Our trip leaders are British as well, one male and one female, aged 29 and 33, respectively. Since we shall all learn a great deal about each other during the course of our journey, I will defer further comment until later. Although valuables are locked up in a safe, truck security is everybody's job. Every compartment, each piece of equipment, and all the bags are secured by padlocks. We get the bags out in the morning and again in the evening for people to retrieve what they may need.
Nothing is left in a tent unless that tent is occupied and even then it is just sleeping gear.
In the remote areas where we are going, we cannot replace items which may get stolen or lost, so vigilance is always necessary when we stop for a meal or to spend the night. The Unit is a member of the bar management team. The thirteen passengers have been divided into five cooking teams. When your shift comes up, you are responsible for lunch and dinner that day and the next morning's breakfast. The truck usually stops during the morning in a village so that day's cooking crew can buy supplies.