Climbing in The Gambia

[Ian Flatters]

Hey everyone

Just a quick snippet of footage from our expedition into The Gambian bush, pushing 39C in the shade and well into the 70C's in the sun. I'll be doing a documentary but it will take a while.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/9uUO3eqgSJo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Hope you enjoy and more importantly the footage fills you with joy as the trip did for me.

Ian

 

[MasterBlaster]

Hella jungle and some nice trees!!! I bet it was fun - those monkeys woulda had me worried!

 

[Ian Flatters]

Hella jungle and some nice trees!!! I bet it was fun - those monkeys woulda had me worried!

Myself and Ben were very worried when we met the troop, lucky we had 2 dogs with us or it could of been a brown pants moment

 

[MasterBlaster]

How did you get that gig?

 

[lonniels]

Amazing Ian! When you made the long ascent, what kind of tree was that?

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Love it! Thanks Ian

 

[Ian Flatters]

How did you get that gig?

Mainly during my time as a hand model Matthew Shute asked me after i was asking about zipline work in Panama. This seemed an amazing project so i came along.

The project has the goal of creating sustainable tourism to give the locals the chance to earn a living from for instance a zipline, rope walk, and earn $2 a day for a year rather than fell a tree and earn $200 but then have no forest left. I've seen poverty before but this was a real eye opener and being allowed to climb tribal trees in the hearts of the villages was a warming and honoured experience.

Im sure there will be plans for another trip next year one of which i hope to attend to see how the money we raised was invested.

 

[Ian Flatters]

Amazing Ian! When you made the long ascent, what kind of tree was that?

The one in the video was a Grey Plum at around 25m. The guys climbed a mahogany tree which was huge. Mainly though it was Kapoc trees which were like climbing razors, ropes got quite damaged but we tip tied to reduce the wear along the ropes.

 

[Ian Flatters]

before i forget heres the journalists article she did. got her to 20ft then shot up for sunset only to have to shoot down because id plonked here in a black ants nest.

http://www.savoirthere.com/10049/mandina-lodges-made-me-a-forest-chump/

 

[MasterBlaster]

Ants, eh? Damn...

 

[ClimbMIT]

Nice video! Sounds like a great project to be involved in for everyone involved. I envy you Ian. Look forward to seeing the full documentary. Rock on!

 

[woodworkingboy]

Looks like a great trip, but...

 

[Adam_P]

Mainly during my time as a hand model

Great video. That's living.