Summer Camp - Part Two

So it was off to Camp Beumanor and a new life for us all for the next six weeks. I say this because of course as a group we bonded into our little mini-universe for that time period. We experienced ups and downs, good times and bad times and in between. But all these things were experienced within the atmosphere of group dynamics and the types of campers we had from week to week as well.

We arrive at our cabins, chaos ensues.

We settle in and sure enough, the girls are soon taking over. Benni starts getting his hair straightened by Fiona and Yani.

The finished product. The new and improved Benni.

And soon, another straightening occurs.

Then later, the fun and games...
An...err...interesting shot, but what Twister shot isn't?

But of course I am cutting a long story short. There is usually something deeper or there levels within levels to understand. But here is an attempt to make it come to life for you, the reader, just a bit:

This was my first Summer Camp experience and thus for me a doubly interesting one. Many ups and downs to say the least. Good kids, bad kids and in between made life interesting from week to week as each of the new campers came in. The camp was setup as an Action Adventure camp so I managed to get involved in a lot of rock climbing, canoing, kayaking, high ropes courses, zip wire (flying fox) and archery over the 6 weeks of camping. As camp leaders (or counselors as we were called) we also had to organize separate evening activities, look after cabins at night and maintain general discipline and order. On some weeks this was particularly challenging - in the 2nd last week we what might be described as a mixture of hard talking working class 16 and 17 year olds as well as gangster wannabe kids from London.

My Goodness, an absolute downer of a week (I also had an infected gum which didn't help). Many of the kids were sent home but even so most of the Counselors had been driven slightly mad by the end of the week (fortunately our last week was a complete contrast - good kids almost all the way).

Camp Activities

Sack Races

The Chocolate Game

Even a disco

High Ropes Courses and Zipwire. The kids particularly loved the Zipwire - as did I it must be said.

Bridge Building - quickly got bored of this.

Outdoor Rock climbing - loved it every time.


Abe-Sailing. A little bit scary, but most kids get through it. Even me :)

Volleyball and of course other sports

If you got lucky and the weather was right you got to go on the weir. Lots of fun for counselors and campers alike.

My absolute favourite activity - canoeing. Loved it, loved it, loved it...

Ahhh!! Archery, almost as good as canoeing.

The site of the camp has its own story to tell as well. Located on the grounds of an old Manor House known as Beaumanor Hall - a place also used for weddings, Sunday dinners and educational training. But there is a more interesting history to the site in fact. The latest building on the site dates from the 1840s (so a Victorian style home) and was the home of a wealthy merchant family known as the Herricks. During the 2nd world war the site was bought by the defense forces and used in conjunction with Bletchley Park to decipher German codes (most famously associated with the Enigma Machine). It became quite rundown at one stage but the Leicestershire County Council bought the site and has done it up magnificently - as you will see from the inside shot I have done below.


And now we come to the matter of myself and an interesting turn of events that occured while on camp. Now quite obviously there were quite a number of fellow counselors sharing my time with me at the camp (including a fellow Aussie). Well one of those counselors, Yani, and I, found that we had a lot in common and connected really well during trips to London and Oxford - sharing a mutual love of museums, art galleries, architecture and academia. So in otherwords in the age old story of boy meets girl (or vice versa) we gravitated to each as friends from the first. Soon enough I was literally being bowled over by feelings of much more. Yeah I know, strange to hear me say such things. Fortunately she reciprocated such feelings and despite some innate stubbornness from me we became a couple - I believe the terms are "boyfriend and girlfriend". :) :) :)

We match very well - perhaps most impressive of all she is even prepared to put up with my 'rants' about philosophy and history and things in between. Chuckle! She must be right for me in that case.

London Highlights

St Paul's Cathedral, London.

Houses of Parliament, Westminster.

Yani trying on a Cattleman hat, the Australia Shop, Covent Garden.

Scenes for National Treasure 2 being filmed outside St Paul's. Must see the movie now.

I'm famous... oh wait!

I finally make it onto Tower Bridge.

Trafalgar Square with the National Gallery behind. We spent the afternoon in the gallery - but of course.


Woodhouse Eaves, the Village nearby to Beaumanor Hall.

The village church.

This gravestone dates from 1788 - the beginning of European settlement in Australia - wow hey?

The Pestilence Cottage. So named during the years of the Black Death. But this cottage is older even then that.



So a slightly surprising turn of events from my summer job. But really the best sort of surprise one could receive.

Anyway, I suppose I should mention I am still missing my sunburnt country with its gum trees and kookaburras and such. Keep an eye out for Yani and I in the next year or so. Things will be happening...