learn and experience

Teen Travel 4th – 17th August

Sunday 4th August

Arrival to the Capital

The first day of Teen Travel started early in London collecting all the travellers from both King’s Cross and Heathrow Airport. After checking into our home for the night the group ventured out to Buckingham Palace. They learnt some cool facts and history about the building. They then walked towards 10 Downing Street, enjoying the culture and atmosphere along the way. After all this walking the group decided it was time to get on the bus, however it was a split decision whether to sit at the front or the back. They arrived at Trafalgar Square and saw many cool street performers and looked at all the shops before heading to dinner in Chinatown. The whole group were very thirsty after all this walking, and were grateful to sit down for a little in the restaurant. Everyone enjoyed chatting and getting to know each other. They then headed back for their beds ready for an exciting day to Brighton tomorrow.

Monday, 5th August

London to Bath

Travellers woke up this morning ready for a full day! In the morning they had a look round the British Museum learning about different places throughout time, including Egypt and Greece. They then hopped on a train down to Brighton, and immediately headed out to their pier. The group was desperate to meet TikTok celebrities @brightonshellfish. Everyone was so excited to meet them. One of our travellers even gave them a token koala from Australia. It was definitely a highlight of the day. They then went on to explore Brighton pier, play some of the arcade games and get some balloon animals. After this the group went to have a dip in the sea (even though it was very cold) and had some well deserved fish and chips to end a wonderful day.

Tuesday, 6th August

Beauty in Bath

We started our day with a quick brioche breakfast in our room and headed out for our adventures! We looked for the morning market and found a few stalls open so had a look around!
We then headed back to our room and packed up quickly to head to the train station. We popped to Greggs to grab some supplies for our journey to bath! We each had many pasties and were very full. On the train we played a lovely game of “pig”, which Mia unfortunately lost. We then relaxed until we reached our destination of Bath! As soon as we arrived we headed straight to our beautiful apartment located in the heart of the city. We dropped off our bags and went for some retail therapy, exploring some of the shops. After this it was time for our visit to the Roman baths! Another fantastic Golden Ticket choice!! The history was very interesting, we learnt a lot about how the people used the baths, all of the things that were found there, many gem stone carvings and how people used to throw in coins and messages and curses on people to come true!
We then popped by a place where Bridgerton was filmed! The seamstress shop!
After this we defiantly were in need of a meal, so Cam and Mia whipped us up a fantastic taco bar, with all the meat and accompaniments you could need!!
It was delicious!
We’ve ended our evening relaxing and having cake and popcorn supplied by Mia and Cam and sweets supplied by the teens!
That’s all for today.
Over and out.

Wednesday 7th August

On Our Way to Cardiff

Teen travellers woke up in bath this morning and were greeted with a lovely breakfast made by Cam, with lots of scrambled eggs, avocados and pastries. It went down a treat. They then headed out for a fun shopping trip in bath, enjoying the shops and lively atmosphere. The group then hopped on a train to Cardiff, excited by the idea that they were leaving the country. They had lunch and played many card games throughout the journey. It was a quick turnaround in Cardiff and they headed straight out to the famous Cardiff Castle. They enjoyed climbing all the way to the top to see all of the city. At the bottom the group played some rather large board games and had fun challenging each other to chess, jenga and connect four. After a long day the group were exhausted and excited by the idea of Indian for dinner and headed for bed.

Thursday 8th August

Journey Onward: Cardiff to Manchester Express

Our teens woke up in Cardiff with a very English breakfast of scones with cream and jam. This of course brought up the age old argument of what goes first the cream or the jam? After saying goodbye to Cardiff the group got on a long train ready for Manchester. They bought lunch at Greggs and played many games to keep the long train fun and enjoyable including Pig, Cheat and Kems. There was a lot of signalling going on between each team. The group arrived in Manchester and marvelled at the busy atmosphere. They headed to their flat and got ready for an exciting escape room that was wizard theme. The group had only an hour to unlock the door and complete their wizard tasks which they successfully completed (with many hints). They then headed to the shops to prepare as the travellers were in charge of cooking for Mia and Cam. They cooked a delicious meal with Croque Monsieur, Swedish meatballs and an Aussie potatoe bake. For dessert they had a delicious Italian Salame di Cioccolato. Everyone went to bed happy and full ready for a Manchester adventure.

