Day 4, our last day before the journey home begins!
The challenge of the day – Bobbejaanland theme park in Belgium. Pride was at stake and some of the travellers still had something to prove after the near defeat at Phantasialand. The theme park did not disappoint and rides like the Typhoon and Sledgehammer still managed to keep the wary at bay.
The evening ended with indoor skittles and karaoke (with some stand out solo performances. Mr.Stewart unfortunately received the first walk out solo performance!). The girls also took on the unrivalled task of beautifying the boys with make up and nail art – How can you improve on perfection? Quite easily, apparently.

As we will be all at sea tomorrow night, this will be our last post from Holland. Our excellent hoteliers Louise, Rosie and Jan Wouters who have hosted approximately 450 Preston Lodge pupils to date on the Holland trip, our 10th Anniversary, have yet again done us proud with excellent food, accommodation and evening entertainment. There is nothing else for us to say other than that the pupils have been excellent company and really good fun throughout the trip. They have been a credit to their parents and the school and we thank you for the privilege of allowing us to spend the week with them. You are, however, welcome to take them back for the holidays.

Statistics of the day
Number of adults not sleeping on the bus = 1 (thankfully Paul our driver – as far as we know).
Boys who dressed up in girls clothing = 16
Girls who will be wanting those dresses back tomorrow = 16
Boys who will regret dressing up when they see their photos on the school website = 16
Teachers who are willing to accept bribes to remove aforementioned photos = 5
Number of pupils who’ve enjoyed the trip = 41
Number of Dutch children to be dropped off in Amsterdam tomorrow = 1

Day 3 in the Op de Boud House and the house mates were faced with their first challenge of the day – Snowworld’s high ropes course and Alpine coaster. Even the previously shamed yellow livered house mates who made a humiliating retreat from Phantasialand managed their first roller coaster! Paul, our heroic bus driver, braved the Alpine coaster one handed to record a video for the parents (see below). Staff insisted that he left the bus in the car park as corner two would be a little too tight for a 49 seater and we needed the vehicle for the remainder of the trip. Having completed the basic ‘blue course’ with ease, some of the bravest (and smallest) of the house mates tackled and defeated the more difficult and higher ‘black course’.
The second challenge of the day was Mosaqua water park, with its epic water slides and flumes. No teeth were lost on the concrete flumes, but the murky deep did swallow some locker keys and glasses. Parents should expect some damp, smelly swimming costumes rolled in a towel at the bottom of a suitcase in a few days time.
After a beautiful meal lovingly prepared for the entire party by Mrs.Hoban at the hotel (she doesn’t do wet hair, so also bottled the swimming), team Holland 2013 spent the evening with a no holds barred, fight to the death game of laser tag which ended with Mrs.Hoban being displaced from her broomstick as reigning champion by sniper Dorian.
The day ended with the boys being separated from the men by a game of bingo. There were no fat ladies to be seen (we are a health promoting school after all), but Mr.Stewart and Mr.Evans’ came a close second (in the bingo, that is).

Thanks for all of your comments, we all enjoy reading these – particularly in the darker moments when we’ve all been grounded by Mrs.Hoban!

Statistics of the day
Number of party leaders who bottled the high ropes course = 1
Number of staff who were not allowed on the ropes due to weight restrictions = 2
Number of gullible pupils who believed Mrs.Hoban cooked for the entire group = 41
Number of pupils struck by meteorites whilst complaining about Hoban’s soup = 2
Pupils who believe that a European metric hour is different to a British imperial hour = 41
Number of deputes who will not be allowed to teach maths again = 1

After a fun filled night of strutting their stuff on the ferry dance floor, team Holland 2013 began day 1 with a early rise in time for breakfast and made the short journey to Amsterdam.

A scenic canal boat trip around the city ticked the cultural orientation session box (who said this wasn’t an educational trip?) and the pupils enjoyed the free time to peruse the classy shops, although for the boys, window shopping was definitely the order of the day.

After the Euros were spent and the bus was filled with tat, we made the journey to Hotel Op de Boud in Valkenburg which will be our base for the remainder of the trip.  Tonight certainly was the calm before the storm as the pupils walked the sleepy streets of Valkenburg – tomorrow team Holland 2013 take on the challenge of the mighty Phantasialand. Of course we will be using this opportunity to study centrifugal and centripetal forces including their effect on the decibel range of screams produced. Our hypothesis is that this will not be a linear relationship. There will also be a short session discussing the finer points of metallurgy and choice of materials used in the construction of the roller coasters. Failing that we’ll just have lots of fun.

Statistics for the day

Pupils lost in Amsterdam = 3
Pupils found in Amsterdam = 4
Dutch children to return on Thursday = 1
Rows given by Mrs. Hoban = 2
Teachers who had to apologise to Mrs. Hoban = 2
Staff who slept in the bathroom to avoid snoring cabin mates = 1

Travellers are currently tucked up in bed, but will be eager to see your comments tomorrow morning!

Day 8: Group 1 pupils travelled to Quilotoa by bus as you can see in the picture they are all happy with the four hour wait. On arrival they bought ponchos to blend in with the locals and keep warm. After a meal from a hostel they trekked down into the beautiful volcanic crater. The pupils camped by the side of the lagoon.
Group 2 began their project work constructing the forest path and building the museum. Below is another colleague which also lives on site.

Continue reading Estamos feliz →

Day 1: The groups settled into a hostel and find their way around town. All pupils and staff accounted for and all happy and well.

Day 2:  The groups organised the trips planned ahead using their excellent Spanish skills.  The locals understood what was said, but unfortunately the pronunciation differences sent them on a wild goose chase across Quito.   Challenge Anika moved into motion while the groups sped around town on the hunt for the various companies to finalise and pay for the planned activities.

Day 3: The two groups separated – group 1 headed to the project phase and group 2 headed to the treking phase of the expedition.  Both groups faced very different climates with Group 1 in the middle of the rain forest and Group 2 at high altitude.

Continue reading Benvienido a Ecuador →