Rhine Visit
My Holiday Diary!
I've just about recovered from the journey home - pretty much slept all day Sunday ! I thought I'd better record my holiday highlights before the memory fades ........! This year we had a busy itinerary which worked really well. Rhens is a small, quiet village beside the Rhine noted for its beautiful quaint buildings and of course 'The Roter Ochse' (The Red Ox) - our hotel.
Friday 20th July - Departure
A smooth departure as usual courtesy of Dobcross School . Being able to gather our luggage, instruments e.t.c. together before we leave means we can load the coach efficiently and check we haven't left anything vital behind. Slightly different this year because instead of the customary double decker we had a luxury single decker coach. Rebecca and pals had pleaded for weeks for the front seat upstairs on the bus, feeling quite rightly that they had progressed to these 'lofty heights' so prime 'back seat positions' were quickly allocated and everyone happily settled on the bus clutching their cushions, teddies e.t.c - all the necessities for an overnight journey of course! (Some of these 'teddies' are well travelled bears - to say nothing of our own 'Ted' )
Saturday 21st July
The journey to Dover was straightforward - stop at the services to pick up our driver for the week, Martin and then on to an early morning ferry heading for Calais. We had hoped to arrive at our hotel mid afternoon but were delayed by a horrendous traffic jam ... somewhere in Belgium I think ...... not too sure - all motorways look pretty much the same. For 3 hours we barely moved - thank heaven for the onboard facilities! Martin did have to 'dump' the contents of the loo in a drain beside the road so that we could at least be comfortable while we waited. (Still doesn't quite beat the 'we dumped in Disneyland ' of a previous experience!) Martin then had to deny access to our facilities from other motorists and passengers - he could have made a fortune if he'd charged as they do in all the loos in Germany but we couldn't risk any further blockage and so those disappointed headed for the joys of the woodland at the side of the motorway...! We had hoped to enjoy an 'Gillybob' special breakfast at a stop enroute but as time passed and band members became hungry we decided to serve it onboard instead. Those who have travelled with us before know just how good this 'picnic' is - every kind of fruit, jam, cheese, ham. breads e.t.c . The offering was devoured gratefully by all and we had enough left to serve up at the next services stop when eventually we were underway again!
We arrived at the hotel round about 5ish and Dave, Sue and I began the task of allocating the rooms...! Knowing the band members as we do and knowing also some of their preferences we try to have a rough idea of how to sort out the accomodation but it never quite works out. This time was no different - due to lack of communication from NST about our final numbers to the hotel we were one room short!! The hotelier scratched his head, tried to explain, we tried to explain.......the hotel was fully booked .... eventually it was sorted - Pam and Bernard were the unfortunate 'victims' - they had one night to endure in a room that was rather lacking in height ( built into roof space and bed under a slope! ) and no ensuite facilities but they were promised a move to better quarters the next day. Hotel Roter Ochse has an annexe across the road - so all the boys, Jodie and Sarah and some of the adults had rooms there while the girls with Sue, Gillian, Alan and me had rooms in the main building. Another hiccup that was quickly sorted was to move Adam. It was planned that he should share with Alistair but as that meant a room at the top of the annexe with facilities along the corridor it was not practical for the man on two sticks! No problem - Michael and David happily swapped their share of the bottom floor room with Eddy and Richard for the higher retreat at the top of the building. Their room for the rest of the week proved to be quite a draw for most of the lads ....... maybe something to do with the table that they put to use very quickly .......... many happy late night hours of poker (minus money of course - we did check!) enjoyed by all!
Just a note about the rooms ............... because the annnexe was a 'historic' building (have a look at the pics!) there was definately no chance of any undetected movement from anyone ........ why? ....... squeaky floors and squeaky stairs....!! Certainly the late night Boppard Boppers found they were not able to slip in discreetly in the early hours ........ who do you think heard them!!! Most of you know anyway but I will not tell - only to say he didn't win the 'I can hear a pin drop' award - although perhaps he should have!
With not much time after our evening meal we simply had a stroll around the village and along the river before settling everyone down for an early night.
Sunday 22nd July
Pam , Bernard, Peter E and Steph on duty today. Just to explain - those on duty have the job of waking us up in the morning. Sometimes it's a gentle knock and whisper at the door ... sometimes some need a little louder noises to rouse them from their sleep! This year there was some extra help - every morning at 6.20am the bells rang - not just one, two ....six chimes ... no..........continuous ringing until 6.30pm exactly! Some of us, me included never heard them... but Mrs C certainly did and complained about them regularly - she can be forgiven because she also had the added bonus of sharing with a 'snorer'.
After giving all their wakeup call those on duty could enjoy an early coffee outside in the sunshine as they waited for the 'troops' to emerge! Always interesting to see who arrives first , who is still wearing the same clothes as yesterday, who looks lively because they got off to sleep at a reasonable hour or who looks like the 'dead' - because they chatted all night in their rooms instead of sleeping! Experience tells us that for the first couple of nights room occupants are excited and enjoy late nights .... but by mid week their nocturnal habits catch them up and bedtimes are more settled and orderly ! (Except for that room with the 'birthday girl' - guess they were probably the noisiest and the giggliest as the week progressed)
Good breakfasts at this hotel - plenty of food and sensibly we were able to make our own packed lunches up for the day. Breakfasts were therefore quite busy affairs as we got used to the routine and they were also followed by the issue of the'Pocket Money'. Other guests were amazed to see the line up for the euros .... even our senior band members who are old enough to look after their money, join the queue for their daily cash and enjoy the banter with Pam and Sue who check wallets for unspent cents and make sure that needs for the day can be fully catered for! This year was a first in that we didn't have anyone losing either a purse or a a wallet but giving out the money daily ensures we have only have a minor hiccup and not a calamity!
After breakfast we set off to visit Berg Eltz castle in the Moselle Valley. Having been there before on a previous visit with the Youth Band I knew what to expect. Breathtaking views over the valley with the castle nestled below - a real fairy tale castle! A 'girly' castle really - my Pam, Hannah M and Lynne - all declared they'd be back to get married here..... well none of them are wed and as I tell my girls regularly - I favour a quick dash to Gretna for a cheap do!! We were divided into two groups for the tour. I was very pleased with my group - mainly the boys - who answered and asked questions from the guide impressively. The story of the 'fool' and the 'rose' made especially good telling and Eddy's award later in the week had it's roots in this story . ....... not allowed to say anymore as those who were there know.....! Several band members headed for the shop to purchase memorabilia - as this came in the form of weapons of torture and death - swords, guns, daggers e.t.c - these gifts to take home were handed over into the safekeeping of the adults ........ only one item escaped .......didn't it James? But perhaps more of that later!!
