We recieve a lot of great feedback from volunteers and project partners, here is what some of them had to say...

"Hi Beth,
I just really wanted to thank you so so much for organising the Swaziland expedition. I loved every minute of it and generally thought every day was amazing. Literally
was like \'living the dream!\' So happy I went to Africa, as it gave me the
opportunity to explore it.

I miss being there so much and can\'t wait to go back!

Once again thank-you and take care,
Ruth"
Ruth Carreras, Swaziland Combined Expedition, 2006

“Dear Beth,

I know that I haven´t emailed you about my 3 months yet, but basically all I
can say is awesome. I loved it all - best time I´ve ever had.

I´m now in Cusco, but it seems that Quest have a good reputation all over the
world. I´m told by some gringos that another Quest team will be coming into
Cusco within a couple of days. It´ll also be nice to see those cheesy Quest T´shirts again!”
Wilfred Frost, Swaziland Combined Expedition, 2005

"Dear Beth,

I have been wanting to write ever since I returned to say thank you so much to Quest for providing me with the most incredible experiences and time. I have completely fallen in love with Africa and most definitely caught the travelling bug - I am already planning next year\'s return!

I don\'t think I ever have ever worked as hard as I did for the first two weeks in Shewula - the early mornings, transporting the breeze blocks across the school yard and mixing the cement will stay in my nightmares but the reward at the end when the headmistress hugged us and couldn\'t find the words to thank us will also stay with me.

It was also fantastic to be in a community and get the chance to get to know a few of the members. I also don\'t think I will ever forget the view from the bathroom or watching the sunset from the escarpment. Mlawula and Hlane National Park were fantastic places too and building the bird hide next to the dam filled with crocodiles and hippos was fantastic and having a bath in the tin bin watching the sunset was beautiful.

I definitely couldn\'t have got myself from country to country afterwards without the experience that Quest gave me, nor would I have had the confidence to do so. The organisation of the expedition was brilliant and this meant we could enjoy our time to the maximum.

I have made some brilliant friends from the experience and also unforgettable memories."
Sarah Yates, Swaziland, 2004

“Dear Beth,

We are very grateful for the generosity your organization has shown us, and I will ensure this money is well spent to further conservation within the reserve. Some of this money will be used to pay for a helicopter game count, which will greatly assist in the more effective management of the reserve, with the remainder contributing towards the costs of translocating Giraffe, Wildebeest and Zebra from an over-populated area into the under-populated Northern section of the reserve.

During the recent stay, the Quest volunteers were a great help, continuing with on-going vegetation surveys, painting the campsite facilities and completing a very detailed survey of the Giraffe population occurring on the reserve.

We greatly appreciate the commitment Quest has to conservation in Swaziland, and look forward to working with you in the future." 
Matthew McGinn, Manager, Mbuluzi Game Reserve

"Hi Beth!
 
We finished off our time in Hlane, having learnt a good deal about life in the bush. Franz, the manager of Hlane, was brilliant at getting us all involved in his way of life. In fact he even managed to trick the entire team into dunking their fingers into Rhino spoor and eating it...? not sure how!

A good finishing touch to Hlane was a trip to a Marula festival in which the king of Swaziland attended to celebrate the Marula season. Here its fair to say that we stick out like sore thumbs, however what can we say we\'ve appropriately been socialising with royalty...as you do!

A weekend off at Legends backpackers in Ezelwini was much deserved. We went white water rafting and river tubing which was hilarious. Lots of mishaps (particularly when tubing) meant some rather amazing capsizing and thus bruises going down!

This time to Mbuluzi where Matt, the manager of the reserve took us on, giving us more insight into the \\\'game rangers\\\' lifestyle. We had a brilliant week here, doing a variety of activities. Starting the bright and early mornings with a game drive, then splitting into groups for the remainder of the day. The \\\'physical working\\\' members of the group built a bird hide, while the more \\\'intricate\\\' members got involved in parthenium surveys. The aim being to record the ratio between grass, bare ground and the parthenium plant in areas of the reserve.

To top the week off we ended with a day of shooting. Everyone participated in a target practise in the morning, shooting a .223 gun at a 100m away target. The idea was that the 2 best shots went stalking for an impala which was to be our supper. Surprisingly it was myself (Abby) and Jon who got this opportunity, and it had to be said was an absolutely amazing experience. Unfortunately because it is out of the hunting season we were only aloud to fire at male impala, and sods law meant that we only came across females! Therefore we didn\\\'t bring home any supper for the team, but nobody was disappointed with the standard rice with tomatoes....its become a bit of a daily fix!
So there it happened the project ended, sad but relieved from exhaustion we headed back to Sondzelas backpackers for a weekend before the trek in Malolotja nature reserve. During our weekend off Dave and Rob surprised the group with a visit to Mkhaya game reserve, where we saw lots of wildlife including Buffalo, Elephant, Hippo and Rhino.
 
Speak soon!
Abby"
March 2007, from the Swazi 2007 Team

"Hi Beth,
Abby and Storm here writing an update of what we have been up to so far!

Well what can I say, an incredible country to be based and made to feel so welcome, not only by acquaintances but moreover every passer by. So here we are in Shewula staying at ‘mountain camp’ and spending our days (6:30 – 6:00) building a class room at Majembeni Sebenta School. So far we have progressed with frightening speed; plastering like maniacs on really rickety scaffolding.

Simultaneously back on mountain camp we have begun only yesterday building three rondavels, which are too progressing well. We have established a pretty good system in which people on cooking duty stay back to work on them, (which inevitably means two very rosy people serving up supper)!

Meanwhile the rest of the gang working hard (with the luxury of possible shade) at the school. We have now finished plastering both inside and outside walls and will start on the floor today.

Anyway what more can we say that Swaziland is a wonderful country, Shewula is a warm and kind community; and most importantly the Shewula community appreciate everything we are doing for them.

Abby and Storm"
15th February 2007, from the Swazi 2007 Team