Ability Expeditions in Borneo are run and operated by on the ground experts, local guides who have grown up a stone’s throw away from the jungle, international staff who have worked with highly acclaimed adventure and expedition organisations across...
Ability Expeditions and Viristar Announce Partnership to Bring Safety Training to Ability Expeditions Community
Risk Management Courses to Boost Safety & Quality in Time of Pandemic
KOTA KINABALU, Sabah – Ability Expeditions is pleased to announce a collaboration between Ability Expeditions and Viristar to bring world class online training courses on risk management for experiential and outdoor programs to members of the Ability Expeditions network.
Ability Expeditions will be making available comprehensive, multi-week trainings to its community members at a discount, increasing the accessibility of training opportunities to international schools and program providers in Southeast Asia and beyond.
Ability Expeditions Managing Director David Powell stated, “We’re very pleased to make these online training opportunities available. We and our program partners value safety, and these courses will advance the ability of providers to offer high-quality experiential programs with excellence in risk management.”
The trainings, facilitated by Viristar, will help schools and organizations that provide outdoor, adventure, travel-based and experiential programs successfully navigate COVID-19 and other safety challenges.
The rigorous courses are several weeks long. They combine online self-study with group work and seminar-style video-conference calls. Topics include safety culture, best practice standards, COVID-19, systems thinking, and more.
Viristar Director Jeff Baierlein stated, “We are delighted to bring our comprehensive safety trainings to the Ability Expeditions community. Outdoor and experiential program providers around the world have benefited from Viristar’s risk management courses, and we know that international schools and others in the Ability Expeditions network will find great value in them as well.”
Individuals wishing to take advantage of the opportunity to participate in an outdoor risk management training at a discount can learn more at https://courses.viristar.com/ae-presents-risk-management-for-outdoor-programs/.
Ability Expeditions has over 20 years' experience providing educational expeditions for schools, universities and youth groups. Program themes include community service, adventure, and environmental conservation. AE holds programs at its residential Adventure Centre in the Kiulu Valley of Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. Ability Expeditions also offers jungle trekking, ascents of Mt. Kinabalu, zip lining, climbing, abseiling, rafting, and virtual team-building experiences. Safety is a top priority with all Ability Expeditions programmes.
Viristar provides consulting and training services to experiential, outdoor, education and non-profit organizations world-wide. Viristar has provided its acclaimed risk management trainings for internationals schools and program providers in Malaysia, USA, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, Slovakia, Taiwan, China, Thailand and Australia.
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OCTOBER. As we enter the final quarter of the year we should be starting our final busy phase of school expeditions for the year. Alas it has been a very different 2020 for us as for most people around the world. It has been a very challenging time for us since March as we have not been able to do what we do best; organizing educational expeditions to Borneo for students and youth groups.
We had a very active Adventure Centre in 2019, welcoming back our regular school clients and also enjoying being able to share a unique Ability Experience with a number of new schools. We loved how busy we were and how we had number of different staff teams working simultaneously on different programmes and schools. It was the BEST year not only because we reached a different level for our teamwork but because we met many new friends along the way.
This year was supposed to be all about the continuation of these amazing partnerships and enabling many more students to thrive in an experiential personal development experience. Due to the pandemic that is happening all over the world – we have had to accept the fact that everything needs to stop and reset for us all to be able to rise again.
Out team has been working so hard during the down time – to enhance our systems and processes; to improve and make things even better. We are “IN PROGRESS” and we are excited to start all over again when things are settled, everyone is allowed to travel again and we can safely welcome schools back to Borneo.
We would like to share with everyone some of the many special moments we had last year with all the amazing schools. We really look forward to seeing everyone again!
UWCSEA Year 9 Bio Diversity & Conservation Expedition: Kinabatangan, Borneo.
The geo region that hosts this program is the Sg. Kinabatangan, and specifically Batu Puteh (this is the closest marker that is available on any map for DGFC - Danau Girang Field Centre), KOPEL (the community cooperative eco-tourism project and Sepilok, home of the Orangutan and Sun bear rehabilitation centers. All three of these form the basis of this incredible expedition. The Kinabatangan is Malaysia’s second longest river, its source is the Mountains of South Western Sabah and it flows then 560 KM to its mouth and out into the Sulu Sea at Sandakan.
Why is this program so incredible? Simply because the location remain a sanctuary for some of Sabah’s most unique and diverse fauna. It is still the home of all ten endemic Bornean primate species, of which several are now endangered or critically endangered. The Clouded Leopard, the Sun bear, and depending on their roaming position throughout the year the illusive Pygmy Elephant. It has less well known species like the Sunda Pangolin (the world’s most trafficked animal), a myriad of invertebrates, birds, amphibians and reptiles and other mammals make up this jewel in the Sabah crown. The next amazing thing to note is that almost all of these aforementioned species and countless others are all being studied by dedicated unknown heroines and heroes of the science community. Many for years at a time.
So, we have a location that is home to a relatively abundant volume of wildlife (that is very relative considering how many areas have no fauna or virtually none remaining compared to say fifty years ago) and a small group of field Biologist who plot, observe and data record as many aspects of their selected species lives as is possible. Add into that mix sixteen enthusiastic, globally aware young adults from UWCSEA International school (Singapore) and that is the ingredients for an incredible expedition.
The collaboration between PhD, professional training year, volunteers and school age students (with the guiding hand of expedition experts) really does result in some truly wonderful and powerful learning.
This year’s team arrived with expectations, and these have formed as a direct result of all the successful trips that have been enjoyed by their peers in previous years. The trip now has a reputation and this is fantastic from one perspective, but also can produce an almost unrealistic demand on the location. By demand I mean ‘’when will I get to see’’ X (no pressure there!).
