#kerbauchallenge

The next school expedition we are running is one of our more advanced programs that would snuggly fit in the bracket of “physically demanding and intense,” it has been designed specifically to serve as an assessment opportunity for the Gold International Award candidates. These fifty intrepid students have been preparing for this expedition several months in advance back in Singapore, land of the flat and more or less featureless (in comparison). Planning menus, shopping lists and training their bodies (in theory) for the physical demands of that which will definitely lie ahead of them. As many of you already know, Ability Expeditions is able to customize and design expeditions for any school, if you require gentle and soft, with movie nights and games that would please Year 6 kiddies, no problem. If however, you want a testing and demanding expeditions that will push even the fittest of individuals into new and unexplored personal ground, then we have a playground that ticks every box just as easily… an unsupported (although guided) four day jungle trek, including a graded river rafted egress route, followed immediately by a three day summit bid on Mount Kinabalu. So back to the story, the six are bussed up to the start point, a kampong or two along up the valley, nearly all who were on this recce were part of the last few years expeditions and so are well aware that our task over the next 48 hours will not be an easy one. To be precise, we have a FOUR days worth of jungle trail to cover, clear, plot and re-route as required… yes you read that correctly!

The team likes challenges and we see the point of doubling our input as a test of our own endurance and capabilities. We should be able to go harder, for longer, and faster than 99% of our clients. If not, who is going to pick up the slack when someone’s blown their “can do spirit” or is actually injured (rare but something we have to plan for). We have to think and lead while motivating others, all the while hauling our own carcasses and kit up the same hills. These photos will show far more succinctly where my words would flounder, suffice it to say then that we trekked ten hours on day 1, hitting camp 2 (days two’s end stop) by dusk.

I was so genuinely impressed with the team, it is easy to forget how impressive a team really is when you are with them day in day out. Doing what is done day in day out, quality becomes a norm. However put a team back into full expedition mode, and by that I mean them pushing themselves hard, and not as we normally do - motivating others on fairly gentle and beginner terrain - but assessing, clearing and supporting each other on hard jungle hills, then my friends you see your team shining like true stars. Humor flowing, sweat pouring and all the while a constant professional regard for those that we are doing this for is so evident. So excuse me for using this platform, but a round of applause for the Ability Expeditions recce team for an outstanding job well done! Physically drained and all aware they have a trail that will truly test those coming into country in a few weeks, “…is it achievable?”, “YES!” without any doubt, I know this because I did it and I’m at least twice the age of every student attending.

“Will they be in awe of themselves and one another on completion?” “YES!”

“Will they find it easy?” “NO.”