Annual Westcoast trip - Pounamu

Every year we go with scouts to the beautiful west-coast of New Zealand and do a camp based on one particular activity.
This year we went to Hokitika and did some decent carving of the local, special and VERY precious resource called Pounamu  (also called Maori green gold - or more colloquial Greenstone/jade).

On previous camps I left on my Laptop a word file open, for everyone to be able to write in their thoughts etc during camp - on one condition - that they leave everything written and do not delete anything.  They are usually very good and leave good honest feedback.  I then go and post said word file on my blog.  Tomorrow I will flesh out the words with pictures.  For today - the Blog - as written by the youth and adults - see below.


Friday

We arrived!!!!

Camp is set up = now we need some pizza for a late snack

Loving the set up, and the warm felling that Hokitika gives.

I left my slippers at home because my mum didn’t pack them!

^ lol

Rumour has it that brush snores – yeah right “)

Can’t wait for tomorrow morning and all the people reaction to the early wake up call.

Evening slumber music loaded and ready to go to send the wee sweeties to sleep





Saturday


= yawwwwn = who set the alarm and played THAT music????

Wake up call was harsh :-{ )

Think the patrols should have been organised differently

Mhmm, smell that coal burning

^^ Na, the patrols are good.

^^Ahhh, the sweet music to my ears in the morning. – Starting to get used to it after 2 West Coast camps!!!

Nice trip to try find some greenstone it was a shame no one found any still got a lot of rocks to take home

Fantastic stone carving today, really enjoyed, looking forward to finishing it tomorrow/

Greenstone carving for Da vinci Group was fantastic

Wow, that walk, outstanding, just a nice calm beautiful walk between trees of nature.!!

Making the greenstone necklaces is
A
M
A
Z
I
N
G
!!!

The walk was great

Leaving on a walk with papabear

Been and came back then back to the beach for some sunset pics – not much sun but nice red hills behind us!!

Me bored : - [

Ahhh, have to prepare the salad now!! ^_^
Waiting is boring 
Oohhhhhhhhh  mushrooms !! yummm!!   Brush is in heaven

Shot for dinner lads
Fooooood was good

NOOOOOO!!! Where’s my balaclava gone!!!!! Who took it?

Me felt like it

Time to read

My speed at the beach       snail pace mode with some glue on it’s slime!!!!






Sunday

Yawnnn – another early morning wake-up-call – and the little man in white coats are taking me away!!!!

I hate that wake up call !!!!!!

I love the wake up call!!!!!

Hmmmmm, where are the snacks today for Michael Angelo?!!!

Shotgun!!

No baked beans  but pi can solve this     I think?????

Oohhhh, we’re about to leave for greenstone walk!!!.

Yesterday made 2 greenstone carvings because was quick and was tiny bit small my first one

My dolphin is awesome    and for my girlfriend

Looking forward to finishing my carving

Noooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!! Not the walk

I know =(

Honestly I told the leaders to do an alarm but not like that though

Great walk.  Did the hike in 90 min exactly. Suck on that Michelangelo

Great walk can’t wait until tonight we are going to see glow-worms

You are slow people Michelangelo YAWN!!!!! Put a sock in it and suck a lemon when you read this (laugh)

This is Scouts, not the army…

This is a blog not a thing to tell people what to do!

We made lunch for you like a professional

Somewhat missing the knife part of the wake up call but then again this isn’t Knife camp

Looking for pounamu was fun

Carving pounamu was fun too!!!!!

Completed the carving, was fantastic!!! 

The museum’s radios are awesome!!!

I know my fav were the knitting , BBQ and the pavlova

My favourite is the “splitting the atoms radio and the bush radio”, what’s your favourite?

Ahhh, the sweet sensation of carving a Toki!!! Ahhh.

Sup guys I cool.

Got one cool looking pendant!!

No one has complained about the Venturers taste in music – I am surprised!!!!

For tomorrow – I don’t like Mondays? Seems fitting, is the last day of camp after all…..and the last day of the weekend…

Mmmmm, my apple tastes delicious!!!!!! Ps. Learn ur gramma (3 lines above ^^^).

Finally made the CRUMBLE of apple crumble after 1-2 hours

Got to love muse :D but the music has been awesome in general

Wha’? did I hear my name being called?!!

Who took my balaclava?

Feeling amazing after having a swim and a shower!!! Ahhhh.  0_0

Funny how scouts can handle only ONE instruction at a time!!!

Fooooooooooooood

I hate doing duty patrol because I have to do everything and I’m hungry!!!!!! 

I think my group is la-a-a-azy

Dinner was go-o-o-od I hope dessert is better

Dessert was delicious mmm- mmm

Good meal, great company.

Going to see glow-worms now hurray I’ve never seen one before so its going to be a cool experience

If only luca was here, he would eat one.

Decided to not go to the glow worms, seen them loads before and will do again.

Just came back from glow-worms they were stunning and looked like stars that are bright

Glow worms cool would like to see again

First time ever seen glow worms su-u-u-u per AWESOME






Monday

Breakfast and clean up and we are on the road again – home here we come.

Richard Hammond is driving a very old slow car!!!
Fantastic clouds on the way – Greymouth barber.

Jon-e wanting to play with the big toys.



The End