hassan Saas proud.
The Raleigh International team were made to feel welcome at every turn and a strong rapport was developed with the people of Balat. It is hoped that within the next three weeks the project will be completed by another team and Balat will be supplied with fresh water for the first time.
ADVENTURE PROJECTS
Cutting a trail through Crocker Range National Park
Crocker Range National Park
Project partners: Sabah Parks
Project manager: Andy Wadsworth
Assistant project manager: Sally Roberts (first phase) Dave Habgood (second phase)
Medic: Anna Beedel (second phase)
First phase Venturers:. Gon Goloi, Lena Quadra, Caroline Beveridge, Jennifer Mackenzie, Lee Dempsey, Laura Begley, Jennifer Argent, Fiona Macaulay, Stephen Siegerson, Gavin Hosie, Kashif Bashir, David Mazzoni, Richard Struthers, Barry Butchart, Ric Owen, Stephen McGurn and Tom Baker.
Second phase Venturers: Fiona Cumming, Duncan Tossell, Darren Little, Stephen Christopher, Kelly Biskup, Blair Gold, Lisa McCann, Sam Sum Cheong, Steven Diversi, Gavin Shields, Louise McManus, Jamie Cuthbertson, Philip Sim, Katy Linton, Andrew Gilbert and Josef Fuchs.
TEAM Tikalod have been hard at work re-cutting a trail through the lush, rugged area known as the Crocker Range.
After one day spent sorting out camp the Venturers went straight to work. The clingy red clay which welds itself in huge chunks to the walking boots instantly improved the calf muscles of many a Venturer. It may be dirty and grainy but the team soon got used to living in the jungle.
They hacked out, dug and chopped their way through the rainforest until they came up against a few obstacles along the way. Crossing the river safely was one such obstacle and with the help of the rangers from Sabah Parks the group constructed bridges out of bamboo and other wood.
The weather also proved difficult (they don’t call it a rainforest for nothing), as torrential rain made work near impossible at times. But they preserved, making good headway and managed to cut the trail to the 2k mark by the end of the three weeks.
Venturers also organised a football match on one of their rest days with the villagers from Tikalod which ended in a 4-4 draw. The turnout for the match was pretty impressive with children, adults and the elderly all cheering alike. Many photos were taken and many friends made in one of the most rewarding days of the phase. There was also a ‘dancing exchange’ where Scots learned traditional moves from locals and vice versa – it all ended a big ceilidh.
The team have also nicknamed some small insects the “ants of darkness” as they lurk around the campsite pit and nibble on the feet of unsuspecting victims. Another creature has been spotted around the long drop area and although the beast has not been positively identified no-one ever goes to the toilet and looks back!
During this phase work on the trail will continue and the Venturers will end their three weeks by climbing Mount Kinabalu, South East Asia’s highest peak. All Venturers from phase one attained the summit during the two day climb.
Tracking rhinos at Tabin Wildlife Reserve and cutting a trail at Crocker Range
Tabin Wildlife Reserve and Crocker Range National Park
Project partners: Sabah Parks, Sabah Wildlife Department
Project manager: Chris Ball
Assistant project manager: Dave Habgood (first phase) Simone Adams (second phase)
Medics: Kathleen Eyre and Gareth Lewis (first phase)
First phase Venturers: Milford Draily, Chae Li Diong, Caron Fraser, Joanna Barber, Shauna Dempsey, Kirsten Maclennan, Joni Mackay, Anna Price, Callum Turner, Gavin Fleming, Stuart Matheson, Marc Mackay, Kevin Taggart, Stephen MacPhail, Christophe Perron, Mohamid Said and Neil Steward.
Second phase Venturers: Scott Cooper, Chris Kirk, Gabriel Lim, Mark Woods, Brian Dott, Sean Newall, Selena Georgiou, Simon Robbins, Rhona Greene, Andrew Stephenson, Sarah Morrison, Adriene Leong, Michael Cooper, Marcus Shields, Kevin Dickson, Morven Campbell and Jasmine Clarke.
VOLUNTEERS on this adventure project spent their first phase looking for signs of the endangered Sumatran Rhino in Tabin Wildlife Reserve.
On arrival the team were briefed by rhino experts on tracking and animal identification and the use of the cyber-trackers, a hand-held computer with in-built global positional satellite in order to record signs of the animals.
They walked a leg-tiring 17k on their first day, with distances gradually reducing daily due to the increasingly hard terrain and changeable weather conditions.
After each daily trek the team had to build a camp from scratch. When they reached 32k distance they set up a semi-permanent camp for three nights which was used as a base while the team carried out their survey. The rhino survey consisted of cutting six, one kilometre transect through thick jungle, marking it and looking for signs of rhino along the way. These four feet wide transects can now be used as access areas for future surveys .
Unfortunately, no signs of rhino – dung, wallows, footprints and rhino scratchmarks on tree bark from their horns – were found. However, lots of elephant footprints and dung were seen along with Samba Deer, Barking Deer, Hornbill birds, bearded pigs, Orangutang nesting sites and a snake.
