DofE

Liking outdoorsy type things, I volunteered at the school to help supervise this year's Bronze Duke of Edinburgh's Award with the year nines. I wasn't aware of it when I was at school, I don't think Stantonbury even offered it, don't even know if it would have been something I would have wanted to do back then. It's only open to people up to 25, so I'm a bit past it now. There was a equipment and first aid training day I helped out with right at the start of the year. 

Out on the practice expedition

Then it was planning for the practice expedition, which was learning all round from the group of girls I was assigned and myself. We has a route planed, starting and finishing from the school. The majority of the first day I was walking with the girls and another trainee teacher who had done her Gold award. Painfully slow at times, but guess that's what the practice weekend was for, by the time we felt confident to leave them to navigate to the campsite, everyone's confidence was much better. Two of the six girls didn't make it to the campsite as literally twenty minutes after us leaving them they rang the emergency number and got picked up.

Assessed expedition

For the assessed weekend, everyone, including me was much more aware of what was expected. I actually had proper time scheduled for my group to meet and plan thier route. The girls knew what it would be like walking with thier big bags, drop notes and navigating around the fields. I was part of another practice day where the the two girls who dropped out had to attend to be able to do the assessed weekend. The assessed weekend went without major issue only a minor issue with the bus that dropped all the girls off at Harrold-Odell Country Park, it rained in the evening rather than while everyone was walking which is the best time it could have rained. Everyone completed the course and passed their Bronze award!

'Minor' issue with the bus on the assessed weekend. 

Fun graffiti on a water tower seen on route.

New Room

June half term I made the commitment to re-decorate my room. The previous colour of peach was way past it's prime. It has now been painted a deep duck egg green called 'Opulent' by the manufacturer. This kind of decorating is also perfect time to do a bit of house keeping and de-cluttering my room. Good-bye to my GCSE, A-level notes, the majority of my degree notes and anything else that added up to about five bags of recycling, and bags of other stuff for the charity shop. A little move around of the furniture, and also another good-bye in my room, my penguin curtains are off the rails and I am making a new set. I will find a new use for them I imagine. I've also discovered eBay to sell a few bits that are just too nice to go for free. 

New curtains!

While de-cluttering, I was thinking how hard it is to emotionally detach from things, they are just things, why is there such an emotional attachment to things. Yet, if I haven't used something in two years, why should I worry about it leaving my life? I know that as soon as I throw something away I'll think of something or find a need for it. I do have less now and it still fits in my room. I didn't want to think I'm a hoarder, but I guess I am.

Opulant

Tea with The Lion, The Witch and The Wardbrobe

Another half term, another teachers tea, this one at The Royal Garden Hotel for a Lion Witch and the Wardrobe themed afternoon tea in Kensington. Hoping for a Kate Middleton sighting!

Really liked this tea, a clean, modern interior, a live pianist, good food and staff who allowed us to sit and chat away most of the afternoon. I've also started a new blog documenting our teacher tea's around London and the UK.

Brave New Venture

I need a boiler suit - eBay, check. I need to pick a vocation - ore surveyor, check. I need to bring a crystal, check. I need to get to London, Euston for 6pm and follow someone in a white boiler suit to an abandoned petrol station and warehouse. I am at secret cinema. FYI, a bolier suit is not a flattering piece of clothing.

Ore Surveyor

The warehouse was massive, the whole experience was very interactive, just on the edge of being outside my comfort zone. Seb and I had to carry in a crate to the loading dock, exchange money for tokens, once inside walk around aimlessly trying to catch up with Annette. We gravitated to the basement where we were waiting for a expedition tour to the outside world, everyone had to put on another boiler suit and a mask. Outside it was pitch black with things hanging from the ceiling, a video of slime on the wall. Back in the loading dock there were massive vehicles, and everyone was being ferried down to witness a little scene. From where I was watching, the view was being lit up by people recording on their phones and tablets.

Field Analyst department

The movie - Prometheus 3D, with an introduction from Ridley Scott. I am not a fan of Alien, I remember watching it when I was younger and it completely freaked me out. I had Annette there who is as much of a hater of all things scary on screen as I am, to cling on to. Saying that, I did enjoy this movie, it was entertaining and held my attention for the duration, and the 3D was actually pretty good.

Reading up about the movie on IMBD, it's not officially a prequel, although I'm sure there were a lot of nods to Alien and the franchise that even I recognised a few. Good review of this secret cinema on Wired. It is an expensive way to go to the cinema, I do enjoy it now and then.

Snowdon

One thing on my list of this to do this year was to climb Snowdon, the highest peak in England and Wales, at 1085 meters high. Coinciding nicely with a friend's birthday camping trip to Wales, that gave me the perfect opportunity to go to that part of the country. I drove to Wales after work to the Cae Gwyn Farm, a lovely campsite with nice facilities, wasn't such a fan of the midges that were crawling over every part of exposed skin. And I forgot the insect repellent.

Half of the people went for a little biking session and James, Lindsay and I went to climb the mountain. A nice leisurely morning, I was sharing a tent with James and Lindsay with my own little  cosy compartment, very snug. I'm all about the glamping, air bed - yes, pillow - yes. James and Lindsay's part was much more glamped than mine with proper sheets and duvets. 

The campsite was about an hour's drive to the car park, we did have a mis-hap with the map reading and parking and started to walk in completely the wrong place. Once we did figure out where we were and got to the right parking place, the car park was one in one out. It took us about half an hour to get parked before we started walking anywhere.

We were going up the Miners track which starts out very nice and follows a scenic path by a few lakes, then the path connects to the Pyg track by a very steep incline of scrambling up rocks. The last section up Snowdon was in a cloud, it was wet and miserable, the track pops out on to another trail that lead to the train station and cafe area. It was a lot busier at the top with people who clearly didn't prepare for rain and were just walking in trainers and a t-shirt. There is a lot of encouragement from people as you pass then, everyone underestimated how long it was to the top, it's alright we got there in the end.

Walking by the lakes

At the top I could see nothing but an endless cloud. No beautiful view over Wales, no bright sunshine to lift our spirits. We got a well deserved drink and food at the top and thought about getting the Snowdon Railway down. Unfortunately, all seats on the train down were booked, walking down was the only option.

Near the top

We took two hours to go up and two and a half to come down, a respectable time. The track is pretty straight forward, you'd need at least a basic fitness level if you wanted to climb Snowdon. I wore my heart rate monitor on the climb to see what kind of workout it was. Going up kept my heart rate in the right zone for the most part, coming down I just wasn't hitting the zone at all. Overall, I did manage to burn just short of 2000 calories, which is about four trips to the gym.