Te Anau School - On Camp

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I am up and ready an tad early, but I have time for a leisurely breakfast and stroll down by the lake before heading to the school. After a briefing with the 4 other parent helpers, we head to the class, get organised and head in convoy (via car) to the control gates to start the walk. The walk to where we are camping takes around 2hrs 15minutes with the children, and we stop on the way at Broad Beach for a sit down and a snack, and to admire the views. Chatting to all the children on the way, they are very amusing, but a good bunch of children. I am quite surprised that only one or two children out of all 27 moan about being tierd or blisters etc…even though some of them are wearing not the best footwear for walking (or tramping) as it is referred to hear. Once we arrive at our spot on the kelper track, just set back from the beach, the children run up all their overnight bags which have been brought over on the boats so they only have their day bags to carry. We then settled down for lunch on the beach. After lunch the first job is to put up the tents, so as the adults we wander round but have been instructed to assist only, not put them up. They few groups I ended up assisting we good and only needed a tad of direction, pretty impressive for nine and ten year olds! Other afternoon activities included boat building, of which I had to judge (very tricky, they are all so proud of their groups), making an overnight shelter from only one piece of tarpaulin and three pieces of string and swimming. I had taken my togs (swimwear) just in case, and ended up braving the water with the children. It was great fun, and I ended up pulling around 15 of them through the water on a tree trunk they had found – it gave me quite the work out, but at least it kept me warm!

After swimming we all spilit into groups and went off somewhere to position our tracking tunnels (a tunnel with an ink pad inside and a big dollop of peanut butter to try to intice and animals to walk through the ink to it, and then we could see which animals live in the forest), and insect boxes. I lead my group deep into the forest, and away from the walking track where it was less disturbed.

After this the children had free time, and I ended up playing beach cricket with most of them for several hours – it was a lot of fun, and there were very arguments or disagreements. I was also amazed that when the ball got hit high into the tree, one of the boys climbed straight up to get it. I wasn’t sure if this would be allowed, but later when I checked the teacher actually informed me there is actually a tree in the playground at school specially for climbing – as it is encouraged! Could you imagine that in a school in England!

We had patties (burgers) on the bbq with coleslaw for dinner, wouldn’t be my first choice but it tasted so good out in the bush. All the children’s parents were instructed to sending baking in with their children, so we had a vast array of cakes, biscuits, brownies and muffins etc for pudding and the next day for morning and afternoon tea. One of the children’s parents owns a helicopter and their business is running tourist trips out over the fiordlands, and so the child’s dad, unbeknown to the children flew in, and landed on the beach, staying for tea and until just before they all went to bed – this caused much excitement.

After tea there was a bit more free time for the children, they then read the story of the sandfly, and in groups (adults included) we all reinacted the story on the beach. This provided much giggling amusement for all, including the adults. Bedtime was a lot smoother than I expected, though it was around 9.30pm, and after only a few patrols by the teacher once they were all in their tents, it was silent. After a while of chatting and relaxing all of us adults headed to bed around 11pm, I think more shattered than the children!

I was expected a limited night sleep, but unfortunately I got even less due to the snoring in my left ear from one of the rather ‘slightly larger’ mothers who was next to me! Added to this around midnight the tent of four boys behind us woke up and after going out to the toilet sat chatting for around an hour, starting at a whisper and getting increasingly louder, until one of the mothers went out and told them off….unfortunately not the one that was snoring however!

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