Expeditioners set foot in Borneo

COUNTRY: Borneo
PROGRAM: Expeditions
PROJECT: Teaching & Environmental Conservation
WRITTEN BY: Borneo Expeditions Volunteers

Coming to Borneo, I had absolutely no idea what to expect. At first I had no interest in coming here but honestly, I'm so glad I did. The culture, the people, the atmosphere, is all so amazing. The camp staff are beautiful no matter where you go and the locals are just as nice, despite the language barrier.

Our first stop was Tinangol, the best place to go for our large group of 10. We had no clue who anyone was but we were going to be living together in a traditional long house. It became our home and the place we bonded. It wasn't just the close living quarters that brought us together as a group but the whole camp. The camp leader, Kenny, was enthusiastic about everything and just the nicest guy we could ask for. Because of this we felt we needed to step up our game and work incredibly hard.

The project site was a 45min walk from where we were living so we were exhausted before we even started any work, but we took it as a warm up. After a 10 minute rest we would be up ready to smash out either the kindergarten, nailing and cutting bamboo or to mix hefty wheelbarrows of cement and level out soil. We wanted to do something for this community, and we did just that. Not only did we use all the cement the camp had but we did far more than Kenny had planned. It felt fantastic to really see that as a team we could do something.

As part of our project we also were able to teach the kids we were making the kindergarten for. Now this was an experience. The kids were the loudest bunch I have ever met but when you sit them down and find something they love doing they'll do it for hours. We first went in for only 45 minutes and had them running around hanging off us and giving them piggy back rides, so we ended up leaving there sweatier than when we left project work! After that we were all a bit scared to head back and teach but when we did, they loved it. We read the books, drew them pictures and even taught them a few animals- it was such an incredible experience. After meeting them it made walking around in the community so much more fun as we would laugh and greet them every morning, 'Salamat Pagi!'

The last morning in Tinangol was emotional; we had formed a bond with each other in that place and also with Kenny so we really didn't want to leave. However, Kenny's last words inspired us to keep adventuring: "Follow you're dreams guys and just enjoy!"

After Tinangol we headed to the most confronting experience so far, the homestay. This is where our really close friendships helped us a lot. Hellie- the girl I was staying with- and I did not have the best first impression. We were tired and all we wanted was to feel welcome and sit down with the family. Obviously this would be hard at anytime due to the language barrier, but we were also exhausted from our 8 hour trip to Bath Petuh, however we found it extremely difficult as we were thrown right into the deep end and sent to a ceremony with the youngest daughter of the house (Sophia, 10) in traditional dress. It was quite intimidating walking into a house with over 100 people in it, all of them staring at us. Not only that but we were unable to communicate with them. Unfortunately we ended up leaving early from this ceremony but we were able to attend a second one before our time was up.

The work at Bateh Puteh was extremely laid back compared to the cement mixing and gravel laying of Tinangol, however it was still really enjoyable. We travelled on an amazing river on the way to the eco camp, we saw all kinds of monkeys, birds and even crocodiles! This camp was all about bringing back the rainforest from the devastation of palm oil plantations. Not only were we working in the jungle but we had a night sleeping in hammocks there too. This was one of my favourite days so far. After setting up the hammocks we were allowed to roam freely around the jungle. This was amazing, we were following elephant footprints and butterflies it was amazing. The only blemish in the trip was when a group of three had to be hunted down after getting a little lost in the jungle. The guides kept a very close eye on us during the night walks, where one group saw the second slow lorris of the trip and my group saw many gorgeous paradise birds.

The second ceremony of this stay was much more enjoyable, but very culturally shocking. All 10 of the group were invited to this, however the boys sat in a separate room to the girls. The men then proceeded to pray for half an hour, while the woman sat in the back room, with all the food in front of us. However as this was a Muslim community the men had to be served first, not only that but they ended up eating all of the rice so the women had to wait longer for food. This was extremely shocking for us as our culture is completely different and a lot of the girls in the group struggled to understand and were getting quite frustrated. Just to elaborate- we got to this ceremony at 6:00pm and ate at 9:30pm!

Our stay ended on a positive note, however, as we all dressed up in traditional clothing again on the last night to watch the locals sing and dance, joining in ourselved at the end. Leaving Bateh Puteh was hard for us as we knew it would be the last bus journey for 6 of them. As a group of 10 we had become a family, we had the worriers, the foolish brothers, the responsible sisters and the immature kids, when they all left it was the first time I felt homesick. At first it was hard to imagine the trip continuing without them, but continue it did. And for an update, well… you're going to have to wait for the next blog!

Latest adventures from Penrhos College in Laos

COUNTRY: Laos
PROGRAM: Expeditions
PROJECT: Leadership Expedition
WRITTEN BY: Penrhos College

Hello beloved relatives and missed friends,

We have had such an amazing time since we have last emailed from our not so smooth bus trip from Vientiane to Luang Prabang. After a day in Luange Prabang we adventured through the mountains and valleys on the traditional trucks (of course) with our bags piled on top, laughter the whole way! We arrived at our project with an amazing first impression of our new home for the rest of the week. The school children made a very warm welcome showering us with flowers and clapping as we walked into our home stays. The Boum Phaseng village was on the edge of a steep valley leading to a pristine river where we washed in the afternoons after our hard day of working as amateur brickies.

The houses were very cosy and were up to scratch with our village expectations, we had cute mattresses all laid out neatly along the floor with children at our feet 24/7 mimicking us constantly. The next few days were pretty intense as we rose with the locals and were sent off to our day at work where we learnt how to lay bricks, pave the floor and mix cement occasionally including carrying water from the river to the worksite. We are all very proud of our biceps and bruises. Not only did we work at the project site in the high school but we also got time to take a weaving course with the whole village, play a soccer match with the local school girls, sit by a campfire and play games, engage with the children, learn how to cook traditional Lao meals and finally a farewell bonfire at the high school where the locals taught us their groovy moves.

While engaging in the project we had a chance to glance into the classrooms and even try and teach the students some of our English skills... we were shocked to see seven students all sharing a bench and 1 textbook. Over 600 students all squeezed into 5 classrooms with an average of 90 students in a room at one time. As we took interest in them the students also took interest in us with small crowds gathering to watch us work on their new classroom, some even giving a helping hand. By the end of our project days we had become professional tradies. We ended up completing more of the project than was expected we accomplished finishing the whole floor and most of the walls.

The children were possibly the happiest children we have ever seen. Despite having very little they still found countless things to play and have fun with or things to laugh and smile about. The whole village was very grateful for our donations, clothing and efforts put in at the school. It was nice having the opportunity to remove ourselves from the comfortable lives we live and to immerse ourselves into the different culture and ways of life. It was sad to say goodbye to a community that we had grown so close to.

We arrived 'home' in Luang Prabang tired and dusty, definitely ready for a well deserved shower and massage but completely satisfied with our efforts in the previous week.

In our days exploring this beautiful and diverse city we had time to experience climbing to the top of a Buddha park perched on a rather large hill where we engaged in conversation with young novice monks for a few hours before we climbed to the peak, witnessing the amazing sunset over the valleys surrounding Luang Prabang as well as another couple hundred tourists which was amusing at times. Later that night we adventured through the narrow streets overflowing with vibrant colours and patterns of the night markets in which we spent our money wisely...

Our first full day was definitely one of the best we have had as we transported ourselves from our guesthouse to the amazing Tad Sae waterfalls where we got to ride elephants and then spontaneously decided to swim with them. Bareback and soaked we were able to encounter these massive sized animals up close and personal. We then kept adventuring on through the water park to discover many small waterpools and waterfalls upstream where we swam and splashed. It is yet to be decided whether the water is dyed blue by the elephants or is naturally crystal blue.... coming home we tried the street food which was absolutely delicious with divine crepes on offer a well as baguettes, a range of shakes and some meat on sticks.