The walk down the hill and the climbing of narrow winding staircases in the castle took their toll on poor Adam and his knee! He bravely endured the pain and took advantage of the mini bus ride back up to the coach for a much needed rest. The sun was shining so many of us took our picnics down to the river to enjoy an hour of paddling and skimming stones. Then back to the coach - I do admit to ducking the hike back up the hill and hitching a ride , as Adam had earlier, in the minibus - well worth a couple of euros - Alan's excuse being he had to keep me company! Ha! Pam had organised some more games as we gathered everyone together - again the passers by were much amused at our antics - imaginary shootings and deaths acted with deadly seriousness! I think Chloe was the best at this!!! Then back on the bus and back to Rhens for an early evening meal.
The band played their first concert of the holiday that evening in Boppard. Boppard is a small town just a few miles from Rhens, further along the Rhine. Slightly more to offer the tourist - bars, hotels, shops e.t.c We were performing as part of a festival right on the promenade front. It was a lovely evening. There were plenty of visitors and the band attracted a good audience. One passer by was heard to remark that at last some proper music .. all they'd had for the last two days were drumming groups! It was here that the talents of our own drummer came to be noted. Marco Polo is many things but definately not a linguist. He was struggling a little with the local lingo and finding it difficult at times to make himself understood by the contacts for the concerts. Sarah, courtesy of her German G.C.S.E. did a fantastic job of interpreter all week! Admitedly she could understand better than she could speak - but it made all the difference and Sarah was regularly summoned to the discussions to help with translation! Thanks Sarah - you were great company all week, your drumming gave the band super support and you were an excellent ambassador for the band. ( As a Boppard Bopper I know that your skills were also appreciated by the locals...)
After the concert the band were invited for refreshments at the very posh Best Western 5 star Hotel on the front! Very nice!!! The free drinks were only meant for the band and Ted but one or two others did manage to enjoy a beverage or two courtesy of the establishment. In fact Ted took up residence there for the rest of the evening while the band took advantage of further freebies - vouchers for food to be purchased from the many stands set up along the front. The organisers' generosity meant that most band members got two or more vouchers which enabled them to enjoy a bratwurst or a crepe smothered in chocolate. One young band member, with his Bury Market free ice cream reputation to uphold, headed for the Ice Cream stand with his vouchers. Having ordered his treat he duly handed over the vouchers but this time his charm and winsome smile failed - at least with the ice cream vendor -the vouchers were not valid for his wares! To James' rescue came the chef from the hotel, imposing tall white hat , apron e.t.c He handed over 5 Euros to pay for the ice cream then dashed back to his busy creperie activities! James licked his lips and was just about to pocket the change ........ when eagle eyed Sue spoiled his day. The change was handed over to the chef with many thanks from the Chairman but a young James confided to me later very grudgingly - Mrs C had taken his money!! It took some explaining and reluctant acceptance on James' part that on this occasion a 'freebie ice cream' had not come his way!
Monday 23rd July
We were lucky with the weather for most of the week but Monday was overcast and we did have to cope with a rainy patch in the afternoon.
After breakfast we loaded up the coach for the day. We were off to visit Deutches Eck, a famous landmark where the Moselle flows into the Rhine. Now, according to one of our band members green wine bottles indicate wine from vineyards on the side of the Moselle and brown wine bottles means wine from the vineyards of the Rhine. Sounds very plausible and I have no reason to disbelieve young Andrew. He kept me challenged all week with his snippets of information - from his fascination with certain German phrases in his little book - I will not tell...! - to the dark secret he revealed while walking along past some very beautiful gardens enroute for 'team rounders' . He confided that he had once cheated in a sunflower growing competition. Naturally shocked to hear this I asked for the details. ......... the smuggling into school of fertilising products , with parental connivance I was told, ensured that his sunflower outstripped the rest by quite a few inches!!! Well Andrew was good company all week - in spite of few problems with damaged glasses, camera with duff batteries and of course the loss of his cap on the chairlift at Boppard, he survived to tell the tale.
Back to Deutches Eck! We did the obligatory walk out to the point where the rivers seem to meet and those with more stamina than yours truly climbed the monument of Kaiser Wilhelm! We have the pictures to prove who made it up there! Some band members were clearly not up to this aspect of European history and after at least one of them had asked, 'Is it Hitler?' I pretty much gave up on the lesson! After the tour we headed to the Biergarten and while the stage crew set things up the band changed into their uniforms on the coach. Boys first and then the girls! Not ideal as a changing room and plenty of Lynx in evidence when we all returned to our seats on board later. It is a fact that boys ' smell' more than girls!! Definately!
Because the weather was rather damp and miserable we didn't have quite the audience we would have liked but the'band played on' in good style nevertheless. Marco Polo, realising the weather was a bit of a dampener for the planned shopping in Koblenz dipped into the band's purse and sorted us out a boat ride up and down both rivers for an hour! Very pleasant although the majority of the party spent their time heavily engrossed in yet another game of cards!
We did manage some shopping later in the afternoon in Koblenz - window shopping for most of us! Quite a pricey place - very upmarket round some of those streets.
Back to the hotel, still raining ... for our evening meal at 8.00pm. After dinner we organised a bowling competition . Hidden away near the top floor was a single lane bowling alley. Again I'm indebted to Andrew here who told me that it had been built by American soldiers stationed in Rhens during the war - incredible - he is likely to be right! Anyway much fun ensued with some surprisingly poor efforts from quite sporty people. After the first round - and it was getting very late, some had given up and gone to bed - there was a play off between the top four! Olivia, who by the way says she is not into fresh air at all, or games much , beat all comers and emerged the victor. Well done Liv!
Tuesday 24th July - 'Gillybobs Birthday'.
A few of us have decided that Gillian is very lucky to always have a birthday away with the band. Cards and presents galore every year from Committee and band ! Not bad! So we have thought about drawing names out of a hat next year for someone to have an 'honorary' birthday while away - only fair really. It would be a bit like the Queen - one official and one unofficial birthday. That way we might all get to share in the fun! Just joking - Gillian thoroughly deserved the occasion for all her hard work through the year badgering people for money ...... no easy job! So Happy Birthday Gillybobs - we'll keep the age a secret!
