uk

L&E January Newsletter

Exciting Updates for 2025!

Happy New Year from all of us at Learn & Experience! We’re thrilled to share the latest news and updates as we kick off another incredible year of adventure, learning, and global connections.

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L&E World Camps UK & Canada

Limited Places Available

Our L&E World Camps in the UK and Canada are filling up fast! Our unique overnight camps bring together children and teens aged 8-16 from around the globe to enjoy adventure, cultural exchange, and personal growth.

⚠️ Limited Spaces for Certain Nationalities: To ensure diversity and balance in our camps, availability is restricted for some nationalities. If you’re considering enrolling, we encourage you to act quickly to secure your spot.

💡 Local Discount: We’re still offering our limited Local Discounts for residents from UK and Canada. Don’t miss this chance to save while giving your child an unforgettable experience. Contact us for details.

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Special Features in 2025

Available for 8-16 year olds

Due to high demand from our loyal families we’re excited to announce that we have now extended the age range to include 16-year-olds on L&E World Camps! This change allows even more young people to experience our camps and to have even more role models for the younger campers.

Multi-Activity Programme

Offering a variety of adventure, sports, and creative activities, our Multi-Activity Programme ensures there’s something for everyone. From kayaking and football to art workshops and drama, every day is packed with exciting opportunities to explore new interests.

Young Global Leaders Course

Designed to inspire the leaders of tomorrow, this innovative course helps participants develop critical skills such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving, all while addressing real-world challenges in a collaborative setting.

Study English Language

Our immersive English Language Course is perfect for international students looking to improve their language skills in a supportive and engaging environment. With expert teachers and a focus on practical learning, participants make rapid progress while having fun.

Tennis Academy

Perfect for tennis enthusiasts! Our Tennis Academy offers expert coaching for all skill levels, focusing on improving techniques, strategy, and confidence on the court. Don’t miss this fantastic opportunity to elevate your game.

Excursions to Iconic Locations

Campers at our UK Camp can enjoy visits to Winchester, London and Oxford, while those at our Canada Camp can explore Victoria and Vancouver. These excursions provide unforgettable cultural and educational experiences.

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We Won at the British Youth Travel Awards!

We’re proud to share that Learn & Experience won the Bronze Award for Experience of the Year 2024 at the British Youth Travel Awards! This recognition celebrates our dedication to creating unique, impactful experiences that inspire young people from around the world. A huge thank you to our incredible team and participants for making this possible. Here’s to more award-winning adventures in 2025!

Kindness Around the World Challenge

As part of our commitment to making a positive impact, we’ve introduced the 365 Days Kindness Around the World Challenge. Campers and their families are encouraged to participate by filming a short video. Together, we can create a ripple effect of positivity around the world! See our website for details.

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Group & School Programmes

We are proud to offer our Group & Schools Programmes, including our popular Elite Football Experiences and Teen Travel trips. Designed for groups of 6 or more, these bespoke programmes can be requested year-round, offering flexible and exciting opportunities for adventure, learning, and cultural exchange. Whether it’s a school trip or a group of friends, our programmes provide unforgettable experiences tailored to your needs.

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Don’t Miss Out!

Spaces for our 2025 camps are limited, so be sure to secure your place today.

📘 E-Brochure Available 

Download our comprehensive E-Brochure to learn more about our camps, programmes, and what makes L&E special. Visit our website to access it and get all the details you need to plan your child’s adventure.

Stay connected with us on social media for updates, stories, and inspiration.

Here’s to another amazing year with Learn & Experience!
Warm regards,
The L&E Team

2025 Update

Dear Parents,

I hope this message finds you and your family well. As we look forward to an exciting year ahead, I’m thrilled to share some wonderful updates for L&E World Camps & Teen Travel 2025 that will offer even more opportunities for your children to learn, experience, and grow with us.

A Great Year

2025 will build on the success of 2024 after being shortlisted for “Best Experience of the Year” by the British Youth Travel Awards! This recognition is a testament to the incredible experiences your children have had with L&E in 2024 and reflects our dedication to providing outstanding programs that inspire growth and adventure.

New Venue

After careful planning, we have decided to relocate our UK camp from Aysgarth School to Twyford School in Winchester. Twyford’s outstanding facilities, beautiful grounds, and easy accessibility to London will enhance our camp experience, allowing us to continue providing the exceptional care, adventure, and learning your children have come to know and love. We’re confident that this move will bring even more magic to our programs!

More Weeks

Alongside this, we are excited to announce the addition of more weeks to our 2025 schedule in UK and Canada, offering greater flexibility and the chance for your children to spend even more time immersed in all that L&E have to offer.

In addition to our new UK camp venue, we are expanding with even more incredible opportunities:

• Shawnigan Lake School in British Columbia will once again host our L&E World Camp Canada—a chance for campers to explore the stunning landscapes of Vancouver Island, make new friends from around the world, and experience unforgettable activities in the great outdoors.
• Our popular L&E Teen Travel program will return, offering young explorers the chance to embark on an adventure-packed journey across Canada, with a carefully curated itinerary designed to challenge, inspire, and ignite their curiosity.

Whether your child is attending camp in the UK or Canada, or joining one of our travel experiences, L&E 2025 will be filled with even more opportunities to create lasting memories and make meaningful connections.

• Early Booking Discount: As a token of our appreciation for your continued support, we’re pleased to offer up to 15% early booking discount for all 2025 programs. This gives your family the opportunity to secure a spot at a reduced rate, ensuring your child’s place for an unforgettable summer. Simply book before November 1st, to take advantage of this offer!
• Limited Discounted Places for Local Families: We are excited to offer a limited number of discounted places specifically for local families in the UK and British Columbia. This initiative is part of our commitment to supporting local communities and providing more opportunities for children to experience L&E World Camps. Please use #LOCAL2025 after completing application. It is first-come-first-serve.