Today we awoke with the sun as we witnessed the monks collecting alms nearby only to return to bed where others had decided to remain. We then divided into two groups one heading to a traditional Laos weaving lesson where the group chose the pattern and colour of the silk that they then crafted into unique pieces of fabric. The other heading out to the Kuang Si waterfalls to see the sun and moon bears plus the amazing blue lagoon.

Its been fun, tiring and a hugely rewarding experience so far, however our English skills are going down the drain with each passing second! In our next week we will be travelling on the slow boat up the Mekong and trekking to our next home stay village.

Lots of love and enjoy the warm Aussie weather!
The Gumnut Warriors
xoxoxo

Milla's Message from last week

"Dear Family I am having the most amazing time in Laos, I swam with elephants for the same price as a table runner. The waterfalls here are incredible. I miss the majority of you and cant wait to see you all. Lots of love your favourite daughter who is almost broke (no, not you Elle)

PS. Dearest mother pls book me an eyebrow appointment as I currently resemble Bert from Sesame Street...

St Hilda's students assist in the construction of high school dormitory rooms

COUNTRY: Laos
PROGRAM: Expeditions
PROJECT: Leadership Expedition
WRITTEN BY: St Hilda's Anglican School for Girls

Sabaidee!

We have just finished up our very rewarding five days at the community project, building dormitories for boys at Sop Jak Regional High School. The school is located in the small community of the Sueng River Valley, about two hours drive from Luang Prabang.

Sitting on the back of a truck in the cool sunlight of a Wednesday morning on the way back to Luang, we think back to our six hour drive from Nong Khiaw to the community project crawling along the muddy roads with the rain coming down around us.

We spent five days sifting sand, mixing concrete and rendering the dormitory walls. Progress was slowed by some surprise rain and a brief thunderstorm which left the group playing cards and huddling together wrapped up in our beanies, thermals and fleeces; waiting for the rain to finish so we could launch ourselves back into work.

As well as working on the dormitories we were able to meet the people from the high school and share stories about how different our schools are. We were able to join a soccer game which resulted in a draw yet they insisted on a penalty shootout which we won! We used one of the soccer balls we were able to donate to the high school along with other books, stationary and sports equipment.

We also had the privilege of meeting the children at the primary school and playing games such as 'duck duck goose' to their delight while they taught us some of their local games. It also gave us the opportunity to donate some sports equipment and books.


When we weren't playing with the children or working off all that tasty Laos food on the dormitory we enjoyed some cold bamboo rafting, basket weaving and bathing in the Sueng River. The last night was spent at the high school disco where we witnessed traditional dancing from the three main groups in Laos; Hmong, Khmu, and Lao.

Every night was spent in our home stays with our host families, some groups enjoying the companies of some cheerful puppies called Steven, Monday, and Tuesday and a cat called Tiger. The home stays were usually compiled of a well built wooden structure with a squat toilet and bucket shower out the back. Despite the sound of it, the bucket showers were surprisingly quite satisfying, especially after a long day of hard work.

We are looking forward to another two days in Luang Prabang, venturing into some more night markets and hopefully seeing the early morning Monks Alms Procession 'Tak Bat' whilst we are there.

From the St Hilda's Laos girls (and Tom)!

P.s Parents! We will be arriving back in Perth on the 21st of December at 8am- sharp. Please don't forget us!

St Hilda's Expeditioner's arrive in Luang Prabang, Laos

COUNTRY: Laos
PROGRAM: Expeditions
PROJECT: Leadership Expedition
WRITTEN BY: St Hilda's Anglican School for Girls

We have now safely arrived in Luang Prabang after our fun and relaxing boat trip down the Mekong. We found a guesthouse in the centre of town and have been slowly navigating our way around (we only got lost a few times).

On Monday night, we went to a grill house and ordered plates of meat that we attempted to cook ourselves on the flames at our tables. We stayed up late and explored the night markets, bartering with the locals and filling our suitcases with baggy pants and t-shirts...maybe even a few presents :P

On Tuesday, we finally got a sleep in. As Laos was colonised by the French, there are crepe and pastry shops on every corner! We couldn't resist heading across the road for a very nutritious breakfast including Nutella filled crepes and Oreo milkshakes (sorry parents) After polishing off our plates and even having seconds, we headed off on a walking tour of Laos that took us to hill tribe museums, gigantic temples and even the campus of a school for monks! We grabbed an early lunch, had some time to relax at the guesthouse and then went back to the markets. This time, we went early to watch a traditional dance being performed at the Luang Prabang film festival. The dances were amazing and so different to anything we have in Australia. After a quick dinner we were back into the market shopping. After an hour, we found a promising tourism agency that gave us great deals on elephant riding and kayaking activities. We managed to book elephant riding and bathing and a waterfall visit for a bargain price before walking home for bed.

Wednesday saw us up early for a very exciting day! At 9.00am we were picked up from our hotel and driven 40 minutes out of town to an elephant camp. We were taken on a ride through the jungle and were able to freely interact with all the elephants. The highlight was definitely bathing the elephants. We rode the elephants bare back into the Mekong River until we were nearly submerged. The elephant trainers began shouting commands in Laos and before we knew it the elephants were shaking their heads in response, in an attempt to fling us off! We were all being thrown into the water whilst being squirted by the elephants and the whole experience was just incredible! It was truly a once in a life time experience and being in such close contact with such amazing creatures is something we will never forget.

We played in the water with the elephants for nearly half an hour before riding them back up to the camp for a quick lunch. After lunch, we set off on an hour long bus drive to Kuang Si water falls. Kuang Si consisted of amazing streams of crystal blue water cascading into countless swimming holes. We had a swim in the main swimming pool before returning to town for dinner at a local restaurant.


After a delicious Laos style feed, We went to a local book cafe to take part in their weekly movie night. Open to the general public, the movie nights are held in the upper area of the store. We walked up the staircase to a cosy den area with mattresses and cushions all over the ground and a big tv in the corner. We ordered exotic pots of tea and sticky rice desserts before settling down to watch "A Place Beyond the Pines", starring Ryan Gosling (yay!). The movie night was such a nice way to relax after a jam packed week and was the perfect end to our incredible day.

Next time you hear from us we will be finishing up our community service trip and getting ready to come home. We can't believe how fast our trip is going and it just keeps getting better. We miss you so much and can't wait to tell you about all our amazing experiences!

See you all in only 8 days!
Lots of love,
The Laos girls (and Tom)

Penrhos College visit 4000 Islands and ride elephants in Laos

COUNTRY: Laos
PROGRAM: Expeditions
PROJECT: Leadership Expedition
WRITTEN BY: Penrhos College

4000 Islands was definitely spectacular! We spent the first day relaxing, reading books and enjoying the view, the second day we adventured through Don Khone and Don Det on our hired bikes which was a bit of a laugh.... Let's just say we couldn't feel our butts after! We then enjoyed some smoothies on the river front watching the sun go down, the sunset is unreal. We then travelled back to Pakse for a few hours and travelled on a "VIP" overnight bus AKA THE HOBBIT PIMP CAVE. The bus looked like the set of a hobbit Austin powers movie with everyone crouching like half their size to get onto the bus AND THE TOILET IS A WHOLE OTHER STORY, you had to sit like in a crouch/ball stance to fit in the cubicle. The beds also seemed like they were built for one small child with no legs BUT WE HAD TO FIT TWO TEENAGERS ON ONE. After that long night we arrived in the hustling bustling city of Vientiane where we got Tuk Tuks to the biggest Laos national icon the Pha That Luang temple. It was massive and golden; you couldn't miss it. We adventured through the museum there and bought some cheap gifts from the nearby markets. That night was awesome! Because it was Shannon's 16th birthday we decided to go for a nice meal and we surprised her with a cake and some macaroons which was pretty mint :)

We are all having a blast but are missing you all quite a bit so we would like to share some stuff we have experienced and accomplished.