The time spent with the science team, at the NGO KOPEL flew by for all, far far faster than anyone of them wanted, the early morning misty river boat starts, (the aim of identifying every bird species that was spotted), dusky evening river boats (identifying all the primates settling in for the night). The star lit night boat searching for Pythons on the river bank. The canopy platform, the pangolin night search, the frog night walk. Butterflies catch and identification, lizard catching, fungi plotting, Forest transects, Pollution and river clean assessments, reforestation tree planting and oxbow lake weed removal to name but a few of the activities that devoured their eight days. Lectures from the experts, cementing that what they were trying or attempting that day or the previous was how the scientists do it for real. They then presented their own findings and realisations to the professionals.
I am very confident that no one went home disappointed, that no one went home bursting to throw yet more plastic into the trash bin and that no one went home unable to see and feel the need to recognize the reality of the impact of humans on our one and only home Planet, Earth.
Well done UWCSEA Bio Diversity Expedition team Oct 2017 – It was our pleasure.
Ability Expeditions once again welcomed South Island School, Hong Kong on a 7 day long Service Adventure Week. Despite arriving late and waking up early the next day, their energy did not waver! The twelve 15-16 year old students excelled!
The first three days of the expedition lead the students to Sekolah Rangalau Lama and through the service portion of the week. Day one commenced with some weary eyes, but strong hearts. The team quickly got to grips with the tasks and fought through their need for slumber and by far exceeded all expectations! Creating not only a concrete walk path for the school, but doing it to a truly professional standard!
Despite the three long days and the three sleep deprived nights, due to flights and then excitement, the students found enough energy to smile, play, laugh and interact with the kids from SK Rangalau Lama, every single day!
The interaction between the two sets of students was wonderful to watch. The laughter of the local Dusun-Malay children truly touched the hearts of the students from SIS. Several tears were shared upon reflection of their time partaking in the community service project at the kampung school.
The consensus from students was about just how the children were all so happy, smiling and care free really. Despite having so little in comparison to us, they are so much happier.
The following day was the adventure part! Zipping across the Kiulu River on our double zip line, scaling across the high ropes challenge, abseiling down and climbing back up our tower at Zip Borneo all that occurred before lunch! The afternoon was just as packed with thrills, the group took on the white water rafting trip down the same river they had just Zip-lined across.
The final day was the well-deserved R&R, a day on Sepanggar Island. Snorkeling, kayaking, playing volleyball and relaxing on the beach was enjoyed by all. It was lovely to watch the new friendships that had blossomed and how the cliques that existed on the first day, were now non-existent.
That night was spent at the four star Sutera Harbour Resort in Kota Kinabalu. The plump pillows were indeed welcomed by weary heads, all before an early wake up call, transfer back to the airport and a flight back to Hong Kong. The action packed week, genuinely whizzed by in a blink of an eye. But hey, time flies when having fun!!
Thank you for the pleasure of looking after and working alongside your school once again. We look forward to seeing you again in 2018 SIS, Hong Kong!
The need to train is absolute, but the "want" and "desire" to train is the absolute key. The team know it will be a challenge and they know they will not emerge with a perfect score sheet (most of our best learning is from mistakes I would suggest, and this apply's to us all) but all have a genuine desire to keep learning.
The team began with a written first aid knowledge check, the format purposely altered to avoid standard multiple choice response. This was an "understanding" answer style, pushing that memory recall to greater depths. Practical practice scenarios then followed, nothing too complex, just the basics to fire up that residual response to immediate first aid issues. These two elements designed to lead our team nicely into the remaining live "unknown" stress tests that would follow for the next 36 hours out on the hills in the Jungle.
The first scenario was "Lost person" with critical medical issue, specifically a Hypoglycemic Complication. The lost student would need to be located and then treated with full consideration to medical responses, team management, remaining expedition team management (the students team) and ancillary support and response. A very slickly organised search team ascended the hill climbs on all known routes to the last known location and on finding our casualty gave genuinely good medical and associated management related solutions.
Some evening coaching on 'adaptive' tourniquets and Pelvic fracture splinting was the evening entertainment up on Tirig Hill summit (along with some great food courtesy of 'Syl').
The following day found our team dealing with a three vehicle road traffic collision, six casualty's (of which one was an infant), a motor cyclist and four other vehicle occupants. Conditions that presented all would be expected as a reality in such a critical incident. With limited resources (as you would realistically expect in a remote expedition setting) the team then had to adapt and provide the best care and response that they could. Base of skull fracture, Catastrophic bleed, pelvic fracture, cardiac arrest, open wounds, broken arms, spinal etc.
Add into this the terrain, the limited resources and 38 degree heat and you can start to imagine what the challenges felt like for them. The realism of these scenarios is a conscious decision when planning and preparing on my part. Know one really enjoys half hearted 'just imagine you are dealing with . . . . or " lets pretend you are faced with " type training. I certainly never did and so I feel it is very important to provide the most realistic experience possible (where possible). I think we came close with this session.
That was undoubtedly achieved with the final scenario, left until almost the very last minute before the "believed" endex time line of the training. A shriek and panicked screams from our house keeping team at the adventure center pointing out a body floating face down in the river. Only the casualty and house keeping knew of this last test. The response from the team was to say "Dynamic" an understatement of epic proportions. Flotation devices (commercial and adapted) were in that river with fully charged and 'genuinely believing" instructors powering to the aid of our victim. Full support criteria requested during the 300 meter sprint the rivers edge - all requirements in place or under way within seconds.
I have seen many unfortunate incidents and scenarios played out for real during my years working in a variety of arena's, I have had also had the privilege of working with and alongside some highly trained and professional people and teams dealing with those times.
Ability Expeditions crew are one of the most committed collection of instructors I have the pleasure in calling 'our team'. If I was in trouble out in the Sabah Jungles, I know who I would want to be coming for me, and whom I would, without hesitation, trust to see the job through until the very end.
Heart felt thanks to you one and all for your level of commitment during all that was thrown at you.