Most days the team were up and about by 5am, left camp around 7am, ate lunch (normally noodles) next to some idyllic jungle stream and walked til late afternoon. Then they’d set up camp and get an early night.
The rangers taught the team many useful jungle survival skills like setting up camp, building fires in adverse conditions, obtaining water by cutting vines and fishing in the local rivers using line and hooks (and their mosquito nets!). The evenings were spent round the campfire learning local songs and boiling water for safe drinking.
The team has now moved to Crocker North where they will be improving, and in places building new sections to a trail between Tikalod and Inobong. They will attempt to meet up in the middle with the Tikalod team who are cutting the trail from the south.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS
Infrastructure development at the Maliau Basin
Maliau Basin
Project partners: Yayasan Sabah
Project manager: Jaclyn Miller
Assistant project manager: Sheena Mackay (first phase) Sally Roberts (second phase)
First phase Venturers: Jia Yaw, Jasmine Clarke, Michelle Duncan, Jenny Whitley, Louise McManus, Chris Kirk, Kim Mack, Craig Donachie, Stewart Dickson, Gavin Shields, Blair Gold and Betly Martin.
Second phase Venturers: Adrian Yeo, Fiona Macaulay, Lianne Roberts, Carmen Kerr, John Beck, Joni Mackay, Stephen McPhail, Fredly Batahongi, Laura Begely and David Mazzoni.
THE team worked on ground clearing and planting around 1000 ginger, Belian, Seraya, Gaharu, Kayu Malam and various other forest trees. Each Venturer and staff member has a tree named after them and some are already talking of returning in later years to see how the tree they planted has grown.
The rangers of Yayasan Sabah showed the Venturers the root of the Tongkat Ali which is an aphrodisiac but no-one was brave enough to try it!
Raleigh International’s camp was set up 10 minutes away from Belian Camp with assistance from the rangers who worked very closely with the volunteers throughout the first phase.
The finishing touches were also put to an incinerator at Belian Camp which is currently under construction. Belian Camp will be a research centre and eco-tourism centre, due to open in 2004. The Venturers did the done thing and put their hand prints and names in the wet cement to leave their mark.
Fridays seemed to be the day that everything happened at Maliau. At Jungle Camp the group had to move camp quickly when the river level rose dramatically. The second Friday of expedition the team were sitting having their tea when a ranger came down shouting: “Ulam Sawa” which translates as “A python.” Sure enough a five foot python was nestling beside the radio, a good distance from the campsite. Thunderstorms stuck the third Friday and flooded out the camp and to round off a month of ‘freaky Fridays’ the resupply vehicle failed to turn up.
All Venturers have been on night drives where they have spotted quite rare Banting (buffalo), Hornbills, deer and flying squirrels.
To round off the phase the team undertook a five day trek into the Maliau Basin which is a class one forest reserve - access is extremely limited. Tengku Puteri Soraya of the Kelantan Royal household led the trek which took Venturers to three waterfalls including the spectacular Maliau Falls – an amazing experience when you think that less than 1000 people have ever seen these sights.
This phase the group will be installing the gravity feed water system and hope to follow in the footsteps of their phase one colleagues by undertaking a trek to the falls.
Rainforest rehabilitation experiment in Danum Valley
Danum Valley
Project partners: Yayasan Sabah, The Royal Society
Project manager: Stuart Simpson
Assistant project manager: Cecilia Oram
First phase Venturers: Jason Yee, Shamini Kandiah, Sarah Morrison, Fiona Cumming, Mairi McQueen, Alastair Smith, Mark Woods, Kevin Dickson, Andrew Gilbert, Duncan Tossell and Brian Dott.
Second phase Venturers: Judith Kavanagh, Caron Fraser, Jennifer Mackenzie, Gon Goloi, Malcolm McNeil, Mohamad Said, Martin Miller, Phaidraig Tierney, Gavin Fleming, Jennifer Argent, Lena Quadra.
DANUM’s campsite has been established next to the Malau River which has served as big swimming pool for the Venturers and staff after working hours.
The volunteers started from scratch to build an accommodation unit for research assistants working in the rainforest.
They cleared land, dug holes for the poles and mixed lots of cement before completing the floor. Installing the blue roof was the next task before the walls were erected. The Venturers then got to work with their paintbrushes, painting the interior white, staining the wood on the outside and standing back to admire the impressive building, which has a veranda and a good view of the river.
When they weren’t on the building site Venturers worked in groups at Danum Valley Field Centre where they got stuck into some scientific research on seedlings. This involved measuring, weighing, examining and recording details of each seedling.
They also got their hands dirty planting some seedlings and small groups ventured out into the rainforest and returned to present their findings to the rest of the team. Guided walks have also taken place, giving everyone the opportunity to learn about the rainforest eco-system.
