Borneo 2009

Wading through layers of hostile jungle, dripping with sweat from the humidity and fighting off leeches determined to find some human blood to suck on. Those were the hurdles faced by our 14 intrepid trekkers who flew to the Borneo jungle to brave its tough conditions for a fund-raising challenge. Walking for up to eight hours a day the brave group battled exhaustion, legs more like jelly than limbs and one particularly precarious river crossing. But for all of them it was the trip of a lifetime – an incredible experience which raised a whopping £17,000 for The Blue Cross to help needy animals.

The trekkers got to see baby orang-utans and got up close and personal with monkeys, crocodiles and an amazing assortment of birds.
And they had the chance to meet locals and experience their overwhelming hospitality. Our very own events officer Heather Collin went on the trek.

She said: “When I was asked to go I thought ‘brilliant, I’d love to’.

“For five months I built up my stamina, doing lots of walking and wearing a backpack with four litre water bottles to get used to the weight because everything you need for your four days of jungle survival is on your back.”

The group flew to Borneo on October 3 to embark on the challenge.

Heather said: “Once we started it was only minutes before we reached a steep incline and as we made our way up, our heart rates started to soar.

“We were delighted when we came across a river and we could all go for a swim. The heat and humidity was so intense.”

Over four days the group waded through thick jungle, over slippery terrain and up steep inclines for up to eight hours a day.

Heather said: “The whole team were just so encouraging and helped each other and the guides were absolutely amazing. They were always reaching their hands out to help or carry backpacks for people who were struggling and their sheer strength was incredible.”

One hairy moment has stuck in Heather’s mind. She said: “At one point we got to this river crossing only to find that the bridge had been swept away.

“The guides started cutting down trees with machetes to try to build a bridge to get us to camp on the other side of the river.

“They cut down two trees but one went in the wrong direction and the other was too short.

“In the end we had to sidestep across this tree to get across.

“In the jungle anything is possible and you just don’t know what’s going to happen.

“But once we got to camp all the aches and pains went away.”

She added: “The feeling when we reached our final camp on the last day, a church in the village of Kiau was amazing.

“It was lovely because the guides had really bonded with us and it was the village where they lived so they took us around and introduced us to their families.

“That evening we had a celebratory dinner with music and dancing.”

After the trek the group visited the Orangutan Conservation Project and got to see the beautiful creatures up close.

Heather said: “The group was just amazing, they got on with what they needed to do and nobody moaned. You get to the point when you are so tired, your legs feel like jelly and you don’t think you can climb anymore but everyone just kept going.

“They have done The Blue Cross proud.”

The Blue Cross is now recruiting for next year’s Borneo Challenge. For more information call Heather Collin on 01993 825567 or email her at heather.collin@bluecross.org.uk