Ryan Bundoi
Cyler Gabil
Fulbert Maurice
Josh Ristin
Erica Fetthlin
Christ Egbert
Edward Dulah
Jordan Hillary
Ronnie Jr
James Creighton
Hailin Gambud
Sonia Jacob
Sylvia Sangau
Floyd Maurice
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Ability Expeditions welcomed another new school client into its fold last week, specifically the entire Year 10 compliment of the Alice Smith International School KL.
A seventy strong “team teenager” arrived in country with eight smiling (yet wary teachers), it cannot be an easy task for a year head teacher considering the level of responsibility they carry on these trips. Now you have to hand over those seventy predictably unpredictable whirlwinds to a relative band of strangers and then openly encourage said strangers to immerse all directly in activity’s that you have probably spent that last year vigorously protecting the whirlwinds from.
Alice Smith had a relatively limited timeline and that meant an intense five day program for all, the design was pre-meditated and all we needed was a tiny gift of good weather luck. We were blessed and the program was checked off without hindrance.
The school program included a unique Environmental service project, a tiered 24 hours Jungle survival introduction phase, plus adventure and team building activities. The School elected to fund raise their entire project contribution and so arrived with a vested interest.
I think it is safe to say that on the initial viewing of the pile of galvanised steel, wood and tools “and” then being told “you and these materials will produce a fully operational tree nursery” they were less than convinced, dare I say sceptical! However Alice Smith Year Ten prepared, constructed, and created a fully operational tree nursery. We do know best, but it is always more rewarding to let them see the objectives grow for real as they build, as opposed to trying to convince with words.
The nursery build is a long term project adopted by Ability Expeditions and will we hope facilitate a boost to the reforestation efforts in the Kiulu valley over the next decade or more. This drive was started with the students planting 240 saplings at locations in two village’s community areas during the project phase.
The Jungle phase is always a revelation for the majority, no matter how long international school students have lived in the tropics they rarely venture far into the wilderness, this is a genuinely daunting phase for many, and will always encourage and induce the biggest development personally as individuals. To pack a bag with what you think you need for 24 hours is on its own a challenge, that bag needs what you want, the equipment you are told you need and then yet more collective food rations and it becomes the first challenge. All the while looking at the jungle edges from the safety of the centres landscaped grounds, the ominous hill horizons stealing your focus, “how far will I be trekking” an overload of the imagination is almost guaranteed. Nervous, anxious and void of any normal comfort zone reference points is now their reality. The only real safety blanket that they can see is each other, and that is the essence of the phase, strength and adaptability as a team. Only at this point it they are not one. Fast forward twenty four hours and the return with smiles, heroic voices greet their friends, tales of survival feats. A team who “number off” loud and proud, and a collection of individuals whom now believe they are a little bit tougher than they imagined they were before.
We wish the Alice Smith Year 10 a fantastic summer holiday – you will be welcomed back any time.
The consistent return of a school student team to any expedition provider is without doubt the biggest of compliments to receive, and certainly highly valued as an indicator of great service and satisfaction. Tanglin Trust School from Singapore returned very recently for their Year 12 Summer Service and Adventure Expedition with a forty plus team of “almost school leavers” (plus five great teachers as chaperones). Many of said students have spent the previous weeks, months with final exams and assessments and are preparing to imminently change compass bearing and begin a whole new chapter at their chosen University (somewhere on the globe), and so this trip is without doubt a much needed pressure release opportunity.
This expedition is the final few closing scenes of their school life, and as such is a huge marker for them all as individuals (and as a school year group). The energy and enthusiasm that arrived were without doubt ‘Tanglin’ specific, historically these students are of the highest caliber and this year’s charges were no different. We applaud you Tanglin.
Students can, if you choose, be compared to caterpillars, (although initially they may not thank me for pointing it out), but if you ponder that picture “am I far from the truth”? Caterpillars are the prerequisite to the bold, beautiful incredibly agile and enduring butterfly, a species needed, admired and critical. These young adults are cocooned in the protective shell of school and then after what seems an eternity to them the end of captivity is in site, and then at that point it may feel like it has occurred in the blink of an eye. After all that waiting, the pupation period is over. We are very fortunate to witness the emergence of some of these fresh wing butterflies during this expedition. It is a truly incredible experience that humbles the observer.
Take forty young adults, not one has any real practical skill set (yet), limited physicality (save for the sports fields and related disciplines), all of whom make up a melting pot of opinions that are rainbow esq in breadth and ocean trench deep in contrast of belief. Remove all their perceived “needs” and “must haves” and provide the simple “real” necessity’s, add in some genuine compassion and good humour and then direct towards the provision of others for no gain and you will witness a defining reason to actively invest time, energy and understanding in this generation.
Incredible achievements are lying just below their surfaces, sometimes all that is needed is a patient and consistent guiding hand. The rest they will give you in abundance.
Our ‘emerged’ young adults took a hard challenge head on and delivered more than we could have anticipated. They existed without “must haves” (very happily) and formed a team spirit that will provide a template for each as they head into their own futures. Well done Tanglin Trust Year 12 2017. Outstanding – With much great respect and fond memories – “Your crew”.
Canadian International School (Hong Kong) sent their forty strong team of energy bombs, ably chaperoned by four very relaxed teachers recently (headed by Ms Lolita, Ms Charlotte, Mr Anthony and last but by no means least Mr Brent aka ‘Ghost Whisperer’). A key ingredient in any expedition is actually the pastoral care team, if they do not trust their wards to a team of strangers then the natural flow of energy is hard to create. No such problem can be laid at the feet of this teacher contingent. They were the dream team, and we thank you for your absolute trust in our ability’s from the outset.
