After Hathi's attempt yesterday to get into the Lodge for some quick ablutions and being caught and offered a cup of tea, today he was successful, but after what seemed minutes he was awoken by Alison's voice getting closer "Come on boys, come on, lets go and see Hathi" and lots of encouraging noises. The tent door was pulled open and two sheep looked in hopefully to check if Alison had told the truth about the food in the Leaders tent. As there was not, they ambled away.
As has become or will become a traditional last day ritual the tents were removed before the Cubs woke up, this caused much bewilderment in some of the Cubs when they woke up to find that their tents had blown away in the night. While the Cubs were getting themselves together, breakfast was prepared, bacon sarnies cooked in the outdoors. Lovely.
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We had been lucky with the weather (thanks Akela) so far but our luck was to run out, the air got moist and the tents were carried into the Lodge, making sure that all the poles were kept together and with the right tent. After this interruption breakfast was concluded.
Then it started to rain the rain became persistent and then heavy, we baked the trailer up to the main doors and started to load all the equipment, stilts, tents, poles, ropes that we had not used. Lastly we loaded all our rubbish onto the trailer and waited for Steve to arrive with his car with its tow-bar.
The journey back was uneventful and a lot quieter than the journey out. One Cub even managed to fall asleep before we got back. The parental help in getting the equipment out of the trailer and into the Hall was very welcome. We put the tents out over some tables and chairs to dry them out as they were just damp enough to need it.
All the Cubs got a certificate for the camp, Carol got an inscribed tent peg with the camp details on it as it was her first camp with us. Becky 2 got a certificate for best archer, the "Bugs In The Tent Awards" went to Tom 2 and Ryan 3 for repeatedly telling the Leaders that there were bugs in the tent. Joy received her award for "Recipe for a food fight" on a later date as she was already home, and finally Alison got a special award "The little Bo Peep award" for getting the sheep as close to Hathi as she did.
Thanks to all the parents who stayed to help unload, to Cubs Dan and Sam for helping with the tents, while all the other Cubs were milling around talking to their family. Thanks to Steve for towing the trailer to Parkend and back, thanks to the staff at Holly Barn for the great adventurous Saturday. Thanks to Abi, Alison, Carol and Rich for working so hard over the weekend to make it such a memorable and happy camp. To Cyril and Joy for helping to make Sunday afternoon such a success, and messy.
Finally all hail the sun god, the master camper . . . Akela. Thanks for all his effort, work and time in organising the camp in the first place.
The leaders had a quick debrief and a lemonade at the local hostelry, went home Hathi for a bath and an early night, Akela for a trip to B&Q and Rich to prepare for work at 05:00 on Tuesday.