Students from the 2012 Sri Lanka trip need to look away now as they will be quite envious of our accommodation on this trip.
Some of the girls are pictured outside their rooms overlooking the jungle. The centre is set within expansive grounds of lush vegetation; our own oasis away from the hot, dusty noise and bustle of Sri Lanka
As soon as we drive through the entrance gates a calmness descends. We even have a spacious dining room all to ourselves which doubles up as a games room. The grounds are a delight to explore and in the limited free time students can play outdoor games, relax, or just do nothing - bliss!
We wake to an interesting dawn chorus and we have spotted a variety of birds, monitor lizards, butterflies and monkeys.
Of course, there are a lot of insects about at night, most of them seem to congregate in Chelsea and Alannah's room! They have designed some ingenious methods ( not all environmentally friendly) to get rid of their unwanted visitors; sadly, most of them involve high pitched screams- apologies in advance to the owner.
Here you can see the naturally terraced grounds with our bus in the background.
The lake is a beautifully tranquil spot.
The lesser spotted Rookwoodians - no chance of camouflage in those trousers!
The boys have an outdoor shower - just the job in this heat.
Just in case anyone was worrying about the boy's cleanliness here is a shot of their washing line! They must have reached the bottom of their bags!
It is pleasing to note that in the absence of electronic gadgets the students are turning to board games, cards and, dare I say it READING! Faye has read two books!! Mrs Cumpsty I hope you are proud of her.
The Buddah at the centre looking over us.....
I write this as we have just finished day 4 at the building site. The students are coping extremely well in the heat. Tomorrow we have our weekend away on safari......prepare yourself for more wildlife!
Hi Hannah,
Well done on passing your theory. Have a good end of term. Hope that you are keeping on top of the washing up!
Love,
Momxxxxx
PS Loving the papaya.....
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Yikes guys who put that spider photo on the blog. I dropped the iPad with a scream. Hearts still going just! Lizard very interesting though. Impressed with the washing line, hope you did some of that Yas. X x
ReplyDeleteHey Faye. Good reading ��. Hope u have a great time on the safari tomorrow. Be carful. Luv u mum xxx
ReplyDeleteHi Emma x just a quick note to say I won't be able to blog again until Monday x have a lovely weekend, loving the jungle accommodation! Hope you don't get too many spiders!!! What a fantastic experience you are having x love you with all my heart x so proud to be your Mum xxx
ReplyDeleteHi all, it looks like paradise out there - apart from that spider! A fruitless game of Where's Georgia? today so I can only assume she being the life and soul of the party in her jazzy trousers. All is fine here G - Ed a handful already and Theo's new talent is calling people 'idiots'. He also managed to go head first over his new bike and has a few cuts to prove it. We think his cousins put him up to it. Lots and lots of love from all of us. Xxxxx mum
ReplyDeleteOh and dad has gone to the Isle of Wight - well somebody has to - so you won't hear from him til Sunday. Xxxx mum
ReplyDeleteHi All, we are loving the blog and it is good to see that you are going to have a relaxing weekend with the jungle creatures. Mum and I are wondering where the cross between Native American Indians and Hippies look comes from? Emily and Yas seem to have it perfected! Off to cater for the cricket team now. Love Mum & Dad xx
ReplyDeleteHi all,
ReplyDeleteThis home away from home looks very civilized ;-)
Glad to see you are all enjoying it so much, and you have equal hard work and fun and seightseeing to deal with. I hope you have a brilliant weekend, it looks an exciting outing you have planned. Loking forward to cute baby elephant pictures. The turtles were very cute, but Tach i am sure Rødemis would just eat it if we got one. Leedy and Del says Hi.
Knuser, Mor og Far xxxxxx
Hi Mum!!
ReplyDeleteAccommodation looks incredible! V jel. End of term is very relaxed- I have NO politics lessons next week #pointless. Head girl duties are slowly creeping into my timetable and washing up has been done (I also cleaned downstairs!!)
