Stok Kangri, India

We met at the airport and identified each other thanks to the distinctive red Jagged Globe bags.  Excitement levels were high and anticipation great as we boarded the plane for Delhi.  Our first task was identifying our missing person.  Ian had become delayed during his transfer from Scotland but once located, the team was complete and everyone was ready to take on the challenge of the next seventeen days.

After recovering in Delhi for a day we flew to Leh.  The views from the flight were breath taking and only helped to increase the sense of excitement that everyone was feeling.  With a few days in Leh, the group which was fast becoming a team, took to the task of acclimatising to the new altitude of 3350m.  With local markets to visit, last minute supplies to stock up on and monasteries to visit, everyone was kept busy.

Finally, six days into the trip, the trek began.  The weather was on our side, as the torrential rains that we had been experiencing since our arrival in Leh cleared and the sun came out.  The first two days were beautiful providing fantastic views and an idea of what we could expect over the next 10 days.  Arid landscapes, mountains as far as the eye could see in every direction and a feeling of being the only people in the world at that time, made the walking even more special.

As we arrived at camp at the end of day two, everyone was breathless.  Not from the altitude but due to the pure beauty of the campsite.  Situated at a convergence of two rivers and raised slightly to provide views of mountain ranges in three directions, the general consensus was that life couldn't get much better.  Those with a little energy to spare joined a local boy of about ten years old in a game of football with a half inflated ball.  Luckily the fantastic spread which is known as dinner called us away before anyone had to admit to defeat by the altitude.

A long walk up across the Shang Pu provided a good work out to 4960m.  The views and sense of achievement at reaching the pass soon swept any memory of the climb out of our minds as we looked down towards the next valley.  When the team eventually reached the campsite after a long hard day of walking, it was the 360^o views rather than the long trek which had everyone breathless. Margaret, never far from one of her cameras, made it known that she had taken shots from the toilet tent as there is nothing better than a loo with a view.

After breakfast outside, taking in the views for the final time, the team headed towards the Matho La where we rewarded with our first clear sight of Stok Kangri.  Everyone stopped in their tracks.  It looked big.  Excitement bubbled below the surface as everyone was reminded that we were here to climb that beautiful and awe inspiring mountain.

Finally we arrived at a bustling base camp and spent a few additional days exploring the area, acclimatizing to the new height of 4900m and preparing for summit day.  With some minor medical problems to overcome, this time was much needed by some.  Others took the opportunity to remind themselves that patience and respect are essential in the mountains.

Summit day started at midnight the team set off in the silent darkness towards the mountain.  With the first few hours of the climb walked over the previous days, we were covering familiar ground but as we reached the glacier, anticipation grew.  Zoe turned round at this point, still suffering from a cold and some sickness and headed back to camp having made an excellent effort.  As the climb continued towards the ridge, others wondered if they too should have turned back.  

As the ridge was reached and the sun rose, the views swept some of the pain out of the climb the climbers minds.  The ridge was steep and with loose rocks and steep scree, there was some short roping to make sure that everyone made the summit successfully.  And they did.  As the prayer flags fluttered in the light wind, the sky was clear and the views endless.  The team rested for 40 minutes before making the return journey to camp.

And all this time, Biku was in our minds.  He left camp a little ahead of us and travelled with a determination I have seldom seen.  We passed him just below the summit as Margaret, Chris, Ian, James, Norbu and I made our way back to camp.  Biku was on the mountain longer than anyone else and with Temba to guide and support him, he didn’t waver and didn’t give up.  Biku returned to camp to a standing ovation from the rest of the team.

After much celebrating and smiles all round and a quick game of cricket at Base Camp, we returned to Leh and then Delhi where we found the energy to celebrate a little more.  Finally, goodbyes were said as Biku headed south to visit his family, Margaret disappeared on a camel and the rest of the team made their way back to the UK.

An enjoyable and successful trip - congratulations to all!




Leading for Jagged Globe
http://www.jagged-globe.co.uk/

Borneo Expedition

The team met at Heathrow on Friday 8th July for a very long flight to Borneo.  We knew we were almost there when we had a brief tour of Brunei whilst waiting for the final leg of the journey – a forty minute flight to Kota Kinabalu.  Relief, exhaustion and apprehension were all intermingled as our bus pulled up outside the Step-In Hostel which is to be our base in Kota Kinabalu for the month.  A night's sleep and we were all feeling much healthier and happier, so we headed out to Mamutik Island for a morning of jungle training and swimming in the South China Sea.

