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fter a year of planning the 2014 China Week trip set off on Monday 13th October, 7 unique trips commenced with 310 excited and energetic students. 4 trips took flights to their destinations with the rest travelling on buses directly from school. All the trips set off on time with so many stories and memories to come. The China Week magazine gives you a first-hand look at all of our trips and experiences. Written by our students and trip leaders it provides all the highs, lows, laughs and tears of the week. I hope you enjoy and reminisce over this excellent edition!! Johnny Coombs China Week Coordinator
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Year 7 Trip
Yangshuo (Guangxi)
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Suzhou (Jiangsu)
Year 10 Trip
Hangzhou (Zhejiang)
Year 7 Trip
Rongshui (Guangxi)
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Year 7/9 Trip
Year 9 Trip
Xiamen (Fujian)
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Year 11 Trip
Thousand Island (Zhejiang)
Year 12/13 Trip Louyang (Henan)
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Year 7 Trip Yangshuo (Guangxi) Day 1 Monday morning, at 3:50am, outside of Golden Lough, we waited for the cars to arrive. Cars I hear you say well this is Dulwich and we travel in style. When they arrived we all got in the cars with excitement on our faces! After two hours in our luxurious cars we eventually emerged from the vehicle and entered the airport. We checked in (which took a long time), soon enough we had gone through all of the security checks and we were about to board. All of the students were checking to see if their friends were around them on the plane, some were lucky and others not so lucky. We all got to reunite after the flight and meet our group leaders from Insight Adventure, they were full of energy and straight away got us playing a few games in the airport. After the games we got onto the buses and off we went to Yangshuo. Whilst we were on the bus we were attempting to guess which hotel was ours, we were pleased to see our hotel had a roof and 4 walls. After 1 hour 30 minutes we arrived at the hotel complete with soft mattresses. Once we got our room keys we had a great lunch followed by a big scavenger-hunt around Yangshuo (which the Power Puff girls won, of course!), then we had a bit of free time to buy some gifts and treats. After all that was done we went to dinner at a local restaurant and were encouraged to try something we’ve never tried before, I did put didn’t like the lovely eggplant dish, however 02
some found new dishes and broadened their taste buds. We had, had an awesome first day, after we got to the hotel, visited our rooms our heads hit the pillows and then we slept well.
Day 2 The start of day 2 was a blast we first had breakfast at a lovely restaurant right next door to a beautiful stream in an old part of the town, then we set off to go camping! The bus ride was a fair journey but we didn’t mind, we got off the bus outside of a small Chinese school and we walked for a while until we got to the archery, which was the same place we were going to camp overnight. We got to meet our archery instructor who’s name was Bull, he looked us straight in the eye and said take your aim. We played a little game with our group and the other group as a warm up activity, we were particularly good at passing the ball over our heads and running to the end of the line which meant our group won hands down. We started the activities with archery which was very hard for some of us, Bull was very patient and with plenty of practice, we all caught bulls eye, it was awesome! Then we went to rock climbing, rock climbing was quite hard you had to know were to put your hands in and where to put your fingers in, it was SUPER! That night however I
felt like my arms were made of sand bags, we had discovered muscles I didn’t know existed. When we were all finished with our activities we went back to camp and everybody put up their tents. When everybody finished we all made dinner in our small groups, it was delicious. When dinner was over we cleaned all the plates and bowls we used (it was terrible) but we all mucked in and got the job done. When everybody was finished with that we made a fire, by this stage it was dark and all nice and cozy sat around the fire, it was all quiet, no sound. Lots of stories got told and everybody was enjoying it, sadly after that it was bedtime. We had to go to sleep if we wanted to be in a good mood tomorrow so we went to sleep hoping tomorrow would be an even better day!
