Hi There, Just a quick update, all participants are safe and well and are departing for Phase II tommorrow. All are excited and have had a fabulous phase and also a nice relaxing changeover. Photos, and a Phase I update will be forthcoming in the next few days for those eager to catch up on the many amazing and diverse adventures from the North of Nicaragua to the Southern most tip of Costa Rica. All messages have been and will continue to be put up on the Notice Board Bella [View Full Entry]

---

---

It's been awhile since I've posted anything here... We're having more days of sun lately..last month we had a lot of rain and a little 'cold'...nothing like Toronto though... I went to Tambor Beach a couple of weeks ago with the students. It's a full gringo area and wherever there's lot's of gringo's, there's lot's of money kicking around. One student (a retired man from Canada) came to live in Costa Rica and wanted to settle in Tambor, but he quickly found out that it's become an area for the really wealthy gringo's. I liked the hotel we all stayed in, [View Full Entry]

---

---

A constant motif of my time here in Costa Rica has been the need for early starts. Participant induction week was to be no exception, with for added variety some very late nights which were spent, sadly, doing lots of admin, having staff meetings and generally being organised rather than carousing with the Venturers. Admittedly as the week drew on and we all became more shattered the evening meetings became shorter and shorter as the Chinese Parliament decided having some kip was more of a priority than getting their two-penn’orth in. This was a relief as management by committee strik [View Full Entry]

---

---

Hi Again Following on from my last update the Participants have been very busy over the last week prior to deployment to their projects going through “boot camp” Raleigh style to prepare themselves for their exciting adventures ahead. After all admin matters were attended to on day one, then the Partipcants were all treated to a sneak peek slideshow over dinner given by Ross our Country Manager explaining a bit about each project site. There was much excitement and anticipation by all participants to find out exactly which Alpha Groups they would end up in. Over the dinner [View Full Entry]

---

---

Hi There, Greetings from sunny Turrialba, it is a beautiful day (about 25 degrees) and the view over Vulcan Turrialba is something else today (jealous yet!!). My name is Bella and I am the Communications Officer here in Costa Rica and I will be bringing these updates to you. Please encourage other family and friends to subscribe to this update as this will be the main form of communication from the expedition to you all. First of all everyone has arrived safe and sound to field base in Turrialba this morning after a 1.5 hour picturesque drive from San Jose. After [View Full Entry]

---

---

Smelling considerably sweeter than on our return from Jungle Camp the staff of 07B assembled at the Office to venture into town, and for the pre-advance party to induct the new arrivals into the dens of iniquity which make up the glittering nightlife of downtown Turrialba. It was a Sunday night and as Lonely Planet suggested that Costa Rica is essentially shut in the evening of the day of rest I didn’t hold out many hopes for a particularly rousing send off to my 34th year. I needn’t have worried as Alejandra had rung ahead to warn the good people of [View Full Entry]

---

---

Our road trip to San Jose was brought about as Julian, our country director, is currently hors de combat following a bodyboarding accident involving a disagreement with the sea bed and some pointy rocks. As a result Julian has sprouted an alarming number of pins sticking out of his right arm and shoulder and is not allowed to travel: therefore if the mountain will not come to brief Mohammed, Mohammed must go to the mountain to be briefed. Mark was a little fragile after our night out and swore blind that it was the effect of the kebabs we had on [View Full Entry]

---

---

I can’t remember the last time I got up voluntarily at 5am. However this is exactly what happened on the morning of my first day in Turrialba, although this could be because owing to the time difference it was 11 am in the UK. Having woken and seen through the window it was a lovely day I decided to make my way to the office, have a cup of tea and start on episode 1 of this diary. Having been issued keys (what responsibility!) I opened up, strode manfully to my desk, and then jumped out of my skin as the [View Full Entry]

---

---

The trip started auspiciously, despite the night before being thoroughly disturbed by frantic last-minute packing and insomnia. Between them South Eastern and First Capital Connect trains managed to arrive on time and in the places expected, although as a mark of the fully integrated transport system boasted by modern Britain getting to the airport did involve an interminable wait for a connection on London Bridge station which, apart from a few other people plainly bound for Gatwick seemed to be deserted and closed. Cold coke from a machine on a freezing platform substituted for hot coffee [View Full Entry]

---

---