Jamboree Day Visit
Day1
10 Am friday morning and the bright yellow mini bus is packed and everyone is ready for a weekend of a lifetime. Well almost eveyone. As usual we are waiting for the ginger one, nick. When he finally arrives muttering something about the bank and taking the wrong card we get under way.
It's already rather sunny and warm, so uniforms are discarded- pikey having placed his on a hanger hung up at the back.
As with any bus journey, the headfones and mp3 players soon emerge and there's even the 7th Harry Potter book; currently it has pikeys head engulfed within it- he still hasn't finished it? Well maybe this weekend!
As half way approaches and so does lunch, the services are called upon for a pit-stop. With no outdoor seating we take to the grass to eat, while nick spots some daisys and decides to make a daisy chain necklace for pikey- whats going on there? I don't know.
Through sheer coincedence two more mini busses pull up and there is no mistaking what organisation they're from- more scouts! Intrigued me and pikey wander over to see who they are and where they're off- maybe the jamboree? It turns out they're from norfolk and are off to yorkshire for a watersports summer camp. Sounds nice.
After another 2 1/2 hr journey we finally make it to
the site. After booking in we drive down to our site only to find we can't camp where we are surpose to because 'it's the brownies play area'. 'like they need all that space' was a muttered reply from the back of the group.
Instead we pitched our tents inbetween two other groups, it was like a mini jamboree- on one side there were the germans, on the other the dutch!
While Jill started tea and dave pumped up his air bed, the rest of us went to explore the site and where the activities were. We soon found the cresta run and that wasn't all we found- as we made our way towards the wardens office to find out what else ther was, Rus found a tenner- to which pikey immediately ran off with!
While Rus tried
to find out the other activities on offer, the boys- well pikey n nick- eyed the site board up. They then turned to the map of the site in search of site 26. It turned out it wasn't far from ours and some how they managed to persuade Rus to go back via that route.
It turned out that site 26 hosted a guide group,need i say more?
This route proved porfitable for all as we soon found the adventure playgound. Like little kids we swarmed upon it and played to our hearts content-
well untill we got a phone call telling us tea was almost ready!
The evening ended in true camp style, campfire. Only this was a rather picturesque camp fire as we were sat on the bank of a lake. We were later joined by a dutch lad who invited himself over and fitted in like he had been a member of the 43rd for a long time!
As we were to be up and off site fairly early- 8Am early- it was a fairly early bedtime too.
Day2
It must have been a record. Up, showered, breakfasted and off site for about 8:10 Am.
Arriving at the air field we suddenly felt rather relieved that we were in a bright yellow mini-bus. for all the odd looks we got, we were the ones who would be able to see where we parked and not have to remember.
Standing at stratigical points were several people wearing rather larger funny hats. I had to have one. Strangely there were a few people thinking the same thing, the challenge was set.
We were soon shepharded onto a coach and were on our way to the world scout jamboree- it felt like a dream, after weeks of looking forward to it we were finally going.
As we exited the coach you couldn't help but stand in awe. The entrance was a green carpeted walkway with the flags of every country involved flanked on either side. Where ever you looked people were taking their first photos of the day, it was an opportunity not to miss.
Once past the magnificent entrance there was immediately a sainsburys local- which we found out later to be a saviour.
We wandered down to the day visitor village to which we were presented with the crate stacking challenge. Joining the queue, we each paired up and eyed up the current records. So far today 8 was the record- that was do-able. Just before the first gladiators took to the arena, we stood in awe as two men managed to get up to 12 crates, only 3 of the weeks record! we had our work cut out for us.
Unfortunately no-one could stamp their mark on the official leader board but the inter-group rivalry was far from friendly!
Pair Score
Dave & Nick 9
Rachel & Rus 7
Paul & Tom 7
Pikey & Blondie 6
After failing to grab the record we turned to the 'wheels in motion' marquee. The challenge here was to see how far you could ride in 3 minutes. 
Dave was immediately volunteered for this and was joined with fellow hopefuls, Pikey, Paul and Dan. It was clear from the start that Dave was going for it and none of the others were goin to keep up. As the end drew nearer everyone cheered the challengers on. Once over dave collapsed onto the floor- normally he doesn't ride for longer than 30secs! He had done it though! beaten the record- and no-one managed to beat it that day!
It was now getting quite hot and so after purchasing some water (costing the great number of 43p!) we strolled down the road of food. This 'street' was lined with marquees, each hosting a different country and their food. Dan was soon found at the norweigan food hall ordering a pancake. There wasn't a queue there until he arrived!
As we strolled down the 'street' taking in all the different smells and sights we came to the centre. Here there had been a clock tower errected with fountains. Unfortunately you could not cool yourself down by jumping in them.
We soon spotted Big Ben, well a slightly smaller version anyway, and headed towards that way. We reached Big Ben before we realised that we were mising some of our party, dan, Pikey & Nick. They had stopped for pancakes.