Abbey - after missing my mouth a considerable amount of times I can finally use chopsticks! YIPPPPEEE :) I have some awesome sunset shots that I can't wait to show you from 4000 Islands, the children at the trek were so adorable and I hope Max and Soph had great birthdays xxx love you

SHANNON - thank you so much for my watch I love it. Had a really great birthday. We arrived in Vientiane around 9 after a horrible 12 hour bus ride. After a late breakfast we checked in to our accommodation ($3.50pp) around 12:30 we headed to the biggest temple in Lao and then had some time for a little shopping. We then returned to the hotel via tuk tuk to get ready for dinner. At 5 a group of us went to the cutest coffee shop and had a late afternoon tea. We then went to a really nice place for dinner and after dinner out came a cake for me! And also some macaroons and card from everyone. Overall a great day but missing you lots. Sorry I didn't Skype you ran out of time in the day. Can't wait to see you having so much fun. It's amazing here! XX p.s. Got you all some presents

Natalie - I am having the time of my life! Dad, you would have loved the trek with the amazing wildlife and the interesting but delectable food. I think I would have been dryer if I swam in the river then standing in my sweaty clothes after the trek. I couldn't keep the silly grin off my face when we were riding the elephants. They were beautiful mum, I rode one with chiqui, and it was called Kom, she was 50 and kept making an 'ip, ip' noise which means they're happy. There are so many photo opportunities here; you would love it. Max, I think you would've loved the bike ride over the massive bumps at 4000's. Hope the last week of school is good... You can tell your friends that I saw roasted animals on sticks at the markets, including frogs, bats, rats, turtles and *sniff* guinea pigs! Olive should stay in Australia... So many manky dogs here! Even though I am enjoying myself I am constantly reminded of how fortunate I am to live in Australia. Can't wait to see you but also don't want the trip to finish. Healthy and safe, love you all, xoxox nat :)

Isabella - This trip is absolutely amazing! Honestly it has been hard but definitely one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. The drastic change in food and scenery has been eye opening especially seeing how the locals live compared to our lives. I have eaten so much rice and as a group we have travelled over 70 hours!! The walks and treks are so cool with lots of jungle and amazing views and I rode an elephant!!!!!!!!!!!, I feel like you would of liked the treks and bike riding alot Dad. The markets are amazing to look around with so many little nooks and crannies. Mum, you would totally love the fabrics and all the spices/street cooking, the food is incredible. Everything is so cheap, I love it. And Foof, you should see how easily entertained the kids are here just by a game like hopscotch, no mine craft here! There are also so many dogs but no corgis sadly :( I have so much more to say and so many priceless photos to show you but I shall present all and talk nonstop when I get home, miss and love you loads xxx
P.S Can I please get a set of all the john green books for Christmas.


Laura - it is incredible here I am having such a great time! The amount if rice I have eaten in the last two weeks is more than I have eaten in my entire life. I have decided that noodle soup and spring rolls is my fave though. The trek was by far my highlight so far, the kids in the villages we stayed in and the schools we visited were adorable and the elephant ride was also really cool! The amount of manky animals here is ridiculous, thank god I got my rabies needle and I advise Kiz never comes here. I miss you all so much (even Matt and sam, kinda) and I can't wait to show you all the photos and tell you about everything when I get home love you xxxxxxx

Zoe - Laos is so different to Australia, and the things we have been experiencing are absolutely mind blowing! So far the trek has been my favourite part, which is a shock to everyone. They can't believe princess Zoe was out in the rice fields doing some harvesting and that I survived 3 days without a shower. Mum- your travel skills must have rubbed off on me because you would be very impressed with the cheap deals we are getting. Our accommodation last night was $3.50 per person! Dad- you would be loving the temples and seeing the monks and the amazing culture here. We also came across an English man who was a guitar player/singer and he was busking on the streets. He was awesome, he really reminded me of you! And OMG OLIVIVA!!!!!!!! We found this Japanese coffee and tea place and it was so nice, you would have loved it! Even though this trip wouldn't exactly be your "cup of tea" (see what I did there). Good luck with your call back, I'm so excited for you! Let me know if you hear any news! Love you all and miss you lots, see you soon! xxxxx

Keeley - Where to start? Well it's very different to Australia of course but you would know that already, I came over here not really knowing what to except or how I would react and I suppose I have acted how any 16 year old Penrhos College girl would have... I'm absolutely amazed and astonished this whole experience is incredible, and I thank you Mum and Dad so much. It's been really hard at times and I'm missing you guys a lot travelling alone is a lot harder then with you guys and the thought of seeing you in the airport soon is getting me through. MUM- any news on Ella? It's the biggest thing on my mind I'm really excited to hear all about it soon and in exchange share a few tails of my own! DAD- never again shall I travel without you it's much harder...
Love you all (even Myles) so much, see you soon
XXXXXXXXXX

Ellie - it is incredibly hard or even impossible to sum up the last few days!! I am having the most amazing, life changing experience on this adventure with 14 of the most wonderful girls. I did ride an elephant the other day and I must admit that it was very different to riding raddish and pirate! The people here as so friendly and welcoming, a Laos persons smile warms the soul and you can't help but return a grin. You are all constantly on my mind and I send my love every night. I can smell the Christmas tree right now and I hope that you leave a few ornaments for me to put up!! Mum, I miss you very much, your Katanning up dates and your cuddles! Dad, I miss you very much and your constant advice and support... and miss liss, I miss you so so much and have gotten you some presents already xx! Stay safe all of you, I will see you soon and send on some of my love to the animals. Love always xxx Elzie xxx love you xx

Hannah - I honestly don't know where to start!! I am having the most incredible time, this is definitely a life changing experience. So far we have trekked through the jungle, stayed in a village with a local family, ridden elephants, explored the 4000 islands and Pakse. This place is incredible and so is the culture. The people are so welcoming and helpful even though there is a language barrier that is tricky to overcome! Laos is so different to I thought it would be and even though I am loving it here I am missing home and you guys a lot. The trip is flying by and I can't wait to see you guys at the airport (don't forget the Christmas hats!)!!! I also can't wait to get home and eat something other than rice, I can say that I am really looking forward to the dreaded Christmas ham! Missing you all a lot and I can't wait to get home and tell you all about the trip and to give you a big hug! Say hi to Nan for me and give Tarnie a pat! I hope Bec is enjoying her last week of Junior school. Stay safe. Miss you so so much, love you lots and see you soon! Hannah xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Emma - Sa-ba-dee (hello) I'm absolutely having the time of my life! Laos is so different to Australia. We have rode elephants, been on long boats, trekked in the beautiful jungle and been to the southern end of Laos to the 4000 Islands which was nice and relaxing. When we were in the 4000 island we rode bikes around the island and also crossed over to Don Det for the day. The day finished off with a breath taking sunset. The traffic here is crazy and one of the main source of getting around is on tuk tuks. My favourite part of trip so far has been on the elephants. It was my life long dream to ride on an elephant and I for-filled it with an amazing group of friends. I miss you all so much and can not wait to come home but at the same time I want to stay. I love you all so much to the moon, stars and back. Give a big pat to Zac for me. See you soon love Emma:) xxxxx

Chiquita- Hi mum, dad, zac and buddy! Hope all is good at home, I am having a really awesome time here. It has been such a great experience so far and it is amazing to see how different the culture and lifestyle is within Laos compared to home. The people are so friendly and life is so simple. Over the past days we have had so many amazing experiences that I won't forget. Our group get along so well and we are having so much fun together, from elephant riding to over night trains everything has been awesome. I have really enjoyed the home stay and it is great to try to communicate with the locals within the village. Say hi to everyone and anyone for me especially nan and pop. Zac: have a great yr.7 graduation you will finally be free from mr poof. Miss you all and can't wait to tell you everything when I get back xx love Chiqui xx

Milla - see above :)
Love the Penrhos College Gumnut Warriors xxxx

Penrhos College home from the trek - Laos

COUNTRY: Laos
PROGRAM: Expeditions
PROJECT: Leadership Expedition
WRITTEN BY: Penrhos College

The past three days have been huge and a massive experience. In the end our plans changed again which allowed us to have 2 days kayaking and 1 trekking.

