I've got jungle fever...

Or at least I will do, as I'm heading to the jungle! I've finally been given my project and I'll be heading to Imbak Canyon to build infrastructure and facilities for environmental research and development. Imbak Canyon is one of the most untouched places on earth, more people have been to Everest base camp than have set foot in the most bio diverse eco system on this here planet (true facts people, true facts). BBC filmed a documentary on Borneo there a few years ago and scientists were discovering three new species of animal/flora/fauna a day.

Now, I am about to join their ranks and I am quite frankly terrified.

Don't get me wrong, I feel enormously privileged to go somewhere so remote and untouched (Raleigh are the only people to go in and out of there regularly) but having had some experience in it now, I am not sure I'm totally cut out for jungle life. The past few days we've been training at a place called TAC (Traverse Activity Centre) where we learnt jungle camp craft, radio and medical skills which was promptly followed by an overnight expedition into the 'Big J'. Skills learnt included the handling of a machete, building long drop toilets, putting up a hammock and tarp (which we in the biz call a basher) and camp maintenance to be at one with the jungle. We were taught all of this by lovely local guide Floyd who just and about managed to stifle his laughter while we tried our hands at camp craft.

Our expedition proved that I am in fact not one with the jungle, the jungle kicks my ass. To get into the camp we had to trek for 2 hours, in 40 degree heat either steeply uphill or steeply downhill on a path no wider than my foot which was normally on the edge of a sharp drop into the forest. We were carrying all our own gear, camp gear, food and a 12ft bamboo pole and tarp just to make things a little bit more interesting. Bearing in mind I am fairly clumsy I spent a lot of time sliding down slopes/falling over/hanging on to trees for dear life which wasn't made easier by the fact all of our group were sweating more than we ever have done, which was in all honesty pretty disgusting. I think I was silent throughout the whole trek apart from the occasional expletive or cry for help as I fell down something... again. I think at some point I kicked a tree in frustration, not very mature I know. Once the hell of trekking was over we set up our jungle camp, including our bashers and had a cool down in the stream which was fairly pleasant. What am I saying? It was actually heaven. Being cool is not something that happens a lot in Malaysia, esp in the big J so the opportunity was welcomed with a metaphorical bear hug.

Our evening was spent chatting in the main camp, watching a huge thunder storm from the safety of our communal tarp, watching fireflies, glow in the dark fungus (yummy...) and laughing in that slightly hysterical over tired way you do when you're knackered. I have been pleasantly surprised by the quick forming support network of our group of PMs and even more surprised that instead of mocking it, I'm completely embracing it and will genuinely miss my group when we split off to plan our different projects. Anyway, enough fluff, back to jungle life.... when the rain died down and it was safe to venture up to bed we did (it was about 9pm, we get early nights here...), our sleeping quarters were further up hill from our main camp and built on the slope so everything was pretty precarious. After carefully constructing my basher/mosquito net combo and climbing into bed I felt like a winner as I lay on my perfectly even, comfortably rocking, jungle bed listening to beetles and crickets flirt while I fell asleep... bliss. Until I woke up some hours later. I found myself lying at a 45 degree angle, most things having fallen out of my bed, and I was clinging on for dear life to one edge convinced I was about to fall into a leafy ravine. Of course reality was no where near as dramatic, although my basher was a disgrace, and too tried/lazy/scared of creepy crawlies to get out and rearrange it, I lay there for 3 hours or so, staring a tree in the face and willing on daylight. The next morning we packed up, trekked out on a much nicer route and got back to TAC for showers. The overall conclusion I made was that my jungle skills are poor, and I'm not enthralled by the combination of sweating and nothing ever, ever drying in the humidity (mmmmm, clammy).

So anyway, in the Raleigh spirit of challenge, I've been posted to the national park/jungle based project. Ina weird twist, it's actually one of the most plush sites as there is a rudimentary camp we'll be staying in that the BBC built while filming the documentary there which has static hammocks and flushing toilets so at least there are no long drops for me! My project partner is a 37 year old father of three called Matt, who unlike me, is quite skilled and enjoys Jungle life so I think we make a good team. He is quiet, I am loud, he is confident in his decisions, I am full of self doubt, I am organised, he isn't, he is at one with the jungle, I am going to be... it all adds up. Like some sort of law enforcement themed sitcom double act.

Today we're planning our PPV (project planning visit) and we head in tomorrow so I can tell you all about the joys of Imbak when I return. I will also post photos very soon so you can see jungle hair and some of the things I'm talking about!

Lots of love xxx