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Day 3
Weary faces appeared at breakfast this morning although everyone had slept well.
Another varied menu including square sausages made for some interesting comments over the breakfast table but with everyone fed and watered we boarded our coach to take on the challenges of a new day.
The weather forecast was not good but we knew we would be inside for all of our activities so were not disappointed in the slightest.
In Dynamic Earth we split into 2 groups. A self guided tour led us through many exhibits which explained the geography and history of our planet and solar system. Other exhibits included a 4D experience, a large iceberg, a rainforest and a 180 degree film of the story behind the first moon landing. The children were excellently behaved throughout and took on board much of the information they were being bombarded with.
We ate lunch and then drove to Butterfly World. Our guide Kev gave us some basic rules before leading us into the tropical garden. It is difficult to describe the humidity but needless to say that t-shirts were vital. Inside the garden the children saw stick insects, giant moths, butterflies, terrapins, turtles, koi, an African tortoise, bantam hens, quail and many cocoons hanging from the wide variety of tropical plants.
From the garden we then ventured into the reptile room and the nocturnal zone. Here the children saw various snakes, spiders, lizards, frogs, scorpions and cockroaches. The highlight was of course getting to handle a live giant millipede, a python and a tarantula.
After Butterfly World we headed back to our hotel for an early tea. We did our best to ensure that everyone got a shower although can not be sure a few didn’t just wave their hand under the shower head.
We had just enough time to visit Lidl to stock up on snacks for the cinema before heading out again. Armed with enough food to feed the 5000 the children settled back to watch Aladdin. The film was a resounding success with the fewest children ever disappearing to the toilet in the middle. At the end several of them leapt out of their seats to dance to the end credits. Lots of the children expressed their thanks at being taken to see the movie which was lovely to hear.
Back in the hotel Mr H gave the final instructions of the day - “PJs, teeth, bed” and it was with those words echoing down the corridor that the children finally fell asleep.
Day 2 began bright and early at 7am with a wake up call from the teachers. Everyone slept well and those who had not showered on the first night were asked to shower before breakfast. An hour later the children headed down for breakfast. Some had clearly showered and a few thought wetting their hair would pass for a shower.
A splendid spread for breakfast ensured everyone had something to eat and with full cooked breakfasts and cereal safely tucked away we left for Edinburgh city.
Neil our guide regaled us with fantastic stories about the city and its inhabitants. The children were very respectful and listened intently. A few tried to catch up on the sleep they’d missed out on yesterday. Neil led us up to the castle and told us more facts about the buildings and weaponry on display. It was all going brilliantly until we came out of the dungeons to a very persistent drizzle. Taking shelter in some of the less attractive buildings which showcased the uniforms worn through the ages we managed to hold out until 12:45pm. At this point we had no choice but to face the elements if we were going to watch the 1 o’clock gun being fired.
Drenched and hungry we returned to the coach and our very kind driver allowed the children to eat their lunch on board as we made our way to Deep Sea World.
In Deep Sea World we began with the underwater walkway. This automatic conveyor system winds its way through a tubular bubble like pathway under the aquarium. On all sides and above the children could see sand tiger sharks, rays and many other species of fish. Divers were also in the water feeding the sharks which was great to see.
After the aquarium we spent half an hour in a shark talk and some of the children shared their own extensive knowledge about sharks with the staff. This was followed by the chance to observe a training session in the seal sanctuary and finally the much anticipated visit to the shop.
With the pic ’n’ mix stall utterly decimated we boarded the coach and made our way back to the hotel. As it was a little early for dinner our driver took us to see the Kelpies. This impressive 30m high sculpture set in a relatively newly developed area of parkland was well worth the visit and gave the children a chance to burn off some energy.
Back at the hotel there was time to change out of damp clothes and get ready for dinner and an evening at the bowling alley.
Teams of six were formed over dinner and boasts and challenges aired (mostly by the teachers).
Then it was off to see who would be crowned Kingpin.
800 bowling balls later and almost the same number of slushies and we had some very happy winners. However Josh stole the show as he celebrated a string of strikes with some really fancy dance moves. It was just a pity we didn’t get the camera out quick enough to capture them.
Back at the hotel the children were sent off to get ready for bed and have a little down time before lights out.
Another fantastic day with a super group of kids!
5:15am is an unbelievably early start to the school day, but this is how the Edinburgh trip kicks off. The first highlight was seeing Darren one of our favourite Ulster bus drivers pulling up to the school gates. The second was the bright clear skies which promised a smooth crossing on the boat.
By 7:30am we were safely on board the ferry based in the entertainment lounge and already establishing our dominance on the interactive games available to play. Visits to the shop were led by Mrs Balfour a shopping aficionado who was able to help the pupils determine the best value. Excursions on deck were led by Mr Hodgins in an attempt to dilute the screen time with some much needed fresh air.
The crossing was fairly uneventful although there was the usual lost wallet, child caught with too much money, claims of a sore tummy while brandishing a huge bar of Dairy Milk and the inevitable requests for an arrival time.
Once we reached the Glasgow Science Museum the children devoured their packed lunches. Refuelled and raring to go we took our seats in the IMAX cinema and watched a 40 minute 3D show entitled ‘Under the Sea’. Judging by the shrieks and attempts to reach out and touch the 3D images this was a very successful first activity.
After the show we spent some time exploring the exhibition floors and it was impressive to see the children interacting with the displays and experiments. The time went by very quickly indeed and if it weren’t for the attraction of getting to the hotel, and finding out their rooms, the children would have played on for much longer.
When we arrived at the hotel the room keys were handed out. For the next hour the children were given time to settle into their rooms, unpacking or taking a shower if they wished.
At 6:30pm we headed down for dinner. The hungry travellers were delighted to discover that there was a great selection to choose from. Several had seconds and even the pickiest of eaters polished their plates off.
After dinner we headed off to the park for rounders, football, a zip line and some time in the playground.
Day one could not have gone better and the children have been excellent. They have gone to bed and settled well. Goodnight everyone.
Photos can be viewed in the gallery section of the website.