The CDNIS team have a history with ‘Ability’ (one that is for all the ‘right’ reasons I might add). This compliment of developing young adults has certainly only added to this record. Such a vibrant collection of characters, all high energy and no matter their physical stature or self-perceived ability, they all, “too a man”, held their own on what was designed as a tough and challenging week for them. At this point I feel we must salute young ‘Ronald’, who in the book of legends will hold his place for many years to come. He was such an inimitable character that he was awarded and award that had never existed previously, Ronald, we still all think you are a legend. Yet let us not forget the rest, this whole team were endearing and all should have gone home feeling very proud of their achievements.
Why was their program challenging? Because these kids on average were 12 years old, they had never completed ‘real’ service work and none had stayed overnight in a Jungle in Borneo, (some had not even been away from family before). This week was going to be a marker for many, and we know that some will have gone home an inch or two taller. I think I can safely say no student team has hugged all the instructors at the airport, completely blocking the concourse the way you guys did - “much respect”.
The teams service phase included the construction of four concrete block incinerator builds, two ‘A’ frame homestay pods and a very professional looking concrete block village sign. All build tasks being part of a larger, long term project that is being progressed in Kampong Tombung. Many other schools will visit this Kampong before it is all completed, but CDNIS team were the first to add to the legacy and left a very high standard for others to follow.
That was the service phase completed over three days, the next was a 24 hour Jungle trek and camp, not before completing Jungle survival school and Jungle Taboos!
Nothing can raise the fear stakes like a dark Jungle, rain and the knowledge that jungles have spirits. Then add into the mix you are twelve years old and you have a genuine challenge ahead of you. The fear is owned individually, but fed by the collective and yet miraculously all emerged from their hammocks the following morning alive, in one piece and greeted by the AE team with a burning fire ready for them to cook their breakfast on.
So if you push past the little voices of doubt in the depths of your mind, “you can” and “they did”, all at once the world becomes a much bigger place to play in and you grow into a little bit more.
We thank you ‘Team Lolita’, and look forward to your piers visiting with us in 2018.
“Flags and Flowers” - Exploring Adventure (May 2017)
Anything new, “an unknown experience or activity” could be classed as an adventure especially when you are nine or ten years old and even more so if that which is the “new activity” is also based in Borneo!
Panaga International School has been a returning client for many years and over that time a genuine relationship has been formed. The level of trust extended by the school toward the Ability team has allowed us to develop the level of adventurous exposure afforded to these daring young souls, year on year.
“Flags and Flowers” was a project designed for Panaga School to allow these very young minds access to ‘community service’. Achievable and genuine community service is not so easy to nail when you are only nine! But nail it they did, repairing the school buildings front wall and repainting the flags of State and Country (their funds actually extended to repair the leaking roof as well!). Not only did they help repair, and rejuvenate but they also provided an after school club infrastructure for the community school kids to enjoy.
Large clay pots where decorated by the kids, flowers planted, tools provided and left as the Tombung Kindergarten gardening club roots. A truly “good” legacy – Thank you.
Adventure for most souls, whether nine years or forty nine is normally about being pushed, pulled (and in many cases running out) from your comfort zone, straight into a rugged, and unfamiliar setting, with far less familiar ‘things’ around you, and knowing or suspecting that under any rock, dead log, or dark hole is waiting a legion of terrifying monsters (or a spider or two) ready to come thundering out. The fear factor is all part of adventure, “no fear, no real point”. It is that sensation that is then overcome that tells us we are a ‘bit tougher’ than we thought we were, and a maybe we could do even more next time? But to get to those thoughts you have to take a first step, that step for the majority is hard.
These children have taken their first step, and all emerged the other side scar free. They trekked out into the Jungle, learned how to light a fire, and cooked a simple meal and were shown that using the natural resources around them (bamboo) you can create items to help achieve that task.
The climbed, repelled, demonstrated agility on the High Ropes course and then few the double Flying Fox from one side of the Kiulu River, to the other, and back again.
They went home tired, grubby and wearing trainers and boots that actually looked used, a perfect end to a great summer camp I would suggest.
We look forward to seeing you next year Panaga School, have a great year ahead.
Epsom College Kuala Lumpur – Conservation and Environmental Management Expedition
February 2017
2017, a new year and a new International school, Epsom College (MY.) has joined with Ability Expeditions educational expedition team and travelled to the heart of Sabah and the wild life sanctuary situated in the Kinabatangan region (Central East Sabah). The program provided was designed exclusively for these college students (ages from 17 to 20 years) exposing the students to the real life experiences of the onsite field biologists researching and studying the flora and fauna of the region. The team included 16 fearless (almost) grade 12 and 13 young adults and two very enthusiastic teachers. They had the undivided attention of all the resident PhD students on site, these are all mature students working through their individual Doctorate subjects, and not to be missed out from the role call, the professional training year graduates from Cardiff University and finally the local research assistants.
Their days started before sun up and finished way past sun down. Joining the Biologist, whilst they work on their live projects is a completely unique experience for school students, they see the reality of the job that these dedicated individuals are striving to achieve, their incredible success’s and spontaneous wild life encounters afforded by relentless tracking, monitoring and data collection, and also share the struggles and reality involved in conservation research in our time “here and now”.
Attached is “their” video of “their” expedition experience, they hope you enjoy.
From our perspective - One genuinely incredible group of young adults who were an absolute pleasure to care for during their program – a group to remember for all the right reasons. Thank you Epsom College, we look forward to seeing you next year.
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UWCSEA Bio Diversity Field Trip – Kinabatangan Lowland Wild life Sanctuary Oct 2016
A mere 450 Kilometre drive is the warm up for this expedition, from the bay of Kota Kinabalu and up into the Mountain Park and skirt the base of the mighty Mount Kinabalu, on, on, on, until we reach the ocean on the East coast of Sabah and Sandakan (west to east and sea to sea). Once we pass the majesty of Mount Kinabalu and the historic WW2 POW internment town of Ranau we have then the “undeniable truth highway” a long and most timely reminder of why such expeditions are so key for this fresh and empowered new generation. Palm Oil plantations akin to oceans are the only view as we rumble and bump our way toward Sandakan (but that is just the journey of the expedition crew), the important hearts and minds are those of the arriving teams. That was not a type-o, yes my friends “teams” we had two back to back this October. Both a mix of East and Dover Campus grade 9 students.
