DofE Bronze (wet & cold) practice expedition: Day 1 Kingsbury Water Park

3 words to describe this expedition: wet, cold and windy! However it was certainly fun. Now you might be thinking why on earth is walking in the rain fun but afterwards you feel proud of completing the expedition. On the Saturday it was dry and it was a bit windy and me and my group were setting off at 10:30. Off we went and one of the things our teacher said (Mr Simmons) was most groups go the wrong way the first time you set off. And he was right. We took a left but actually we were meant to turn right and we started walking sundays route. We turned around and me and Georgia decided it was time for a sing song so we started singing "you can't stop the beat" from the musical hairspray.

This was the map of our routes. On the saturday it was the red route and on the sunday it was the blue route. Expected for the saturday we started walking the blue route!

Time went by and we weren't really getting anywhere, we saw another group they were nearly back at the camp site however they left at 7:30 that morning. So after a chat with that group we found some where to have lunch. The day went quick apart from one little bit of the walk, somehow we ended up on a busy and noisy main road. We had to walk on the grass on the side of the road and the further we went the further the group was separated. Lucky Frankie knew a stable nearby where she keeps some of her horses so she saved the day by getting us back on track.

On the left Frankie who got us back on track. On the right Amber who was great map reader at the beginning of the walk.

The day went on and finally we made it back to the camp site around 4:30-5:00 ish and everyone was happy to be back. Now putting up the tents was pretty hard because the wind would just take the tent across the field. And when me and Lucy looked over to the teachers tent, there was Mr Simmons with his throw-in-the-air pop up tent. That was slightly unfair! The tents were up and we were now cooking our food. It was getting a bit nippy so I decided to give Hannah a piggy back and she felt like she was lighter than my bag.

This is Hannah on my back whilst controlling what way I went with my head!

This is Lucy out side our tent after watching Mr Simmons throw his throw-in-the-air pop up tent!

The food was cooked and on the menu there was cold pasta with cold tomato source served with a sprinkle of cheese on top! It wasn't a la carte but it had to do. And for desert was a slice Madeira cake, which some how survived in my purple rucksack, which also included: 3 packs of pitta bread (that we didn't eat); a whole bag of pasta; sachets of tomato source; sachets of soup; sachets of hot chocolate; my sleeping bag; my roll mat; the first aid kit; my dry clothes; my lunch... Etc etc. and it was certainly what everyone needed! Who wouldn't resist a slice of cake? It was a great first day, we all conquered the first day but we still had to conquer the next ...

My packed rucksack all ready for the expedition!

Georgia, Hannah and Amber in a tent whilst waiting for the food. Happy times!

I don't just surf the Internet...

Surfs up... Cornwall! I know it's nothing like the Caribbean but to me you can still have awesome time! Cornwall is down south and it's known for many things like an area of outstanding beauty, pies and pasties and surfing. Newquay is the surf capital of the UK. And it is. Sometimes there's traffic all the way out of Newquay and it's mainly camper-vans going for the surfing competitions. The weather and the waves are perfect for surfing. Now surfing is on my list of things-to-do, however if hitting the waves hard isn't your cup of tea, then I would take a step down and try body boarding. Body boarding, I would say, is safer than surfing, it's easier and it's so much fun when you get started. I'm normally in the sea for around 6 hours a day! That's how much fun it is. Cornwall has many stunning places to go too, if you don't like the waves, and most of them are the beaches. One little cove has the lifeboat station, which is hidden away from the path which goes around it. Some boats go out from this station but if none do its still a lovely snap shot. Full of character that gives Cornwall a certain charm.

If you take the cliff path from Harlyn Bay you'll discover this little lifeboat cove.

Newquay may be the surfing capital but there's many more beaches you can try. Harlyn Bay is a beautiful bay with a long stretch of sand and with dark blue waves that hit the shore with perfection. The waves aren't too strong or weak, the cliffs shape the beautiful bay and the paths off the cliffs are stunning. Harlyn bay is a very special place to me. It stands out and it never faults me! I call it my second home!

This is one side of Harlyn Bay, taken from the cliff path which curves around the Bay.

I've been going to Cornwall since I was little and it's grown on me. Every time I go home I never want to leave the sea, the sand and the weather behind. Whitsun week is the best week to go, you have a equal balance of everything: sun and wind. You may get the occasion heavy rain, which if you enjoy the odd high and rough tides like me it's a great time to go. If you don't fancy surfing the waves, there's loads more of things to get up too. Like walking! The cliffs of Cornwall are outstanding, the best way to see the beaches and scenery. The paths will take you in and out, and through little villages. Everywhere you look the fresh, salty Cornish wind will blown into your face and you'll see beautiful snap shots of the coastline of Cornwall!

Harlyn Bay

Padstow! The village of many reasons why it's such a lovely place to go too. It's on the north coast of Cornwall. With sea front houses that look over the port with cafés, shops and restaurants especially a famous chiefs restaurant. Rick steins seafood restaurant. With very high standards and top notch fish and chips! You can't beat it! Padstow is place where you can keep on going to it, year after year, and you'll never find it the same as the last time you were there. You can enter Padstow on the Camel trail which is along side of the river Camel. Or you can take the more scenic route into the charming little village. The Trevone trail which is a cliff walk. You past beautiful beaches, scenery and wildlife, with some extraordinary views!

This snap shot is on the path leading into the village of padstow.