The first day we trekked 8-10km. It was completely different to what everyone expected. We started by going up hill which hot, steep and sweaty. The thick jungle plants made life even more difficult as some people started to struggle. When we finally got to the top of the hill, everyone felt proud and like they achieved something. It then started to sprinkle and cool down. But it didn't stay that way for long. After walking on flat ground for a bit the rain started bucketing down just for the downhill section. As you could imagine, everyone was soaked and muddy after having many falls and slips. By the the time we stopped for lunch many of the low spirits had turned to positive thoughts even though we had to share our lunch with the leeches. The food was amazing and was just the pick up we needed. It was beautifuly laid out as we sat and ate off banana leaves. After lunch we had a few more up and downs as we trekked the final leg to the homestay. At the homestay we were all relieved and amazed at what we achieved that day. We had a great dinner and settled down to sleep in groups at the different local houses for a good nights sleep.

The second day, we made the decision to kayak. After a late start we left the village and went to prepare. The weather was a huge improvement compared to the day before. The sun shined down on us as we dried our clothes and enjoyed the view of the river. The kayaking involved a mix of fun, fast rapids and slower, relaxing paddling. The guides showed us a great time as they taught us heaps about Laos and the culture. After a few hours we stopped for lunch and went for a swim. We had fun running up stream and drifting back down with the current as the guides prepared us more delicious, local food. We carried on paddling after lunch and stopped by a local village on the way. Many of the people were welcoming as we looked around and explored. We continued kayaking as the sun started to set but we got to our next homestay before it got completely dark. This village was very different to the last as they had no electricity, different food and a new way of living. We enjoyed it just as much as the last village as we dried clothes around the fire and had a candle lit dinner. We all slept in one big room for a well deserved sleep.

Today we continued to kayak down the river but weather decided to take another turn as it was cold and wet. We woke up early morning to look around the village at the locals and their morning routines. After breakfast we had a quick start as we tried to get warm again. As we began so kyak it started to rain again but it was still much easier than trying to slide down slopes of mud. We kayaked down more rapids for about 3 hours before again stopping for lunch which was prepared by the previous village. We ate and ran around to keep ourselves warm before kayaking the last leg to where our bus was ready and waiting.

Finally we are all back at Luang Namtha enjoying the luxury of hot showers and dry clothes. Soon we will head to dinner and plan for tomorrow where we will head to Houy Xai for our 2 day boat trip down the Meekong River.

Love you all and will talk to you soon.
Lots of Love
The Turtles
xxx

Kincoppal Rose-Bay get set for Indian leadership adventure

Two weekends ago, 11 motivated young ladies from Kincoppal - Rose Bay School descended on Balmoral Beach for their long anticipated training weekend. Decked in hiking boots and Antips t-shirts, the students are preparing for their Antipodeans Abroad Expedition to India in December 2014.

The team of 11 students, 2 teachers and 1 experienced leader will spend 3 weeks in India embarking on a leadership journey across the East Indian Himalayan region, and participate on basic renovation and building projects with local communities.

The students will use their initiative to make important trip decisions along the way, such as accommodation, transport options and meal choices.

Expedition Manager Anne Done says a leadership expedition ‘provides the opportunity for students to make real decisions as a team that affects the forward movement of their journey. It teaches them the consequences and rewards of their actions and decisions.’

The combination of stunning mountains including Everest, Makalu, Lhotse and Kanchenjunga (4 of the worlds highest mountains), along with Tibetan, Nepalese and Indian cultures provides a mixture of experiences only available in this diverse destination.

Asked what she was looking forward to the most Kincoppal student Molly Windsor said she was excited about 'experiencing such a different culture from the one in Australia that I have always grown up in. Although, this may be a challenge at certain times I am looking forward to broadening my cultural understanding of the world.' Molly is also looking forward to is the community project and trek along the stunning Singalila Ridge.

Molly hope to return to Australia with a more 'appreciative approach to life.' And with a increased 'sense of social justice and empathy.'

The past month has seen many training weekends for schools around Australia embarking on similar journeys abroad to Morocco, Borneo and Tanzania. Schools such as Roseville College (Morocco and Laos), Shore School (Tanzania) and Barker College (Morocco) are in the final stages of preparation for their overseas experience.

Good luck to all our summer Expedition teams!

Find out more about Antipodeans Abroad leadership Expeditions here.

Churchie Athletics Tour heads to Kenya

 

 

 COUNTRY: Kenya
PROGRAM: Expeditions
PROJECT: Leadership Expedition
WRITTEN BY: Churchie - Tom, Louis, Bill and Max

*See more photos on Facebook

On Friday the 21st of June, the Churchie 11 + 2 accompanied with Natalie set off for Kenya. The trip started with a 9hr plane flight from Brisbane to Bangkok. The boys were excited yet exhausted after the hectic flight just to be told that our connecting flight to Nairobi had been delayed by 7hrs. This resulted in a stay-over in Bangkok’s wonderful Novotel Hotel. We had dinner at 12am and we were to wake up at 5am to catch our connecting flight, just what the boys wanted to start the trip!

As we landed from our 9hr flight from Bangkok to Nairobi we were very optimistic on what the journey would bring. We thought the travel was over only to realise that Mombasa, our next destination, was a 10hr bus ride away. We stayed in Mombasa Beach Resort for the night and after a nice African breakfast we hit the road again to Camp Makongeni which was a further 2hrs away. The Kenyan driving is not like any other country. Tom and I were beyond scared of what was to come. To overtake cars in the same lane, Kenyan drivers go into the next lane, which is against the flow of traffic, which creates suspense throughout the bus rides. Finally, we arrived at Camp Makongeni to be greeted in the African way. The Kenyan people are the one of the nicest people in the world and it has been a great experience to learn the ways of the people. Don’t worry parents, we have secured many gifts for you and will continue to get some. Overall, the beginning of the trip, which has included a full day of work and soccer with the locals where Lachie Taylor scored our only 2 goals, has been a great experience for all the boys. Jumbo (Hello),

Asanti (Thank-you),
Mot (Tom Walvin) and Louis McAfee


The second insta;lment from the boys - we've arrived in Iten and we have internet! More updates to come...

Jambo again!

Yesterday (Tuesday the 25th) morning, after a grueling training we continued working on the community projects. We split into two groups and focused on two aspects of the school building. One group set to work on making door frames and panels for the three rooms, with the assistance of some of the experienced locals. Throughout the day, through constant chiseling, hammering and sawing the group finished exhausted with two frames and three door panels completed. The other group worked hard on finishing off the previous days work on the main component of the project, the concreting of the floor. Wanting to finish the floor a day earlier than planned gave us twice the amount of work to finish than the previous day.

Despite the challenge the group was able to pull through and complete our goal for the day. The afternoon finished off with another great game of soccer against the almighty Kenya schoolboy side, self-elected ‘Barcelona’. The next morning we again got up early and had another training session, running through the village to the greetings of the locals. After another excellent breakfast we loaded into taxis and headed to the beach, excited for a well-deserved day off work. Along with the amazing sight we were met with at the beach, the water was nothing but incredible, with some of the students even braving a camel ride from a local, definitely a highlight of the trip.

