2nd phase update

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hello everyone... its about 3 30 am in the morning but only time im able to get on a computer...so ill keep this short and sweet

so since last phase I have gotten into a new group and headed off to danun valley for my environmental phase. it is about a 10 hour bumpy trip from kk to base camp plus a 45 minute trek but its a great spot right in the heart of the jungle. While I'm here I will be helping to complete a bridge that Raleigh has been trying to complete for the last 3 years. Our job is filling gabions...aka getting massive rocks from riverside up a hill into a metal cage...filling 5 huge ones...yea fun i know ...but we actually made it really fun. We finished all our gabions then we actually got cables accross and its finally looking like a bridge.

Besides the work the location is amazing. Huge canopy TONS of wild life. I've seen red leafed monkeys, orangatans really close eating by our camp, gibbons (very very very rare monkey)bearded pig who eats our soap and destroyed our table/kettle at 4am, this MASSIVE wasps and beetles the size of my fist. oh and elephants ...interesting story....

So a group of us were up this observation tower and we saw an elephant walk by. we thought oh wow how cool. then it walked back. so then the bright idea of "lets follow this 5 ton beast on foot" somehow got brought up... so we were following this this which was absolutley MASSSSIVEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! we were about 15 metres away. Then as it went around the corner someone in my group made a loud noise and the elephant stopped. Next thing I see the elephant turn, trumpet (WHICH WAS A ROAR AND A HALF) and start charging towards us. Now in training they tell us if a charging elephant is coming after you, your supposed to "strip down and run in a zig zag direction" well there was no time for that at all. If you can out run one person your safe as far as i was concerned. anways in all this excitement i realize that the elephant had given up with our group and had been surprised by an american tourist and his wife who had come out of a trail at the wrong moment. The elephant charged them, the screamed...then silence...1 minute went by...2 minutes...not a soundwe were convinced we would see 2 dead bodys. SOMEHOW they managed to dive out the way jump into a bush and hide without so much as a scratch.

anyways i can check elephants off my animal to see list

oh we also played the rangers at soccer. we showed up in hiking boots while they were in full soccer gear. last phase the rangers beat the raleigh side 15-3. this time we were down 3-2 at half when all went wrong and we ended up loosing 12-6. i scored 3 not to brag or anything but yea...and 12-6 if you think about it is the same ratio as 2-1 so i think we did pretty well.



anyways next im off trekking and scuba diving cant wait...! anyways out of time...

Danny

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Comments

[Carol]

YAY
Great to hear from you! Even better to hear that you're havin' a kickass time just be sure not to get KILLEEDDDDDD My parents have been askin' about you so now i've got enough to tell them to tie them over for the next few weeks hope you enjoy the rest of your trip!

[Mom]

ROFL-ing! :)
I don't know which is the more amazing story, being chased by an elephant or being beaten in soccer! Are you sure you were chased by an elephant? Not another Grandad-Frank-type story is it? Have fun trekking, is this where you go up the mountain? And good luck with the scuba diving course! Oh, what possessions did you loose? We heard you had "the ability to loose stuff" from the last update, but your team pulled through and helped you out! Still miss you ... hugs, Mom XoXoXoXoXoXo

[Mum]

Stanley Cup Play-offs .....
Dallas Stars 1 VANCOUVER CANUCKS 4 Yay .. we eliminated the Ducks :)))) (april 23rd '07) So, how was the mountain and the scuba diving? Still missing you :'l