Because of the driver's hours we had a day without the use of the coach. So much to Mr Whiffin's delight we boarded the train for Boppard after breakfast and headed for it's major attraction - the Chairlift! I have to admit to some relief when after we had finally trekked our way to the foot of the lift we were met with the 'disappointing' news that because of the wind, the lift was closed - come back later, we were told! So Marco then decided to head for the second major attraction of Boppard - the Crazy Golf. Thwarted again - didn't open until 12! Never mind - the shops beckoned instead and off we went. Having spent far too long in a Christmas Shop - what was that about - our group sat down in the square to enjoy our lunch. On this occasion we ditched the cheese and ham rolls from the hotel - well actually some of the children had already eaten them on the train! Burgers and fries were the order of the day as we happily whiled away the time. The weather then improved - not so windy , so by order of Marco Polo we made our way back to the Chairlift. It had already been booked by the travel company you see so we had to do it! I'm not too keen on heights or chairlifts. About 30 years ago in Austria I ventured onto a ski lift with Alan up a mountain - cried all the way up! Many years later I tried again - on holiday in Valkenburg with the band. Coped a bit better - it was only about 5 minutes long and not too high! By the way - I never come down on the things - only take the trip one way! The chairlift in Rhens from the bottom didn't look too daunting! So I took my chances - which was more than some others managed, naming no names P.E.! Well it was horrendous! It lasted for what seemed like hours - probably only 20 minutes - at one point it poured down on us and when at the most exposed part the wind blew gale force. I was terrified! Kept my eyes shut the whole way up, gripping onto the rail and hubby! From the screams and shouts in front and behind I knew that others were not totally into this experience either and I just hoped that I could resist the compulsion to jump off until I was safely at the top. I have to confess it was worth it! Not just because of my sense of achievement but because of the magnificient view over the bend in the Rhine that allowed us to see Boppard to the right and Rhens away to our left. (Don't know which was east or west - sorry !) The journey up had not been without mishap for others in the party. As already mentioned young Andrew lost his cap and David had dropped his bag containing wallet and necessities into an area of vine cultivation. So some of the lads set off on foot to try to retrieve the said items. After a well deserved cup of coffee I set off down the hill with Sarah on foot - no chairlift for me thankyou very much. The descent was a bit steep and rocky in places but I like my feet on 'terra firma' so was no problem. Managed to get some good pictures of the 'brave' coming down on the lift while trying to ensure that Sarah in her silly footwear didn't come a cropper on the slopes.
After the trauma of the lift Sue, Alan and I opted to spectate at the Crazy Golf interlude. Far too many cheats in this band - balls being picked up and strategically replaced or even thrown at the holes! Some took the game very seriously though . Alan as usual caused his own brand of chaotic humour by blocking canons, moving windmills and other such obstacles to make the task of the budding 'Tiger Woods' more difficult. It was all good fun and quite hysterical at times!
We returned on the train back to Rhens and another good meal at the hotel. That evening, after our meal , we all had a stroll along the Rhine up to the caravan park in search of the bicycle hire that we had been told about. We had been given duff information - the site only had three bikes to hire - not enough for our keen cyclists. Never mind - it was a pleasant walk and some of us enjoyed a glass of beer on their terrrace while band members created their own amusement in the park!
Wednesday 25th July
Marco Polo had arranged a visit to a Swimming Pool enroute to Bad Neunahr , our destination for an afternoon concert. It was a super pool - chutes, spa, whirlpool, waves, outside heated pool e.t.c. Great fun for those who ventured in. These pools abroad all have their own system for lockers - designed to confuse the English I think! Anyway we all managed but young Annabel lost her key in the pool which did mean a delay in getting her locker opened. One long standing Committee Member did not 'do the British proud' on this occasion. Our Mr Whiffin was told off several times by the whistle blowing gestapo like lifeguards! He was a nuisance several times at the bottom of the slide and the female guard marched across and spoke imperiously to him, whistle at the ready. He was oblivious to her remonstrations and just smiled at her foolishly! Didn't go down well at all. On hearing about his disgraceful behaviour MrsC decided that Mr W should be disciplined. Hauled before the Committe and very puzzled band members he was questioned and duly sentenced - forbidden to look at a train, to photograph a train, to look enviously at a station e.t.c for the rest of the day. Real torture for PW! Anyway he cheated - admitted the following day that in fact he had photographed a train twice later on! What a troublemaker! On a serious note we all have much to thank Peter for on these trips abroad. He is always there to give a hand , to set up the stage , to help sort the problems and to contribute to the fun! Our holidays would not be the same without him and his camera. This year we had to bid him an early farewell - he departed reluctantly on Fiday morning for home. He had been commissioned by Olwen to take the photographs at Esther's wedding on the Saturday - an honour and a pleasure he didn't want to miss. We are looking forward to seeing his photographs of the big day on our return.
After our swim we journeyed on to Bad Neunahr for our afternoon concert. This was a lovely small spa town on the Rhine. Expensive shops, beautiful gardens and super concert venue. Here the stage is part of the spa complex - it can rotate so that you either perform inside to a large auditorum or outside in the gardens complete with fountain. Super concert. The band played well and Rebecca wowed us all with her super performance of 'Share My Yoke' - gave me goosebumps! Wendy was disappointed not to be able to be with us this year but she can be very proud of Rebecca who is making a real leader for the band. A few of us tried drinking the spa waters that were freely on offer from the indoor fountain - not to my taste - fizzy , warm and funny taste. James quite enjoyed it - had several cups of the stuff. This might have been due to the fizz! Having complained on and off about feeling sick we had discouraged him from his addiction to Pepsi Coke! He'd also had a can of Red Bull taken off him after his swim - half drunk - certainly likes a sugar rush does James! Anyway the fizz of the spa water couldn't have done him any harm because he tucked happily into a very large ice cream after the performance - that was until he dropped most of it in the middle of the street! Not his lucky day! It was someones's lucky day however - as David, Nathan, Michael, Andrew W and Andrew C were sitting outside a cafe enjoying some refreshment an elderly lady came up to them - spoke to them in German and gave David a 10 Euro note to pay for their drinks! It appears that she had been in the gardens and heard the band play - recognised them out of uniform we think because of David's hair! A nice gesture!
