If all went to plan, I should still be on Scout camp for another three days. However, it was cancelled. I’m going to tell you my adventure in diary format, enjoy!

Disclaimer: I really enjoyed this camp. I know I’m moaning throughout this whole post but weather does impact your mood. It also makes things less convenient.

27th July 

This morning I arrived in the most awful rain. Before I’d even passed the car park (a field) the bottom of my holdall was covered in mud. Not that I minded. At first I thought my bag had enough protection, though I was wrong. the mud and water soaked through the bottom of my bag and coloured my clean white towels brown. Everything in my bag is still damp: clothes, camera. Only the things I am wearing have stayed relatively dry!

Putting up the tents was easy but we had a few mishaps with the inner. There are three tents on our pitch (not including leaders) and, unfortunately, they all have puddles in. I’ve stayed in the mess all afternoon and it looks like we won’t be going out until the opening ceremony.

I’ve just came back from the ceremony. it was so much fun! Lots of good songs and there are 25 countries camping here. The rain stayed away while we walked there but returned as we walked back to the sub-camp.

The leaders are giving us lots of warm drinks because everyone is shivering, teeth-chattering.

28th July

The sun woke me up at 6:20 but didn’t stay for long. Soon there was rain again and some activities are cancelled today. It’s just after breakfast and I’ll be washing the dishes next. It’s nice to take time to write in here though. many of my friends are keeping diaries as well!

We’ve had activities all day and a few emergency cups of tea.  The rain hasn’t left us yet. All of my clothes are getting much damper and we’re not allowed inside the tents until this rain calms down a bit (which it hasn’t since 9:00am).

It’s now 5:00pm and the tents have puddles in them. Nothing is pushing the inner to the outer but I suspect it’s the wind. I’m just staying inside the mess and keeping as warm as I can. It’s getting harder and harder to write with my fingers going numb.

Update: two girls have left our camp. There are nine of us left. It is extremely cold but I’ve got to pull through. Not cleaned my teeth or washed since yesterday morning. The cleaning facilities are porta-showers (which are grim and coated with mud on the bottom) and portaloos. We have no sinks.

29th July

It’s feeling less upbeat than yesterday. My best friend left last night and my tent only has two in it. Breakfast was massive and feeling very fat.

I’m trying to go to the toilet less because the mud comes over the top of my walking boots. Also, they don’t flush. Toilet paper is only supplied in a few and there is no hand-sanistiser.

17:00pm

I went on a huge zipwire and the weather was so hot that I had a migraine. It’s gone from  10 degrees to thirty overnight. We’ll have thunderstorms tonight. Going from one extreme to another is not good news. Today I also did some African drumming, human table football, and inflatable obstacle courses. The mud is drying on my boots!

30th July

Today is an ‘off-site’ day. I went to a reservoir and did sailing, open canoes (Canadian canoes) and sit-on kayaks. It rained again and much worse than previously in the week. I didn’t fall in the water at all but my waist down is drenched. I had a change of clothes and they were also damp, but not as bad as what I was wearing in the water. Walking back to camp made them wet again. Thanks a lot, rain.

I got back to camp and did some evening activities. I got back from the main field at eight  stayed in the mess until 11:30. We couldn’t sleep in the tents. We are waiting a long time for news. Where will be sleeping tonight? Our belongings are irrelevant at the point. We collected all the things we needed to sleep with: sleeping bag, roll mat, pillow, and have it in a bin bag. All of us are wearing bin bags too. They keep us warm. I can’t count the amount of hot chocolates I’ve had this hour.

31st July

Last night we slept in a large marquee. I had a vegetarian sausage bap for breakfast and stayed in the marquee until 10:00. I was straight out to activities and had a warm meal for lunch. It was our last meal. I went home that evening.

The final day was lots of fun. I went buying badges and going down vertical slides. The weather was cold but less rainy and I made the most of my last few hours. Just FYI, I didn’t shower for the whole 5 days I was there. Neither did I clean my teeth or wash my face. You can tell I was desperate.

I was at home for 20:30 and had a bath ASAP. I’m much cleaner now!

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I’ve not double-checked or re-read this post. I’m incredibly sorry if my bad grammar triggered you. I just wanted to share this experience with you all and I will award the people who have read this whole post!

Have you ever been on camp? Was your experience good or bad?