Bring back some papaya juice lol
Hannah xxx
Hi Robert,
ReplyDeleteWe are very jealous of your trip, it looks amazing. Please could you bring me back a turtle? (Only kidding!) Keep up the good work and make the most of it, we will continue to follow the blog :-D
Take care, love Ben and Helen. X
I think I am in shock! Showers and washing clothes! Oh my! Well done Robert!
ReplyDeletePlease don't accidentally pack one of those spiders, I'd be joining the girls with my screams!
Hope you've had a fantastic day seeing the elephants, Temple etc, another busy day but what an experience for you all. Enjoy your dinner at the Safari Village :-)
We can't wait to see your photos from the Safari tomorrow morning, I am just a little envious! Alex says "Watch out for the Lions, in case they eat you!"
Stay safe,
Love from all of us. Xx
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ReplyDeleteWhoops it posted twice!
DeleteHello Flora - good news - your school report has arrived - even better you will be able to get on with some of the targets while you are away!! Mrs Clarke has probably quite forgotten, but she wrote 'In Year 11 exam practice will be very important... ThIs should start immediately.' So you will be able to get straight down to work - what better way to relax after a day on the building site than with a quadratic equation or seven. We are sure Mrs Clarke had this in mind all along.
ReplyDeleteThe Rookwood magazine is a very good read - with some excellent pictures of your Work Experience - there is a fine one of Tom on his first day in charge of air traffic control at Thruxton!
The accommodation looks very comfortable - but now we know what those loud screams were - how voices carry! How poisonous was the spider - yes I know all spiders are poisonous - I mean poisonous to humans? Are there any crocs in the lake (snappy ones not shoes)? Am very taken with the outside shower - looks very easy to keep clean....
We look forward to seeing the safari pics. Remember a baby elephant will take you over your baggage allowance.
Now off you go for some immediate maths practice. Lots of Love, Mum, Dad, Archie and Sholto x
Hi, there is something that has been bothering us for a while now..........
ReplyDeleteWhat have you done with Mr Knight?
Did he take the first available plane back? Or was it the spiders?
Hi James, Grandma here. Lovely to see the pictures of you, you look so happy. Hope you've been using the rather primitive looking showers and the soap doesn't come back bone dry like the camping expeditions with the Scouts. How are you coping with the insect life? Not sure I like the look of the spider. Lovely day at Falkland fete and Fi sold lots of her tshirts. Fondest love, Grandma xxx
ReplyDeleteHi Alannah accommodation looks great hope your are having a great time loving the new trousers, missing you lots have a great weekend wish I was there. Love Mum xxxx PS don't bring any spiders home with you (Using. dad's log in).
ReplyDeleteAlannah dad here can't believe you just scream at the spiders, hope you scream in Sri Lankan as they won't understand English screams remember :-) lol. Seeing the monkey in the morning must remind you of what it's like when Jamie is home and don't even think of saying the monitor Lizards remind you of me. It looks amazing out there, have a great weekend and enjoy the safari. It looks like we are about to get a thunderstorm here it's just got very black and dark. Well Larnie Pants missing you loads and looking forward to you coming home. Love Dad xxxxx
G, I nearly forgot - much better report although Physics still a work in progress.....seriously, signs of real effort like you said you would make so v well done. Ed currently negotiating for 'Treats Ahoy'! PS you have the best games report ever to grace this house!! Xxxx mum
ReplyDeleteOoooh Joseph, have you been using your washing liquid? That's the blue stuff in the little water bottle! You'll enjoy a long soak in the bath when you get home :) Your accommodation looks wonderful but I'm not sure I like ALL the wildlife. All the scenery and vegetation looks like where I grew up on the rubber estate. We can compare photos when you get home! I bet you're enjoying the lizards though - just a bit different from the French ones. I've had a brilliant day in London with my school friends. My old roommate was there and I haven't seen her in 39 years. I feel a bit ancient!!!! Russell's cake was a triumph. Alan has been a saint driving me up and back. I do hope you're enjoying the rest periods. And have an amazing weekend. It sounds brilliant. Still love you loads, more and most plus one and no returns. Mummy xxxxxxxxx
ReplyDeleteNice one Robert! Mega proud of you mate. looking forward to seeing you in the summer and hearing about your adventure. Big love, Cara (and kiddos) xx
ReplyDeleteLooks like luxury to me. Like the critters but what's the cow / goat thing under the tree? Also loved the turtle pix, please bring one home. Dad says he thinks you might have been left behind at the airport because he hasn't seen you in the photos, I can see you lurking in the background. Please can you smile for the camera? Max finished H C S yesterday and got his cricket colours so he's made up and chloe is .... At a party! Love you lots and missing you more. Mum xxxx
ReplyDeleteRobert,
ReplyDeleteYour school report arrived today and I have to say your Mum is not happy.