After everyone dried off and Jack Baird finishing his daily tanning work, we set off to the world heritage listed site of the Kaya Kinondo sacred forest. It was an excellent experience with both tree hugging and vine swigging involved, led by a knowledgeable tour guide who never failed to remind us of the strict ‘no kissing’ rule in place within the forest. We headed back to camp Kenya and started the preparation for the much anticipated football game against the local Barcelona youth team, consisting of some questionably aged players. A lot of fun was had even though we went down two goals to their ten. The day was finished up with giving out Churchie shirts and old sand and soccer shoes to the Kenyan team along with showing them a traditional Churchie war cry. As we depart the camp tomorrow we will be leaving with good memories for life.

Regards,
Bill and Max.

First update from St John's Anglican College Expedition, Thailand & Laos

COUNTRY: Laos & Thailand
PROGRAM: Expeditions
PROJECT: Leadership Expedition
WRITTEN BY: Robern Hinchcliffe, Dean of Students, St John's Anglican College

Hello everyone! We are are at at the end of our first week and the team have done, seen and learnt so much. After we left hectic and hot Bangkok we had an overnight train trip to Chang Mai. We were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the train and we all enjoyed a very spacious sleeper for our overnight trip. Once in Chang Mai the team arranged a bus to get us to Chang Rai. The team enjoyed shopping at the markets and eating local insect delicacies. The team then had a 4 day trek. Our first day of trekking was through thick jungle. Some of the team found this challenging but we all made it. During the trek the team cooled off in the stunning waterfalls along the way.

We stayed in the Lisu village for 2 nights in a traditional bamboo hut. We were treated to a dance show by the local children and the team taught them traditional Australian dances such as the Macarena (well it was all they could think of). We also visited the village coffee plantation, the village source of holy water to receive a blessing and dressed in traditional costumes for our village tour. The visit to the school was a highlight and the team taught the students how to do a rugby line-out (no surprises there). We also enjoyed a community ceremony. >

A highlight for the boys was the purchase of their traditional Lisu velvet pants (it will make it easier to recognise at Brisbane airport in 2 weeks!) On day 3 we hiked to the Ahka village which had more spartan accommodation. We did a village tour in the afternoon. We were treated to a session with the medicine man and purchase village crafts. We purchased fruit tress to plant at the local school and donated some of our fundraising money to purchase food for the village children who live too far away to return home daily so they live in the dormitory. The team played with the children at the school but it soon became apparent that the local children had more energy than our students did. That night we were treated to another traditional dance show and Kisina and Josh dressed as the village chief and his deputy.

On day 4 we trekked downhill to the stunning white temple and then travelled to the border crossing. We spent the night in Huoy Xia. The students heard western music for the first time in a week and had a great time singing in the restaurant. The team immediately identified the more relaxed style of the Lao people. For next two days the team spent on a slow boat to Luang Prabang. The days were long but we played cards, tested each other with riddles (Liam is proving to be a champion at this), read and caught up on sleep.

Last night during our team debrief about the first phase of the trip the students discussed in detail if our culture was luckier. They were also surprised at how warmly and enthusiastically the villagers welcomed us into their homes. The cultural immersion on the trek was an experience that they will never forget. Each one of them has achieved something and overcome personal challenges. You should be very proud of each of them.

We go out to the community project tomorrow. We arrive back in Luang Prabang on Saturday and I will post more facebook photos then.

Robern Hinchliffe,
Dean of Students,
St John's Anglican College

Canberra Girls Grammar make headlines in India!

Canberra Girls Grammar School recently arrived back from their 25 day expedition to India. One of the highlights for the team was their community project. The "A Team" did their community project with the Tibetan Women’s Association (TWA) in Kalimpong.

The TWA have a small community hall, which is the central place that the Tibetan women in the Kalimpong community gather, but also plays host to many other community events. Last year, there was an earthquake in the region, which badly damaged the building. The Tibetan women wanted to repair and renovate this building and then white wash the walls.

This project was coordinated by the local Tibetan Women’s Association and the Canberra Girls Grammar School team helped them to carry raw materials from the road side, transport and mix cement, and then assist in the white washing of the walls and building.
Whilst at the project, the team stayed in the community hall overnight, and ate meals cooked by the local Tibetan women.

The girls also had the opportunity to interact with the local community in the afternoons and evenings during their time with the Tibetan community, and to their delight had the opportunity to play the local Tibetan women's soccer team in a friendly match. The Canberra team were a bit of a hit, with two local papers photographing the two teams after the match and publishing the photos in the local paper the following day!

Congratulations Canberra Girls for the fantastic work on the TWA building, and also for managing to make it into the local paper in Kalimpong!"

Experienced Overseas Leaders Required

Antipodeans Abroad is a leading educational travel company with 15 years experience organising school-based leadership expeditions to the developing world.

We require leaders to supervise school student expeditions to India, Nepal, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Borneo, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Bolivia and Peru during mid-year and end-of-year school holidays.

The groups take part in adventure activities and community projects for 3-4 weeks. Our focus is on leadership and personal development through teamwork, independence, cultural exchange and personal challenge. Are you an experienced overseas outdoor leader?


We are holding a Leaders’ Selection weekend in Sydney to recruit new leaders for 2013 expedition teams from NSW, QLD, ACT, VIC, SA and WA.

Venue: Elenora Uniting Venues, Elenora Heights, Sydney
Date & Times: 9am Saturday 23rd March - 4pm Sunday 24th March 2013.

All applicants who are appointed to lead an expedition will be paid $300 for the weekend. Potential leaders will come from all over Australia and will be responsible for their own travel costs. Meals and accommodation will be provided.

Preference will be shown to leaders who have the following:

- Extensive experience working with Australian high school students in an outdoor setting
- Independent travel experience, preferably in developing countries
- Wilderness first aid qualification
- 25 years or older

All interested applicants are encouraged to apply. Please email a current CV, including your relevant travel experience to: Danielle Bukovinsky - danielle@antipodeans.com.au

Contact: Danielle Bukovinsky
Phone : (02) 9413 1522
Fax : (02) 9410 0751
Email : danielle@antipodeans.com.au
Website : http://www.antipodeans.com.au

Antipodeans Abroad and Barker College over the past 8 years

Barker College, Indian Himalaya, 2004

Barker College, Tanzania, 2011

PROGRAM: Expeditions & Tours
SCHOOL: Barker College
Written By: Sally Collins, Assistant Dean of the Senior School, Barker College

Antipodeans Abroad have been working with Barker College to provide amazing experiences since 2004 through the Expedition program. Typically the trips have involved a cultural immersion, an opportunity to improve their language skills and a physical adventure that pushes the students to achieve something that they have never achieved before; climbing Mt Meru, Tanzania (4566m), trekking the highest pass in Peru, completing a 8 day trek through the Indian Himalayas or trekking the great Wall of China in the snow for 8 days.

Antipodeans Abroad has always organised an amazing community service component in each Expedition helping others who are less fortunate than us; including resourcing a Tibetan school and repainting part of the monastery, putting a first toilet, shower and hot water service into a rural school in south west China, making an outdoor eating area for a poor boarding school in Peru and setting up a perma-culture area for an orphanage in Tanzania.

The students fundraise for the year leading up to the Expedition, with a common amount of $AUS7000 raised to fund their stay and the equipment they will need on their community project. Monday is also raised for extra schooling, resources, equipment and upkeep of the project in each country.