We returned to the hotel to find a treat had been planned for us out in the garden at the back of the hotel. Our hotelier and chef had organised a BBQ for us! While we waited for the food to cook Pam organised some entertainment. We had rounds of 'Stand Up Bingo' - for cash prizes. Here David got lucky - again! We also had a game of 'Play Your Cards Right' with our own 'dolly day dreams' - think Eddy and Richard were the best here! The staff were very impressed by our fun and the waitress commented that we were a very ' good group'. I agree with her! Lots of fun with a super set of young people! Well the food was excellent and we all sang for Chloe as her cake was lit and candles fizzed. Another excellent day and it wasn't over yet! Still time, much to Olivia's dismay and protests that we were working too hard, everyone gathered before curfew for a spot of rounders down by the river. Teams were picked and the game began. Not too sure who actually won but everyone seemed to enjoy the fun inspite of some strange interpretation of the rules at times. Back to the hotel where the younger end of the band took themselves off to bed. As usual we try to respect the age differences among our members by staggering the 'curfew' times. Uusally this meant a 45 minute extra bit of freedom for the older ones - time to top up with a visit to one of the two Pizza places in the village and a wander about! Rhens is really very quiet in the evenings - in fact even the adults had to vacate the tables outside the hotel after 11.00pm ! (That Steph and Mary make so much noise you see!)
Thursday 26th July
Fantastic day! Lovely warm sunshine and wonderful cruise down the Rhine from Oberwesel to Assmannhausen. Amazing views of the vineyards, the castles and the passing boats. Not much to write here - just so pleasant relaxing in good company and enjoying the experience. When we got back on the coach we had time to view another video as we made our way to our final concert destination at Bad Kreuznach. As we turned into the street leading down to the hotel some familiar faces caught my eye. Sitting enjoying some refreshment outside a bar were Paul and Bev Wooding. They'd come to join us in Rhens for the rest of the week and then they and the lads were going on to the south of France rather than back to Dobcross on the coach.The venue for this concert was amazing - in front of a huge, imposing 'posh' hotel - in the gardens with hundreds of people listening in the audience. The band had better changing facilities this time - in the nearby spa concert room. Although I wasn't there to witness this I understand that Rebecca M and company gave an impromptu performance of 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow' that made quite an impression. We have some real musical talent in our current band - the seeds of success for the future definately! Again the band performed superbly. The audience were delighted and the band was presented with a framed poster to remind us of the resort. (Unfortunately the poster will have left a more permanent impression on Sue as when we set off home on Saturday morning it slipped off the overhead space on the coach and fell and badly cut her leg - just above the ankle! Ouch!! Ironically it is usually Sue that is in charge of all things medical on these band trips - and she reminds Gillybobs regularly that she has not yet completed her 'plaster' training so hands off! However we had a wealth of medical expertise on hand to stem the bloodflow - Peter and Cath soon had everything under control and Mary kept an eye on proceedings from her seat, ready to dish out anaesthetic if needed! ) . As we loaded the coach up after the concert several people came to say how much they had enjoyed the concert - how proud the parents must be of these wonderful musicians. Again we relied on Sarah for the translation of this praise but it was clear that the band were a huge hit with their audience.
Back at the hotel more celebrations had been planned for the evening - the men were escaping their responsibilities . Peter Whiffin had organised a meal out for Ted and the chaps. So while they enjoyed a leisurely meal and wine at a nearby restaurant we arranged a treasure trail around the village for after our evening meal. After following the trail and finding the answers the teams returned to the hotel for the second part of the challenge. Given 15 minutes they had to see how many words they could make out of RHINE VALLEY. This was earnestly undertaken by all the groups and when we had the final results Adam demanded a recount becuase his lot had been pipped at the post by Lucy, Catherine Olivia and Rosie. A real brainy bunch - they beat Adam, Eddy, Richard and Alistair by 1 mark and celebrated with style - first prize being two pizzas for the winning team!
Another two young ladies were out on the town on Thursday night - our Boppard Boppers! Jodie and Sarah had already sampled the delights of the evening entertainment on Tuesday night. So good with the lingo that they even managed to talk themselves a lift home to Rhens from the manageress of the bar! She had advised them that Thursday was a lively night in Boppard so our lively two were not about to miss out.! Both girls had been brilliant company all week and kept the band much amused by their humour, fashion and at times strange antics! Thank you Jodie for your continued support of the Youth Band. We needed your playing skills and your smiley face!! You are forgiven for your rather noisy return to the annexe on Friday morning!
Friday 27th July
Our last day - hard to believe- the week had flown by! We set off for the Phantasialand Theme Park after breakfast. Sabrina and Mum had left for the airport at a very early hour, Peter Whiffin waved us off on the coach and Ted was excused the 'white knuckle rides' along with Adam (for obvious reasons) . They happily spent the day in Boppard with Paul and Bev instead. The rest of us manfully braved the busy crowds and queues at the park.
When we arrived at the park we divided up the groups and made sure there was a willing adult with them -if only to hold on to the bags as they all dashed off for the rides. Eddy, Alistair and company took care of themselves - makes a change! Our group was made up of Thomas, James, Liam, Kelsey, Rebecca and Niamh - they certainly enjoy their 'fast and furious' rides. Pam and Bernard led the way and we headed for the Western Town and The Colorado Adventure - a version of a roller coaster that seemed to meet the 'white knuckle' criteria quite well if Kelsey's reaction was anything to go by. Then on to the Black Mamba - their version of Nemesis - Alton Tower style ! Here a few more chose to sit out the experience - not keen on being upside down but young Thomas fretted on and off for the rest of the afternoon 'I should have done it, I could have done it, why didn't I do it' - never mind Thomas , you did plenty of the other rides. Sue and I quite enjoyed the IMAX Atlantis show - plenty of screams from us both! Being rather into history I let Thomas talk us into attempting the Mystery Castle - I think we both thought it was going to be some kind of haunted, scary - naff - ride! Oh dear ... not the case! Through the entrance we went, shuffling along the dark corridors giggling most of the way and I stupidly made a scary gesture at the hooded manequin standing in the corner! When the 'hoodie' made one back at me they could probably hear my screams all over the park! That did it - I and others beat a hasty retreat! This Mystery Castle proved to be one of those rides that fire you up into the air and plunge you to the depths again in seconds - all in the dark tower! Not for me, thankyou very much!
Well when we gathered together at the end of the afternoon it was clear that the day had been a big success. Time to return to the Red Ox for our final evening meal. As it was late and nobody had done any packing - far too busy to think of that - we had a session together in the garden at the back to say our thankyous and farewells to people. Sue and I had spent some early mornings having a think about the awards for this year. So for the last hour we reminded everyone of the fun we'd had in the week as we presented the awards. The list will be published below soon - some will be quite clear but others will seem quite odd - too long to explain them all - ask the band! Just time for some to enjoy their final pizza of the week before curfew - early start for home the next day - knock on the doors at six!
Saturday 28th July
Long journey home but we had had a super week with a smashing set of people. Many thanks to all.