While the rest of the projects have suffered flooding from torrential rain at some point the weather has been kind to the Danum team who have taken to labelling every piece of wildlife they come across with the name ‘Fred.’
Elephant have been spotted by team members and before the group set off for changeover they were waved off by three of the animals!
This phase the team will be building a kitchen area, also on stilts and will be using high-tech equipment to monitor seedling growth.
Building bird hides at Likas Bird Sanctuary and infrastructure work at Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park
Gaya
Project manager: Nicholas Scullion
Project partners: Sabah Parks, World Wildlife Fund Malaysia
First phase Venturers: Chung Ming Lee, Stacey Spence, Morven Campbell, Angela Pike, Selena Georgiou, Katrine Lindvig, Sean Newall, Andrew Gibb, Stuart Wright, Michael Cooper, Stephen Dobinson, Simon Robbins and Marcus Shields.
Second phase Venturers: Caroline Beveridge, Lisa Kirkpatrick, Barry Butchart, Chae Li Diong, Claire Kelly, Callum Turner, Donald Gibson, Dominic Johnstone, Richard Struthers, Christophe Perron, Lee San Cheong and Mairead McCann.
THE Venturers who landed on the sandy shores of the beautiful island of Pulau Gaya had two goals to achieve during phase one – firstly to cut an eight feet wide firebreak from Gaya Resort to the Filippino Kampong to protect the primary rainforest and secondly, to lay the foundations for a new, improved bird hide at Kota Kinabalu City Bird Sanctuary which will allow wheelchair access and the capacity to host large school groups.
For the bird hide the Venturers and the local engineers met and drew up plans, splitting the work into three sections – the foundations, the walls and the roof. They dismantled the existing bird hide before measuring and hammering the scaffolding together which took some time as the team adjusted to knee high mud and a strong sulphur smell.
Due to a delay with materials and a monsoon a day was spent with thinking caps on as the group tried to work out how to move eight feet, 80 kilogramme Belian posts along an 800 metre boardwalk.
A trolley was delivered and a pulley system set up to drop the Belian posts into the mud where they were sledge hammered down. The final day was spent writing the names of the Venturers and staff on the foundations. Plans for the new facility were also drawn up.
Work on the firebreak on the island was ongoing and the team did well to finish the 1.6k stretch of firebreak. This was no mean feat as it was initially thought the job would take all three phases.
Spin offs of this project included travelling to work every day by boat and being able to buy lots of fresh produce from the local markets in Kota Kinabalu. The group claim that after much haggling they managed to save at least 80p on their budget!
During this phase the team will be building the bird hide on top of the foundations and will be working on the beach in Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park.
FIELD BASE
“ONLY one more changeover til Christmas,” was the cry as the field base staff lugged scores more changeover bags up the stairs. The response was a cheery sigh.
The wheels never stop turning here at field base in Kota Kinabalu. If field base staff aren’t throwing bags upstairs they’re nipping out on errands, cooking, cleaning, sorting out admin, accounts, logistics or checking reports and dealing with visitors and sponsors.
Expedition leader Andy Wahid has had a very busy time ensuring that staff and Venturers are in good spirits and that everything is going to plan. He is also laying the foundations for the next expedition in February.
Administrator Anna Goy left the office behind to spend six nights assisting the project manager on Pulau Gaya which was a welcome change but she was rechained to her PC on return. She is now only allowed out to climb Mount Kinabalu and purchase stationery!
Deputy expedition leader Sean Bolton oversaw the first changeover which went according to plan with teams deploying from Likas Stadium. Sean has also been out on the resupply (or loop) vehicle visiting sites and smoothing out any problems.
Michael McClughin and the rest of the logistics team – namely Matt Hough and Ian Buchanan – have been running around with shopping lists including everything from pick axe handles to fresh fruit for the expedition. This past week they’ve been gearing up for changeover which went very smoothly despite an ever-increasing lost property pile, missing bashas (bits of material used to construct beds) and a few broken pieces of equipment being returned.
Mountain man Mark Wideberg completed a recce of Mount Kinabalu before whipping off his woolly hat and getting his calculator out to sort out the accounts for the end of phase one. He also managed to squeeze in a few days out on site at Narandang.
Dedicated drivers Jacqueline Melvin and Ian Wood have been out on the loop (touring all the project sites) in the Bravos (the Land Rovers), visiting all sites to deliver post, food supplies and equipment. They have also been on standby to ensure that Venturers in need of some rest get back to field base for recovery and to ferry people to meetings around town.
Millennium Awards press officer Sally Ferguson climbed Mount Kinabalu then battered out a deluge of press releases before taking off for the ‘lost world’, otherwise known as the Maliau Basin for a week. She arrived just in time for the five day trek to three magnificent waterfalls.
Cait Wahid, Sabah press officer, made sure the official launch got a good press before hopping on a plane to Kuala Lumpur to speak to potential sponsors. Since then she’s been manning the radio, lugging changeover bags about and weaving some financial magic to recover much needed funds.
