In less than two months 19 girls, Miss Ward and I will be in Thailand ready for a month long adventure. Eighteen months ago we all signed up for the World Challenge Expedition to Thailand and Cambodia.

The expedition will take the team through the bustling city of Bangkok, Kanchanaburi historical province, the lush jungle settings of Chiang Rai, Siem Rep in Cambodia, the sandy beaches of Koh Samet and eventually we will make our way back to Bangkok.

There are four key phases to the expedition: acclimatisation day treks, main jungle trek, a community project in a small developing village, and rest and relaxation. The expedition is student-lead and will provide opportunities for self-discovery and personal growth. Once in-country, the students are responsible for booking all the group accommodation, transport, organising meals, managing the budget, and making sure that we get to our trekking provider and community project on the due dates. Some of our experiences will be eating fresh tasty Thai food, haggling at the night markets, using squat toilets, visiting temples, bamboo rafting, engaging with friendly local children, cruising around in little tut tuts, fending off jungle insects, overnight train rides, showering under amazing waterfalls, and sleeping in hammocks in the jungle! Moments of frustrations, pushing our personal comfort zones as well as lots of fun and laughter is all part of the challenge that we are looking forward to.

The World Challenge team have worked hard to fundraise more than $7000 each over the past year and a half. Along with a variety of fundraising projects (part-time jobs, home baking, selling firewood, car wash, quiz night, sausage sizzles), the team have also had to participate in personal fitness, training workshops to develop leadership and budgeting skills, team bonding activities and a two day overnight training camp.

On behalf of the World Challenge team, I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone that has supported the trip including the PTSA and many of our local businesses.

I commend all the girls and families for their personal commitment to the expedition. It has been a long and busy build-up and in 52 days it will be time to say …. see you all in the New Year ….. “sa-wad-dee-ka”.