Jenny
I've just about recovered from the journey home - pretty much slept all day Sunday ! I thought I'd better record my holiday highlights before the memory fades ........! This year we had a busy itinerary which worked really well. Rhens is a small, quiet village beside the Rhine noted for its beautiful quaint buildings and of course 'The Roter Ochse' (The Red Ox) - our hotel.
Friday 20th July - Departure
A smooth departure as usual courtesy of Dobcross School . Being able to gather our luggage, instruments e.t.c. together before we leave means we can load the coach efficiently and check we haven't left anything vital behind. Slightly different this year because instead of the customary double decker we had a luxury single decker coach. Rebecca and pals had pleaded for weeks for the front seat upstairs on the bus, feeling quite rightly that they had progressed to these 'lofty heights' so prime 'back seat positions' were quickly allocated and everyone happily settled on the bus clutching their cushions, teddies e.t.c - all the necessities for an overnight journey of course! (Some of these 'teddies' are well travelled bears - to say nothing of our own 'Ted' )
Saturday 21st July
The journey to Dover was straightforward - stop at the services to pick up our driver for the week, Martin and then on to an early morning ferry heading for Calais. We had hoped to arrive at our hotel mid afternoon but were delayed by a horrendous traffic jam ... somewhere in Belgium I think ...... not too sure - all motorways look pretty much the same. For 3 hours we barely moved - thank heaven for the onboard facilities! Martin did have to 'dump' the contents of the loo in a drain beside the road so that we could at least be comfortable while we waited. (Still doesn't quite beat the 'we dumped in Disneyland ' of a previous experience!) Martin then had to deny access to our facilities from other motorists and passengers - he could have made a fortune if he'd charged as they do in all the loos in Germany but we couldn't risk any further blockage and so those disappointed headed for the joys of the woodland at the side of the motorway...! We had hoped to enjoy an 'Gillybob' special breakfast at a stop enroute but as time passed and band members became hungry we decided to serve it onboard instead. Those who have travelled with us before know just how good this 'picnic' is - every kind of fruit, jam, cheese, ham. breads e.t.c . The offering was devoured gratefully by all and we had enough left to serve up at the next services stop when eventually we were underway again!
We arrived at the hotel round about 5ish and Dave, Sue and I began the task of allocating the rooms...! Knowing the band members as we do and knowing also some of their preferences we try to have a rough idea of how to sort out the accomodation but it never quite works out. This time was no different - due to lack of communication from NST about our final numbers to the hotel we were one room short!! The hotelier scratched his head, tried to explain, we tried to explain.......the hotel was fully booked .... eventually it was sorted - Pam and Bernard were the unfortunate 'victims' - they had one night to endure in a room that was rather lacking in height ( built into roof space and bed under a slope! ) and no ensuite facilities but they were promised a move to better quarters the next day. Hotel Roter Ochse has an annexe across the road - so all the boys, Jodie and Sarah and some of the adults had rooms there while the girls with Sue, Gillian, Alan and me had rooms in the main building. Another hiccup that was quickly sorted was to move Adam. It was planned that he should share with Alistair but as that meant a room at the top of the annexe with facilities along the corridor it was not practical for the man on two sticks! No problem - Michael and David happily swapped their share of the bottom floor room with Eddy and Richard for the higher retreat at the top of the building. Their room for the rest of the week proved to be quite a draw for most of the lads ....... maybe something to do with the table that they put to use very quickly .......... many happy late night hours of poker (minus money of course - we did check!) enjoyed by all!
Just a note about the rooms ............... because the annnexe was a 'historic' building (have a look at the pics!) there was definately no chance of any undetected movement from anyone ........ why? ....... squeaky floors and squeaky stairs....!! Certainly the late night Boppard Boppers found they were not able to slip in discreetly in the early hours ........ who do you think heard them!!! Most of you know anyway but I will not tell - only to say he didn't win the 'I can hear a pin drop' award - although perhaps he should have!
With not much time after our evening meal we simply had a stroll around the village and along the river before settling everyone down for an early night.
Sunday 22nd July
Pam , Bernard, Peter E and Steph on duty today. Just to explain - those on duty have the job of waking us up in the morning. Sometimes it's a gentle knock and whisper at the door ... sometimes some need a little louder noises to rouse them from their sleep! This year there was some extra help - every morning at 6.20am the bells rang - not just one, two ....six chimes ... no..........continuous ringing until 6.30pm exactly! Some of us, me included never heard them... but Mrs C certainly did and complained about them regularly - she can be forgiven because she also had the added bonus of sharing with a 'snorer'.
After giving all their wakeup call those on duty could enjoy an early coffee outside in the sunshine as they waited for the 'troops' to emerge! Always interesting to see who arrives first , who is still wearing the same clothes as yesterday, who looks lively because they got off to sleep at a reasonable hour or who looks like the 'dead' - because they chatted all night in their rooms instead of sleeping! Experience tells us that for the first couple of nights room occupants are excited and enjoy late nights .... but by mid week their nocturnal habits catch them up and bedtimes are more settled and orderly ! (Except for that room with the 'birthday girl' - guess they were probably the noisiest and the giggliest as the week progressed)
Good breakfasts at this hotel - plenty of food and sensibly we were able to make our own packed lunches up for the day. Breakfasts were therefore quite busy affairs as we got used to the routine and they were also followed by the issue of the'Pocket Money'. Other guests were amazed to see the line up for the euros .... even our senior band members who are old enough to look after their money, join the queue for their daily cash and enjoy the banter with Pam and Sue who check wallets for unspent cents and make sure that needs for the day can be fully catered for! This year was a first in that we didn't have anyone losing either a purse or a a wallet but giving out the money daily ensures we have only have a minor hiccup and not a calamity!
After breakfast we set off to visit Berg Eltz castle in the Moselle Valley. Having been there before on a previous visit with the Youth Band I knew what to expect. Breathtaking views over the valley with the castle nestled below - a real fairy tale castle! A 'girly' castle really - my Pam, Hannah M and Lynne - all declared they'd be back to get married here..... well none of them are wed and as I tell my girls regularly - I favour a quick dash to Gretna for a cheap do!! We were divided into two groups for the tour. I was very pleased with my group - mainly the boys - who answered and asked questions from the guide impressively. The story of the 'fool' and the 'rose' made especially good telling and Eddy's award later in the week had it's roots in this story . ....... not allowed to say anymore as those who were there know.....! Several band members headed for the shop to purchase memorabilia - as this came in the form of weapons of torture and death - swords, guns, daggers e.t.c - these gifts to take home were handed over into the safekeeping of the adults ........ only one item escaped .......didn't it James? But perhaps more of that later!!
