Operation Wallacea - South Africa

Being an Alevel biologist who is about to study Biological Sciences at University, I was thoroughly encouraged by my biology teacher to consider going on the trip, not because I would be spending two weeks off of TikTok...but because I had the opportunity to develop my knowledge that I had learnt in the classroom to real life scenarios. I was slightly apprehensive at first as ecology and conservation was of great interest to me, and I could not say no to a good documentary by Sir David Attenborough himself , however the fun is often taken away when you are sat in the classroom with a long list of risk assessments that don't always allow you to go out into the field to grasp a more practical element....I have not been bribed to say this, but when I say my two weeks spent across Somkanda Game Reserve, and Sodwana Bay were the best two weeks of my life, I'm not joking! Across my two weeks I learnt many important things about myself that include: 1) I am in fact a complete expert when it comes to poo (not human poo don't worry) 2) I now have the ability to look at a bird, and successfully name it rather than going 'is that a pigeon or a seagull?' 3) and finally....as a teenage girl who is somewhat addicted to her phone, I successfully survived both limited access to TikTok and Pinterest, as well as waking up early- so much so that I now consider 7am as a lie in! The 5 a.m. starts were a shock, but they led to unforgettable experiences. Blasting music on a speaker with the wind in my hair (and hair in my face!) as we headed out for morning dives was a highlight. On our last dive, I was so mesmerised by the coral and marine life that I almost missed the fact that we were following a shark! In the end, we saw three sharks, though no mermaids, unfortunately :( Throughout the whole time being involved with Operation Wallacea, the staff and communication were brilliant. Before our trip the staff helped give us ideas for fundraising, my Sixth Form decided to hold a South Africa themed quiz night- accompanied by live music, a raffle and South African themed bake sale, where we raised nearly £1000! Our accommodation throughout the trip included tents with beds, electricity and shelving for storage- I was even able to blow my hair in the South African Bush! We had an outside toilet and shower block that provided flushable toilets and hot water. I particularly enjoyed showering with the afternoon sun on my face. Our second week accommodation at the marine site involved 'cabins' with a fridge, desk, storage and of course beds! We were also provided with an inside toilet and shower block that enabled us to warm up after a morning dive. We also had a courtyard with trees and grass as well as a pool to swim in if we wanted. The staff were funny, approachable and very enthusiastic! Being around like minded people on the trip was really what sparked my interest in conservation, making me want to perhaps have a job in it when I'm older. You can really see how passion they have in their jobs in not only helping the environment, but also in inspiring young people like me. We had ecology experts who were also conducting research on site, who gave us lectures on topics that I was able to build my knowledge on from school. We learnt how to conduct scientific surveys as well as how to identify animal tracks, poisonous plants and of course poo! Not that I plan to be like Bear Grills any time soon, however we were also taught how to survive alone in the bush- developing skills such s how to build and make a fire, as well as how to use the star constellations as a compass. I returned from the trip with a diving qualification, a wealth of knowledge, and friendships to last a lifetime. I would encourage anyone to go on an expedition with Operation Wallacea and join the OPWALL family too! I think as a young person it's very important to encourage people like me to get involved and hands on. I have learnt a lot about myself and the world around me; this trip has made me realise just what a magnificent place we live in, and how important it is to protect it. Thank you for having me Operation Wallacea- I can not wait to make my return on another expedition!

At the time, being an Alevel Biologist who was going on to study Biological Sciences and University, I was thoroughly encouraged by my biology teacher to consider going on the trip, not because I would be spending two weeks off of TikTok...but because I had the opportunity to develop my knowledge that I had learnt in the classroom to real life scenarios. I was slightly apprehensive at first as ecology and conservation was of great interest to me, and I could not say no to a good documentary by Sir David Attenborough himself , however the fun is often taken away when you are sat in the classroom with a long list of risk assessments that don't always allow you to go out into the field to grasp a more practical element....I have not been bribed to say this, but when I say my two weeks spent across Somkanda Game Reserve, and Sodwana Bay were the best two weeks of my life, I'm not joking! Across my two weeks I learnt many important things about myself that include: 1) I am in fact a complete expert when it comes to poo (not human poo don't worry) 2) I now have the ability to look at a bird, and successfully name it rather than going 'is that a pigeon or a seagull?' 3) and finally....as a teenage girl who is somewhat addicted to her phone, I successfully survived both limited access to TikTok and Pinterest, as well as waking up early- so much so that I now consider 7am as a lie in! The 5 a.m. starts were a shock, but they led to unforgettable experiences. Blasting music on a speaker with the wind in my hair (and hair in my face!) as we headed out for morning dives was a highlight. On our last dive, I was so mesmerised by the coral and marine life that I almost missed the fact that we were following a shark! In the end, we saw three sharks, though no mermaids, unfortunately :( The accommodation during our first week on the terrestrial site involved tents with beds and a substantial amount of storage and shelving (so I did successfully blow dry my hair in the South African bush!) as well as flushable toilets and showers with hot water. Although it was not 5 star luxury, as you are living out in rural Africa with the lions! I enjoyed soaking up the afternoon sun that crept through the outside shower block. Our second week at the marine site was spent in 'cabins' with a fridge, dresser and multiple beds per room. Similarly, the inside shower and toilet block provided us with hot water to warm up after our dives. The staff were absolutely amazing, before and during the trip. The communication was fantastic and clear, they also helped us with ideas for fundraising! My sixth-form held a 'South Africa Quiz Night' where we were able to raise nearly £1000- through the help of our special guest...David Flattenborough (a life size cardvarod cut out of David Attenborough) Throughout our 2 weeks the staff were so lovely. You can feel their passion for their job, and their enthusiasm helped motivate us to get out of bed at 5am...I think being surrounded by likeminded people like the Operation Wallacea staff really helped spark my interest in conservation, and wanting to perhaps peruse a job in it in the future. The trip was very hands on, and I felt that I got a lot out of it. I do not plan on being like Bear Grills any time soon, however thanks to Operation Wallacea, I now know how to survive out in the bush: identifying poisonous plants, distinguishing animal tracks and how to successfully start a fire! I returned from the trip with a diving qualification, a wealth of knowledge, and friendships that would last a lifetime. I would encourage anyone to go on an expedition with Operation Wallacea- I have learnt a lot about myself and the world around me; this trip has made me realise just what a magnificent place we live in, and how important it is to protect it. Thank you for having me Operation Wallacea- I can't wait to make a return on another expedition!!

At first, I wasn't really sure if a trip to a place like south africa would be safe and i was concerned about all the possible problems i could encounter travelling from very far away. Luckily, once we arrived to Somkhanda, all my worries vanished and I enjoyed my stay at both the budh and Sodwana Bay. All the animals we saw and the activities we did were amazing and because I had never done a trip like this in my life, I was absolutely impressed at how beautiful nature is. Overall, it was an incredible experience and I truly reccomend it.