On the weekend commencing Friday 5th July, five enthusiastic Explorer Scouts followed by two of their even more enthusiastic leaders set off on a voyage across the Channel to accept the challenge set only to the Chiefest of Scouts. The meths trangia of enthusiasm was, however, set aflame by two different sparks. In the case of the Explorers, it was the slow-lighting waterproof matches, needing delicate persuasion to gently coax the long-lasting ignition, whereas with the leaders the burner had remained heated from previous similar experiences, meaning the refuel released huge amounts energy in one fiery explosion.
The weekend ran relatively smoothly, unlike the terrain upon which we hiked. The Isle of Wight is uniquely sculpted to provide interest and challenge for those travelling in possession of large, heavy carrying devices. Its landscape also creates stunning patterns of brown lines when depicted on paper, and on close examination one realises what great skill and craftsmanship is needed to draw lines that close together without making one giant brown blob. Although every attempt was made on our part to avoid such areas, we still encountered several which succeeded in making their names as the most difficult parts of the venture.
The most enjoyable part of the expedition was the relief experienced by every participant on reaching the campsite, closely followed by the satisfaction of arriving at the luncheon venue, often as luxurious as a shaded area of grass. The most entertaining periods could fill a whole book (as could this report) due to their overwhelming length and volume, however, some of the highlights included: winning 20 on a fruit machine; using the outer layer of the tent as a parachute; being chased by several herds of cows; Roberts general sporting ability; the eternal struggle with replacing the rucksack after a brief pause for breath and Jon.
The lesser enjoyable parts were, of course, few and far between. The most emotional situation occurred near the beginning of the first day, when the sixth member of the team had to be abandoned due to his ill health (Dave the Crab, may you rest in peace) although this was not the lowest point of the expedition. The least pleasant section of the venture, apart from the hills, was when custody of the map was passed from me to some of the other members of the group, which naturally resulted in the misplacement of all those therein. This temporary loss of position was usually resolved once the map was returned, however.
To summarise, the weekend as a whole was as hot and exciting as Roberts hand when it was coated with meths and set alight (not that that actually happened, of course), although we were all glad to eventually make it back to the safety and comfort of the Red Falcon ferry, where the giant mass could be removed from the back and the emergency rations could be devoured.
By Melody James
Ahlula Explorer Unit
(My apologies for this report, I believe I am experiencing English lesson withdrawal symptoms.)