The walk down the hill and the climbing of narrow winding staircases in the castle took their toll on poor Adam and his knee! He bravely endured the pain and took advantage of the mini bus ride back up to the coach for a much needed rest. The sun was shining so many of us took our picnics down to the river to enjoy an hour of paddling and skimming stones. Then back to the coach - I do admit to ducking the hike back up the hill and hitching a ride , as Adam had earlier, in the minibus - well worth a couple of euros - Alan's excuse being he had to keep me company! Ha! Pam had organised some more games as we gathered everyone together - again the passers by were much amused at our antics - imaginary shootings and deaths acted with deadly seriousness! I think Chloe was the best at this!!! Then back on the bus and back to Rhens for an early evening meal.
The band played their first concert of the holiday that evening in Boppard. Boppard is a small town just a few miles from Rhens, further along the Rhine. Slightly more to offer the tourist - bars, hotels, shops e.t.c We were performing as part of a festival right on the promenade front. It was a lovely evening. There were plenty of visitors and the band attracted a good audience. One passer by was heard to remark that at last some proper music .. all they'd had for the last two days were drumming groups! It was here that the talents of our own drummer came to be noted. Marco Polo is many things but definately not a linguist. He was struggling a little with the local lingo and finding it difficult at times to make himself understood by the contacts for the concerts. Sarah, courtesy of her German G.C.S.E. did a fantastic job of interpreter all week! Admitedly she could understand better than she could speak - but it made all the difference and Sarah was regularly summoned to the discussions to help with translation! Thanks Sarah - you were great company all week, your drumming gave the band super support and you were an excellent ambassador for the band. ( As a Boppard Bopper I know that your skills were also appreciated by the locals...)
After the concert the band were invited for refreshments at the very posh Best Western 5 star Hotel on the front! Very nice!!! The free drinks were only meant for the band and Ted but one or two others did manage to enjoy a beverage or two courtesy of the establishment. In fact Ted took up residence there for the rest of the evening while the band took advantage of further freebies - vouchers for food to be purchased from the many stands set up along the front. The organisers' generosity meant that most band members got two or more vouchers which enabled them to enjoy a bratwurst or a crepe smothered in chocolate. One young band member, with his Bury Market free ice cream reputation to uphold, headed for the Ice Cream stand with his vouchers. Having ordered his treat he duly handed over the vouchers but this time his charm and winsome smile failed - at least with the ice cream vendor -the vouchers were not valid for his wares! To James' rescue came the chef from the hotel, imposing tall white hat , apron e.t.c He handed over 5 Euros to pay for the ice cream then dashed back to his busy creperie activities! James licked his lips and was just about to pocket the change ........ when eagle eyed Sue spoiled his day. The change was handed over to the chef with many thanks from the Chairman but a young James confided to me later very grudgingly - Mrs C had taken his money!! It took some explaining and reluctant acceptance on James' part that on this occasion a 'freebie ice cream' had not come his way!
Monday 23rd July
We were lucky with the weather for most of the week but Monday was overcast and we did have to cope with a rainy patch in the afternoon.
After breakfast we loaded up the coach for the day. We were off to visit Deutches Eck, a famous landmark where the Moselle flows into the Rhine. Now, according to one of our band members green wine bottles indicate wine from vineyards on the side of the Moselle and brown wine bottles means wine from the vineyards of the Rhine. Sounds very plausible and I have no reason to disbelieve young Andrew. He kept me challenged all week with his snippets of information - from his fascination with certain German phrases in his little book - I will not tell...! - to the dark secret he revealed while walking along past some very beautiful gardens enroute for 'team rounders' . He confided that he had once cheated in a sunflower growing competition. Naturally shocked to hear this I asked for the details. ......... the smuggling into school of fertilising products , with parental connivance I was told, ensured that his sunflower outstripped the rest by quite a few inches!!! Well Andrew was good company all week - in spite of few problems with damaged glasses, camera with duff batteries and of course the loss of his cap on the chairlift at Boppard, he survived to tell the tale.
Back to Deutches Eck! We did the obligatory walk out to the point where the rivers seem to meet and those with more stamina than yours truly climbed the monument of Kaiser Wilhelm! We have the pictures to prove who made it up there! Some band members were clearly not up to this aspect of European history and after at least one of them had asked, 'Is it Hitler?' I pretty much gave up on the lesson! After the tour we headed to the Biergarten and while the stage crew set things up the band changed into their uniforms on the coach. Boys first and then the girls! Not ideal as a changing room and plenty of Lynx in evidence when we all returned to our seats on board later. It is a fact that boys ' smell' more than girls!! Definately!
Because the weather was rather damp and miserable we didn't have quite the audience we would have liked but the'band played on' in good style nevertheless. Marco Polo, realising the weather was a bit of a dampener for the planned shopping in Koblenz dipped into the band's purse and sorted us out a boat ride up and down both rivers for an hour! Very pleasant although the majority of the party spent their time heavily engrossed in yet another game of cards!
We did manage some shopping later in the afternoon in Koblenz - window shopping for most of us! Quite a pricey place - very upmarket round some of those streets.
Back to the hotel, still raining ... for our evening meal at 8.00pm. After dinner we organised a bowling competition . Hidden away near the top floor was a single lane bowling alley. Again I'm indebted to Andrew here who told me that it had been built by American soldiers stationed in Rhens during the war - incredible - he is likely to be right! Anyway much fun ensued with some surprisingly poor efforts from quite sporty people. After the first round - and it was getting very late, some had given up and gone to bed - there was a play off between the top four! Olivia, who by the way says she is not into fresh air at all, or games much , beat all comers and emerged the victor. Well done Liv!
Tuesday 24th July - 'Gillybobs Birthday'.
A few of us have decided that Gillian is very lucky to always have a birthday away with the band. Cards and presents galore every year from Committee and band ! Not bad! So we have thought about drawing names out of a hat next year for someone to have an 'honorary' birthday while away - only fair really. It would be a bit like the Queen - one official and one unofficial birthday. That way we might all get to share in the fun! Just joking - Gillian thoroughly deserved the occasion for all her hard work through the year badgering people for money ...... no easy job! So Happy Birthday Gillybobs - we'll keep the age a secret!
