Project Malaysia 2009

So they saved the best group until last. Good choice.

After five hard days of base camp, working 5am until 10pm, our good luck finially paid off. It seems like every PR stunt (the jobs that require good looking people-we must be the good looking group) that crops up, comes straight our way.

So far, we have tea and scones with the Sandakan President, were involved in a “ground breaking ceremony”…or should we say cluck cluck. We also had the strenuous task of “planting trees”. i.e placing a seedling into a predug hole then scoffing banana fritters at the reception As you can see its a hard life for group two. On a more serious note, we have finished off adding chicken wire to the wall at the Sunbear centre and emmmmmmmm *struggles to think what else we have done* oh yes, we have…ermmm…cooked and cleaned up for seven thousands guests and forty-three ants.

As you can see our group is the most talented. We would know like to share some of our intelligent quotes…

Kara: “It’s not my eyes, it’s my onions”.
Calum: “I’m not the dirtiest person at this camp…”
Katy: Also known as veggie woman.
Liam: “I want to call my first born Euphogenia”
Gordan: “According to the statistics…”
“I think what she was trying to say was…”
“I’ll try and explain this in lame mans terms, you wont understand…”
Alex: “I love my daddy Martin”

Good bye love team two. AKA THE SEX BOMBS XXXXXXXXXXX

Well this weekend was certainly interesting. The constantly changing weather kept us on our toes and unfortunately cut our time with the sumo suits down to only about ten minutes ?. Our work was the usual mix of physical activity and a bit more physical activity with a dash of standing around doing nout but I have to say the tree planting was fairly rewarding, until Martian told us only 30% of the trees would reach maturity. Bad times. There was also plenty of work fixing up the beaver lodge with the rampant weeds cut down and the shed repainted and weatherproofed. In the afternoon we were entertained by the SSAGO group from Edinburgh uni and were set a variety of challenges, a disturbing amount of which seemed to revolve around a pair of stuffed dogs (one of which was apparently a pigeon).

After a delicious tea cooked by the SSAGO guys and gals we went up to the baronial hall for a further brief on culture, hygiene and the John Muir award that we seem to be inline to get for our conservation effort over the final expedition and the training weekends and then retired to the marquee for supper and my opportunity to write this blog as the sole member on the newsletter team on the camp. I’m now done but if I keep typing I can stay in the chair. Gordon says the cake was very nice.
Daniel

This weekend has been a mixture of rain and sunshine throughout the day so we have had to stop and go all day when working out painting and weeding hopefully the weather will stay good for the rest of the weekend and let us get the work done faster.
David V

It’s been a busy week in the planning for Malaysia. It got off to a bad start when the project at the orang utan rehab centre was cancelled on us. Turns out that some volunteers had already rebuilt the nursery play area. As it was only a small project for us we haven’t tried to replace it, but it very disappointing – all the Explorers wanted to do it. Fortunately they took the news quite well and the other three projects look pretty certain.

This was offset later that day by Batuh Putih confirming that they can take both the 3 day trips from the two teams that want to go there and the surplus people that Sandakan Scouts can’t accommodate for the homestay. So another concern put to rest. The number we need to find places for turned out to be less than we thought too, so things are looking up.

The rest of the week was dominated by the forthcoming (& final) training weekend. Bags & tshirts were collected. Tents and cooking equipment were arranged – even if the latter was only confirmed after we arrived! Dodgy weather forecast and a lot of coming & going with the Explorers but should be good anyway.

Brian M