The “Wellington Boot” teams as they shall now forever more be remembered were split over two intense eight day field courses. During which they would live, learn, eat and sleep as the research science biologists do at Danau Girang Field Centre, they would then join the volunteer army of the NGO KOPEL where they would “learn about” and “assist with two critically important long term conservation restoration projects here in Sabah. Finally, they would visit the world famous Sepilok Orang-Utan Rehabilitation Centre. These iconic species are the face of conservation here in Sabah. Yet sadly this year they found their way on to the critically endangered list.
Their field course is a “taster” of what the life of an environmental or conservation minded biologist is really like. Throughout the week each student will be mentored in the base skills needed to research wild life “in the wild”, radio transponder tracking (the tracking of species fixed with a radio transponder device), camera trap setting, lizard catching and identification, primate surveys, night observations. This list goes on and by the end of the week the students will have tried their hands at almost every basic discipline in this field.
Their morning could begin before sunrise with a slow cruise along the mighty Kinabatangan on a Dawn Bird survey, this exercise greatly assists in monitoring the horn bill and King fisher populations (both key indicator species of the health of the ecosystem in the sanctuary), of course the dawn cruise avails for many more ‘chance’ wild life opportunity’s. Crocodile for example are best spotted first thing in the morning. These prehistoric veterans of our ecosystem are the river ruling elite and always a breath taking site. The day is filled with various other ‘introductory’ skill sets. Catching butterflies and identification (not as easy as it may sound!). Botanical plots (learning the key skill set of transects and tree species identification, after all “no forest – no ecosystem”).
Life at the centre is very much family orientated, the full time crew (30 strong) consist of a myriad of student ages, students working through various qualifications from standard University degrees to PhD’s, volunteers from all over the world spending a few months helping out on certain “specialist” projects, then a resident vet, the core managing team and last but no means least the research assistants (also known as guides). They all live in a small complex and have no access to the outside world unless they leave the jungle field centre (travel 40 minutes by boat and then another 90 minutes by truck). This environment is unique, and by default it is a chance for all to practise tolerance, consideration and good humour on a daily basis.
Our two teams represented themselves and their school impeccably. They all got see wild life on its own terms, some had to work for it, some had the luck of the gods, but the satisfaction is very real when the siting’s are of wild animals “in the wild”. I would like to think that two teams arrived in Sabah with a list of what they wanted nature to provide for them that week, and that two teams left with at least percentage of souls carry a new list, of what they could give and do for nature from now on. Our natural world is at a critical stage in our world’s history, these field trips could not be any more important. I only wish we could expose many more children to the same experience.
Thank you Wellington Boot Team 1 & 2, you were a pleasure, and if you had half the fun you appeared to have “we are very happy”
~ Phil Austen-Smith – Expedition Manager (and Expedition leader).
South Island School – Service and Adventure Week 1st – 7th October 2016
Thirty four students and three willing teachers traveled from Hong Kong, all with a myriad of expectation (and anxiety) for their seven days in Sabah, their mission, to spend three full days working a service project with a local Kampong in the heart of the Kiulu valley.
Day one can be a tough one for students, and teachers alike, they are travelling sometimes a fair distance and then arriving into a world they do not know or recognize, all they are sure of is that it will not be like home and most of the trip will be outside that infamous area known as “the comfort zone”. Nature in its truest form is at times hard to adapt to, yet these kids (and teachers) all did remarkable well. A few screams on the first nights bed time as the characters of “a bug’s life” came out an introduced themselves. But as the week progressed the screams dulled in comparison to the shrieks of laughter and mischievous banter. Nature is not as terrifying as some think after all.
Three days of service project were the first phase of their trip, students were assigned onto two different working teams alongside Kampong Tombung elders. The groups were tasked to build a kitchen for the Kampong community hall and extend a drainage channel running alongside the community sports field. Students genuinely enjoyed themselves working the “not so rich and famous life style at their project site. Daily hanging bridge river crossings, mixing of cement, digging, carpentry, and block laying all genuine tasks completed by our enthusiastic young volunteers. These projects are selected to fit the age and “probable” ability of the teams. This team excelled and left a genuinely great legacy for the Kampong.
A big shout out to Moet Nakayama, the first student to get into the mud for the drainage project, she was the kick start that the Drainage team needed. As soon as she showed willing everyone join her in. Mud in decades gone by was a child friend, in the digital technical world of today however it is a real and for some scary stranger. We can safely say that team are now reacquainted with an old friend from yesteryear.
The students truly impressed the Ability team instructors with their engaged and positive attitudes. Combining energy, sweat and determination and as a reward completed the task set before them. “Well done”. When asked of them of “what is your favorite part during the project”, they replied, “ACHIEVEMENT”. Enough said!
Another key hurdle to overcome with this generation is an enforced period of time away from technology, free from their gadgets, social media (and by default away from a degree of relentless social pressure). Yet as quick as day turns to night their need for that connection ebbed into a distant memory, and before they realized they had completed a week and were homeward bound. Nature and exposure to the basic side of life is a very empowering feeling for all ages, no less so this generation. They may choose to reconnect when back in the hustle and bustle of city life, but they also now know that the countryside is now their friend too, it offers a different connection, and one that is not reliant on battery or contacts engaged on.
Saying good bye was emotional moment during the closing ceremony – we can see how students appreciate that they were part of the expedition.
Chris Partrat was given the award for the “Best Student on Expedition”, showing outstanding commitment and being consistent throughout each element of the program “Well done Chris”.
Three more students also demonstrated excellent effort and participation level which deserved a big shout out from us – “Moet Nakayama”, “Parth Shetty” and last but no least “Celine Cheng”. Well done to the three of you.
