Day 5 (Friday)
Our last day. It had been a long week and the Cubs were a bit late getting up. The heavy dew had made the tents too damp to pack immediately so we had the usual wash, dress get ready for breakfast activities. Breakfast was cooked, well breakfast was everything that was cookable, and lots of it. This was popular and filling which was just as well as we had a lot to do. The Cubs were told that they would be able to use the camp shop if, and only if, the site / cabin was clear, tidy and we were ready to leave.
Taking the tents down was a nightmare. The ground that had been so hard to put the pegs in now turned out to be just as reluctant to let us extract them. The Cubs were stopped from trying after a short period as it was painful to watch them. Akela took care of the pegs, only breaking about a dozen, which might sound like a lot but you needed to have been there to understand. The damp tents were taken down rough folded and put to one side. The poles were collected and stacked ready to go.
The most time consuming part of packing was getting the Cubs belongings into the trailer. The number of Cubs unable to stuff their sleeping bags into their sacks was lower than normal, only the same few with fluffy bags and tiny stuff sacks. The poles were loaded, activity equipment was loaded, the Cubs stuff was loaded, the tents were loaded, the remains of the food and kitchen equipment was loaded, the Cabin was given a good clean. The Cubs had over-run, so no shop! This was not popular and the Leaders relented and the Cubs were given a short time to get rid of all their money in the shop. This time Akela's 'request' that no fizzy drinks should be bought was adhered to.
The bus was loaded with Cubs, Hathi's car was loaded, Julies husbands car was hitched up to the trailer and an hour late we set out for home. The journey was uneventful and we soon entering the Scutt compound. The trailer arrived, the bus finally arrived and the Cubs, parents, siblings and Leaders all pitched in and made short work of the unloading. The tents were put out over some tables to dry out. Certificates were handed out, special certificates were handed out for best rocket design, best rocket flight for height and distance, the best archer for each of the groups that took part. As it had been Julies first camp with us she received her inscribed tent-peg so that she would always have a reminder of the camp.
The Cubs went home with their bags and rockets and bugs and a black bin liner with some horribly wet, smelly and dirty clothes, except one. (you know who you are Ryan S).