Day 3 On Wednesday morning almost everyone was up nice and early (which annoyed some of the late sleepers). This meant we had a bit of an early start, breakfast was already made for us so we finished eating and then cleared up the field. Soon enough we started heading off to the first activity which for our group was cooking school. It didn’t take very long to get there which meant we had plenty of time. Cooking was a blast, all of the teachers joined in and we even got to eat the food that we cooked! Our favourite moment from this was watching the 03
concentration on the faces of the teachers, I think Mr Coombs and Mr Bridge were in some sort of Master Chef competition of their own. After that we headed off to the bike-riding venue where we picked our bikes and then travelled through some Chinese villages and rice paddies. One or two of us weren’t that confident as we hadn’t rode in ages, there was a tumble near the beginning but we were persistent and kept going! After all of that fun we went back to the hotel and checked into our rooms. It was so nice to be back to having a bed, a pillow and a duvet. Once checked in we had dinner at another fine restaurant and then we met up with our group leaders to have a debrief and get ready for the next day. An early night to bed, as we had another big day ahead of us.
Day 4 We woke up the next day without hesitation because we couldn’t wait to start the day, like most of the days we went to breakfast at the same place and then headed out to our activities. In the morning it was caving which was remarkable with all of the stalactites and stalagmites, cave popcorn and flowstone. Once we had spent ages in the cave we had a… MUD BATH! All of us kids attacked the teachers with mud and because of our superior numbers we won! When we emerged from the cave a hundred meters above ground, we walked to the bottom of the mountain and we got cleaned up in an enormous, freezing cold bath. We had lunch a scrumptious snack of fruit, banana bread and fresh subway styles sandwiches. Once we had gotten to the site of our next activity we started our hike up the mountain. When we had climbed ALL of the stairs we got to the zip line and we all got harnessed up and off we went. The zip line took us from the middle of the cast mountain to the front, there is a giant hole in the mountain eroded away when the mountain was under the sea!!! After we got to the end of the zip line we had to abseil down and there was no way back which wasn’t for the faint hearted. Actually it was really fun for most people. Then when we finished we took another hike 04
down the mountain and back onto the bus, we then went back to the hotel and went straight to dinner! After dinner the wining group of the scavenger hunt on day one got an ice cream, yum. By the time we got back to the hotel everyone else had already started packing so that’s what we ended up doing. It was the end of the trip and it had gone so quickly.
Day 5 The start of day 5 was like most of the others, which started with breakfast but this time we hopped onto the bus and we headed to the airport at Guilin and eventually to Pudong. The flight was OK but the rice dish they served was not up to the standards we were used to from the rest of the trip. The bus ride home seemed to take ages and in the end we got home a bit late. But the overall experience was fantastic and definitely an eye-opener to most of us, we are already looking forward to next years trip and the experiences it will bring. During the trip we experienced so many things we wouldn’t normally do, we made new friends and learnt new things about ourselves. On behalf of all the pupils in year seven who went to Yangshuo we would like to thank all the teachers who looked after us while we were in Yangshuo, you are the best. BY Kate Allan, Paola Vega Yudico, and Valentina Mercandina 05
Year 8 Trip Rongshui (Guangxi) Day 1 A very early start – pick ups began at Bayside just after 4am. Bleary eyed, but full of excitement, we clambered onto the bus ready to start our adventure. Our flight was uneventful and we arrived to a pizza lunch and a two and a half hour bus trip to Rongshui. The limestone karst mountains rose up out of the fields providing us with beautiful scenery. We checked in to our hotel and set off for some team building games and a walk up to a fantastic temple. Dinner was followed by some goal setting for the trip. Looking forward to tomorrow’s fun and challenging day.
Day 2 We headed off at 9am to a scenic location just outside of Rongshui alongside a river. The activities included kayaking, swimming, raft building and learning about caring for the environment; ‘Leave No Trace.’ Mrs Lake, Mrs Collazo and Mrs Kalmbacher entertained the students with spectacular falls out of their kayaks! The weather was lovely, lots of fun and smiles all round today! A fabulous (and very loud visit due to many excited little children) was made to a local Christian Community Service Centre in Rongshui. Here, young students are nutured
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and helped with their homework as their parents are away working in big cities. Dulwich students assisted with their homework, played the drums, demonstrated cheerleading, played limbo and rap danced. Lots of fun!