Barker College, India, 2005

On these Expeditions, the students develop an understanding and awareness for others, emotional intelligence and a travel independence that cannot be given to them in Australia. They book restaurants, accommodation and transport on the Expeditions and plan and arrange the itinerary. Antipodeans support the students with regular itinerary, fundraising and team building meetings.

A quote from a student that joined one of our expeditions –

“It was a very different experience in another country without the guidance of my parents. I definitely learnt to be an independent traveller and how to control what I was doing. I have returned a changed person. I have come to appreciate the things I take for granted in this country. I came back with a renewed love of my friends as I hadn't seen them in ages but most of all I came back with an open mind. Seeing the orphans living such a simple life made me think about mine, all the over exaggeration and emphasis on wealth and happiness that comes with it. It was absent there, it was just simple.”

Barker College, Tanzania, 2011

Expedition Leader's Selection Weekend

PROGRAM: Expeditions & Tours
Written By: Kia Langmead, Expedition Manager

Antipodeans Abroad recently held their annual Expedition Leader's selection weekend, where potential leaders gather to determine their suitability as a future leader on an Antipodeans Abroad expedition. People flew in from all around the country to take part in the weekend, and the weekend attracted a variety of quality Australian facilitators and educators with a wealth of experience and travel.


An Antipodeans Expedition is a program that allows young people to explore new horizons through a 3-4 week expedition in a developing country. The program brings together groups of students aged 14-18 years to discover new cultures, face new challenges and learn new skills, under the supervision of professional leaders. The Antipodeans Abroad Leader has overall responsibility for the welfare of the expedition and members of the team, as well as foreseeing and preventing any risks involved in the activities carried out by the group.

They are also responsible for facilitating the learning outcomes associated with the expedition. The role of an Antipodeans Leader is a dynamic and multi-faceted role, and therefore we were looking for people over 25 years of age, with experience working with young people, extensive personal travel and the ability to make good judgment calls under pressure.

Saturday comprised of a series of workshops, presentations, scenarios and role plays, designed to get the potential leaders thinking on their feet and responding to events that may occur on an Antipodeans Expedition.

Sessions were dynamic and varied, ranging from discussion about how to respond to an emergency situation in a remote area, to observing personalities and leadership styles through initiatives in the outdoors.

Those that were invited to stay on to the Sunday, joined returning Antipodeans leaders and took part in a day of leadership training. Areas that were covered include: Professionalism, roles and responsibilities, communication and emergency procedures and a question and answer session with a ‘Panel of Experts’, which consisted of a panel of returning leaders who offered advice on leading various aspects of an expedition.

All in all, it was a great weekend. Many thanks to all those who made a big effort to be there, and who came from around the country to be a part of the weekend. We look forward to working with you in the future!

The Expedition team,
Danielle, Anne, Kia, Joe and Michelle

Barker College update from the heart of Tanzania

Having a blast! We arrived back to Arusha from the Trek yesterday. Everybody reached the summit, 4560m above sea level after 3 days & 1 night of solid walking (over 30 hours of walking).

On the Wednesday morning we got picked up by Maasai Wanderings (the group organising the trek) and all squished in to a 12-seater bus. The drive there was amazing and we got our first glimpse of African wildlife seeing Zebras, Giraffes, Buffalo and 'Pumbas' (warthogs). We started the trek after a deliciously fried lunch and began our initial 6 hour climb to Miriakamba hut at 2500m above sea level. To keep ourselves entertained while we walked we sang, learnt African songs from our guides Ozzy & Buster and told stories whilst enjoying the scenery. After climbing 1000m we reached the hut being greeted with a platter of warm popcorn and hot chocolate whilst playing a competitive game of UNO. We had a delicious dinner of soup, potatoes and vegetable stew with the Tanzanian staple of stale, sugary bread. We slept in a comfortable wooden hut with bunk beds. Everybody slept like a baby after a hard day of walking.

We woke up early on Thursday to warm peanut butter, sloppy porridge and some more stale bread. The hike began with lots of steep stairs that seemed to go on forever. This tested our endurance. During the walk we noticed we were higher than the clouds and saw the beautiful view of the tip of Kilimanjaro. We arrived at Saddle Hut after another 7 hours of walking, reaching 3500m. After a short break of popcorn & UNO we tackled Little Meru peak at 3800m, to help us acclimatize for the next day. At the peak we saw a breathtaking view of the Meru summit which we would reach the next day. We were also treated to an African rhyme & dance from our guide Buster. We descended to Saddle Hut taking our total walking time up to 15 hours. We had an early dinner and rushed to bed to get as much sleep as we could.

After 3 hours sleep we woke up at 11pm, 2 hours more than Jen (Redknap) who left early to allow for her her ankle & knee injuries. We followed our head torch lights up the mountain for hours. Unfortunately, not everyone was feeling 100% so we had constant breaks throughout to ensure everyone made it to the top. The walk consisted of rock-climbing, sheer cliff faces, and steep, slippery volcanic ash mounds. Many people questioned why we were doing this at 2am in the morning. We got our hopes up everytime we saw one of the billion false summits, that we were all hoping would be the top. At 6:30am as the sun slowly began to rise we got our first glimpse of the real Mt Meru summit. This was accompanied by a spectacular view of Mt Kilimanjaro with the sunset which made for a good pic.

Eventually we gathered below the summit where everyone was feeling tired & sore. We all touched the flag together and took a well deserved rest at the top. The summit was freezing but nobody cared and everyone was scrambling for a good picture. We also enjoyed probably the highest game of UNO being played in Africa. The descent from the summit began at 8:15 am when most people would still be in their beds. The descent tested our knees & quads & calf muscles & ankles & backs & will power. Even after arriving at Saddle Hut we had to continue our walk down to Miriakamba to stay the night.

We began our final descent at 8: 20am and walked for about 4 hours to reach the base of the mountain, where we were greeted by buffalo with certificates and flags and had a group photo and a nice coke. We then had a little ceremony where we thanked all the porters (24), cooks, guides, leaders etc. and gave them all tips to show our immense gratitude for their hard work & support in getting us up the mountain. They performed an African song and we sung the song Buster had taught us in reply. We then crammed back into a bus and returned to Arusha, for a well-deserved and highly demanded rest where the smell quickly dispersed into the shower. After a really good group debrief we went out for an early Indian dinner at Big Bite - a group favourite. On the way we saw two lots of wedding cars being accompanied by a loud African band on the back of a ute. The Indian well & truly cleared our system and everyone enjoyed a really good sleep.

Jess & Max cutely versed each other in an alphabet memory game to entertain themselves. In true style, they tied. Elise became besties with Buster discussing the widest range of topics including politics, tax systems, schooling subjects etc. Will & Rach led the group in a range of African and Barker and Australian chants & songs to lift the spirits and spread a bit of Red Fever in Africa. Alec took spectacular sunrise photos of Kili. Zoe showed her true determination and fighting spirit to summit the mountain. Tracey showed her huge mental strength to reach the summit (which made up for her physical strength). Mel acted like as a caring mother as we strode to the summit, ensuring we were constantly drinking and happy. Sara took out the award for falling over the most, much to the amusement of the rest of the group.

Steph had extreme blisters but pushed through without complaint. Bri maintained her bubbly self and was dubbed female Bear Grylls due to her spider-man like climbing abilities. Courtney proved her athletic ability in racing down the mountain. Sally wasn't so keen to make friends with the giant ravens at Saddle Hut. Stu won UNO at the summit and was crowned UNO alititude king. Sally Collins is an excellent leader and pushed us up the mountain. Papa (Rob Schulz) inspired us and provided light-hearted humour depsite suffering knee issues on the way down. Jen was a true inspiration to everyone with her determination.