Because of the driver's hours we had a day without the use of the coach. So much to Mr Whiffin's delight we boarded the train for Boppard after breakfast and headed for it's major attraction - the Chairlift! I have to admit to some relief when after we had finally trekked our way to the foot of the lift we were met with the 'disappointing' news that because of the wind, the lift was closed - come back later, we were told! So Marco then decided to head for the second major attraction of Boppard - the Crazy Golf. Thwarted again - didn't open until 12! Never mind - the shops beckoned instead and off we went. Having spent far too long in a Christmas Shop - what was that about - our group sat down in the square to enjoy our lunch. On this occasion we ditched the cheese and ham rolls from the hotel - well actually some of the children had already eaten them on the train! Burgers and fries were the order of the day as we happily whiled away the time. The weather then improved - not so windy , so by order of Marco Polo we made our way back to the Chairlift. It had already been booked by the travel company you see so we had to do it! I'm not too keen on heights or chairlifts. About 30 years ago in Austria I ventured onto a ski lift with Alan up a mountain - cried all the way up! Many years later I tried again - on holiday in Valkenburg with the band. Coped a bit better - it was only about 5 minutes long and not too high! By the way - I never come down on the things - only take the trip one way! The chairlift in Rhens from the bottom didn't look too daunting! So I took my chances - which was more than some others managed, naming no names P.E.! Well it was horrendous! It lasted for what seemed like hours - probably only 20 minutes - at one point it poured down on us and when at the most exposed part the wind blew gale force. I was terrified! Kept my eyes shut the whole way up, gripping onto the rail and hubby! From the screams and shouts in front and behind I knew that others were not totally into this experience either and I just hoped that I could resist the compulsion to jump off until I was safely at the top. I have to confess it was worth it! Not just because of my sense of achievement but because of the magnificient view over the bend in the Rhine that allowed us to see Boppard to the right and Rhens away to our left. (Don't know which was east or west - sorry !) The journey up had not been without mishap for others in the party. As already mentioned young Andrew lost his cap and David had dropped his bag containing wallet and necessities into an area of vine cultivation. So some of the lads set off on foot to try to retrieve the said items. After a well deserved cup of coffee I set off down the hill with Sarah on foot - no chairlift for me thankyou very much. The descent was a bit steep and rocky in places but I like my feet on 'terra firma' so was no problem. Managed to get some good pictures of the 'brave' coming down on the lift while trying to ensure that Sarah in her silly footwear didn't come a cropper on the slopes.
After the trauma of the lift Sue, Alan and I opted to spectate at the Crazy Golf interlude. Far too many cheats in this band - balls being picked up and strategically replaced or even thrown at the holes! Some took the game very seriously though . Alan as usual caused his own brand of chaotic humour by blocking canons, moving windmills and other such obstacles to make the task of the budding 'Tiger Woods' more difficult. It was all good fun and quite hysterical at times!
We returned on the train back to Rhens and another good meal at the hotel. That evening, after our meal , we all had a stroll along the Rhine up to the caravan park in search of the bicycle hire that we had been told about. We had been given duff information - the site only had three bikes to hire - not enough for our keen cyclists. Never mind - it was a pleasant walk and some of us enjoyed a glass of beer on their terrrace while band members created their own amusement in the park!
Wednesday 25th July
Marco Polo had arranged a visit to a Swimming Pool enroute to Bad Neunahr , our destination for an afternoon concert. It was a super pool - chutes, spa, whirlpool, waves, outside heated pool e.t.c. Great fun for those who ventured in. These pools abroad all have their own system for lockers - designed to confuse the English I think! Anyway we all managed but young Annabel lost her key in the pool which did mean a delay in getting her locker opened. One long standing Committee Member did not 'do the British proud' on this occasion. Our Mr Whiffin was told off several times by the whistle blowing gestapo like lifeguards! He was a nuisance several times at the bottom of the slide and the female guard marched across and spoke imperiously to him, whistle at the ready. He was oblivious to her remonstrations and just smiled at her foolishly! Didn't go down well at all. On hearing about his disgraceful behaviour MrsC decided that Mr W should be disciplined. Hauled before the Committe and very puzzled band members he was questioned and duly sentenced - forbidden to look at a train, to photograph a train, to look enviously at a station e.t.c for the rest of the day. Real torture for PW! Anyway he cheated - admitted the following day that in fact he had photographed a train twice later on! What a troublemaker! On a serious note we all have much to thank Peter for on these trips abroad. He is always there to give a hand , to set up the stage , to help sort the problems and to contribute to the fun! Our holidays would not be the same without him and his camera. This year we had to bid him an early farewell - he departed reluctantly on Fiday morning for home. He had been commissioned by Olwen to take the photographs at Esther's wedding on the Saturday - an honour and a pleasure he didn't want to miss. We are looking forward to seeing his photographs of the big day on our return.
After our swim we journeyed on to Bad Neunahr for our afternoon concert. This was a lovely small spa town on the Rhine. Expensive shops, beautiful gardens and super concert venue. Here the stage is part of the spa complex - it can rotate so that you either perform inside to a large auditorum or outside in the gardens complete with fountain. Super concert. The band played well and Rebecca wowed us all with her super performance of 'Share My Yoke' - gave me goosebumps! Wendy was disappointed not to be able to be with us this year but she can be very proud of Rebecca who is making a real leader for the band. A few of us tried drinking the spa waters that were freely on offer from the indoor fountain - not to my taste - fizzy , warm and funny taste. James quite enjoyed it - had several cups of the stuff. This might have been due to the fizz! Having complained on and off about feeling sick we had discouraged him from his addiction to Pepsi Coke! He'd also had a can of Red Bull taken off him after his swim - half drunk - certainly likes a sugar rush does James! Anyway the fizz of the spa water couldn't have done him any harm because he tucked happily into a very large ice cream after the performance - that was until he dropped most of it in the middle of the street! Not his lucky day! It was someones's lucky day however - as David, Nathan, Michael, Andrew W and Andrew C were sitting outside a cafe enjoying some refreshment an elderly lady came up to them - spoke to them in German and gave David a 10 Euro note to pay for their drinks! It appears that she had been in the gardens and heard the band play - recognised them out of uniform we think because of David's hair! A nice gesture!