Friday 9th August

A day in Manchester

Today our teens were sleepy and woke up a little later, ready for a long day in Manchester. They had a delicious home cooked breakfast made by Cam. There were eggs, bacon, sausages among many other things. They ventured out to meet the one and only Adventure Sam, ready to give us an amazing tour of the city. They first headed to the market store Afflecks, some girls got their torture told while the others shopped. They then headed to Piccadilly Gardens and looked round the space before hopping on a tram to Media City. This was an incredible experience and the teens engaged in a tense ping pong patch. Everyone headed to a late lunch at the food court feeling like they should be playing at the Paris Olympics. After this they sadly said goodbye to Sam and headed to some karaoke. There were some amazing performances including “Vampire” “I will survive” and “A Whole New World”. The group then had a quick dinner back at the house, played a small card tournament and then headed to bed, ready for the Lake District tomorrow.

Monday 12th August

Scotland Fringe

We started our day bright and early with sausages, eggs, mushrooms toast galore! Cooked by the famous Chef Cam!
After this we headed on the open top bus straight for our train. Along the way we said goodbye to Mia and thanked her for her time and helping us with our travels. After this the group headed to Edinburgh. As soon as we got off the train we were hit by all of the festivities of the fringe festival! Many new acts trying to secure new people to go to their gigs and lots of street performances. We headed straight to our accommodation, dropped off our bags and went straight to the Palace of Holyrood House. We were given our audio tour and looked around, we learnt many new things about the Royal Family who lived there among the years and visited the beautiful gardens.
After this we went in almost every tourist shop all looking for gifts for our families, some found mugs and magnets and even cow mugs!
After this we went back into the town to do our spooky ghost tour! We walked around learnt some facts about the Old Town in Edinburgh which was very cool.
To end our evening we enjoyed some authentic kebabs before getting the bus back!
We will now enjoy a big rest for our ongoing journey.
Over and out

Tuesday 13th August

Goodbye Edinburgh, Hello to Leeds

Today started with a sweet treat, and a visit from a kitty cat, before we started our journey from Edinburgh to Leeds.
The one and only Kenzie came to join us for the rest of Teen Travel, and we set off to our first mission of the day – a hike through the West Yorkshire countryside. After some beautiful views, we boarded a bus back to Leeds city centre to get some legendary Dixy Chicken for our dinner – delicious!
After a scenic picnic in the park. we headed back to the hotel for some competitive card games & well deserved rest.

Wednesday 14th August

Discovering Oxford

Our Wednesday began with a breakfast of brioche and our favorite – pain au chocolats! Then the travels began again! After a coach road-trip from Leeds to Oxford, we hit the bookshops. The girls treated themselves to some of the classics, before we headed to explore the sights of Oxford. Cam explained the historical significance of Oxford Graduation Hall, and we got a view of the great hall – an inspiration of the Harry Potter universe. Heading home, we had a hearty meal of homemade pasta bake and garlic bread, with a movie to top off the day!

Thursday 15th August

The Day We Met the Spud Man

Our Thursday started with a bus into Oxford and a train taking us to Tamsworth on a very special mission – to meet the Spud Man! As one of our travellers golden ticket, we feasted on jacket potatoes in the picturesque village square before heading to our next destination. This happened to be a traditional British sweet shop, and we went wild in Wyldes. Taking the recommendations of the lovely staff, our travellers treated themselves to some English candies. Our evening was then spent browsing the Oxford highstreet, and exploring the views it had to offer. With burgers for dinner, we went to bed with full bellies and happy memories.

Friday 16th August

London Looping

A sunny morning in Oxford began as we quickly boarded our train to London for a rollercoaster of a day – literally! Our group checked in the accommodation for the night before navigating our way to our next golden ticket destination… Thorpe Park!! We took on many sky-scraping coasters such as The Swarm, Rumba Rapids, and Nemesis. Fueled by churros galore, our travellers enjoyed the British heatwave in all its glory. After a long day of excitement, it was time to head back to the hostel for dinner and another movie night.

World Camp Canada: 21st July to 3rd August

Sunday, 21st July

Today the campers arrived! The campers and parents were greeted at the Samuel House where the children were shown to their dorms and given a short tour around the campus. Then L&E staff set up a lovely barbecue for both the campers and parents to take part in before the parents had to say their goodbyes. The kids were then brought over to the fields to play some games. This was great opportunity for campers to learn each other’s names and have a chance to let off some steam. After that the kids were pretty tuckered out so we brought them back to the boarding house where we finished off the night with a whole camp meeting before getting ready for bed. We can’t wait for the first full day of camp!

