Garibaldi School students undertake once-in-a-lifetime Borneo Expedition
Students and teachers from The Garibaldi School in Mansfield - part of the Nova Education Trust - undertook a once-in-a-lifetime Borneo Expedition this summer.
Twenty-four adventurous students took part in the trip with Camps International to the giant, rugged island in Southeast Asia’s Malay Archipelago.
Led by Garibaldi School teachers Adam Hales and Bonnie Bleasdale, as well as Leah Miller from the Trust, the pupils experienced unforgettable moments they will remember for the rest of their lives.
The travelling party arrived in Kota Kinabalu in the early hours of the morning and settled into the hostel for a few hours sleep, before making the most of the first few days.
Teacher, Adam Hales, said: "The trip started with a visit to an art gallery where students got to see some impressive sculptures created by local artists. The 30+ degree heat was a bit of a challenge but the purpose of the first few days was to get acclimatised to it.
"In the first few days we also went to local markets and a mangrove reserve where students planted their own mangrove tree in the conservation area. The evenings were spent playing games and building relationships with each other.
"From Kota Kinabalu we went to our first camp. The accommodation was a big shock to students, a mattress on the floor with a suspended mosquito net above it, but students soon settled in after the first night."
At this camp students mixing concrete to finish off a running track in the village. They had their first experience of the tropical rains, dancing around in it and having fun getting drenched. The students also painted murals, planted corn, played football with the locals.
Teacher, Bonnie Bleasdale, said: "Our second camp was a bit of a contrast. We arrived on the coach and were put into minibuses and four-by-fours for the final five-minute drive into the village down a very steep hill.
"Our project work here involved reinforcing drainage by the side of the road with concrete and plastering a toilet block in a new community area. We also played volleyball with the locals, went to the local church for a service, made doughnuts and made bracelets.”
The next camp was slightly different again. The project work involved mixing concrete for the base of a village court which was under construction. One of the highlights was the sunrise walk up Bongkud Hill. On the last evening, students dressed in traditional local dress and performed a dance they had been taught by camp's staff.
After four days of scuba diving, the students next stop was back to Kota Kinabalu for one night and then on to a recreational farmstead near to Bongkud, before a breathtaking jungle expedition.
The travelling party boarded narrowboats for their trip and on the way down the river saw crocodiles, monkeys and a lot of exotic looking birds. Students were given a safety briefing in the jungle, told about the long-drop toilets and then taught how to put up their hammocks. On the final day they planted over 100 trees in the new clearing which has helped contribute to the conservation and expansion of the forest.
The trip also included visit to Sepilok to the Orangutan Sanctuary and Sun Bear Sanctuary. Students got to see these animals up close and all commented it was something they will never forget.
Teacher, Adam Hales, concluded: This was a trip of a lifetime for the students and one they will never forget. The experiences they had will live with them for a long time.
“They were a credit to the school throughout the trip and made a lasting impression on everyone they met.”