Today we are having a relaxing day in Arusha, planning on returning to the markets and having a nice lunch. Tomorrow morning we are saying goodbye to Arusha and being picked up by our Safari leader Godwin for 4 days of exploring African wildlife which everyone is really really really excited for.

Next update will come in Moshi, following the Safari. Hope all is well in Sydney. Until next time,

Love from everybody. Jess B, Zoe D, Alec N, Sara R & Stu C.

Update from Brisbane Girls Grammar School in Borneo

Hi all, Its been a while since our last update and we have had a very busy week and a half with the project and the climb. We set off for the project not knowing what to expect however were very pleased at the end of the five days, The work was gruelling - lugging wood and concrete bags of up to 25kg's up a massive hill, sawing, hammering, shovelling, you name it. At the time we were all very tired and the heat didnt help but the experience was so rewarding as we could physcially see our progress as the walls of the pre-school appeared and the area of concrete floor expanded.

The people at the project were warm, welcoming and lovely. They made every effort to make sure we were comfortable and the food was divine. On the first and last day the villagers threw ceremonys for us, the first of which was a welcoming and "stay safe" ceremony and the latter a goodbye ceremony. On the last night all of us dressed up in traditional clothing and learnt the Iban dances and then followed to teach the children some "traditional" western dance including the macarina, twist, chicken dance and krumping. This was a particularly special night as we later learnt that the adult villagers, who got up to dance with us as the night progressed, are typically very modest and would normally never get up and get their groove on.

On the last day the chiefs son and Gary - the spiritual leader - said a farewell speech and we gave the villagers small presents which they were delighted to recieve. Upon leaving the chief's son and Gary hugged us which is also something they have never done before and the women of the tribe wept whilst the children held our hands down to the longboat and waved us off. It was amazing to experience this minimalist lifestyle and heartwarming to see the impact we made on the tribe. We hope they will be hugging all day long and dancing to western beats for as long as they live.

From here we went to embark on the dreaded ascent up Mt Kinabalu. We began the day at 6.30 with a buffet breakfast to ensure we hd enough energy for the day. We only climbed the first 6 kilometers to Laban Rata - a halfway resthouse. It took the group between 6 and 8 torturous hourse to make it here and at around 3.00 it began to rain cats and dogs and girls found themselves clambering up rocky hills which turned into waterfalls in desperation to get to shelter or Laban Rata. All girls and teachers made it to Laban Rata which was a fantastic and admirable effort however not everyone summited due to illness and injury. The next morning was a very early start indeed at 2.00 for the girls to begin the summit. The girls found this particularly challenging however made it up to the summit in around 4 hours, just in time for sunrise.

Two days later and many of us cannot sit down without groaning and walking down stairs is a particulary funny site - 19 robust individuals grappling for the railing to or slowly lowering themselves down one set at a time moeaning the whole way. Today we have been exploring Sepilok and will be travelling Sandakan tomorrow to see the War Memorial and other sites before beginning our trip home.

Hope everyone is well and we are counting down the days till we can see you all again. If we don't speak again then we will see you on monday night at the airport. Miss and Love you all,

Team Kebersamaan Brisbane Girls Grammar School

Magical Cuzco and the llama - Roseville College

Dear Loved Ones, On Saturday (Peru time) we had a long day of travel. We'd arranged to get bus transportation from our hotel in Puno to Cuzco. We'd also made a reservation at a beautiful looking hostel, which was right within our budget. All was perfect.

We set off on the 7 hour bus ride with much enthusiasm, and pumped music from the portable speakers we'd brought along just for occasions like this. We sounded fabulous, but are glad there aren't any videos to prove otherwise.

At first the scenery was rather boring. Everything was dry, brown and repetitive. But then, as we started to climb higher in the Andes (just had to throw that in there - did you know we're in Peru????!!!! So exciting!) things became greener, the corners on the road became tighter, and sitting in the same seat for an extended period became a little more bearable.

We stopped for a toilet break at a pretty spectacular lookout. It probably seems like we go on and on about toilets, but it's pretty exciting when one appears in the middle of nowhere. Anyway, it was here that we had a chance to get a photo with a real llama! (See attached - hope you like 'em). It was extremely smelly, nowhere near as cute as they look in The Emperor's New Groove, but everyone back home will be hearing about just how cute and cuddly they were - please don't spoil it with reality.

You'll notice from the picture too that we were at an elevation of 4,335m. For those of you who don't know what that means, it means that basically there was no oxygen in the air and we're superheroes for surviving it! However, we did manage to shop, get excited about the llamas, run around taking photos of the magnificent vistas and all that before we realised, so perhaps we'll be ok for the trek after all. Still, it was the highest we've been so far, and there were a few headaches afterwards. Needless to say, the party bus pumped the tunes a litre lower after this, and some even settled in for a nap.

Lunch ended up being in a buffet restaurant, with full glass walls so you can see the rise of the mountains above. It was such a chillaxing (combination of relaxing and chilling out) moment to be able to guzzle gourmet dishes whilst taking in the view. We've been pretty lucky with our food finds on this trip, but we're not sure it can continue being this good.

Among the things we got to try were this scrumptious chicken curry that seems to be all over the place in Peru, steamed veggies (these taste so good after such a carb high diet!), really yummy rice with some sort of yellow stuff on it (sorry, can't give you much more than that), a zillion other chicken varieties, beef salt ado (sort of like a stir fry but way way better), and that's before talking about the soups, noodles, creme caramels, purple corn jelly (yes, that's the truth!) and a really delicious rice pudding. The highlight was perhaps the real live bananas that we could peel ourselves so they were safe to eat. Fruit is the one thing we're missing a bit on this trip. Please have fruit bowls stocked for when we get home. (Thanks).

Anyway, we had to get back on the bus and the last few hours seemed to drag on forever. Trivial pursuit challenges were had, singing continued a little, but sleeping seemed to be the most popular activity.

Driving into Cuzco was such a disappointment. We'd read so much about it and were so excited about the cobblestone streets, so when we could only see dirty, dilapidated buildings on scruffy, ordinary streets, we thought we'd got it all wrong. However, once we got to the main square, the Plaza de Armas, all our dreams came true.

Cuzco is magnificent! There are stunning churches and cathedrals everywhere. The streets really are lined with cobblestones. At one point, we thought our bus wasn't even going to make it up one of the steep inclines, but he got there in the end by zig-zagging across the road. Everything was perfect, until our bus driver asked us where our hotel was.

This is a good lesson we've learned, and we'll never repeat it. We all assumed the bus driver knew where the hotel was. We thought he was with the lady who had organised it for us. Turns out they were different companies, even though we'd dealt with them together (how does that work??!!) so there was no way of finding out where our super cheap, super cute, super convenient, home for 20 people was. We had thought we were so organised that we hadn't even brought the brochure with us. It's ok though, we're tough and independent and know how to put a roof over our heads, so we did just that.

Some of us minded the bags in the main square, watching all the people hanging out on a Saturday afternoon. While this was happening, the leaders for the day went off to find accommodation. Luck had us find a gorgeous Hospedaje (hostel style accommodation), perfectly located, with availability. However, it was out of our price range. It was too good to be true... or was it?

We've learned how to bargain, so worked out a deal with the hotel owner. We got it down to the price we needed, and even got breakfast included! Score! The group then had to carry their oversized packs through the streets of Cuzco, where we then dumped our stuff at the hostel, before hitting the town to see what was on offer.

We started by walking uphill from our hostel. Dinner was on the menu and we found a great little place that closed its doors once we were all safely inside, and even put up the closed sign. It was so exciting to have a whole restaurant to ourselves!

The budget people had bargained an excellent deal which would see us eat a huge meal of entree and main, well within our budget. We're becoming pros at this. It's a shame we can't do this sort of thing in Australia!

