Last Wednesday I got my results and I wasn't as happy as I thought I'd be. I worked pretty hard for A's in business and history but I got B's so that was a let down. I gave my results to my parents, got my bags and got on the bus. I sat with Amy and my friends were in the seats surrounding too, the chats on the bus ride about all the results was nice but as soon as we got off the bus the results weren't mentioned again. As we arrived we began to set up the tent, I had Aido, Ste, Jose, Sean, Hugo, Josh and Paddy in my tent who helped put up the tent. My advice for the camping trip is don't have a Steven in your group. He didn't help with anything at all but we forgive him. After setting up the tent most of us had snacks, the majority of snacks were all koka noodles which were eaten at every meal. After the quick snack we then all went on a 6km walk which was really nice. Half way there we took a couple of pictures, drank some water and then turned back. On the walk most of us got really dirty and wet so after some of us had showers. The showers were surprisingly really nice and since the room was small it turned into a steam room in a way. We then had dinner, I had pasta and balinaise which was grand and I scabbed a few sausages and other meats here and there from groups. After dinner we hungout in tents and had some soft drinks, then at around 8 we began the campfire where the whole year was for the night. At the campfire there was the usual getting of weak prey where the predictors would hunt in packs and demolish the weak. We all had great talks and banter and then we went to bed. In bed at 10:59 the entire campsite went absolutely mad shouting, "Jono," at the top of our lungs.
On Thursday morning most people had slept terribly throughout the night and were grumpy. Everyone had slept in full clothes and some still woke up feeling very cold. I had a very nice sleeping bag that was warm and didn't wake up during the night which was very nice. The next morning we began to cook breakfast which included sausages, rashers, French toast and pancakes. Our group made pancakes and sausages but I got French toast and rashers from other groups who were giving away food. Surprisingly most tents had excess food so we were set for all of our meals. At breakfast the teachers gave out free bread and milk and I made myself a big sandwich for the long walk ahead. I brought a two litre bottle of water, a protein bar, jellies, chocolate and popcorn for the walk. We began the walk at 11 and we all knew we had a long road ahead. The majority of the beginning of the walk was difficult because it was all uphill, however I think it was nice to get the hard piece knocked out at the beginning. The weather was surprisingly nice during the beginning of the walk and I had shorts underneath my track suits which I changed into because it was very hot. We had a large group of people and I think we had over 90 on the walk so as you'd imagine we weren't all together because groups were faster than others. Every 2-3 kilometres the front group would stop and wait for the slower group to catch up so that we wouldn't lose them and then maybe they'd lose their way back to the campsite. About 8 kilometres in most of us were quite tired and we stopped to take pictures as a group which will be in my photos section if the blog. We kept walking after that and still had around 10 more kilometres to do. After around another 5 kilometres of trudging through the muck and grass we stopped for food. Everyone was exashuted and this was a needed break. I had a nice lunch and gave away a few pieces of chocolate and popcorn to friends. We began to walk for the last part of the walk and we ran into a stream. Surprisingly only about half of us had hiking boots so many knew that they were going to get quite wet but we found a way around it. Many of the lads and I gave everyone waiting a piggy back ride over the small river and that way only a few got wet rather than everyone. After another few kilometres we all finally made it back to the campsite and were all very worn out. It was about 5 and I had a shower almost straight away and it was quite nice to relax in the hot water. After we had all showered and were about to start dinner the teachers nicely made burgers for everyone which were very nice. Jason had brought a full barbecue and cooked us all our food. After the burgers I had some more food, Koka noodles, another protein bar and a few sausages from other tent groups. It was about 6:30 by the time everyone had finished dinner and we then began the campfire outside where everyone would gather and hangout. We stayed at the campfire for about an hour and a half and then it began to lash rain so the teachers told us to go back to our tents. As we were all walking back sadly I started to shout, "The Barn," and then everyone began shouting it as we all crammed into the barn and began making some food, playing cards and playing atomas. I was really good at atomas and I really enjoyed it. The card games were getting intense as Ben and LK had a great game of spit where LK won on a close call. We spent the rest of the night with each other having a great time and then went off to sleep at 11. Everyone was looking forward to bed after the long walk so we weren't reluctant to go to sleep. I didn't sleep well that night because of all the noise caused by Spuke's tent but we won't get into that story. Finally falling asleep at the late a.m. Just to be woken up by Ella and Masisie at 6 a.m. Although I didn't get much sleep I wasn't as tired and I thought I would be.
