We arrived at school hopeful and expectant leaving our bags outside.

We drove to camp in the kind parents' cars.

After morning tea we went on a boundary walk and we were introduced to camp after a quick visit to the waterslide we proceeded to pitch the tents.

After triumphing over the baffling layers of canvas we came back inside and cooked a delicious dinner of gourmet burgers.

Full of food,we played a few rounds of spotlight then crept into bed

On the second day we got up in the morning, ready for the day ahead- we were going on a tramp. We got dressed and had some breakfast.

While Miss Lang stayed behind and helped with archery and air rifles for the other class, Mr Scoles and Mr Ford took us on the tramp. It was a cloudy day, but fortunately not rainy, although there were some muddy puddles on the ground. The tramp was tricky in some places, and very steep, but we made it through. On the way down everyone was clinging to the trees,in some parts it was more a waterslide than a tramp sliding down the slippery and muddy slopes. There were some minor injuries, but fortunately some of the camp parent helpers were medical professionals.

We arrived back at camp tired and a little bedraggled but proud of ourselves nonetheless

On the third day we woke up and crawled out of our frigid tents after a delicious breakfast of pancakes flambéed ala gas stove we set of with mr ford on a trip to the kanuka forest to construct some beautiful bivouacs we grabbed the many dead sticks lying around and built lean to’s against the trees.

There were not only lean to’s but many other designs such as one with a triangle roof strong enough to support a fellow classmate.

After we finished with the bivouacs we went and did a scavenger hunt.

Miss Lang had placed clues around the entire campsite and we had to trek from one side to the other, following the cryptic trail set by our teacher and parent helpers.

It was very fun and we returned with the 12 pegs that we were supposed to grab at each clue.

After such an exciting day we had a dinner of lasagne, played some games with room seventeen as well as some spotlight then we set off to bed.

Our final full day was Thursday. We started off the day with some breakfast, then moved onto our activity rotations which involved archery/air rifles, confidence course/climbing wall, and mountain biking. Archery and air rifles were very fun and Miss Lang made sure that everyone was safe. The confidence course was a team building activity, where everyone had to work together. The climbing wall was more of an individual thing, but everybody cheered on each other. Mountain biking was taken by Otago biking, and was an awesome way to learn the ways of the wild and how to bike through streams, over hills, and across bridges. We had a great time completing all the activities.

The end of the day was spent with Room seventeen. First up was a delicious shared BBQ and then an exciting and funny camp concert involving comedy, singing, acting, and even some synchronised ‘swimming’. We finished up the night with a tricky game of spotlight together.

On friday we cleaned up the campsite. Miss Lang put out some lollies and told us to clean up-the fastest cleaners got the most lollies. And then we drove back to school.

Camp was such an awesome experience and we are very thankful to the teachers and parents who set it up.

(Especially Miss Lang)

By Iris and Gregor

Year 8 student's working hard to create original artwork.