Day 3 This morning we went back to the same location as yesterday to complete our activities. Once again we had lots of fun! We will now all be aware of how to be prepared for an outdoor trip and how to respect the environment. We ate a delicious lunch at a local restaurant and then boarded the buses to go to Yubu. We travelled along narrow winding roads through the mountains for about one and a half hours. We played riddles on the way. Wow, Yubu is so scenic! It’s a small rural village set amongst the mountains. The people who live here are a Chinese minority group called the Miao people. We walked through their village, explored one of their houses and were shown how the people here weave beautiful materials. We walked amongst their houses, counting the chickens, pigs and horses. We learnt how the local people live. After dinner at our hostel we were entertained by a local cultural show. It was interactive and many students became involved in the show. Ran and Lars entertained the crowd with some dancing and Mr Grice, Ran and Owen were married off to 3 beautiful brides!
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Day 4 Today, in the opinion of most, was the best day! We boarded small buses and travelled half an hour further into the mountains. We hiked uphill for half an hour, had a breather at a school where we greeted some excited children and then continued on winding tracks through rice terraces. The scenery was stunning and once we got to our lunch spot the students could not wait to get into the natural rock pool for a refreshing swim. We weaved our way back to the buses after lunch and then travelled on to a fantastic waterfall and of course another swim! Late in the afternoon we had some time back at the Yubu Hostel to play basketball or chill out and we had a lovely BBQ dinner.
Day 5 Our day was spent getting back home, we’d had a fantastic week; we made new friends and grew closer to old friends. We tried new activities, we challenged ourselves and learnt how to respect our environment. We visited younger students and played with them and encouraged them to do their homework. I hope the students come home with many wonderful stories about their week. Regards Vicki Lake
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Year 9 Trip Xiamen (Fujian) Day 1 We shared many memorable moments which I’m sure will not be forgotten. When we arrived in Xiamen, we met our instructors from Insight Adventures. Then we went to a street with lots of little shops, and we were allowed to walk around and explore. After around 1-2 hours of shopping, we had lunch in one of the restaurants then we drove in the bus to the countryside. There were lots of large hills, rivers, and fields for growing crops. The hotel was near the Tulou houses, which were one of the most ancient architectures in China. The hotel was small and cozy, and there was a small courtyard in the middle, where we gathered and talked about this trip. The teachers told us to sit with people who we don’t usually sit with for meals, so it ended up as my friend and I, and the rest are all boys. I liked my table the best because it was full of interesting and funny people, so we laughed a lot and had a great time when we ate.
Day 2: After breakfast, we filled up our new Insight Adventures water bottle and wore our new hats, then split into two groups. I was in group 2, we walked to the Tulou buildings, which were buildings from hundreds of years ago, built for residence and as a fortress. The houses were cylinder shaped. I thought about how would I live, if I lived in a 09
cylinder. A whole family would live in one, where the oldest people lived at the top because it was quieter (not because so they can exercise to keep themselves healthy). The Tulou buildings were very impressive. After, we went tea picking. The tea farm we went to was on a small hill, so some parts were steep. The tealeaves were like bushes, but planted in neat rows and columns, so it was easier to navigate our way around. We each got a plastic bag, and tried to fill it to the top. Then, we went down the little hill and spread out our tealeaves onto a large round wooden tray, to dry up in the sun. Then we learnt how tealeaves were made by a long process of steps and machinery. The process was complicated and took hours to make. They gave us small pouches of tealeaves for us to take home. In the afternoon we hiked around the Tulou area and through a series of hills with tea. The path was narrow, so we had to walk in single file. At night, we had a tea ceremony outside on a field across from the hotel. There were two long tables parallel to each other, and at the front of the field, there was a small table where a tea making set was located. We sat around the tables, and a lady sat on the small table and made the tea. First, she got water and rinsed all of the cups. Then she poured hot water into a teapot with tealeaves in it, and closed the lid. Then she poured more hot water on the other teacups, to desterilize it and make them warm. Then she poured the tea into the cups, and also in 40 plastic cups. The teachers let us go get the tea in tables. The tea tasted bitter but warm and leafy and it was a wonderful experience for one of the rare times I drank tea :) I believe everyone was pretty exhausted after that busy second day. Since during the night not a peep was heard.
Day 3: The third day was tweaked a bit. Instead of doing surfing at the beach we transferred to the pool to learn surfing skills. It was just as much fun though. The swimming pool had a main pool in the middle, where the roof is open, and some hot springs around it that were 42-44 degrees Celsius hot. There was another 10 
swimming pool under the shade. Later in the day there was a competition between our two groups. Our group (group 2) won, yay! The second hotel was a 5 star hotel! Everybody was excited because there were“normal” bathrooms. We had dinner in a big room and sat at the same tables. The girls had rooms on the 5th floor, and the boys had room on the 4th floor, which had balconies.