Monday 22nd July

Today at camp was nothing short of amazing! We kicked off the day with a full buffet breakfast that included eggs, French toast, bacon and cereals. The campers loved having a variety of options to fuel up for the day!
After breakfast, we jumped straight into our first dodgeball game of the week. It was a fantastic way to get everyone energized and ready for the day ahead.
Our morning was packed with fun and creativity. The campers participated in rock painting, where they let their artistic talents shine. We also built dens, providing a great opportunity for teamwork and imagination. Meanwhile, others enjoyed a friendly game of soccer.
For lunch, we enjoyed delicious tacos, followed by a swim in the lake! Probably the highlight of the day as everyone really enjoyed this moment.
The afternoon was filled with even more exciting activities. The campers took on the indoor climbing wall, challenging themselves. We also had bracelet-making sessions, where creativity and friendship flourished. While sports enthusiasts played a volleyball game!
Tonight’s dinner was a special treat – butter chicken, which is apparently a favorite among Shawnigan students! The campers loved it and it was the perfect meal to end a day full of activities.
We wrapped up the night with some fantastic ice breaker games. The campers participated in silent line-ups, team challenges and egg drops. These activities helped them bond even more!

Tuesday 23rd July

Today at camp began with a breakfast of champions, followed by a lively game of dodgeball. Afterward, campers chose their morning adventures! Some ventured into the woods for den making, continuing their projects from the day before. Others kayaked in the bay, spotting local wildlife like seals, starfish, and jellyfish. Meanwhile, some hit the courts for a friendly game of tennis under the morning sun.

A satisfying lunch in the dining hall refueled our energy for the day. In the afternoon, we enjoyed a refreshing swim in the lake and some free time. Our artistic talents shone as we experimented with tie-dye, transforming white t-shirts into colorful masterpieces. Other campers opted for kickball or laser tag games.

As the sun set, we gathered around a crackling campfire to share stories and roast marshmallows. It was the perfect conclusion to an amazing day!

Wednesday 24th July

Today kicked off with our usual warm-up game of dodgeball, followed by an exciting trip to the ice rink. For many campers, it was their first time ice skating! There were plenty of giggles, a few tumbles and a lot of encouragement as everyone got the hang of gliding on the ice.
After our ice skating fun, we enjoyed a delicious lunch that recharged us for the rest of the day. Then, we headed to the lake for a refreshing swim. 
In the afternoon, we split into groups for various activities. Some campers took to the archery range, focusing on hitting their targets. Others enjoyed a funny game of kickball, running bases and scoring points. Meanwhile, our creative campers got busy with another session of tie-dye.
We gathered again for a tasty dinner. The excitement grew as we prepared for our movie night. With bowls of popcorn in hand, we settled in to watch “Harry Potter,” enjoying the magic and adventure on screen.

Thursday 25th July

Today was an extraordinary day at camp, with the highlight being our preparations for the Harry Potter theme night. The excitement was palpable as campers dove into activities to bring the magical world to life.
With a mix of creative, adventure and sports activities, cmpers engaged in badminton and rugby, while others took on the climbing wall and laser tag. We also focused on preparing for our big Harry Potter event. Campers crafted costumes and made potions, transforming our camp into a scene straight out of Hogwarts.
The day culminated in our Harry Potter Triwizard Cup tournament happening at night! Hot chocolate and sweet dreams followed this exciting day.

Friday 26th July

Today marked the final day at camp for some of our campers and we made sure it was filled with unforgettable moments. The morning kicked off with an exhilarating kayaking session. Campers paddled through the serene waters, enjoying the beautiful scenery and spotting local wildlife

Our creative campers dove into clay, molding and shaping their unique creations.

Meanwhile, sports enthusiasts split into groups to play rugby and golf.

For our closing night, we rolled out the red carpet and held the camp Oscars. Campers dressed up and awards were given out in various categories, celebrating the unique talents and memorable moments of our time together. It was a bittersweet moment, filled with hugs, smiles and a few tears watching our video of the week. We wish our departing campers all the best and hope to see them again next year!