|
|
Choose
where to go from the menu below.
|
|
|
Summer expedition 2006
Villeneuve, Aosta Valley, Italy
|
Saturday 22nd July
It
all started at 5:25 a.m. on Saturday 22nd July. We all walked into the
airport looking very tired — especially Holly. We got the plane from
Edinburgh to Stansted (instead of Luton because the flight was delayed
and we would have missed the Italian connection) and then got the bus
to Luton, where we arrived 10 minutes before the gate closed and it was
non-stop to Torino.
We arrived at the campsite in Villeneuve in the Aosta Valley, and soon
settled in. We gathered in the marquee, where the Acorn staff
introduced themselves and took us on a tour of Villeneuve, a lovely wee
town nearby. That night, we met other Scouts and Explorers from
Edinburgh and had an early one.
Sunday 23rd July
After
an early rise, we took a long coach journey up to the Alps. The Unit
was split into two groups and we started with a long and strenuous
hike, on which Louise took a bit of a sicky! The other group were rock
climbing and after lunch we swapped activities. That night we took part
in various activities such as egg dropping (nobody was successful).
McDunx entertained us all with raps that evening while some played
cards.
Monday 24th July
The
next day we did the high ropes course, which was tremendous fun, though
Ian was a bit wobbly! Nae Joy! In the afternoon, we took the coach to
an artificial lake where we spent our time kayaking and canoeing. We
swapped activities half way through the afternoon and ended up with a
naval battle, canoeists vs kayakers, where everyone ended up in the
water. Louise earned her nickname Sushi after eating a raw fish in the
lake! That evening we were briefed in skills and safety procedures for
the white water rafting we would be doing the next day.
Tuesday 25th July
Today
was the big day; we were going white water rafting! We were issued with
wet suits, buoyancy aids and hard hats and divided into three teams and
introduced to our raft masters who gave us some further instruction on
paddling and reminded us what to do when (sorry if) we fell in the
water. We had two runs in the morning, starting from the river bank
just in front of the camp site. It all seemed quite straightforward and
not at all scary, though we did all get a little damp.
In the afternoon, we loaded into the bus and took a trip up river,
where began the most dangerous part of the day… manhandling the rafts
down to the river without being spiked by thorn bushes, stung by
nettles or forced into a ditch. But at last the rafts were launched and
we very soon realised that this part of the river was quite different
from the lower reaches. We had to paddle hard through the rapids but
once it was all over, there was jubialtion and a general jumping into
the water. Then it was all ands to the pump to get the rafts up the bank and loaded on to the trailer — and back to the camp for some well-deserved showers.
A small party of over-18s chose to do the middle section of the river
at an extra cost and came back ecstatic after the gruelling descent
through gorge and major rapids. After dinner, we held some wacky races,
were introduced to the chicken game and a played tub battling where two
players with blue tubs covering their upper bodies had to (a) find each
other and (b) force the other player out of the ring.
Wednesday 26th July
Today was a rest day, at least for the instructors.
The Unit had decided that they would like to go into Aosta for the day
and enjoy some shopping and ice creams. The coach took us to the edge of
the town and we were led through the gate in the walls and shown the
spot where we would meet up at lunch time. The leaders then wandered
around and eventually hit on a pizzeria restaurant that would give us
an upstairs room for our Unit meal. We invited our Acorn guides as
well. It was a great meal and a fine celebration; we toasted the good
health of the Unit and built monuments out of Sprite and Coke cans.
Then it was more sightseeing, more ice creams and buying souvenirs and
presents for the folks back home. Back on the bus, we enjoyed the
scenery on the way back to the camp site and after dinner, learnt some
fencing skills. This started with posing correctly and then practising
with spoons rather than foils. Two Explorers got a little carried away
and were later seen duelling with spoons. One of our number, Niall, had
done this before so nobody wanted to take him on!
|
|
 | 
|
Thursday 27th July
Today
we loaded on to the bus and were off to Cogne high in the Aosta valley.
There was a good, though rather distant, view of Mont Blanc. We had
been issued with wet suits, waterproofs and buoyancy aids
that were not at all flattering… in fact we looked like plonkers! The
reason for this strange garb was that we were first going to go gorge
walking. The first ritual was to speak to the water spirits. To do
this, we had to put our heads in a water trough and speak some kind
words ("brubble aarghhh brubble"). The gorge walking was excellent fun:
we climbed up waterfalls and jumped off ledges into the river;
eventually we arrived at a pool and had a swimming relay race between
the water folk and the land lubbers. Of course the water folk won!
Once we had changed out of our wet things, leaving them in sopping bin
bags on the bus, we climbed up to a higher level and had some lunch.
Then we split into two groups, the first climbing and abseiling in all
manner of different ways and the second squeezing, which is putting our
bodies into gaps between boulders that are altogether too small for
them to fit through… but managing all the same! Then it was back in the
bus and return to Villeneuve.
|
|
 | 
|
Friday 28th July
This
was our last day. We cleared up and packed our kit, some taking a quick
walk into town for old times' sake. The coach took us to Torino from
where we caught our flight, this time with no problem, to Gatwick. Alan
left us there (he was off on holiday to France and Switzerland!) and
the rest of the Unit continued on to Edinburgh. It was a fantastic week
away and will leave us with memories that will last a very long time.
[Photographs
by Niall and Alan]
|
|
|
