This is a holiday away from my parents and with my friends. This was Year 5 camp at Camp Cooba in Cooma. It was super fun! We learnt how to drive, we climbed the highest peak in Australia, we swung from 12 metres in the air, we BMXed through mountains, we careered up and down hills in shiny, metal chariots, we manoeuvred our way through the bush with only a map and a walkie-talkie, we plummeted down a tunnel of water that plunged us into an aquatic wonderland with underwater geysers and we were suspended high above the ground on rickety, old chairs attached to strings! Not really!
Well we sort of did some of those things. Learning to drive was driving Dirt Buggies. They were a two- seater. We we're put into groups of 3. There were three jobs:
~ Job 1- driving! We had to follow marked out tracks, the aim was not to crash!
~ Job 2 - passenger! We had to help the driver out if they need help and scream our heads off!
~ Job 3- pit crew! We had to check that the driver could reach the pedals, that the drivers and passengers helmets and seat belts were fastened securely, hold up a yellow to say ready, yell out START YOUR ENGINES, hold up a green flag to say go, a red flag to say stop and yell out TURN OFF YOUR ENGINES!
Climbing the highest peak in Australia was trekking up Mount Kosciuszko 4km to the lookout. We ate chips at the lookout then continued back down the mountain.
Swinging from 12 metres in the air was the Big Swing at Camp Cooba. There were 2 thick wooden poles with 2 V shaped cables connecting in the middle with a clip. We were placed in a harness and a ladder was carried out, we would stand on it and be clipped in then sit in an uncomfortable wedgie. Then the rest of the team would haul you up in the air by pulling a rope, you could say stop or go to the top, then they would count down from five. 5,4,3,2,1 you pull an orange string and drop and swing backwards and forwards. The ladder would then come out and you would be unclipped, harness taken off and walk back to line with shaky legs.
BMXing through mountains was mountain biking (although it was more like hill biking if you ask me). We just rode around tracks, went on a see-saw where we rode up and then it went down as we went down and we went on balance beams where the aim was to stay on it and not slide off, to teach you to ride straight.
Careering up and down hills in shiny metal chariots was bobsledding. They were metal but not that shiny. We were placed in the bobsleds and we went up a hill then down a few with many swerving corners. We pulled the metal stick towards us to stop, kept it in the middle for slow and pushed away from us for fast. There were a lot of slow down signs but I don't think many slowed down!
Manoeuvring our way through the bush was Team Manoeuvres. There were 3 teams and 2 captains. Team 1- red- long distance team. Team 2- green- short distance team and Team 3- yellow- middle. The 2 captains got to stay at Homebase, help the teams on their way and keep a record of the boxes each team found. They also got to choose who went in what team and which boxes they would head for. There were many boxes and every box had a different item in it. Some had clues for other boxes and some had keys. If any team found a box with a key in it they would keep it with them for when they were called back to Homebase they could try to see if it would open a big box at Homebase. The maps each had a map that showed where each box is and the rules. Lucky me I was a captain. Poor yellow team started heading in the wrong direction! When the teams came back they were moaning " My legs hurt", " I'm itchy" and " I'm covered in prickles!"
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| Hard at work at Home Base leading yellow team in the right direction...literally |
Plummeting down a tunnel of water that plunged us into and aquatic wonderland with underwater geysers was the pool. We went there the same day we went to Mount Koziuscko. The tunnel of water was a waterslide, the aquatic wonderland was the pool and the underwater geysers were the jets in the spa.
And finally, being suspended high above ground on rickety old chairs was the chairlift that took us to Mount Koziuscko.
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| Whoa! We are up high. |
All in all it was a great holiday.