We returned to the hotel to find a treat had been planned for us out in the garden at the back of the hotel. Our hotelier and chef had organised a BBQ for us! While we waited for the food to cook Pam organised some entertainment. We had rounds of 'Stand Up Bingo' - for cash prizes. Here David got lucky - again! We also had a game of 'Play Your Cards Right' with our own 'dolly day dreams' - think Eddy and Richard were the best here! The staff were very impressed by our fun and the waitress commented that we were a very ' good group'. I agree with her! Lots of fun with a super set of young people! Well the food was excellent and we all sang for Chloe as her cake was lit and candles fizzed. Another excellent day and it wasn't over yet! Still time, much to Olivia's dismay and protests that we were working too hard, everyone gathered before curfew for a spot of rounders down by the river. Teams were picked and the game began. Not too sure who actually won but everyone seemed to enjoy the fun inspite of some strange interpretation of the rules at times. Back to the hotel where the younger end of the band took themselves off to bed. As usual we try to respect the age differences among our members by staggering the 'curfew' times. Uusally this meant a 45 minute extra bit of freedom for the older ones - time to top up with a visit to one of the two Pizza places in the village and a wander about! Rhens is really very quiet in the evenings - in fact even the adults had to vacate the tables outside the hotel after 11.00pm ! (That Steph and Mary make so much noise you see!)
Thursday 26th July
Fantastic day! Lovely warm sunshine and wonderful cruise down the Rhine from Oberwesel to Assmannhausen. Amazing views of the vineyards, the castles and the passing boats. Not much to write here - just so pleasant relaxing in good company and enjoying the experience. When we got back on the coach we had time to view another video as we made our way to our final concert destination at Bad Kreuznach. As we turned into the street leading down to the hotel some familiar faces caught my eye. Sitting enjoying some refreshment outside a bar were Paul and Bev Wooding. They'd come to join us in Rhens for the rest of the week and then they and the lads were going on to the south of France rather than back to Dobcross on the coach.The venue for this concert was amazing - in front of a huge, imposing 'posh' hotel - in the gardens with hundreds of people listening in the audience. The band had better changing facilities this time - in the nearby spa concert room. Although I wasn't there to witness this I understand that Rebecca M and company gave an impromptu performance of 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow' that made quite an impression. We have some real musical talent in our current band - the seeds of success for the future definately! Again the band performed superbly. The audience were delighted and the band was presented with a framed poster to remind us of the resort. (Unfortunately the poster will have left a more permanent impression on Sue as when we set off home on Saturday morning it slipped off the overhead space on the coach and fell and badly cut her leg - just above the ankle! Ouch!! Ironically it is usually Sue that is in charge of all things medical on these band trips - and she reminds Gillybobs regularly that she has not yet completed her 'plaster' training so hands off! However we had a wealth of medical expertise on hand to stem the bloodflow - Peter and Cath soon had everything under control and Mary kept an eye on proceedings from her seat, ready to dish out anaesthetic if needed! ) . As we loaded the coach up after the concert several people came to say how much they had enjoyed the concert - how proud the parents must be of these wonderful musicians. Again we relied on Sarah for the translation of this praise but it was clear that the band were a huge hit with their audience.
Back at the hotel more celebrations had been planned for the evening - the men were escaping their responsibilities . Peter Whiffin had organised a meal out for Ted and the chaps. So while they enjoyed a leisurely meal and wine at a nearby restaurant we arranged a treasure trail around the village for after our evening meal. After following the trail and finding the answers the teams returned to the hotel for the second part of the challenge. Given 15 minutes they had to see how many words they could make out of RHINE VALLEY. This was earnestly undertaken by all the groups and when we had the final results Adam demanded a recount becuase his lot had been pipped at the post by Lucy, Catherine Olivia and Rosie. A real brainy bunch - they beat Adam, Eddy, Richard and Alistair by 1 mark and celebrated with style - first prize being two pizzas for the winning team!
Another two young ladies were out on the town on Thursday night - our Boppard Boppers! Jodie and Sarah had already sampled the delights of the evening entertainment on Tuesday night. So good with the lingo that they even managed to talk themselves a lift home to Rhens from the manageress of the bar! She had advised them that Thursday was a lively night in Boppard so our lively two were not about to miss out.! Both girls had been brilliant company all week and kept the band much amused by their humour, fashion and at times strange antics! Thank you Jodie for your continued support of the Youth Band. We needed your playing skills and your smiley face!! You are forgiven for your rather noisy return to the annexe on Friday morning!
Friday 27th July
Our last day - hard to believe- the week had flown by! We set off for the Phantasialand Theme Park after breakfast. Sabrina and Mum had left for the airport at a very early hour, Peter Whiffin waved us off on the coach and Ted was excused the 'white knuckle rides' along with Adam (for obvious reasons) . They happily spent the day in Boppard with Paul and Bev instead. The rest of us manfully braved the busy crowds and queues at the park.
When we arrived at the park we divided up the groups and made sure there was a willing adult with them -if only to hold on to the bags as they all dashed off for the rides. Eddy, Alistair and company took care of themselves - makes a change! Our group was made up of Thomas, James, Liam, Kelsey, Rebecca and Niamh - they certainly enjoy their 'fast and furious' rides. Pam and Bernard led the way and we headed for the Western Town and The Colorado Adventure - a version of a roller coaster that seemed to meet the 'white knuckle' criteria quite well if Kelsey's reaction was anything to go by. Then on to the Black Mamba - their version of Nemesis - Alton Tower style ! Here a few more chose to sit out the experience - not keen on being upside down but young Thomas fretted on and off for the rest of the afternoon 'I should have done it, I could have done it, why didn't I do it' - never mind Thomas , you did plenty of the other rides. Sue and I quite enjoyed the IMAX Atlantis show - plenty of screams from us both! Being rather into history I let Thomas talk us into attempting the Mystery Castle - I think we both thought it was going to be some kind of haunted, scary - naff - ride! Oh dear ... not the case! Through the entrance we went, shuffling along the dark corridors giggling most of the way and I stupidly made a scary gesture at the hooded manequin standing in the corner! When the 'hoodie' made one back at me they could probably hear my screams all over the park! That did it - I and others beat a hasty retreat! This Mystery Castle proved to be one of those rides that fire you up into the air and plunge you to the depths again in seconds - all in the dark tower! Not for me, thankyou very much!
Well when we gathered together at the end of the afternoon it was clear that the day had been a big success. Time to return to the Red Ox for our final evening meal. As it was late and nobody had done any packing - far too busy to think of that - we had a session together in the garden at the back to say our thankyous and farewells to people. Sue and I had spent some early mornings having a think about the awards for this year. So for the last hour we reminded everyone of the fun we'd had in the week as we presented the awards. The list will be published below soon - some will be quite clear but others will seem quite odd - too long to explain them all - ask the band! Just time for some to enjoy their final pizza of the week before curfew - early start for home the next day - knock on the doors at six!
Saturday 28th July
Long journey home but we had had a super week with a smashing set of people. Many thanks to all.
Jenny