The team’s final phase was a day trip to a tropical Island (Seppangar Island) and it is fair to say this ranked as a highlight, it was swiftly followed by an overnight stay in a 4 star hotel (so that may have had something to do with the ranking!!). The team worked hard, played and adapted so very well this was a fitting end to their expedition experience.
The team, Sylvia, Sonia, Ryan, Edward and Jack built a close relationship with both teachers and students alike, it was hard to send them home but knowing that all had enjoyed and achieved so much made the good bye worthwhile and easier.
A special note of Thanks to Jess DAVEY-PEEL, the lead teacher took the time to send a heart-warming email as soon as they reached hometown saying the students were bragging about how amazing they felt the trip was. That kind of attention to detail is much appreciated by all the hard working Instructors at Ability Expeditions.
Thank you SIS, we had a great time with you, we really hope to see you again in 2017.
Team Training – “Simplicity & Clarity” August 2016
And in the blink of an eye that is another six months gone! (I know this because it was time to leap head first back into training with Ability Expeditions crew once more). The year has flown by, and so far over three thousand five hundred clients have trickled, ran, trekked and flown through our programs in one style or another. The demands placed on our the team year in year out are almost Rainbow wide in variety, as such their ability both collectively and team-wise needs to match that demand. But how does a team respond to an event that you hope will never happen, and in reality seldom does? “Simple” take the team to the emergency (make it happen!). And so this my friends is what we spent our weekend doing.
Saturday 20th August saw the team sat at our lecture facility in the Adventure centre, anticipating a weekend of inputs and mini practical’s, little did they know just what was in store for them! To really appreciate the needs and demands of an emergency the only way to feel it is to be pushed into a situation without any warning that is as realistic as it can be. The first day was sedate, instructional and designed to facilitate a refreshing of core skills and protocol’s. River rescue, Lost man, First aid, Briefings, all these are key and basic skill sets for a staff adventure team, however when the team is rarely faced with these demands the spontaneous and immediate recall can become dull and un dynamic. The team were simply instructed, “Please attend with full jungle equipment” nearly all presumed that the need was merely for an inspection or group discussion point later in the day.
The first day ebbed into late afternoon, and with that the team were instructed to collect their kit and head for our Jungle base camp a few miles into the forest. A look of surprise was on some faces, rye smiles on the rest. The smiles had seen that the day was far from over, (In fact it was 24 hours away from being over). The team were now on a practical assessment phase, six rolling emergency scenarios had been planned ahead of time, victims briefed, make up and props sourced and we were off. Off course some still expected a little medical “event” on route, an hour first aid and then back to the centre for “tea and medals”…how wrong they were, of course any practical test so soon into the fun zone would be very predictable and utterly pointless. No we would wait until darkness had fallen, then the fun would begin.
Dinner cooked and minutes from being served, rain falling (as if on cue) and a blood curdling “SCREAMMMMM” breaches the jungles own orchestral melody…. snake strike (scenario), the team now knew they were in for a long night (and next day), but all were definitely “up for it”, the energy was very evident, the tempo of the next twenty four hours was fairly unrelenting. In case any are concerned yes they did get some sleep and dinner (eventually), but 0400 Sunday morning when most of the world (at least in our time zone was sleeping) found the Ability crew rudely awoken from their slumber and straight into searching for a suspected unconscious lost man casualty, full lost man protocols, comms base and logistical support in play. The casualty was found half way down a ravine slope, most definitely not in the best of health (skull fracture) and needing well considered swift first aid followed by hospital. An outstanding full rescue from the team, and before daylight breached (and the night time terrors were over), but not so the day version (evil smile).
Between dawn and sunset on that second day they dealt with four other critical incidents, each one run by a new lead pair, river rescue with multiple casualty’s, high tower falls and transfer to HLS (Helicopter Landing Site), Fire drills (with real smoke) and more lost man incidents, oh and multiple phase technical recues on the high rigging tower with a casualty in acute cardiac arrest (just for fun). Everything that was thrown at the team was caught with both hands and bagged up. Incredible effort was applied and although no doubt for some the learning curve was steep the seniors and newer team members all worked as a team and looked after one another as well as sick, wounded and whining, (learning is at its most acute and most effective when conducted in difficult and testing circumstances, after all……Not much that is good and great in life ever came without a little challenge or two!)
Ability crew were certainly put to the test, they were not found wanting (one or two mini shine ups needed) but overall genuinely outstanding work.
Second Highest, But In No Way In The Shadow Of Her Big Sister... Mount Trus Madi | Reconnoitre March 2016
A swift re-group after the recent school exits and then on with the next internal project. Gaps in the Ability Expeditions calendar for recce trips are an infrequent reality, simply because time in the year is eaten by the running of the expedition programs. These trips are however so valuable, they offer the potential for new challenges for you, the client, and as importantly, they provide priceless development opportunity for the team members who conduct the recce - the chance to see the challenge / activity / location from the eyes of the risk assessing lead individual.
This is always a learning point no matter how adept the team are as individuals / collective at instruction and guiding. The location for this new “potential” challenge was Mount Trus Madi, Malaysia’s second highest summit, one that is in AMSL perspective more than 1000 meters less than her iconic and globally renowned big sister, Mount Kinabalu, but in no way is she a lesser mountain challenge. She sits at 2,642 AMSL, and you would be forgiven in thinking that meant “a walk in the park”. The reality is actually the exact opposite, arguably a far tougher ascent / descent and depending on the summit trail approach route chosen far longer. Mount Trus Madi is named thus after a historic hunter known as Madi used the area as his hunting ground (direct Dusun translation is “Pinotorusan Madi” or the “hunting ground Madi”). The mountain trails also form a section of the ancient “salt trail”, (the series of jungle trails used by community’s travelling from the mountainous interior to coastal towns, the purpose in years gone by to trade fresh produce for salt). Now the trails are far less trade highways and more challenge arenas for the adventurous and nature loving outdoor community.