Day 4: I have to admit, the fourth day’s activities turned out to be my favorite, high ropes and via Feratta. To begin with I have a fear of heights. My clear goal for that day was to overcome that fear to complete those activities. At the end of the day having made the leap of faith, giant’s ladder, and the via Feratta course I felt so accomplished and satisfied. I guess I’m not as cowardly as I thought I was! In the morning our group walked to a training area on a big field, and tall, scary-looking bars. Those were high ropes. The instructors taught us how to wear harnesses by ourselves and also how to tie a safety knot. This was important, because if we didn’t do it properly and climbed up the pole and
fell, there would just be the harness hanging on the rope and we’ll be on the ground. The first boy who went walked across the platform and caught the bar without hesitating. The second person climbed up the rungs more slowly and squealed when he got to the top. He seemed to be stuck to the pole, and when he finally let go, he stepped onto the round platform, and was stuck there again for a few minutes, until he jumped and fell. Damien caught him. The rest of us took turns to go, and when it was my turn, I walked off the round platform instead of jumping to catch the bar. After that there was a teamwork-activity, where two people had to work together to get to the top of a big wooden ladder. The first pair of boys had a hard time getting on the first wooden log. Then they went up successfully after they figured out a way. Everybody else paired up and went. They said Via Ferrata was very tiring and scary. We found out when we went on the bus to the mountain. The rock mountain was called “Little Yellow Mountain” even though the mountain wasn’t little. We went on a “short hike” to the place 11
where we put on our harnesses ourselves and climbed up an iron ladder. Via Ferrata is Italian for “iron road”, and long time ago people used this to travel through mountains, but not many arrived at their destination, because they fell of the footholds and steps. We had two karabiners, and the rule was that we could only unclip one karabiner at a time, because if we double-unclip we would fall. We clipped ourselves up a narrow iron-ladder, and then arrived at the rocks, where there were iron footholds and a rope wire to clip our karabiners. The height was around 10m above ground (much taller than the high ropes) and there were lots of trees. There were circular iron handles in the rocks where we could hold, but it was slippery. The trees gradually decreased as we went up and down between large rocks, and the view was incredible. There were more trees and mountains. At the hotel we had dinner, and got a surprise. There were boxes of pizza stacked on each table. Everybody was thrilled, even though the pizzas were cold. We said thank you to the instructors, because they drove 2 hours back and forth to the nearest pizzeria. Everybody talked about the thrilling and fun day we had. It was wonderful to be talking and laughing with friends. After dinner, we went to the lobby and talked in our groups. We each talked about the things we liked and the things we disliked. Then we went back into our rooms. In 20 minutes, the girl’s floor was chaos. It all started when I put a bathrobe on my friend, but backwards, then she walked out like a chicken and more girls followed. We had to quiet down because we were making such a racket that the boys could hear
Day 5 What a trip, huh? It was amazing! After returning I realized I had practically talked to everyone, whether a little or a lot, I had. This means lots of new friends, and I’m glad for that. I had also pushed myself to try all sorts of local Xiamen food which turned out to be delicious. I sincerely hope everyone else had the same level of fun that I had 12
Year 7/9 Trip The
local Suzhou culture visits were a great success the students enjoyed the trip and developed their skills, knowledge, and awareness of some history of the host country. Activities like bowling, rock climbing and the theme park were very enjoyable. Two hours’ Rock Climbing is so popular, that the students wanted more time for a second round.
Suzhou (Jiangsu) 13
Sampling the local food is an integral part of the experience of the local trip and we sampled many foods as well as some treats along the way. The gardens and old town painting is very peaceful, the students get a chance to watch various traditional performance with costume, and they enjoyed wandering in the quiet and beautiful garden.. The final afternoon was a reflection of the trip and a chance to look through the pictures and reflect on what a wonderful experience the trip was for everyone involved. Jessica Li
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What
new things have I learnt
about Suzhou?
Isabel: That sometimes it can be quiet! However there were, a lot of history to learn about like: the temples, museum and the sculptures of ancient times! Sergei: I know about if you have holidays you must not sit in home, you can go to many wonderful places near your home! I learnt how to do orienteering and rubbing.