Chief medic Simone Adams was always on hand to ensure any medical matters were safely in hand and Doctor Anna Beedel spent most of first phase in the loop vehicle as the ‘mobile medic’ before returning to field base. The medics have been kept fairly busy over the past three weeks but have, like the rest of field base staff, provided excellent support for the expedition.
Raleigh International Sabah Expedition 02L
Update Three
Waking up to blazing sunshine every morning it’s strange to think that the Christmas preparations are probably in full swing back in the UK right now. Decorations are no doubt being put up in shopping centres and Santa appearing in every shop window.
The volunteers on Expedition 02L have certainly been noticing the increased amount of festive stamps on the letters being sent from home – but it’s strange to be in November and not to be freezing or wet!
Over the past three weeks (phase two) the eight projects have again, fared well. The gravity feed water system at Balat was officially turned on Friday, November 15. The villagers welcomed the arrival of the four kilometre pipeline which will ensure clean running water and better sanitation for the remote kampong (village).
There were celebrations too in Kampong Narandang, in the Pitas district, when the multi-purpose community hall was used for the first time. A health day was held by the Malaysian Red Crescent Society and the local community are delighted that they now have a central meeting point where health education talks and other important meetings can take place.
The Venturers and staff have now completed their second of three phases of this expedition. Time has flown by and it won’t be long before the sad farewells will have to begin.
Visitors over the past few weeks have included Gillian Watson, Raleigh’s Millennium Volunteers co-ordinator and John Strachan, Millennium Awards patron in Scotland who both got stuck in and helped out on various sites.
Three members of Raleigh International’s Kuala Lumpur Support Group dropped by to see what’s going on and had a great time catching up with old friends. We were pleased to see the smiling face of Sue Rouse, Regional Manager of the Millennium Awards Scheme in Scotland, who climbed Mount Kinabalu the day after arriving.
John Ellicock, trustee of Raleigh International, had just got settled in at field base when we told him he was going to Crocker North to trek through dense jungle for a number of days – news which he took very well, considering. He was part of the Crocker North and Tikalod groups who climbed Mount Kinabalu at the end of their phase.
With Venturers and staff used to expedition life things went fairly smoothly – staff didn’t have to nag about health and hygiene, safety and medical matters as many of the volunteers have undertaken greater responsibility on personal and group matters.
Once again there were some tough times when things didn’t go quite to plan but the art of being flexible and open to new ideas has stood many of the projects in good stead.
The pressure is often removed by interaction with the local community and it’s no understatement to say that everyone has benefited from learning about Malaysian culture. Whether it’s football, volleyball, a spot of Scrabble or a hallowe’en celebration, working side by side has made the experience all the more rewarding.
A new addition to the team - Buckingham the Bear - has been touring the sites to say hello to Venturers and pose in all their pictures. The small teddy is having a whale of a time riding about in boats, drinking tea and going swimming.
Let’s hope Buckingham and all the participants of 02L continue to enjoy what has proved to be a most successful expedition.
COMMUNITY PROJECTS
Construction of a community hall in Kampong Narandang, Pitas District
Project partners: Malaysia Red Crescent Society/Ministry of Community Development
Project manager: Sarah Kille
Assistant project manager (second phase): Guy Antonini
Assistant project manager (third phase): Ed Persey
Second phase Venturers: Ric Owen, Joanna Barber, Michelle Duncan, Neil Steward, Katrine Lindvig, Stuart Matheson, Anna Price, Stuart Wright, Alastair Smith, Milford Draily and Betly Martin.
Third phase Venturers: Christophe Perron, Chae Li Diong, Callum Turner, Fiona Cumming, Gavin Shields, Jennifer MacKenzie, Mohamid Said, Chris Kirk, Sean Newall, Sarah Morrison, Morven Campbell and Mike Cooper.
Raleigh International staff and volunteers like a challenge and this team certainly had just that.
They were tasked with completing the multi-purpose hall, which will be used by the community for social gatherings as well as health education sessions and clinics. The team have done a fantastic job – a building now stands where, only three weeks ago, a concrete floor and 16 posts were to be seen. Phase three will add to this by fully fitting out the building and creating an incinerator for the kampong so that villagers can have a proper waste disposal system.
Throughout the expedition the team have been working closely with the local community, relying on their expertise in building techniques.
During phase two the roof cover was constructed, a finish put on the concrete floor and three rooms and a stage were built. The front section of the building was created and has four entrance-ways and a waist height wood surround with mesh covering the open areas to keep the animals out.
The team also got to know the community, playing football and running regular English classes. They introduced the kampong to ‘dooking for apples’ at the hallowe’en party which was great fun. They were the stars of the show at church one Sunday when they were asked to sing by the minister and demonstrated their musical talents by singing ‘My Guy’ (from the film Sister Act). Their dancing talents were also on display at the leaving party prior to changeover. Most people found themselves donning traditional Rungus dress and there was even a spot of pole dancing – with bamboo sticks!