The purpose of this recce was to assess SOP routines practised by the providers and the general infrastructure offered to clients, conditions on the trek routes and general terrain assessment. The three day trip started with the ascent on the Keningau side of the mountain, ascending up to the summit and then down onto the Tambunan trek route to the finish point. From the base camp to the mountain overnight camp is the first days walking, the second being the final summit trail and then the descent to the waiting 4X4 and homeward bound. The trail from Keningau is a beautiful mix of lowland and hill dipterocarp forest, followed by lower and then upper montane forest finally summit scrub. The hybrid vegetation on the upper montane and summit scrub is absolutely unique to this mountain (not even found on Mount Kinabalu). The only place on the planet to find the hybrid pitcher plant nepenthes x trusmadiensis.
The trail is physically very demanding, this trek is not for the faint of heart. It requires determination and focus. The rewards however absolutely without doubt “well worth” the effort employed. You will ascend up into the “mossy forest” one of the most picturesque trail sections I have trekked anywhere on the globe. The early morning sun broken into shards by the twisted tangled stunted montane tree limbs, web strands laid out like silver streamers in some Tolkien inspired “elvish” woodland scene, tangled root barrels that you need to actually climb through as you ascend up toward the summit, “sublime”. This trail has equally abundant fauna from start to finish. The first observation was the sheer number of birds around in the forest, calling as if the human race had not yet even evolved. The second days walk was gifted with gibbons calling from sunrise as we continue the summit bid. Barking deers and even the growly overtones of the incredibly elusive iconic of species the sun bear where heard later that afternoon.
The summit is not akin to Mount Kinabalu, and there is little point even comparing. But the entire summit trail and trek experience is “as rewarding” if not more so (in my humble opinion) just for very different reasons. The view of her big sister was obscured by cloud on the day we summited, however I have no doubt the vista would be beautiful none the less. The trail route from the summit to the Tambunan entry / exit gate is shorter trek than the ascent, but none the less challenging in parts. Overall this section of the trail route is marginally easier. The recce trip was physically tough (even by our standards), but without doubt hugely rewarding. The upgrades on the infrastructure on the mountain routes over the last few years are certainly a huge improvement from a group perspective. The recce information compiled was very constructive and after all aspects assessed we look forward to taking a team up and down the Keningau trail in the future. This will be a physically challenging four-day jungle / mountain trek, “are you game?”
Well done to the Ability Expeditions recce team; Sylvia, Edward and Phil!
~ Phil Austen-Smith, Expedition Leader
Kinabalu International School – “Summer Adventure Kiulu Valley 2016”
The word “Expedition” can conjure visions of all manner of untold hardships and hellish scenarios for the souls partaking, especially if “it” (the vision) is in the mind of 8 year old!. Invariably these visions are far from the reality, they are generally the most inspiring events we take part in during our lives. Never the less we know our audiences and Ability Expeditions has no problem renaming the event to suit the audience. “Summer adventure”, now that sounds like the definition of fun fun fun to me! So “Summer adventure” it was and this adventure was extended to teddy bears and various other cuddly bed time buddy’s.
Kinabalu International School (KIS) hit the ground running and no stopping until the end when their year five junior “explorer” contingent came to play and stay. As our local international school we feel a sense of real pride knowing that they choose to stay with us instead of heading further afield (most school trips choose to go further than half an hour down the road!). But the reality of our facility is our good fortune and so theirs also. It also does show that if the setting is right, fun and adventure can be found in the back garden (almost), yes okay it does help if your back garden is the incredible “Land Below the Wind.”
It was a genuine pleasure to see their almost infinite energy supply’s pouring out nonstop from the day they arrived to the moment they steps back onto their coach on ‘endex’ day. Like super charged whirl winds, the kids ate into all the events, challenges and games our team supplied hour after hour. The group led by one of our veteran instructors “Floyd” and assisted by our newest Event manager Sonja created a well-organized, dynamic, fun packed atmosphere from start to finish, this was magnified by students and teachers alike. A fantastic collaboration of experience, expertise and energy. The highlights being “trekked into the jungle and learnt to cook on open fires”, “conquered fear through completing the longest (and only) double zip line in Borneo”, (alongside other rigging disciplines), “river tubing and river hang out time” (simply allowed them to just have fun on their “own terms”). The evenings spent playing games, old and new, (east meets west) just simply more fun, and all without iCloud, smart devices and the ever present pull of the WWW.
An adventure is relative, it is for some every ounce of ability and resolve and yet to another a mere trifle, (and everything in between) depending on the soul in question, whether eight years, eighteen, or dare I say it (my age) the variation and impact remains, and there for whether it is a nature trail or a mountain summit bid, camping in the back garden or in the wilderness on a new continent. The soul will never cease to benefit from the change of scenery and pace the outdoors provides. Congratulations to KIS on a fantastic summer adventure trip. We look forward to seeing you next year.
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Tanglin Trust School (Singapore) - Service & Exploration | 22nd – 29th June 2016
It could be presumed that penning accounts of International school expeditions, week on week consistently based in the same region (Sabah) completing similar activity’s would prove after a period of time hard? But not so my friends. Every single school team is unique, even expeditions that run multiple times in the year, year on year for the many repeat clients remain fresh and “individual”, and Tanglin’s Year 12 summer exploration team were an equally predictably unpredictable and fresh team.
The principle element for their eight day program here in the Kiulu valley (Sabah) was four days submersed in a Kampong community project, (not just one Kampong, but three). The sixty four strong team had previously been allocated their own village community, each team led by a small instructor team (and joined by a very able teacher pastoral contingent). They would work, eat, sleep, play and experience life as the Sabahan people do. The same theme running throughout the three, but yet different as the experiences largely depended on the energy invested by the visiting individuals, the community they are hosted by and setting they find themselves staying in. The three team’s communities Tombung, Lokub and Sinopukan were all ready for our enthusiastic wards, a real sense of excitement, as hosting groups in the village is not as common as just hosting the service projects.