Mostly because I have hidden the pages around the house and left subject related clues to help her find them. Her search has proved fruitless so far but it does distract her from worrying about you.
Love you, son.
Dad.
Hi Freddie H. Good to see your digs...better than we thought and sunshine showers.... bliss. Quiet Saturday here. Wish we were there. Mumx
ReplyDeleteThanks for the photos and very informative update on the accommodation, grounds and domestics. It sounds as though the 2014 party are a little better off than their predecessors - lucky them! Must admit it's all looking pretty spectacular ... even with the spiders!
ReplyDeleteNick, we're all missing you ... but very glad that you appear to be thoroughly enjoying the trip. I'd be interested to know what hot drinks you're coping with ... is it still the ginger tea?? Hope the weekend trip is as exciting as we expect it to be. Take care, say hi to James for us. Lots of love D, M, M & M xxx
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ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic job you're doing and what an amazing experience. Keep up the good work Robert and try and get yourself in some more photos so that your mum can stop worrying ;-) Love Fliss, Jamie and Isla xx
ReplyDeleteHello Ethan from your little brother - rmember me??? Spiders look too big! Showers look dodgy! And you did washing??? don't tell mum! See you in Corfu next week, they are making me make drinks...
ReplyDeleteHi Will, I don't like the look of those spiders or the lizards for that matter. Hope you're enjoying a relaxing weekend before back to the hard work. Paddy and Maxie are missing you, no one gives them the attention you do! Love Mum x
ReplyDeleteP.S. Dad's cutting the grass, he's definitely missing you.
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ReplyDeleteHi Robert, it looks like you're having an amazing time, one you'll never forget, although it would be good to see you in a photo or two, it would stop your mum bending my ear on the phone every night! Enjoy your time on safari, we look forward to hearing all about it. Take care, Richard, Mandy, Aaron and Harriet xxxx
ReplyDeleteJimbo,
ReplyDeleteEven though your Great Nan has absolutely no idea what a blog is, (you should have listened to your mum trying to explain what a blog is over the phone this evening :-/ ), she wanted to "be modern". So we promised to send you her love.... all the way from deepest darkest Cornwall......
Hope the safari went well and you bagged a couple of buffalo for the barbie....
Love Mum & Dad
I like the shower facilities boys. Life will seem far too luxurious when you return. Glad to hear the curry is staying down well, you won't be too jealous of the scones and cream josie and I are scoffing in cornwall. Make sure you don't bring a any spiders back with you....! Love mum an Josie
ReplyDeleteHi Georgia, hope you are OK. Just to let you know, Germany won the World Cup 1-0 AET. Well done on your report, both you and Ed have done really well we are so proud of you. Just got back from Barton-on-sea, not the IOW as published by your Mum, though we did go around it on a RIB, which was really good. Hope you are enjoying the experience and joining in! Love Dad, Debby and the Mad Spaniel.
ReplyDeleteIt is Monday morning here Chelsea and we are all going to pump. I have booked you a space for when you come back next week. It is good to see that you are loving the spiders over there as we still have loads in the house as well as snakes and lizards. You will have a nice year to get used to them.
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoy your safari as much as we did ours and that you notice the difference between the elephants.
Not long to go now and you will be coming home. Love you loads babe x x x x x