You'll always get a perfect picture of Cornwall. These pictures were taken by my younger sister who's only 11 and they are still as perfect as the pictures my older sister took of Antigua and Barbados. It just goes to show anyone can make this place special. Cornwall is definitely a place I'll always look back too and remember the fun times and special memories I had with my family. From scenery to boarding to just standing on the cliff watching the world go by. It's one holiday I'll never get bored off even if I go year after year. It will always be a beautiful special place to me. Especially Harlyn Bay. A place I can always call my second home!

The other side of Harlyn Bay which looks over the beach. A perfect place to watch the sunset.

Just Chillin...

Barbados! Another amazing exotic island to go to and experience. It was a much different experience than Antigua. Antigua was more of a relax-and-do-nothing holiday and Barbados was more of a lets-go-all-out-there holiday. The place where I stayed at was still beautiful. There was still clear waters that surrounded the island and white sand beaches that stretched out into the distance. Our beach stretched out for a mile. A mile of white soft sand.

However the beaches were still amazing but the wildlife beats Antigua by a small margin. From crabs to turtles. You could still see turtles in Antigua but in Barbados you could have the experience of swimming with them. It was definetly a experience you wouldn't say no too and it was certainly a highlight of this holiday. You travelled on a glass bottom boat, just a little way out of the bay, then you would stop and there they were. Waiting for you. Drifting in and out of other turtles. There must of been at least seven. They swam elegantly around you, like you weren't there or like you were one of them.

It wasn't just green back turtles I saw on the island of Barbados but I also saw monkeys. This was unexpected! Out of thin air they appeared one by one. Swinging from tree to tree, walking along the branches, casually eating chunks of apple, ignoring you as you walked past. They would suddenly stop and stare if they sensed a camera pointing towards them, just so you could get a great snap shot. The locals would just walk past them as if they were passing people in the street. I would just stand there and watched them with their day-to-day life like it was something amazing.

Before I flew over Bardabos I was thinking if it was a flat island, considering Barbados is the most developed island for tourists to go to. But as you fly over the island you'll see rolling hills, and hidden with in the hills are said to be the "eighth natural wonder of the world" to the people of Barbados. From the Aurora Borealis to the Victoria falls, the "eighth wonder of the natural world" lies beneath the hills of Barbados... Harrisons Cave! I know it doesn't sound fancy like the Aurora Borealis but it certainly had a bewitching charm to it. It seemed like it was raining inside the cave and it was a very unique natural wonder! There was pillars which were hanging on the roof of the cave and standing up on the floor on the cave. These were called Stalactites (these were hanging down like chandeliers) and Stalagmites (these grow through the floor of the cave.) The Stalagmites were gathered together to make a little "village". A steam of fresh pure water entwines through the stalagmites which leaves you with a stunning picture.

Jet Skiing! One word that describes this water thrill is WOW! One saying they say in Barbados is "Do it on water". It's one of the best things I've ever done! As the passenger, it's about the wind and the sea in your face. As the driver, it's about the speed. And this was the best part. I've always wanted to go jet skiing however I didn't think I would be the one driving! You really feel the adrenaline pumping through your veins. It's amazing! When I was the passenger I had the urge to let go and to the Titanic pose like they did on the front of the boat. However I didn't, I thought it would be best if i saved it for the next I went on. Barbados is definetly one of the greatest places I've been too.  The whole experience of swimming with turtles, the caves and jet skiing were extraordinary! This is certainly a holiday I would always remember!

Hello from paradise

A slice of paradise! The island of Antigua. With its clear blue seas and white stretches of sand. When I mean white sand, I mean white. I thought the adverts would lie about the sea and sand, but i was wrong, it was a picture perfect postcard from paradise.

It's the best place I've been for a long time. It was somewhere I could think; a space to breath; a place where you could escape to and forget about the worries of everyday life. The silence was somehow calming and relaxing. You could just sit there without being pestered. It was perfect. It was tranquil.

I stayed at a hotel called Hawksbill Bay. One of the 365 beaches on this small, exotic island. One for every day of the year. Hawksbill Bay is located in the Five Island Peninsula, five minutes from the capital, St John. A large rock, about half a mile offshore from Hawksbill Bay, is shaped like the head of a hawksbill turtle which gives the place its name. Another place I went to, which is said to be the best place to watch the sunset was Shirley Heights, English Harbour. This was on the south coast of the island. Shirley Heights looked over the boats and yachts. I don't know why it's called English Harbour beacuse the atmosphere was so bright and lively, with traditional Caribbean steel drums playing , the sound of laughter and the orange sun sinking behind the sea to end another day. It was nothing like England.

It wasn't just the beauty of the landscape which made Antigua so special for me but the wildlife was out of this world. They were all stunning in their own unique way. The mixture of colours and personalities were amazing. The birds especially were the ones which stood out. They skimmed the water so elegantly, without touching the still water, however watching them was like nothing like a piegon flying over your garden wall.

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The sea, the sand, the people, the food and the atmosphere were captivating. I've got to say a thanks to Virgin Atlantic, who gave us six free travel-anywhere-you-want tickets with Virgin Atlantic, switched us to a British Airways flight and gave us $65 each for food and drink at some fancy cricket hotel. It was great. We used the tickets to go Barbados, it's still very beautiful too because everyehere in the caribbean is, but it wasn't a patch on Antigua. It made me think that maybe it was meant to be, to show me that such a small island can stick out from the crowd. And it did. It was certainly a slice of paradise!