It was then that the drums started playing. Just behind a tree there were a group of boys standing in what looked to be traditional dance wear along with a traditional band. A crowd was already gathering so we joined them.
They were really good and even got some females from the audience to join them, of which I was one. It was good fun even if i was not very good at it!
After regrouping and finding some lunch we headed over to the days entertainment at the stage. the stage itself was in fact 'the other stage' from the one and only Glastonbury.
Searching for a little shelter from the sun we headed for some shade and eagerly awaited.
We were treated to the official song of the Jamboree, Jambo. And we even got to learn the dance moves! Dan & Dave were naturals at it.
The rest of the show was good but the highlight came when 3 people started a conga line and dragged us up- along with out pink umberella! For a few minutes there was only a few people then all of a sudden there was a stampede of kids and the conga line wound its way through the crowd and at its haighest point must have been at least a thousand strong. You couldn't tell where anyone was, except, that is, for us. Off i the distance you could see the pink umberella dancing above the heads of its owners. No-one it seems was paying any attention to the stage.
After the show many people came up to us and many comments were said about the pink umberella. We had done what we set out to do- make an impact!
We wandered back through Global Development village and came out at a place which probably had many people swarming round it the whole Jamboree. The place to swap badges. Through some sheer luck we managed to swap our district badge for another, we were quite pleased. Pikey didn't understand the commotion and called the whole badge swapping scene rather sad.
We abandoned the thought of entering the shop as most things were sold out and the queues were huge! Instead we carried on down the road where Big Ben had been and found the Swedes. As sweeden are holding the next world scout jamboree they had a little exebition to try and tempt you to go. They had also seemed to eb some of the best pioneers we had seen. they had somehow managed to construct a ferris wheel and some sort of swing/rocking boat. they looked amazing and were giving rides. Unfortunately we arrived just as they stopped so we had to just stand and admire.
Turning the back the group split, one lot went to the loos the other to have a refreshing lemonade. Not just any lemonade though, czech orginal recipe lemonade. It was the colour of coke but tasted lemony and wasn't too fizzy- a great choice.
We decided one last look round the day visitor village was in order before we left. Me, Pikey and Steve found the chinese contingent from taiwan (yes that what we said) and gained ourselves fans with our names wrote in chinese.
We then all found an austrian game called Skritterball. This was loosly based on football with a few slight changes such as there are 4 goals, 2 balls connected together and 3 players on each of the 4 teams who have to stay in certain areas. We found out quickly that the game is quite vicious and many bruises were earnt.
After that we headed back to the coach to return to site. But not before i attained a photograph wearing one of the crazy hats that the day visitor guides were wearing. The guide, called Martin, agreed and was in the photo with me. After a great chat with him about what he had to do and about the jamboree generally we gave him our website address and boarded the coach.
After a quick stop off at a full sized sainsburys on the way back we arrived back at our own mini jamboree. Showers, after sun and a quick change and it was off to the pub for a carvery.
Shock! Horror! 8 quid for a carvery we thought was decent but it turns out the scamming landlord will only let you have one round of meat but as many rounds of veg as you want. Somehow Paul and Chris manage to get seconds on the meat front, to which Steve kicks off. Funnily, Mike who owns the nickname of Pikey is hiding his face in shame at Steves actions. It almost got to the point where we were going to pile our plates high with veg and then just walk out! Unfortunately this little bit of fun was never to be had as it was sorted out.
Well that had put a downer on a great day, but it wasn't over yet. Across the street there was some kind of commotion involving the local youths, the police and someones parents. We saw first hand one the police flip one of the lads onto the floor. There deffinately was a lot going on in this part of the world.
The rest of the evening was spent round the fire in usual camp spirits.
Day 3
Waking up at a more normal camp time we just had time for some cereal before LAZER TAG!
Oh yes, in the depths of the forest on site we were to run around with a silly hat on that was connected to our gun and shoot people. The hour was thoroughly enjoyed by all and the shelter of the forest was only appreiciated once we emerged into the already sweltering heat.
After a swift sausage butty or 2, or 3, the site was packed away. The Germans were packing away two and we watched them put away their tepees and strange mini marquee. Their tents were strange to us and being the curious people that we were couldn't help but watch.
Once packed we were off once more, well, at least till we got to a petrol station. Here as well as petrol we grabbed sweets, drinks and of course, icecream!
Seeing the germans again we waved our final goodbyes and journeyed home. All windows were wide open in the sweltering heat-no matter the smells.
after one more stop involving dropping Tom off somewhere we journeyed on in tired quiteness with only the fuzzy commentry of the community shield for noise.
Stopping at the same services, Burger King was the preferred option. From there it was straight back to the den.
With a surprisingly quick unload of the van, and parents turning up, everyone went their seperate ways home after an amazing weekend.
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