Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Hi Everyone,
Sorry for the delay... Raleigh training is pretty full on and not much spare time for communication with the outside world... better late than never as i always say:-)
Well most importantly i am still alive and well... unless you count the hundreds of mossie bites i have all over my legs, but i am learning to love them!!
Borneo is a lovely place- very beautiful and the people are lovely, very friendly. There are lots of weird and wonderful foods and animals...
I have now been here for 8 days, after one night at the lovely Step Inn hostel in Kota Kinablu (whats a few bed bugs between friends) i came over to Raleigh HQ for 2 weeks training.. Generally we have been getting ourselve prepared for the young peoples arrival in a few days (ish... lost track of time so not sure when they are actually arriving??) and have been working on getting everything ready for our allocated projects.
As part of the training we went to camp out in the Jungle for a couple of days- this involved trekking in with tonnes of stuff and setting up camp in the pouring rain. Basically we had to make our own beds on a steep hill by hanging some tarp beween two trees and then attaching a hammock underneath ( Oh.. & did i mention it was pouring with rain??) & it was extremely muddy and slippy!! I fell over loads and if there was a hidden camera watching me trying to get into that Hammock that night we would have made a fortune selling the footage to You've been framed! I can hear you laughing!! Don't blame you.... I also trekked back to base in my Pijama bottoms cause everything else was wet and muddy, which was a bit of a sight ( the ones with the aliens for those who know:-) )
Anyway, I survived that ( just) and we were then allocated our projects. For phase one I will be at the Sunbear Sanctuary( next door to the Orangutan Santuary)- basically the project is about building a centre to protect the bears who are an endangered spieces and help to atrract visitors providing an income ( well thats the general gist i think- i hope no one offical is reading in case that wrong...!!) Anyway, it sounds amazing and we will get to visit the Organgutan Sanctuary behind the scenes whilst there.
For phase 2 & 3 i will be on a project in a very remote area of Sabah in a small village (20 houses or so) about 4 hours away from Kota Kinabalu. To reach the village you have to drive for 3 hours on the main road and then go in a 4x4 vehicle for 1 & 1/2 hours across rough terrain- this involves crossing a few rivers in the 4x4 and negotiating some very tough surfaces- sadly i am not trusted to drive a 4x4 so will just be a passenger!! I have just come back from spending a night in the village and it was amazing. The village is very poor and the people don't really own much at all. They have no electricity and only have a few taps in the village for water which were put in this year by Raleigh. They live in very basic wooden houses on stilts. Despite all this they are very generous and will give you whatever they have!
We stayed with the JKKK who is basically the chief of the village and what he says goes!! It was amazing and quite humbling to stay in this little shack- they have no furniture and its really just an empty shell. But some things really don't change wherever you are.. family dynamics- kids playing and fighting, arguing over the remote ( yes they had a TV and a generator!!) and what to watch on TV there were also posters of popstars inside and at one point we were watching a music video .. Blue!!! Yes, in the middle of the Jungle!!
The idea is to build a Bali Riher- (community hall) as currently they have no communal areas in the village to congregate. They will have this as a meeting place to discuss imporatnt issues and to use for other formal occassions such as weddings etc... The village gave this as the second most important issue for them after access to clean water- which they also now have. I will be heading off there with 2 other project managers and about 12 venturers for the final two phases ( so there for about 6 weeks in total to build it) We will be setting up a basic camp site in the village. The kids in the village are also great and we have already started making friends
Now i hear you saying.. how do you build a community hall?? and thats a very good question.. i have no idea!!Luckiliy one of the other PM's is a darn sight handier than me so if putting a design together as we speak.
Amyway i probably won't have a chance to update again until the end of the projects as things are all go once the young people arrive. So will probably be mid Dec before my next blog and i will let you know how i get on with all this..
I am having a great time, not homesick but missing my friends and family. Sending loads of love fro, Borneo- will attach some pictures really soon. Hope everyone is well
Loads and loads of love
Kate
xxxxxxxx
- comments
Linda Lawrance Amazing Kate. Sounds wonderful, brave you. Look forward to the next update. Love Linda xx
Maggie Dillon What an experience you are very brave keep it up look forward to reading the next episode Maggiexx
Suze Harrison Sounds amazing! It will b one of the best things you have ever done. Can't wait for the next installment.
