I woke up just before seven, and began to finally write out addresses that I had forgotten. I was frantically getting ready and then took my dog for a walk just before 9am. When I gave him a goodbye hug, I nearly cried, and Dad didn’t make me feel much better by telling me that Oskar knew what was going on! I spoke briefly to my brother on the phone before I left for school. Mum rang him to remind him that I was going early.
I was at school for 9.35 and we did a vague kit check. Luckily, Mrs Lampard didn’t make me open out all of my clothes, she said she trusted us not to have taken too much, but she advised us not to bother taking two mess tins so I left one with Mum and Dad. Priestly arrived earlier than we thought, at 10.15 instead of 11am, and we left straight away. Mum was mouthing “I love you” through the window at me!
I sat next to Cheryl on the minibus. She’s lovely, and so is Jennie, although a little quieter. Mark’s quiet too at the moment, but Simon is very loud and I can see myself getting annoyed with him before long.
When we got to the barracks, a soldier with a gun stopped us at the gate! We were shown over to the gym, where we are staying. There’s only one other team here, but I was expecting loads. Helen got here soon after us. Her family brought her straight down from home, as it was easier than going to school first. It turned out that she was actually here first, but she’d been in the canteen with parents, eating army food! It was 1.50ish by this time.
Jane arrived at about 2.15, straight off her flight from Scotland. After a brief chat, where she assured us that she wouldn’t make us do a presentation like the leader of the other team was doing, she sent some of us to fetch group kit. When it came back, there seemed to be piles of it, especially packets of MacDougals, and I was wondering how the hell it’d fit into twice the number of rucksacks we had. I volunteered to carry our Outer tent (very big and heavy) and we also had ‘buoyancy aids’, which could also be known as ‘life jackets’ in a non-World Challenge world! We were supposed to fit them into our rucksacks, but I think the only person who managed to just make it fit was Liz. In the end, we’ve put those into two kitbags to go in the hold of the plane. I was getting really frustrated trying to get it in, so much so, that in desperation, I gave my rucksack one last tug and managed to tear a hole in the bottom. -I hope it doesn’t get any bigger because things will start falling out!
Kate was the funniest. Jane asked us to sit in tent groups for a full kit check. First, she looked at Helen’s, then Kate’s. Helen’s kit had been perfectly sensible. Kate’s however, was not. Jane threw out a list that looked something like this…
Object thrown out object left in!
2 tubes Savlon 1 big pack antiseptic wipes.
1 tube SPF60 1 huge bottle SPF25
1 sort sleeved shirt 1 long sleeved shirt
1 huge tub Vaseline 1 small tin Vaseline
Half her Med-kit Other half Med-kit
One strappy top the rest of her t-shirts
And (not last, but I can’t remember the rest)
3 bras the other 2 bras that she was wearing!
After all this, we decided that it would be the perfect time for tea, and Helen and I went to see what time to canteen was open for evening meals. When we got there, it was strangely quiet, with no banging or other cooking sounds, and when we managed to find a schedule, it stated that the canteen was open between 5.00 and 5.30pm. By this time, it was 7.00pm, and we had been spending our time battling with rucksacks and labelling MacDougal packets. So, now, we seemed to end up with no tea, the night before the biggest trip of our lives! In desperation, we sent Liz and Geoff out with £20 and instructions to find the nearest chip shop and order enough chips for 12 people, which they dutifully did, coming back armed with a couple of big coke bottles and 12 medium portions of chips! Although not ideal in a World Challenge-sort-of-way, the chips were very satisfying!!!
Anyway, now I’m lying on a large Army gym mat, with Helen on one side, and Kate on the other, and the rest scattered about our corner of the Gym. It’s only 9.45pm, and a plane just flew overhead. I suppose I’d better go to sleep now as the lights have just been switched off by Mark or Simon and I can hardly see to write! We’ve got to be up at 3am to catch our bus at 4am, to be at Heathrow by 4.30, three hours before our flight. -This time in 12 hours, we’ll be in Madrid!