This phase will include finishing work on site – building a water tank, putting up the guttering, painting and plywood-ing the walls. The incinerator is also planned as part of this phase.
The group should be really proud of what they achieved in phase two in terms of the building, their teamwork and their relationship with the community.
Building eco-lodge infrastucture on the Kinabatangan River
Model Ecologically Sustainable Community Tourism (MESCOT), lower Kinabatangan River
Project Partners: World Wildlife Fund Malaysia
Project manager: Julie Adams
Assistant project manager: Elaine Stitt
Second phase Venturers: Stacey Spence, Kashif Bashir, Kim Mack, Shauna Dempsey, Marc Mackay, Kevin Taggart, Gavin Hosie, AJ Bin Bacho, Kirsten Maclennan, Shamini Kandiah and Stephen Siegerson.
Third phase Venturers:.Joni Mackay, David Mazzoni, Caroline Beveridge, Stephen MacPhail, Duncan Tossell, Caron Fraser, Gavin Fleming, Lena Quadra, Brian Dott, Mark Woods, Marcus Shields and Jasmine Clarke.
The huge Belian totem poles carved by Venturers last phase were inserted at the entrance to the village of Batu Puteh. Although they were a bit squinty to begin with they were soon put right!
As part of the village’s landscaping programme a rockery was completed next to the entrance. The group also helped in a forest restoration programme funded by MESCOT which involved clearing land and planting seedlings to replace trees lost to logging and forest fires. Trails were also cut around the site of the proposed eco-lodge. Construction on the eco-lodge, which will generate income in the village from tourists, will start in four months time.
As a reward for all their hard work the team indulged in a spot of retail therapy in Lahad Datu where they visited the markets, used the internet cafes to write back home and, naturally, to forgo some noodles for a spot of KFC.
The close working relationship with the local community continued over this phase with regular volleyball matches and English lessons. Wildlife trips down the Kinabatagan river have been eventful – with Probiscous monkeys, crocodiles and otters among the animals spotted.
Halfway through the phase we entered the Ramadan period which is a Muslim fasting tradition. Two Venturers fasted with the locals and broke-fast (CHECK this is right words to use) with them in the evenings and the group have learned a great deal about local culture through this interaction. English lessons have been going well and Old MacDonald, Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes have come out tops in the ‘favourite song’ stakes.
The Venturers have also dressed up in local costumes to help celebrate Kandoris (Check) with their new friends. Kandoris is way of remembering family members who have passed on. This traditionally involves visiting the grave, saying prayers and feasting.
Work next phase includes building a second rockery, a children’s playground and continuing with other projects like constructing sign posts and rest huts.
Construction of a gravity feed water system at Balat and building a kintergarten at Kodong, Pitas
Balat and Kodong
Project Partners: Pacos
Project manager: Stephanie Pollock
Assistant project manager (second phase): Ed Persey
Assistant project manager (second phase): Guy Antonini
Second phase Venturers: Andrew Gibb, Craig Donachie, Stewart Dickson, Lee Dempsey, Stephen McGurn, Jason Yee, Jenny Whitley, Tom Baker, Kia Jia Yaw, Chung Ming Lee and Mairi McQueen.
Third phase Venturers: Fiona MacCaulay, Laura Begley, Barry Butchart, Richard Struthers, Blair Gold, Louise McManus, Gon Goloi, Jennifer Argent, Simon Robbins, Selena Georgiou, Kevin Dickson and Andrew Gilbert.
Water poured forth from the taps installed by Venturers at Balat last week – bringing a vital commodity right to their doorstep. The community have been waiting for years for this resource.
The completion of the gravity feed water system was celebrated with an official opening at the weekend to which members of Sabah Development Agency PACOS, top officials from the Forestry Department and, of course, the local community were invited.
During the course of expedition 02L Venturers from Raleigh International have been responsible for building a dam, erecting four tanks, digging trenches and laying the four kilometre long pipe and installing 20 taps.
The team also made time to paint the local kindergarten and a few budding artists spent a day creating murals on the walls. Baloo (CHECK) from the jungle book and Mogly (CHECK) make an appearance. They also filled in holes in the community hall floor with concrete.
After the official opening Venturers and staff went to the nearby Forestry Department for a slap up meal. The group then played football and volleyball (and lost!) in the afternoon with the locals before everyone enjoyed the village hospitality. After exchanging gifts everyone engaged in some dancing – Scottish and Malay – and had a sing-song in the community hall.
Camp improvements included a new table which was so well made it would look at home in any living room, an extension to the kitchen area, a new washing line and watertight roof extension which kept everyone dry.
A well earned rest day was spent with the villagers visiting the Gomantong Caves. The final night at Balat was spent at Forestry office in the company of a huge karaoke machine and the party went on until 4am.