Ji Eun Park: I learnt lots of new great places in Suzhou. Ethan Swee: I learnt lots about the history of the country that I live in and its culture. I have also learnt a lot of things that I would not have taken the initiative to learn like: “I never knew that Suzhou had its own wall, I never knew that there was such a beautiful garden and I never knew that the theme park would be so fun.�
Sophia: Different events and activities seeing new places, and going to see old parts of China, to try different foods in a variety of restaurant.
Suzhou (Jiangsu)
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Year 10 Trip Hangzhou (Zhejiang) Day 1 Having arrived at school at about 8:00 am on the normal bus, we (year 10) took another bus of about 3 hours that led us to our destination: Hangzhou. First we got put into groups with our guides and teachers to hike with because hiking with a group of 50 kids just doesn’t work. From there we immediately started our practice hike for the day, which was about 6km up West Lake Mountain. Each group set off at different times to give each other space but the gap between wasn’t immense. Every student and teacher had their lunch prepared beforehand so that we could stop along the way of the hike to eat. This first hike was mainly on concrete trails with a few steep soil paths. We were expected to take about 5-6 hours to get to the campsite (our first night camping) however it took a little over 4 hours until we arrived at Wuyun temple, our hosts for the night. The hike was challenging for some, and undemanding for others, nevertheless everyone had support from each other. Promptly after arriving at the temple everyone started to pitch up their tents with some help from the scout students. Post everyone having settled down, we had a different 16
but unique dinner provided by the temple. Soon after everyone was finished and satisfied, our amazing guides had prepared an evening activity for the students: Square Dancing. 4 girls and 4 guys formed a group of 8 as the guides explained what to do for this dance. Later, after so much fun and dancing, everyone headed back to their tents and got ready for their first night camping. Marcela Leme
Day 2 After the amazing first day of hiking the walking continued (together making it 13km). The night in the tent was colder than expected and many of us didn’t get much sleep. In the morning we all packed our tents together and ate breakfast, which got provided at the temple that we stayed. After everyone finished we continued our hike in the small groups, as we hiked down the mountain some parts were pretty steep but on the other hand we had beautiful scenery. There also were quite a lot short cuts and the last group took the wrong path and got lost. We hiked through tea plantations that were nice and then hiked back up another mountain
different injuries and to try and provide assistance with only the items they had on them
w h e re w e c a m e p a s t s o m e donkeys and horses. Further along the mountain we got to a peak, which went very far down but overlooked a big valley and lots of tea paddies. From this point you could see a pagoda, which looked very far away and freaked out everyone a little but then it only took 45 minutes or so to hike it up. Everyone took a lot of photos and then continued to hike down. Towards the end of the hike there was a spring full of fresh water from the mountains where all of the local people from around the area get their water. We walked through a theme park and across the street was a hotel where we ate lunch. After lunch we got back on the bus and drove an hour to the hotel where we unloaded our luggage and got back on the bus to Wal-Mart to buy food for dinner and lunches for the next hike. When we finished buying our food we went back to the hotel and ate dinner. After we finished the guides announced that we were doing little skits about leaving no trace behind. Some of them were very amusing and everybody had lots of fun. By the end of the day
everyone was tired and went to sleep in their comfy beds and were ready for the next exciting day. Sophie Krafft
Day 3 Day 3 saw a change in activity, an enjoyable haven in the form of rock climbing and abseiling. We set off on our adventure at approximately 8:30am after having a peaceful experience at the hotel the night before. After an hour of mountainous roads and panoramic views of valleys and streams we arrived at a small village. Wasting no time the group of 46 split in half, some hiking up a trail leading to a variety of rock faces, while the others stayed at the base. Here they took part in a team building activity. The task was to assess a wounded victim for