Finally on Friday morning I went back to sleep and woke back up at 8 and went for a shower with some of the lads. After the shower we began breakfast and I had a rasher sandwich and a sausage sandwich and they were both really delicious. Then after breakfast we began to pack up our tent which was extremely unorganised. After about 10 minutes of cleaning and packing our bags we finally cleared it out. After we cleared out the tent we took out the poles, folded it and put it back in the bag. I was all ready to leave and it was about 11. I went over to help with other tents because most of the others were struggling and eventually they were all taken down. It was about 11:30 and as a year we walked in a line together and picked up rubbish that we had left on the ground. After cleaning the rest of the site we just sat and talked for the last 20 or so minutes waiting for the buses to arrive. They finally arrived and went back to Gerard's and then home. I was over tired and went home to sleep.
I really enjoyed the camping trip and I'm not mad that I missed the results events in town. It was so nice to camp with friends and be with a lot of nice people. I hope the rest of fourth year can be as great as this trip was.
On Thursday morning most people had slept terribly throughout the night and were grumpy. Everyone had slept in full clothes and some still woke up feeling very cold. I had a very nice sleeping bag that was warm and didn't wake up during the night which was very nice. The next morning we began to cook breakfast which included sausages, rashers, French toast and pancakes. Our group made pancakes and sausages but I got French toast and rashers from other groups who were giving away food. Surprisingly most tents had excess food so we were set for all of our meals. At breakfast the teachers gave out free bread and milk and I made myself a big sandwich for the long walk ahead. I brought a two litre bottle of water, a protein bar, jellies, chocolate and popcorn for the walk. We began the walk at 11 and we all knew we had a long road ahead. The majority of the beginning of the walk was difficult because it was all uphill, however I think it was nice to get the hard piece knocked out at the beginning. The weather was surprisingly nice during the beginning of the walk and I had shorts underneath my track suits which I changed into because it was very hot. We had a large group of people and I think we had over 90 on the walk so as you'd imagine we weren't all together because groups were faster than others. Every 2-3 kilometres the front group would stop and wait for the slower group to catch up so that we wouldn't lose them and then maybe they'd lose their way back to the campsite. About 8 kilometres in most of us were quite tired and we stopped to take pictures as a group which will be in my photos section if the blog. We kept walking after that and still had around 10 more kilometres to do. After around another 5 kilometres of trudging through the muck and grass we stopped for food. Everyone was exashuted and this was a needed break. I had a nice lunch and gave away a few pieces of chocolate and popcorn to friends. We began to walk for the last part of the walk and we ran into a stream. Surprisingly only about half of us had hiking boots so many knew that they were going to get quite wet but we found a way around it. Many of the lads and I gave everyone waiting a piggy back ride over the small river and that way only a few got wet rather than everyone. After another few kilometres we all finally made it back to the campsite and were all very worn out. It was about 5 and I had a shower almost straight away and it was quite nice to relax in the hot water. After we had all showered and were about to start dinner the teachers nicely made burgers for everyone which were very nice. Jason had brought a full barbecue and cooked us all our food. After the burgers I had some more food, Koka noodles, another protein bar and a few sausages from other tent groups. It was about 6:30 by the time everyone had finished dinner and we then began the campfire outside where everyone would gather and hangout. We stayed at the campfire for about an hour and a half and then it began to lash rain so the teachers told us to go back to our tents. As we were all walking back sadly I started to shout, "The Barn," and then everyone began shouting it as we all crammed into the barn and began making some food, playing cards and playing atomas. I was really good at atomas and I really enjoyed it. The card games were getting intense as Ben and LK had a great game of spit where LK won on a close call. We spent the rest of the night with each other having a great time and then went off to sleep at 11. Everyone was looking forward to bed after the long walk so we weren't reluctant to go to sleep. I didn't sleep well that night because of all the noise caused by Spuke's tent but we won't get into that story. Finally falling asleep at the late a.m. Just to be woken up by Ella and Masisie at 6 a.m. Although I didn't get much sleep I wasn't as tired and I thought I would be.
Finally on Friday morning I went back to sleep and woke back up at 8 and went for a shower with some of the lads. After the shower we began breakfast and I had a rasher sandwich and a sausage sandwich and they were both really delicious. Then after breakfast we began to pack up our tent which was extremely unorganised. After about 10 minutes of cleaning and packing our bags we finally cleared it out. After we cleared out the tent we took out the poles, folded it and put it back in the bag. I was all ready to leave and it was about 11. I went over to help with other tents because most of the others were struggling and eventually they were all taken down. It was about 11:30 and as a year we walked in a line together and picked up rubbish that we had left on the ground. After cleaning the rest of the site we just sat and talked for the last 20 or so minutes waiting for the buses to arrive. They finally arrived and went back to Gerard's and then home. I was over tired and went home to sleep.
I really enjoyed the camping trip and I'm not mad that I missed the results events in town. It was so nice to camp with friends and be with a lot of nice people. I hope the rest of fourth year can be as great as this trip was.