The expedition team and these communities had already been working a week in the preparation for the TTS arrival, as you can imagine it is no easy feat to set up three new mass family residences in villages that are in all reality, very much still evolving in a developing country (after all the point of the projects is to improve the infrastructure among these communities), so simply moving in was not as straight forward as you could be forgiven for presuming. Where to sleep, cook, eat, wash, toilet, and as important as the work, “where” to relax and enjoy life! Where to store food for twenty plus students, two teachers and the instructor team in a humid and hot Jungle Kampong?? All these and many more conundrums all brain stormed and eventually solved. The team was finally ready to welcome the team from Singapore of what we hoped would be a service project to remember for the rest of their lives.
No sooner had the arrival gates slide open, then a rainbow display of holdalls, back packs and suitcases emerged (all I might add strapped to, slung over and draped upon our team of expectant “chickens”) Why Chickens ? I must confess it is a collective name I give all the members of any team I lead, they are if you will my “clutch” or “brood” and until the end of the program are to a certain degree “flightless” birds. Yet once at the end of the experience, all (in theory) have amassed a greater degree of new knowledge of themselves and the breadth of their own potential ability’s. By no means are they at the ‘enlightened’ stage, but we aim to open a few doors and windows for them to see a view of themselves that “maybe” they had not seen clearly yet.
The sands of time began to slip through the hour glass and we were off, first stop the Adventure centre and team fully briefed on the program plans, one team marginally more anxious than the rest, our intrepid outstation remote team ‘Sinopukan’. The team were going to travel right up to the head of the valley, and live in one of the smallest and under developed villages in this region, they would live in bamboo /tarp shelters made by the community (especially for them), their kitchen built in a similar style and daily ablutions would be courtesy of the Sungai (river) Sinopukan. Yes you read that correctly - No showers, no sinks, simply a crystal clear river and a few frogs for company!
The teams completed their respective projects with the level of commitment you always “wish for” (but sometimes fail to find), the fact that none of these young adults had ever seriously embraced hard manual labour, and lived in ultra-simplicity, and disconnected from the WWW and lived as extended family group working and socialising (without much choice) failed gloriously to present any negative impacts what so ever. The volume of work completed, the standard of finished task handed to the Kampong elders and sheer enthusiasm with which each day was met truly incredible. The teams respectively had formed their own unofficial work / living pact, they had embraced all that which they did not know they could do and they allowed the instructors to teach and coach. The social time was spent with a real connection to one another and their host communities. I can say as Expedition leader and one of the group leaders (Lokub) it was without doubt a privilege to be part of something that fell into in pace like the makings of a Swiss time piece. The remaining time on this program was adventure orientated with White water rafting and high rigging elements to release the endorphins (and maybe test those few whom for them adventure equals unnecessary fear). Minds, body and spirits stretched but no doubt recharged the team then headed off for a well-earned 24 hours of slow pace adventure, in the style of a local tropical island, white sands, blue seas, sunshine and your own island. The decisions amount to do I snorkel now or go and kayak. Tanglin Trust you were incredible, special note to Ryan Haines, Joshua Brock and Anvi Pingali who were awarded with the Ability Expeditions “achievement of excellence award”. Your instructor team genuinely admired each member of the student team, we look forward to the next team in June 2017.
~ Phil Austen-Smith (Expedition Manager)
The Concrete Kings and Queens from Hong Kong – Canadian International School of Hong Kong (CDNIS) | 7th – 12th May 2016
Canadian International School of Hong Kong (CDNIS) have been sending multiple groups annually (via Educational Excursions) to the Ability team for several years now, always a very engaged and enthusiastic team of students and an equally engaged and dynamic teacher contingent. This May their team was no exception on either counts, the lead teacher Alex Wright was another example of “great” inspirational leadership for the students to absorb, follow and develop from. He, his teaching team and the Vice Principle (Barbara Dacho) truly demonstrated what great “teaching” is all about. The response from the students was I trust a “just reward” for the teachers own endeavours. The school came into country and sort cultural emersion, physical challenge and community service under the banner of FUN and adventure. And this is exactly what we provided. A last minute flight alteration meant the team would be arriving late and sadly exiting earlier than originally planned, although not drastic in effect these hours few hours difference are critical when we have so much packed into an expedition week for 60 plus teenagers. We needed the group to want this week, and want it with a real sense of “give me more.” This way the “full on” pace would not feel like a chore, (we hoped with fingers crossed) more akin to a roller coaster ride they only left because the ride had finished!
The team where straight out into the service projects, two Kampongs and two projects rolling simultaneously in each. Two days was all they had to complete the projects we had designed and planned. A volley ball court, and a kindergarten weather shelter at one (Kg. Rangalau), and a takraw court (local rattan ball game and tamu shelter in the other. From there the team would hit the jungle trails and head off for twenty four hours before then rafting the Kiulu river and...
The teams were incredible, they worked so hard (yes, they had assistance from the Ability team and the kampong community), but the students mixed tonne after tonne of concrete, erected and painted the weather shelter (and yet more concrete for that base!), they erected and painted the tamu shelter (market shelter) and tonnes and tonnes of concrete for the takraw court.
“Outstanding team work,”
The level of commitment and dedication shown by both service teams was just incredible. “Take a bow” CDNIS, you are ranked AAA rating for shear hard graft!
The team split into three groups for the Jungle phase, and all returned smiling and “jungle fresh”. The week was over in a flash, with a blink of an eye all where back on the coach and heading to the airport. Another huge success with young people truly expanding their own vision of the world we live in, their own pushing boundaries to create a yet bigger spirit of adventure. Congratulations CDNIS May 2016 team.
“You rocked the house!”
We look forward to the next team in November. With grateful thanks from the Ability team!