Another bank holiday weekend!

Thanks to the british summer it looks like this weekend gonna be a little wet! Should be good camping weather. Hope to get some snaps up on here this weekend. Anyway, time to get the waterproofs out!

D Weekend - Sunday

Rain, rain, rain and more rain!!! Who said the British were obsessed with the weather!!!

After Breakfast, off to the Briefing, the reason why we're here!!!! Interesting (of sorts anyway) and found out loadsa stuff about the Jamboree.

Following the briefing collected (in the rain) my ordered stuff. After this we took down the tents, loaded the car and headed home via Dave's house in Gloucestershire, dropped Junior at the train station at 6ish, headed home, showered, had tea and bed.

Shattered!!

D Weekend - Saturday

As normal for camp wake up to a yawn, followed by a very fast dash to the toilet for a quick leak. 7:30, Saturday morning, what a fantastic time of day. Dave, Peter and Junior seem to still be asleep. Hmmm, what to do . . . then I hear shuffling, 8:00 Dave's awake and Peter appears from somewhere. After a little discussion, we decide we need to get breakfast. From memory, Laura required something . . .  but what . . . . .??? So, a little shake on the tent a number of groans and a shouted shopping list later we were off to the shops. (I'm trying my best to make a grocery trip exciting!!). Round the shops we go, picking up Sausages, Junior's shouted list, bread, bacon, butter and other very fattening foodstuffs. Through the checkout and back to Gilwell.

At arriving back on site, someone managed to drive past me and slash mud up my legs! Anyway, after cooking breakfast and washing up, I notice a few people from across the County and District I recognise. There was Dave and Veronica, Claire C, Paul B, Phil, (another chap who I always say hello to but I can't remember his name - sorry bloke!), Keith R and many many more.

So, chatted to them, packed up cooker and collected Junior and Dave for our day trip to London. The trip to London was nice with me sitting in a coach to myself and Dave and Junior sitting in the next coach back. This was basically due to me jumping on to the first carriage followed by Dave and Junior and then getting off again and moving forward expecting them to follow. They didn't!!

On arriving in Liverpool St. station at sometime after midday, we decided that our first port of call should be Covent Garden. We stayed there most of the day. Picked up some souvenirs from the local area, looked in the market, the London Transport Museum shop and a number of outdoor shops including the Ellis Brigham Shop with the vertical ice climbing wall. Well worth a visit if you're in the area. Then after watching Charlie Chaplain 2nd and Dave trying to help a chap who had a epileptic fit (the blokes friends shoed Dave away from helping despite them not seeming to know what to do), eating an ice cream and a couple more stall, we headed off to Harrods.

Harrods is an interesting place especially when you're wearing muddy trousers, hiking boots, and a muddy top.  We headed straight for the toy section where we found some aliens which when you clapped started them giggling and a jiggling. After a good half an hour of trying to get the whole shelf to go off together, we look at the rest of the toys. We were just about to leave when we passed the giggling aliens again. A little error in judgement saw a lady who was stood next to me jump out of her skin as I ran up an started clapping  to which the aliens started giggling and jiggling!! Ooooppss!!! Then back to site.

Once back at site, we had our prepaid tea (burger and chips) and played an interesting game called Kubb which is a Viking Game which consists of a number of different sized blocks being throw at each other to beat your opponent. Great fun!! For anyone who is interested, just Google Kubb and there are lots of sites!

So, after winning my first game of Kubb and then watching Dave hand his game on a plate to Junior, we headed off to the night-time disco/band which were stunning.  After a few lemonade's I found my self sat chatting to a couple of the boys from Bath Gang Show. Then to bed ready for the briefing Sunday morning!

D Weekend - Friday Night

So, it had finally arrived. The weekend we go to Gilwell Park, Essex to pick up our kit, meet some of the rest of the IST, get instructions and more importantly relax and make new friends.

With the final discussions on arrangements via email with the 3 guys I was taking down Gilwell, I left work at 5pm and headed off to Pick person 1 up. Dave (Lodders). Followed by person 2, Peter and finally person 3, Junior (aka Laura).

After ramming my Ford Escort full with people and kit we headed off. The journey it's self was uneventful, with the exception of the heavy rain. After arriving at Gilwell Park, booking in and parking we all go out of the car.

Looking at the weather I made the school-boy error in keeping my trainers on and headed off to Essex Chase to put our tents up. By the time we arrived at a suitable site, my feet were a little damp!! Anyway, tent set-up and looking at my phone I realised that the battery was dead. So unfortunately this is the reason why I have no pictures of the weekend.

After sorting kit into place, we headed over to the obviously non-alcoholic bar! for a Lemonade or two. Upon arriving we were informed that it was almost time and we could get a double round in if we wanted. So, armed with my 2 lemonades we sit an chat.

After time, we head back to the field where there was a large group of people. These people turned out to be a Network from Essex. After the general introductions I worked out I must haven been at least 5 years older than the oldest there. Boy didn't I feel old!! So we chatted to these and after a while I headed off to bed. This was mainly due to the oldness I was feeling.

Chaos and St. George's Day - Part 1

Hi to anyone who reads this,

Everything has been a little chaotic recently. The main reason for this was St. Georges day!!

For St. Georges Day and the Centenary, Birmingham City Council and Birmingham County Scout Association came together to produce a parade down Birmingham's Broad Street with street entertainment, a walk past, St. George on a horse and a show.

East Birmingham Gang Show with Handsworth and Sutton Gang Show's were asked to put on a show to entertain the people. East Birmingham we rehearsing since January. With a stage shipped in an everyone rehearsed it was time for the parade down Broad Street.

So we headed off to find the rest of Spitfire District.
The words needle in a hay stack come to mind:




This is a view from Broad Street looking towards Five Ways. Spitfire District was half way though the tunnel when we found them. Here are a few more pics from inside the tunnel:

Chaos and St. George's Day - Part 2

So we parade down Broad Street and into Centenary Square. While the rest of the Districts are getting ready, I managed to take a pic off the stage looking across some of the crowd:


The show went on stage and the three casts looked stunning. Our cast did us proud, they were fantastic!!! And for the finale all three casts went on stage (and across the front due to space restrictions!). Our cast is in the left third.




I've got hundreds more pics, but best not put them up!!!
See links for more pics by others:

St. George's Set 1
St. George's Set 2

If you want a pic of me, I'm hiding on this website!!! Go to here and search for IF22040George:

Birmingham Mail

As for what's next, Gang Show in a Nutshell later this year and the Jamboree!!
Back to reality, this weekend, I'm off walking in the Wyre Forrest area. Should be fun and blisters!!

Speak soon,

F.

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