(sweaters, rope for example). Groups of 6 challenged each other to see who could make a stretcher out of rope and deliver the victim safely to a certain point the quickest. Meanwhile, after a 20-minute hike the other half reached their destination. Guides quickly set up secure ropes on the jagged rock faces. There were 3 different sections, abseiling, rock climbing and a difficult rock climbing section. Everyone had the chance and time to complete all of these activities and most did. After reaching the pinnacle of the harder rock climb the brave ones faced a stunning view with not a building in sight. In between these activities, a feast was provided in a local restaurant. The food included traditional Chinese dishes and on the whole was very tasty. Lunch also saw the 2 halves switch activities. The bus soon called everyone back and it was time to leave for the hostel (an hour drive). Nevertheless, a short stop at KFC and McDonalds added to the journey time. The hostel -while not as luxurious as the hotel- was relaxing enough,
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even if the beds were more uncomfortable than a sleeping mat! After dinner the owners of the hostel were nice enough to make us a campfire where we could sit around and warm up. Tom Prior
Day 4 Rise and shine early bird. We had to wake up very early in the morning so we could start out our hike. We went down for breakfast and shortly after got a lesson on how to pack our rucksack efficiently. Then we had half an hour to do so and be ready to break up for the hike. As we were all getting ready and fixing the last little bits and bobs the teachers told us that we would be split up into two hiking groups. One would do a more difficult hike and the other an easier route. The easier hike was up a mountain through soil paths and a few rocky paths. When they reached an open area with two peaks to either sides we stopped to take a rest and wait for the other group to catch up. In the meantime while we were waiting the guides took us up one peak where you had an amazing view and could see the campsite where we would be staying later that evening. When we came back down on the other side where big tall rocks which you could climb up to and where we met the others. As we hiked the mountain earlier the other group with the more difficult hike went up and down multiple mountains and some contained steep rock faces, which gave them a challenge to the hike with their rucksacks. When 18 
we joined together we made our way down to the campsite, which was mostly downhill and only took around 20 minutes. When we got to the campsite we pitched our tents and made our own dinner. It was a challenge but I think it turned out pretty well and nobody starved. We had some free time after that until the teachers announced that we would have our own 1st Dulwich College Suzhou talent show at camp. It was a very amusing evening and show. Sophie Krafft
Day 5 On this day students prepared and cooked their breakfast within their food groups and did their routinely morning activities before they packed and set out for a hike back to the buses. The hike back to the buses was a simple but challenging 4km descend. This hike required collaboration, cooperation and physical support between participants due to fatigue created by the week’s challenging, yet jawdropping journeys. The hike having ended, participants were back in the bus and ready to leave the beautiful area of West Lake Hangzhou and come back to Suzhou. When the participants came back to Suzhou, they were sent home on late buses to their homes, where they had plenty of great stories to tell. Leo Rodriguez
Year 11 Trip Thousand Island (Zhejiang)
S
ore bodies, plenty of sweat – and no tears! The Year 11 Silver IA Trip to Qian Dao Hu (Thousand Island Lake) was a trip planned to test the endurance and persistence of 28 students and 6 teachers. The trip was a mixture of water and land based activities – with 2 days spent kayaking around the picturesque man made lake, before taking to the bikes, to navigate the surrounding hills and valleys.
The first day began with some instructions on how to (attempt) to paddle in a straight line, with some warm up games and activities. We then set off, with the task of finding our campsite for the night. After some crab like paddling skills, zig zagging between islands – we landed in a serene, wooded landing – with only a couple of boats capsizing along the way – Mr Maher being one of them (although he was quite adamant that it was because Ms Wilson had rammed him!).
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The evening was spent with the busy, but basic demands of camping – putting up tents, and cooking a delicious meal in small groups – and of course – the challenge of starting fires. Our guides from Keystone made the night fun, by playing an amusing, if slightly confusing game called Mafioso Murder. A rough nights sleep – on a thin mattress, bumpy ground and people squeezed into a small tent – saw a few sleepy and messy heads arise from the tents the following morning.