Becky Ah it sounds fantastic Katie, I just read it out to Chi. Glad you're enjoying yourself. I want to live in that village, well maybe stay there for a few days :-). Stay safe, God Bless. I will write to you soon xxxx
Mum A lovely surprise to hear from you earlier and great to hear about your adventure -hope we can speak again before you start the first project but understand if it’s not possible. So proud of you, Kate, missing you lots already, lots of love, Mum xxxx
Maja Sounds wonderful!! - and yes, I did indeed laugh at the thought of you in alien pj mudsliding around the jungle! A very different sight compared to the running gear:) Looking forward to hearing from you again! Maja xx
Claire Ah bless you. Sounds brilliant, I can just picture you out there. Enjoy babes...Will send you some chocolate ! Take Care xx
Donna Spararco you are so brave being out there, you are doing such an amazing challange. I am very proud of you. Look forward to seeing some pictures, take care x x
Jenny Hi Hun it was lovely to hear from you. You did make me laugh. You are very brave and it's great to hear you are loving it. It sounds so exciting. I can't wait for the next installment. Love Jenny x
Natasha Evans Ahhhh ... Lovely to hear from you been thinking about you loads, So glad all is well and you seems to be having an amazing experiance, Your too funny cannot wait for the next update now, Dec seems to long away but as long as all is well is the mian thing... Have you got any beads in your hair yet lol... I will send you a package, anything in particular that you are craving for ... let me know ... Until the next time xxxxx
Sadie Aww so good to hear from you.....as always you made me laugh and also shed a tear at how brave you are!!!! Sounds great and I cant wait to hear more.....and see the finished building!!! Take care, lots of love...Sadie and the kids xxxxxx
Ruth It sounds wonderful and its so exciting to hear from you so soon. I'm trying to get you added on skype can you tell me what your name is on that as there seem to be many different Kathryn Langleys!? Speak / communicate soon R :)
Thais oh! how wonderful that all sounds!!! Go you are funny!! so proud of you and a bit jealous I must confess!! enjoy it! Looking forward to the next post and all the news!x
Wendy Hello Kate You have done so much already and i'm so happy that you are going to make a difference to people who do not have the same access to the basics that we take for granted. I hope that you enjoy all of your experiences, i look forward to hearing about them. spk soon W
Malini Wow it sounds like an amazing adventure and a very humbling experience at the same time. Wow wow wow.....i'm so impressed....and you're helping people...the animals/the bears........and the mossies at the same time, not that they need any help!!!! Love and peace enjoy enjoy enjoy :-) xxxxxxx
Auntie Elaine Hi Kate, lovely to hear from you - amazing time you must be having. What an exceptional thing to do! Well done and take care. Love Auntie Elaine xx
Annie Kate, great to hear from you so soon and hear all about your amazing adventures. Well done for what you're doing and keep living in the moment. Love and God bless, Annie x
Debbie Lapham Hi Kate What an amazing adventure you are having although the thought of heavy rain wh and mud whilst trying to make camp would of been enough to put me off! How fantastic to be on the other side of the world in such a fantastic place. I'm sure it is very hard work but it sounds like the rewards are worth it. Stay safe. Debbie
Amanda Glad to hear your ok. Sounds as if you have your work cut out for you...no pun intended. Makes one realise how lucky we are in the Western world with some of the things...mainly materially. We could learn a lot from the children in Borneo. Look forward to your next installment. x
Nicola Baxter jealous of you with bears and orangutans - amazing!
Dad Hi Kate - not sure when you will pick this up, but wanted to say we are enjoying your blog and jealous of those great adventures. If we can get a small parcel to you, what's on your wish list? Have fun and keep safe. xx
Claire D Hiya, Hope your well and enjoying yourself ? Not sure when your accessing this/facebook. We are all off to Australia for Xmas & NY not sure when you are heading that way ? Mail me when you can.... Talk to you soon xxx
Joanne Farraker Hi hon It sounds an amazing experience and so rewarding to provide a such a vital resource for the village for the village and all else fails when you get back you could become a brickie. We are in the process of having our kitchen done, your experiences, makes managing without a kitchen a walk in the park. Take care honey enjoy. Jo Jo