The work done at Balat was summed up perfectly by one Venturer who said: “When we left for changeover one of the villagers was brushing their teeth at a tap we’d installed just days earlier. That brought back to me what we’d really done.”
This phase the team will be working in Kodong Pitas district to erect a kindergarden from scratch.
ADVENTURE PROJECTS
Cutting a trail through Crocker Range National Park
Tikalod
Project partners: Sabah Parks
Project manager: Andy Wadsworth
Assistant project manager: Dave Habgood
Medic (phase two): Anna Beedel
Medic (phase three): Kathleen Eyre
Second phase Venturers: Fiona Cumming, Duncan Tossell, Darren Little, Stephen Christopher, Kelly Biskup, Blair Gold, Lisa McCann, Sam Sum Cheong, Steven Diversi, Gavin Shields, Louise McManus, Jamie Cuthbertson, Philip Sim, Katy Linton, Andrew Gilbert and Josef Fuchs.
Third phase Venturers:. Adrian Yeo, Carmen Kerr, John Beck, Lisa Kirkpatrick, Lee San Cheong, Stuart Wright, Betly Martin, Kim Mack, Andrew Gibb, Stewart Dickson, Jenny Whitley, Judith Kavanagh, Martin Miller, Chung Ming Lee and Michelle Duncan.
They may have had sore legs – and feet – but the Venturers and staff who completed phase two were as high as the mountain they’d just climbed.
For the second phase in a row all Venturers in the Tikalod team attained the summit of South East Asia’s highest peak – Mount Kinabalu. It was a fitting end to a hard physical phase.
This project will see the completion of a trail from Tikalod to Inobong, over the Crocker Range National Park. It will be for trekkers and tourists keen to get into the heart of the range. So far it has been seriously hard work for the Venturer’s who, in many places, have had to cut the trail from scratch while installing steps, handrails and elevated sections.
Tikalod are continuing to cut the trail from the south while the Crocker North team advance from the north. The groups have already ‘met in the middle’ but still have a lot of work to do.
During the past three weeks Tikalod cut two kilometres to the foot of a ridge which is the backbone of the Crocker Range. This means a total of four kilometres from the start of the trail has been cut since the expedition began. In order to get there they had to cross many rivers – leaving behind four newly built bridges on the way. This work means that the trail is now assured across the ridge for a total of nine kilometres. This is important for people who will use the trail – it ensures that they are able to turn back to their start point even if the rivers flood.
It also allowed the group to go over the ridge and set up Camp Two, which they affectionately called Camp Damp! From there the team trekked through Kionop into Buoyan where they met up with Crocker North and had a party in the village.
This phase, while Crocker North are assuring the trail from Buayaan to Kionop, Tikalod are creating an improved Camp Two and cutting a new trail from there to Kionop.
Once again the promise of Mount Kinabalu awaits Venturers and staff at the end of the phase.
Cutting a trail at Crocker Range
Crocker Range National Park
Project partners: Sabah Parks, Sabah Wildlife Department
Project manager: Chris Ball
Assistant project manager and medic (second phase): Simone Adams
Assistant project manager and medic (third phase): Gareth Lewis
Second phase Venturers: Scott Cooper, Chris Kirk, Gabriel Lim, Mark Woods, Brian Dott, Sean Newall, Selena Georgiou, Simon Robbins, Rhona Greene, Andrew Stephenson, Sarah Morrison, Adriene Leong, Michael Cooper, Marcus Shields, Kevin Dickson, Morven Campbell and Jasmine Clarke.
Third phase Venturers: Donald Gibson, Fredly Batahongi, Claire Kelly, Dominic Johnstone, Mairead McCann, Katrine Lindvig, Alastair Smith, Stacey Spence, Shamini Kandiah, Criag Donachie, Jason Yee, Jia Yaw, Mairi McQueen, Malcolm McNeill, Phaidraig Tierney and Lianne Roberts.
This team plan to be the first people to walk the spanking new trail breaching the Crocker Range. This adventurous path takes the volunteers over high peaks and drops them into remote villages only accessible by foot.
These unique communities retain a friendly and welcoming atmosphere and cultural traditions of dance and music.
This group are cutting a trail across the Crocker Range from the north and will meet up and then cross over with Tikalod who are cutting from the south. The Crocker North group will be able to assess the whole of the trail and build on skills which will allow them to upgrade the trail on their return journey to Inobong.
During the past three weeks the team have made progress from Camp Six, the Inobong Station - which has some stunning views of Mount Kinabalu and of Sabah’s capital Kota Kinabalu – to Camp Four (Kampong Buayaan), a distance of 16 kilometres.
To achieve this the group had to run three resupply trips. They also constructed a temporary camp on top of one of the ridges in the Crocker Range, crossed over three hanging suspension bridges, two rivers and passed through Terian where they stopped to have a ceilidh and attend church. Staff and Venturers had a great time interacting with the local community, learning their traditional dance, teaching them Scottish dancing and the Okey Kokey (CHECK)!