Thousand Island (Zhejiang)
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The second day’s challenge was to navigate around the islands, marking off check-points and collecting clues. Cecilie took the lead in group A and made sure that everyone was involved, and excited to be part of the competition. In the end, her group won easily, as Group B found themselves slightly confused by forgetting to read the map! Tired arms and exhausted bodies were happy to see the hotel, and to sleep in a comfortable bed! The real endurance test was on Wednesday and Thursday. Mrs Franklin had planned a grueling route for us to attempt – with 60km our target for the first day followed by 75km on the second. Now on paper – this seems like a likely goal. But in reality – the terrain was difficult. We constantly seemed to be climbing hills – each seeming higher and longer than the last. Our pace slowed in the late afternoon, but with a promise of ice cream we pulled ourselves through and made it. Phew! For anyone who has ever ridden such a distance on a bike in one
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day – you can imagine how or bottoms were feeling when we finally rode into town and our hotel. The next day – we thought was going to be impossible. Getting back on our bikes was no mean feat. Tired, sore and cramping muscles – with a huge day of cycling ahead. Arrgh! But again, I think we surprised ourselves. After a huge climb to the top of a hill, our thigh muscles were burning and telling us ‘NO MORE!’ Somehow… we managed to make it! It was an amazing achievement for all of us to complete 120km of cycling!
We had survived! Bugs, bush toilets, blistered hands from paddling, sore bottoms from cycling. Sometimes the things that are the most difficult can also be the most rewarding.
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Year 12/13 Trip Louyang (Henan) for the next 3 days and have some free time. We got to pick our own food and many of us liked the feeling of independence. A couple hours later we went back to the hotel and checked in, then went to had some more great Chinese food.
Day 2
Day 1 China Week this year was fun for all the Year 12 & 13, in the beginning we thought we had made the wrong choice when we had to wake up at 2am and get on a bus for a couple hours, but we quickly changed our minds when we saw our friends. When we got to Luoyang we went straight to Longmen Grottoes and got to see some really old Buddhas, which was an amazing experience. After the grottoes we tired some Chinese food at a local restaurant. Next was a shopping mall to get food
The next day was a day we will never forget, the day that we got to the migrant school. After a long bus trip was over, we were greeted by bright faced parents, teachers, and students. Some students welcomed us with drums as we walked into the grounds and all the students were lined up ready to greet us. Once we were in school ground they closed a gate and we soon found out why. Parents and locals all rushed to the gates smiling and waving. The children played some music and sang to us, their headmaster also gave a speech. Seeing all the kids look around at our group gave us the best feeling.
Day 3 The third day was the most fun day we got to teach 23
the students English. Teaching a new language was not an easy task but with everyone helping and trying there best we made it happen. An experience not only fun and full of learning for the students but also us and the teachers. Just like the first and second day, a chosen group made lunch. The concept of us making our own lunch was a good idea, it made a lot of the students feel that we weren't there to listen to teachers but that we were actually partially in charge. After an amazing and exhausting day we headed back to the city. Before heading back to the hotel we stopped at a restaurant not far away from our destination. At the hotel a comfortable bed was waiting and we and probably everyone else fell quickly asleep.
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Day 4 As our daily routine, we ate breakfast and got on the bus. We arrived at the school and as usual we were greeted by the students and teachers. This time we got to try a traditional Chinese game called bamboo pole dance. Everyone was invited to try it out, and some were better than others but everyone thought it was fun. This day we focused on starting with the library we came to build. We started by cleaning the room, this made a huge improvement, the walls basically changed colour that made us all more eager to finish the library. We headed back to the hotel and were positively surprised when we heard that we were eating at the hotel.
Day 5 We, as usual, ate breakfast the next morning and headed to the bus, but with a lot more luggage than before. This was the last day. At the school some of the students showed us calligraphy, we also got to try, we weren't that good... Since it was the last day, the artists were doing the finishing touches on the library while everyone else were doing a sort of sports day for the students. At the end of the day we got to do what we had all been waiting for, introduce the students to their new library. A very humbling experience indeed, all the smiles when the kids saw the new books, toys and beautiful drawings and paintings made all our hard work worth it.
headed to Shaolin Kung-Fu school, once the home of Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee. We watched and tried Kung-Fu, it was fun and challenging. The students could do amazing and unnatural things with their bodies! Then we ate a vegetarian lunch at a sort of temple, we spent some time there enjoying the view and the statues. We then headed to the movies and watched Guardians of the Galaxy, or slept, in the case of a few of us! After 5 long days we drove to the airport, sadly our flight was delayed but time went fast by watching movies and playing cards. We finally got home around 4am, exhausted but proud of what we had accomplished as a team. Julius Svensson, Daniel Anderson, Richie Nickell
After we said goodbye to all the students we
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中国江苏省苏州工业园区港田路
号 邮编