The next day, still acclimatising to the heat and aiming to drink four-five litres of water a day, we packed our large rucksacks with as much water proofing as possible and turned our attention to the rainforest.  Eight hours later, a bus ride and a 4X4 convoy deep into the jungle, we arrived at Long Pasia, the start of our four day trek.  It hadn’t rained for a week and we were quietly hoping that we may stay relatively dry.  The morning trek through the jungle was exciting as we saw new plants and insects, however the heat made the trekking hard work.  By three pm we were just a short way from the first night's camp and looking forward to resting in the sun and learning to put camp up as a team.  However, the skies opened and torrential rain saw everyone putting up  their tarps, hammocks and mosquito nets as effectively and efficiently as possible whilst trying to keep as much kit as possible as dry as can be.

The long period of dry weather followed by the rains brought out the leeches.  No one expected so many so fast and by the end of the trek only Miss McAlisdair had avoided being bitten!  Zac was one of the most delectable, modeling bites from head to toe.  The next day the leaches were still attacking as we trekked through the jungle, however this didn’t dampen team spirits and we continued to enjoy the environment and the camp sites.

After four days of jungle trekking, covered in mud, blood from the leaches and with a strange musty smell trailing behind us from our damp clothes, we arrived back in Long Pasia for a well deserved bucket wash and home cooked meal.  Looking cleaner and more relaxed, the team met at the village chief's house for a session of cultural sharing.  They showed us their local dances which we joined in.  The students showed off their musical talents with some extremely impressive and harmonious singing.

The team enjoyed their well deserved rest in Kota Kinabalu, before heading back into the jungle.  This time the destination was Kampung Kiau – the village that our local guide Henry comes from.

We treked to a camp deep in the jungle, swapped hammocks for tents and our nomadic lifestyle for a taste of living in one place in the jungle.  The group spent the rest of the first day and all of the next, getting involved in a variety of activities.  There were short treks for those that wanted some extra exercise, swimming in a pool by the camp to bring the temperature down and a huge river activity in an attempt to catch an interesting supplement to dinner – frogs, crabs and small fish.  Everyone tasted the delicacies however small the quantity!

The highlight of the camp stay was learning to use a parang (a small machete) to make items such as cups, bowls, spoons and blow pipes.  When the group learnt that the locals trek into the jungle with just a parang and a lighter, able to make and catch everything they need from the land, they were more than eager to begin to learn some of these skills.

Everyone took part in the night hike which provided the opportunity to see the jungle in a different setting.   Insects which fade into the background during the day were under the spotlight, and eyes became very focused as the group became more familiar with the jungle they were living in.

From the jungle the group headed straight to Mount Kinabalu.  This was to be the hardest point physically in the trek.  The first day took the group 6 km up the mountain gaining 1500m in height.  The first half was arduous and the steps which were often uneven and very high, almost held some of us back.  The next quarter was mentally challenging but the team pushed on and when the heavens opened and the winds picked up, the group put their heads down, pulled together and battled on to reach the hut they would sleeping for a few hours.

At 1:30am the alarm clock brought us back to reality;  A hut just below the summit of Mount Kinabalu and an exciting adventure ahead of us.  The atmosphere was tense as breakfast was forced down.  Everyone was excited and nervous, with questions flying around and hopes and fears shared.  Starting out in the dark we kept together and moved onto the roped section of the walk as a group.  Everyone was feeling the challenge of the mountain and a determination to reach the summit.

As the final hour of the climb drew near, small groups started to climb at their own pace, falling in with the rhythm of their bodies and their breathing at altitude.  As the summit photo was taken the group's thoughts turned to the few who were not standing on the top with them.  A special thought was spared for Mr Davies who was unable to come on the trip.

Climbing a mountain is only ever half the challenge and returning to the park entrance was no easier than the climb had been.  The steps were hard on everyone and both muscles and knees were screaming out by the time we returned to be reunited with a warm shower and a clean bed in the hostel at the bottom of the mountain.  However the spectacular views on the way down and feeling of accomplishment at such a great achievement soon worked their magic to help sooth away the pain.

Well done to all the summiteers!

Finally the school visited the Rainforest Discovery Centre where they completed the project phase of their trip.  They helped rebuild a path which had been washed away in recent flood.  The humidity in the forest made the work much harder but the reward of a swim in the pool and a visit to Sepilok orang-utan Rehabilitation Centre made it worth while.

Leading for Adventureworks
www.adventureworks.co.uk