Thrid and final Phase - Comunity

Sorry about the lack of updates people... Well, i am on the final phase of my expedition to Chile and i am i a lovely little town on the coast of the second largest lake in South America and the border with Argentina, Chile Chico also known as Sun City. It is just great here, and it is nice to be back in civilisation after spending 7 weeks in the middle of nowhere! I still havent managed to get and photos online but if you want to know more about Chile Chico and see some pics check out.here

So what am i upto?? well, i shall tell you.. We are finishing of the work started by the previous two groups here which is a playground and football pitch fgor the kids of the town. This morning a few of us went into the local secondy school and did a very basic english lesson which was fun but yet midly embarassing. Tonight we are having a footbal match against the local firemen which will be interesting as you all kown what my football skills are like!! Tomorrow we will be going for a 20km trek up te coast of the lake. Still to come we have absaiing, trek into Argentina and a slot on local radio so i can blast out the sounds of Oasis to the Chile Chico Masses... better go, update soon!!

Phase 2 - Environmental project in The Tamango Reserve

This phase was a lot of fun. It all started off with a bumby nine hour bus ride south from field base. After a soaking on the first night we set about our work. For the first 4 days we were working on a path in the reserve, building small bridges and drainage ditches, widening, repairing and building foothpaths throughout the reserve. This work was lots of fun and very varied. The next 5 days we were working on building a section of road for the park guards. This was really tough and i hated this part as it wasnt really essentail to the park, just seemed like they were using us to get the work done... However, the campsite we were at was great altough we did have to walk for nearly an hour each day to work.. I also built some crazy sculpture things out of wood and stone on top of hills with the expedition artist.. Sounds odd but they looked reall cool!!

The final part was a boat ride down a river and across a lake, so we all donned pirate costumes for the occasion only to be greeted by a very small boat and very un piratey life jackets.. We soon arrived at possibly the nicest campsite ever for our final 5 days. These five days were spent walking through thick, thick spikey undergrowth looking for the illusive and endangered andean deer called Huemul, of which we saw none. However, it was lots of fun ad the scenery was stunning... It was also a guys birthday while were were there so we had lots of cake, ballons, a game of home made twister.. much fun was had by all!!

next phase...

hello again...

well after making a fool of my self in out fist skit (taking part in a comedy areobics session on stage in front of 100+ people in my thermals) i will find out what phase i am on next. I could be ripping out fences in a national park, digging paths through another national park, building stuff for local old people or building a playground in a nearby town. we will see! only one one of those sites i should be able to keep in touch by email or phone so you may not hear much from me over the next few weeks. But we will see. i hope to get some photos on here soon as there are a few digital camers kicking around the group. i will see if i can manage to keep the beard for the full 10 weeks but it is starting to itch badly already! but if i did keep it, that would be and achievement to be proud of!!

hope you are all keeping well and your not all missing me to much!! if you have any gossip you would like to share or any news you think i would like to know, please leave a comment on this blog. Oh yeah, what happened to doherty?? did he get sent down?

better go, til next time peeps!!

neil

completed my trekking phase

hello people, hope you are all well..

well, i have completed my 120km and i am shattered. i have only just been able to get online in a tiny village at the bottom of a huge mountain. the scenery in this place is amazing!! for all you beard fans, i havent shaved for just under 4 weeks now so i have an excess of facial hair, which you will see in the photos when i get back. No i havent shaved my head, i was very close to doing it but chickened out!!

this place is just so amazing, a compelety different way of live. we have been camping out under the stars in every type of weather going. the food is ok, porrige first thing in the morning 5.30 to be exact, bar of chocolate mid moring, army ration biscuits for lunch and beanfeast, a delicous meat alernative for dinner!! have also eating some tradional chilean food in random farmers houses which was interesting!! only 2 helpings of meat in 3.5 weeks! i have so many phots to show every body when i get back, i am sure that i will bore you all.. anyway, i better go. please leave any comments if you so wish, is always good to read no matter how long it is before i read them. will try to add some more info soon!

this is neil listening out....