Seeing a lively, bustling place, many tourists stuck their heads in, made comments that clearly it must be a wonderful restaurant if it is so full, so they said they'd go back the next night. The truth is, we hadn't even eaten the food yet! It's funny how congregating in a place makes things popular, often for no good reason at all. Second element of the truth - we wouldn't go back there. We've been spoilt with some amazing food in Peru, and unfortunately they just didn't make the cut. There was nothing wrong with it, but we've had better.

After this, we went down to the main square and had a look around. The first thing we all found was McDonalds, so of course had to buy a McFlurry for dessert. When in other countries, it's crucial to experience all of the cultural elements, including pop culture and fast food, so we immersed ourselves for a learning experience and will most likely do so again.

The Snickers McFlurry was a winner (chocolate fudge, Snickers chunks), as was the M&Ms McFlurry (caramel fudge, mini M&Ms). It seems the ultimate champion was the Oreo McFlurry (chocolate fudge, Oreo pieces), so we'll have to experience it for ourselves if it wasn't our choice on this night. Plenty of time for that.

We returned to the hotel happy but tired. A team meeting was held to work out what the plan of action would be for our first day in Cuzco, and you'll read all about that in the next email.

We hope you're all well and can't wait to see you!

Love Team B. Today B is for Bus-lagged.

Roseville College take a trip to Lake Titicaca in Peru

Hola Amigos! Today we went to Lake Titicaca... it's hardly a lake, it is a sea. It is the most ridiculously large lake in the whole world.

But first off today, we woke up in PUNO and began to truly discover the impacts of altitude sickness. After yesterday afternoon, where Kate, Emma and Yianna spent dinner about to vomit in the bathroom (with Yianna being the only successful one!) we slowly discovered more effects of altitude. Walking up stairs caused us all to puff for air, and some to have headaches and tingly feet. If the PE Department could hear us breathing, they'd be sending us off on massive fitness programs thinking we're in danger of heart attacks. But, it's just because the air up so high has less oxygen, and nothing to do with fitness, so we'll be fine once we adjust.

After breakfast, which consisted of eggs, bread and pineapple juice, we were picked up by a bus and taken down to the port of Puno. Gorgeous ladies in traditional dress (called a bollera) were selling all sorts of trinkets, and the water looked so inviting. As we got closer, the stench was a bit much, but we boarded our boat and off we went.

We are sure that the tour guide would have been both informative and interesting had we understood a word he was saying, but from what we could make out (he was speaking English!), Lake Titicaca is named from a combination of local languages and it means Grey Puma. We were shown a map of the lake, and we could vaguely make it out. Hopefully when we get home we'll remember still and be able to show you.

About an hour after boarding, we arrived at the first of the islands we were to visit. The Uros floating villages are completely man-made islands, that are built up year after year to house small villages. There are a number of steps to creating and then maintaining such an island, and once reeds are put down, layer after layer, the village celebrates with a game of volleyball. This actually has a purpose too - the running and jumping compacts the reeds so the island remains stable.

We were greeted by woman of the village, along with the president. He then took the time to explain their lifestyle, and we even ate some of their staple diet - the Lake Reed. It tasted a bit like celery with heaps of sugar in it, and for those of us who liked it, we chowed down. The president suddenly started jumping up and down making all sorts of strange noises, and when this failed to communicate his message, he ran around snatching back the reeds. Apparently it's an acquired sort of food and if foreigners eat too much of it at first, they can get really sick. Luckily we were all ok.

After shopping (it seems that this is possible even in the most remote of places!) for handicrafts created by the women of the Uros, we set off on a reed boat which even had a top deck! We were rowed (and Bellie and Kate had a go too) across to another island, where we saw the local school and a 7th Day Adventist Church. A little more shopping was had, then we set off for Isla Taquile - a real island out on the lake, not far from Bolivia.

On such a beautiful day, the only thing to do was to climb up on top of the boat, stretch out, and fall asleep to the gentle rocking. This was one of those really special moments where we talked about life, marvelled at the spectacular views, and relaxed just taking in the serenity.

Arriving at Taquile, it felt like we'd jumped from Peru to the Greek Islands. Spectacular stone arches lined the path up the cliffs, and the water was so blue it looked like it had stepped out of a painting.

We were totally pumped to be doing something energetic after sitting still for so long, so we set off with a bounce in our step. This was a big mistake. We'd forgotten about the altitude and the fact that it was our first day in it. 3,900m above sea level at the highest navigable lake in the world. This means that we got about 20m (no joke) before we had to stop to catch our breath. It would be a bit ridiculous to see if you had no idea about the effects of altitude. However, a few bananas later and a nice steady pace meant we huffed and puffed our way up the hill. It was well worth it.

When we got to the top, the most stunning views were all around us. Looking out across the water, we could see Bolivia (seriously!) and it was tempting to organise a boat to go across just to say we've been there. On that note, the Uros floating villages have to be tethered down so that they don't cross international waters, because apparently there can be issues with visas and passports, because they don't have either of these!

We walked right around the island, stopping in the main square to look at the sparkling waters below. There was a really cool sign post with directions and distances to all sorts of places, and this is where we found out that we're actually 13,027km away from Sydney, as the crow flies.

A delicious lunch was had at the Cafe Flor de Coca. This translates as the Coca flower cafe. For those of you who have never come across Coca before, it's what Cocaine is made from. Don't worry, we haven't encountered any of that, but Coca leaves are used to assist with altitude sickness. We were treated to fresh trout, yummy soup and lots of bread.

As well as great food, we had a great cultural lesson. We were taught about the differences in the local dress, so now know how to identify men who are married, engaged, under 18, or single and looking. Quite convenient really don't you think?

All too soon it was time to trek back down to the water. Down was definitely much easier than up, but it was kind of sad to leave this magnificent paradise.

The boat ride back consisted of lots of laugh, Trivial Pursuit challenges (it's amazing how much our teachers don't know! And pretty funny the stuff they do know!), singing dancing and just absorbing the wonders around us. It was hard to imagine how a day such as this could ever be improved.

We returned to the same place for dinner and were treated to another festive song and dance routine. All sort of dishes were tried - chicken, alpaca, beef, etc, and we went home well fed and ready for the next adventure.

We so wish you all could have been there to share in this adventure with us. It truly was one of the greatest days of our lives.

Love to all,

Team B. Today B is for Burnt (but don't worry, it's just a little bit, and we're all applying Aloe Vera).

St Margaret's School head to rural Vietnam

During the first week of our intrepid adventure to Vietnam we ventured to the remote village known as Moi in the Mai Chau region. Here we funded and built a toilet block and playground until our arms were toned and our hearts were content from our achievements. With the extra funds raised by our supportive school community we were able to supply books, toys, clothing and sports equipment for the children. Over the five days we immersed ourselves into the Vietnamese culture, enjoying meals cooked by our chefs whilst being accompanied by our tour guide Tuang (Pine) and our best friend Phung. Throughout the project we spent time with the local children playing games. On the final night, the local village gathered with traditional dances and clothing to thank us for our efforts. At the conclusion of our project we commenced a challenging 3 day trek through rice fields and picturesque scenery. We stayed at the villages of Hang Kia and Van along the way. We were awarded by taking a chillaxative at Halong Bay where we explored mysterious yet breath taking caves and kayaking. After enjoying an exquiste seafood buffet with the finest cuisine caught before our very eyes, we soared 10 metres off our luxurious cruise liner into the crystal blue water, like a seagull chasing a chip into the sky getting a birds eye view of the surrounding rock islands. Vi
With still a few precious days to enjoy in Hoi An we will be returning to Brisbane on Sunday flaunting our well-established sock tans and Oreo addictions.
St Margaret's, Vietnam-September 2011