I think we all can agree Tikao Year 8 camp was a blast! The new challenges and activities camp brought were filled with lots of excitement.

Starting off with the hour-long bus ride, with an earlier wake-up than usual for some folk, we pulled up into the yard where we would start our 2km walk. From here we walked into camp crossing gravel tracks and freezing rivers. This was a fun experience as it was good exercise and a good chance to catch up with friends in other classes. There were lots of popular games and activities on camp such as the waterslide, flying fox, abseiling, kayaking, raft building and everyone's favourite, gaga ball.

Gaga ball was a new experience for many of us in Tikao House because it was a big part of camp and everyone loved playing it. On the first night, we did Camp Challenges where we were in groups of 9 and had to assign everyone a task to do. The team with the most points won, it was so much fun! On the second night, we played spotlight with a twist. During the round of spotlight, we had to find popsicle sticks that were scattered all over the big field and one button, it was so hard, especially in the dark! The food was exceptionally good. We had roast beef and potatoes on the first night and butter chicken curry on the second night, however on the second night we had a silent dinner. During the silent dinner, there was absolutely no talking allowed! The only way we could communicate with the people at our table was by writing what we wanted to say on the sheet of paper and it just got harder and harder for everyone not to talk. It was definitely a highlight of camp.

During camp, there were many activities that made people either face or even conquer their fears, such as abseiling. The parents, instructors, and teachers were a huge help with encouraging us and giving us the confidence to keep going and not to give up. Camp was the perfect time to make new friendships as well as to just have a great time with friends. The activities brought out the best in everyone. We had to think of strategies and ways around issues or problems that we may have encountered during our activities. In summary, camp was a blast! We learned new skills, made new friendships, and many of us came out of our comfort zones. We pushed ourselves to do our very best and made the most of camp!

By Lillie and Joel  (Room 8 - Tikao House)