Culinary skills have been criticised by the local villagers who insisted that the volunteers must consume their home-grown village rice and who cooked large quantities of food including tapioca (CHECK) and potato leaves. The group’s guides also contributed to the meal by adding freshly caught fish to the pot.
The volunteers have been trekking and trail cutting from the base of valleys up to heights of 2600 feet. They upgraded the trail, navigating around sections of the path that have become eroded and dangerous and building steps on steeper sections.
As if they didn’t have enough to do the group then tackled Mount Kinabalu, enjoying the fantastic sunrise from the top.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS
Building a gravity feed water system in the Maliau Basin
Maliau Basin
Project partners: Yayasan Sabah
Project manager: Jaclyn Miller
Assistant project manager and medic (phase two): Sally Roberts
Assistant project manager and medic (phase three): Anna Beedel
Second phase Venturers: Adrian Yeo, Fiona Macaulay, Lianne Roberts, Carmen Kerr, John Beck, Joni Mackay, Stephen MacPhail, Fredly Batahongi, Laura Begley and David Mazzoni.
Third phase Venturers: Gabriel Lim, Lisa McCann, Phee Lip Sim, Anna Price, Shauna Dempsey, Milford Draily, Stephen Siegerson, Ric Owen, Andrew Stevenson and Kevin Taggart.
The Maliau Basin is a class one forest reserve and is one of Sabah’s best kept secrets.
Yayasan Sabah (The Sabah Society) are in the throes of setting up a facility which will allow researchers to carry out their work competently and effectively. Due to open in 2004, Belian Camp will be a research and eco-tourism centre.
Part of the plans for Belian includes the installation of a gravity feed water system and over the past three weeks volunteers have been digging a 500 metre (CHECK) long trench in which to lay the pipe. Work started on the dam – an hour’s walk from camp - which will be the source for the water system. And an impressive sight it was too.
They also cleared some trail in the forest in preparation for pipe laying. Around 30 Tongkat Ali trees were planted near Belian Camp.
Some repairs were made to the track between Belian Camp and the Raleigh International campsite to prevent four wheel drives getting stuck in the mud – something of a regular occurrence!
Monkeys were often to be seen swinging across the trees high above the camp and a snake was also sighted at one of the waterfalls visited by the group. Volleyball matches with the rangers were a regular feature but the highlight of the social calendar had to be the karaoke session in which Malay and English love songs were belted out by Venturers and the rangers.
Everyone enjoyed the comforts of Agathis Camp for one night before setting off on a tough five day trek into the Maliau Basin, which has very limited access. As well as taking in the Giluk, Takob Akob and Maliau Falls the team awoke early one morning in order to trek to the Bambingan Helipad to see the sunrise – a beautiful sight.
This phase the group should be laying the pipe for the gravity feed water system.
Rainforest rehabilitation experiment in Danum Valley
Danum Valley
Project partners: Yayasan Sabah, The Royal Society
Project manager: Stuart Simpson
Assistant project manager: Cecilia Oram
Second phase Venturers: Judith Kavanagh, Caron Fraser, Jennifer Mackenzie, Gon Goloi, Malcolm McNeil, Mohamad Said, Martin Miller, Phaidraig Tierney, Gavin Fleming, Jennifer Argent, Lena Quadra.
Third phase Venturers: Stephen Christopher, Katy Linton, Jamie Cuthbertson, Tom Baker, Neil Steward, Gavin Hosie, Joanna Barber, Darren Little, Lee Dempsey, Adriene Leong and Stephen McGurn.
The team had an eventful first night when a herd of elephants parked themselves outside the camp.
With safety precautions in place Venturers and staff were put on ‘Elephant Watch’ which involved two hour shifts to keep the home fires burning – and the elephants at bay.
The elephants stayed two nights and when they eventually packed their trunks the group got on with planting tree seedlings and completing the kitchen area which will be used by researchers who are there to study the bio-diversity of the area. The sign for the project was carved – ensuring Raleigh International’s name will be there for years to come.
A fishing trip on the Malua River saw the Venturers using traditional fishing methods demonstrated by the research assistants to land a large catch. The fish were later cooked on a barbeque along with some ferns to make a delicious meal.
A picnic table, a chill out zone, a new long drop (toilet) and a fridge (coolbox) were the latest additions to camp which is looking good for phase three. In their spare time Venturers have been going on informative night safaris and treks through the primary rainforest.
Many types of seedling were put in the ground and researchers will monitor their progress and the eco-system around them to establish which types of tree are better for the bio-diversity of the rainforest. Some of the Venturers have even named the seedlings they planted after friends and family back home.
The team were fortunate enough to spot an Orangutan when they moved to Danum Valley Field Centre where they undertook hydrology work, trail building and lab work.
This phase the team will be involved in building infrastructure for hydrology research, surveying the seedlings planted by previous phases, undertaking more lab work and planting of seedlings.
