Bienvenidos a Nicaragua

A bit of calm has returned to Field Base after a very hectic 2 day changeover period between the end of phase 1 and the start of phase 2. Changeover is a busy time for logistics, making sure equipment is returned, tent poles mended, broken tools replaced, new food ordered and issued, and everyone is allocated to new projects. It's also when the groups can share their project experiences with everyone through the infamous 'skit' presentation. Field base staff didn't miss out on sharing their own view of phase 1, premiering our very own video of 'You're Unbelievable' to an audience of venturers and project managers (for anyone that has seen questionable photos on facebook involving shell suits and side ponytails, it was all in the name of quality video appearances). My attempts to upload the video here have failed so far but I will persevere...

Just before changeover we were joined by 14 more venturers who take part in the expedition for two out of the three phases. Before everyone else returned from projects, Gabby (our comms officer) and I, keen to re-live previous experiences as project managers (Gabby in Borneo, me in India), took the new recruits out camping for the night, giving them a taste of trekking, casevac practice, using the radio, setting up tents and using trangias. I think some of our enthusiasm was slightly lost on the group due to jet-lag induced exhaustion, but we were pleased that the day ended on a very positive note after a good review and a helping of energy bombs (a mix of oats, chocolate, nuts, raisins and condensed milk - essential for trek recovery).

Getting to know the new venturers, and about to play a game of 'evolution'

ready for trekking

Phase 2 began in very much the same way as phase 1 - a 3am start, feeding 150 tired people breakfast, encouraging 150 tired people to do some cleaning, packing them off into buses bound for the corners of Costa Rica and Nicaragua, finishing cleaning, cooking an epic breakfast for ourselves, then spending the day recovering with frequent naps.

Yesterday I got back from a night with the Xray 1 team (in phase 1 all teams are 'alpha', phase 2 'xray' and phase 3 'zulu') doing the coast to coast trek. It was lovely to go back into Barbilla National Park, which I visited to see the Alpha 1 trek group as well, only this time it was in thick fog and felt a bit like driving across Dartmoor. It didn't disappoint though and we got some great toucan sightings along the way.

The morning after the fog

view on the drive back to Turrialba

The next activity on the agenda for me is more exciting - I'm off on a 10 day road trip to visit 4 of our projects, 3 of which are in Nicaragua. So I'm now writing from the lovely coastal town of San Juan del Sur after a long day of driving up to the border, going through the lengthy border crossing, then being rewarded with spectacular views of Momotombo volcano across Lake Nicaragua and reaching San Jan for a stunning sun-set.

Tomorrow we'll leave the towns behind and head for the much more rural setting of San Ramon, about 4 hours drive from here, where the Xray 8 team are continuing work on building a pre-school. I can't wait to get out to the project sites, spend time with the teams and get to meet the beneficiaries - photos to follow once the road trip returns!