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TY ADVENTURE TRIP 2017



          began to build it, and after a few hours we were ready to   The next morning we put on our wet wetsuits, not the
          cook our burgers over it. We all ate our burgers around the   most pleasant of sensations. We then packed up and got
          campfire, and sang a few songs to pass the time. After a   back into the boats ready for another day of paddling. We
          while people began to retire to the tents for a somewhat   then paddled all the way to Carrick-on-Shannon and saw
          chilly night’s sleep. But before that some of us had to do our   civilisation again for the first time in two days! Boy, was it
          business in the wilderness, a somewhat unusual experience   a relief! We were then allowed to use the facilities at the
          for many. Once that was all done we went to bed and slept   rowing club to get dressed and to finally use the toilet! Once
          soundly after a busy day.                           we were all ready, we got back onto the bus, exhausted, but
                                                              happy and headed home.
          The next morning we all had to put on our wetsuits and it
          was sausages for breakfast. Again, these were cooked above   This trip was a great experience that brought us all much
          the fire. We then packed our things away into the barrels   closer as a year. Seeing you at your absolute worst, kind of
          again and got a paddle and either a raft or boat to go in   does that sometimes! This trip brought out the best (and
          for the day, as these would be our only way to get from our   worst!) in all of us. It was a brilliant experience, which I can’t
          first island to the next. I was in a raft with a very interesting   say I will be doing again in a hurry but I really enjoyed all the
          instructor called Ross, who lived life as a bit of a ‘Hippie’. It   same. For the people who have the opportunity to do this
          was  our  conversations  with  him  that  quickly  passed  the   trip I would say grab it with open arms, but don’t expect it
          time until we stopped for lunch at a loch along the river. For   to be easy! Our trip definitely brought our year together as
          lunch it was bread, crisps, cereal bars and fruit, so we all had   a whole and was an experience that I won’t forget anytime
          quite a feast. Once we were back in the boats the mood was   soon!
          a bit more tired, and as the day went on we all grew slightly
          weary of all the paddling. But we kept going all day until               By Rachel Alexander.
          we reached our second island. This unlike the first island
          was more like a soggy field than an overgrown forest. While
          many people went to set up their tents in the rain, (and I
          believe a few tears were also shed during this time), the few
          that still had some energy left, went out onto the lake in the
          boat to jump into the water and have some fun. When we
          returned we were all exhausted but it was worth it! We then
          set up our tents and got changed out of the cold wetsuits,
          into our dry clothes. After this we had to, once again collect
          firewood, the only problem was that there wasn’t as many
          trees, so this took  longer than  the  day before.  Once we
          had enough firewood collected we got the fire started
          and cooked some more burgers and sausages. We then all
          played some campfire games and had a great laugh. Later
          we went to bed ready to get up the next morning refreshed
          and ready for another days paddling.



            The Royal Times 2017-2018                                                                            79
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