Building bird hides at Likas Bird Sanctuary and infrastructure work at Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park
Gaya
Project manager: Nicholas Scullion
Project partners: Sabah Parks, World Wildlife Fund Malaysia
Second phase Venturers: Caroline Beveridge, Lisa Kirkpatrick, Barry Butchart, Chae Li Diong, Claire Kelly, Callum Turner, Donald Gibson, Dominic Johnstone, Richard Struthers, Christophe Perron, Lee San Cheong and Mairead McCann.
Third phase Venturers: Kelly Biskup, Steven Diversi, Sam Cheong, Josef Fuchs, Stuart Matheson, AJ Bin Bacho, Marc Mackay, Kirsten Maclennan, Scott Cooper, Rhona Greene and Kashif Bashir.
The last team laid the foundations for a busy phase two – and Venturers in the Gaya team certainly built on that.
The plan was to crack on with replacing the bird hide at Kota Kinabalu City Bird Sanctuary and to continue working in partnership with Sabah Parks on various initiatives on Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park.
Once again the team were based on the island of Pulau Gaya, extending the camp into a mangrove swamp. They travelled to Kota Kinabalu by boat every morning, a good way to start the day.
The Gaya crew cleared trails and the beach at Manukan, a neighbouring island and part of the National Park, and laid a slipway for boats to land.
After a tour of the coral reef rehabilitation centre at Manukan the Venturer’s put their new found knowledge to the test and went snorkelling. They were able to explore the coral reef under the sunny Sabah sky.
At the bird sanctuary they designed and laid the floor of a new and improved bird hide, erected wall frames and made up the roof trusses. The new hide will allow wheelchair access and the capacity to host large school groups of up to 70 people.
The group were visited by a journalist one day with a few of the Venturers giving interviews and posing for pictures. They spent a couple of nights staying over at the bird hide which allowed them to venture out into the town to sample some the delights of Sabah’s capital.
The phase ended with a massive mud fight in the torrential rain and a good laugh was had by all.
During this phase the team will be completing the bird hide and having the official opening ceremony. On Gaya they will be working with Sabah Parks to cut a trail from across the island from Police Beach to base camp.
FIELD BASE
Michael McClughin had the embarrassment of the entire expedition singing Happy Birthday to him during changeover. This was just reward for all the hard work put in by the logistics manager. Assistant Ian Buchanan left field base behind for a week for the island of Pulau Gaya and oversaw work at the bird hide at Kota Kinabalu City Bird Sanctuary. Mat Hough meanwhile, popped out on the resupply (loop) vehicle. Once again the logs team have had a smooth and efficient phase.
Here, there and everywhere - expedition leader Andy Wahid has not had a moment to sit down during the past three weeks but he was delighted to see the completion of the community project in Balat.
It’s also been a case of trains, planes and automobiles for Cait Wahid, Sabah press officer, who has been churning out press releases and attending meetings to set up official handovers of projects. Millennium Awards press officer Sally Ferguson went out on the second loop and spotted three Probiscous monkeys from the boat in Balat. She has been busy losing at Scrabble and sending stories back to the UK press.
Photographer John Butcher’s snaps have been winging their way to papers back home via the internet – and there are plenty of those wonderful pictures. Stunning shots of Mount Kinabalu and images which capture expedition life keep appearing just as John disappears off to another site with his camera in hand.
Deputy expedition leader Sean Bolton kicked the dust of Kota Kinabalu off his boots in order to get them all muddy at Maliau, where he went trekking to Maliau Falls in Sabah’s ‘Lost World.’ Sean has also been on hand to arrange changeover.
Administrator Anna Goy could easily take up employment with Malaysian Airlines given her vast knowledge of flight timetables, costs and wait lists. The unenviable task of sorting out travel arrangements for Venturers and staff has been flung Anna’s way but she’s got on with things with a smile on her face. During phase two Anna visited a few sites taking her trusty Buckingham Bear with her. The teddy is on tour and features in many a picture.
Medics can’t be everywhere at once – but they do their best. If they’re not being mobile (out on the loop) then they’re at field base dishing out advice on the radio and dealing with medical matters that arise. Gareth Lewis was on the loop then at field base while Kathleen Eyre did things the opposite way around. The three other medics – Simone Adams, Anna Beedel and Sally Roberts - were on projects for the entire phase helping project staff with Venturer teams. For this phase field base welcome back Simone and Sally.
Accountant Mark Wideberg, fed up with crunching numbers, took off to the top of Mount Kinabalu for the second time, organising the trip for the teams coming off their adventure phase.
Dedicated drivers Jacqueline Melvin and Ian Wood were devastated to discover that the CD players in Bravos Two and Three (the Land Rovers) were not working properly but drove on regardless. The pair have been out on two separate loops to ensure sites get their food, equipment and the all important post from home.
Facilitator Sheena Mackay has been a friendly face on many a site, spending the last part of the phase trekking with Tikalod where she was leeched on every limb.
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