Thank you for being a valued part of the L&E family, and we look forward to welcoming your children to Twyford, Shawnigan Lake, or on our Teen Travel adventures in 2025!

Warm regards,
Sam Ridgway
Founder & Director, L&E

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 Uk Week 4

Monday 31st July

The last Monday of camp is here! While it’s always bittersweet for both our campers and tutors we all know that we have a week full of fun filled adventures awaiting us and we definitely started the week off strong today. The campers woke up bright and early for a nutritious breakfast of scrambled eggs on toasted muffins which the campers devoured in an attempt to fuel up for another famous dodgeball tournament! The children dodged and dived showing their new and improved skills from last weeks practice: we’ve never seen dodgeballs thrown this fast before!

After a long and competitive game of dodgeball against the tutors they all sat down to choose their morning activities. We started the week off strong with a stellar choice of activities.

In adventure we set out geocaching. We had a brave group of 10 adventurers – not only were they on the hunt for a series of 12 hidden treasure troves – they were also on the hunt for a hiding place to use for our first ever L&E geocache! The campers climbed over fences, through hedges and dug around with great determination to find all of the hidden boxes as well as finding the perfect hideaway.

Rounders kicked off with some practice games of throwing and catching as well as an intense warm up of bulldogs. The campers showed quick improvement and were eager to move into their first of four matches. Both teams battled it out with some hitting the ball straight out of the field while others were unlucky enough to get caught out by their competitors. After a very close back and forth the game ended in a draw of 8 all.

We kicked off creative this week with an energetic session of just dance and karaoke. The campers sang and danced their hearts out to all their favourite songs from musical classics like Mama Mia all the way to a bit of Celina Dion. It’s safe to say the campers had worn out their dancing shoes by the end and were ready to sit down and refuel.

For lunch the kitchen treated us to a delicious chicken korma with a side of naan bread and a full salad bar for us to help ourselves to. After the campers filled their boots and their stomachs the campers set out choosing how they would spend their afternoon.

For adventure we had another intrepid group of explorers set out on a treasure hunt in the wind and the rain this time. Through their determination and endurance they managed to make a record time finding all the boxes as well as hiding our own in the location that had been scouted out this morning! Feeling very proud of themselves, they were able to have a small break and recharge their batteries with a few biscuits.

In creative we had an all time favourite with bracelet making. For many of our campers this was a skill they were happy to dust off and improve. For the rest of the campers they were fast learners, quickly weaving more and more complicated patterns either for themselves or for their newfound friends!

In sport our young athletes tried their hands at netball. To start off they had a warm up of the numbers game to keep them on their toes and get them ready for full team matches. The campers quickly conquered the nets and were shooting hoops left right and centre in a fast paced match that ended with a score of 2-3 to the non-bibs team.

After such an exciting day the campers were ready for a bit of rest and relaxation with a scrumptious dinner of sausage rolls and herby potato squares. This led to full bellies and happy campers ready for the evening activities ahead…

The evenings theme: game show night. This led to the campers testing their skills in a variety of challenges based on old classics like CBBCs ‘Trapped’, ‘Family Fortunes’ and ‘Heads Up’ all the way through to current favourites like ‘Would I Lie to You?’ and ‘Carrot in a Box’. The campers showed us their knowledge, creativity and deception as their groups battled it out in each of the mini games.

After a long night full of laughter and fun we all settled down for a well deserved cup of hot chocolate to relax before bed ready for the Tuesday ahead.

Tuesday 1st August

It was pancake day at L&E to fuel yet another competitive game of dodgeball. The tutors didn’t stand a chance today against the energised campers, who won the final match again. Scuba day at this point was off to a great start, with all our campers having the opportunity to submerge into the swimming pool’s depth for a game of throw and catch. This took place in tandem with our other morning activities of postcard making in creative and tennis for sport. Be ready to receive a postcard through a lucky few of your doors articulating our camper’s favourite activities this summer. Tennis saw a fair few emerging Andy Murry’s take to the pitch.

Lunch in and tuck in bellies, and the afternoon activities commenced. More budding divers had the chance to explore the swimming pool’s depth. This is while the field saw the sports taking up bows and arrows in a compelling archery session. A competitive football game followed this to round off the sport for the day. This afternoon, creative took this afternoon to practise and explore their portrait painting skills, refining and developing new ones. Tutor Sam was drawn by our campers 60 times between them using various techniques with great success and engagement. Swim time was a great splash, as always, closing another afternoon at L&E. 

Our day concluded with my favourite night of the week, the campfire! What an array of talent displayed through song, dance and more. 

Wednesday 2nd August

The campers woke up to the delicious smell of sausages for breakfast which were quickly devoured to gain the strength needed for our traditional dodgeball morning! Once again the campers were unbeatable but tutors put in a strong performance.

After their triumphant win, the campers headed to their morning activities. Some enjoyed benchball, the more creative campers enjoyed creating amazing stop motion videos using plastercine and creating sets. Finally, our more adventurous campers braved the traditional ‘British weather’ and kayaked along the river in the pouring rain. They didn’t let the rain dampen their mood, camp songs were sang whilst paddling along the river, making it an unforgettable experience.

For lunch we enjoyed hunters chicken with potatoes and veg. After a busy morning this was a well deserved lunch which campers devoured. The afternoon kicked off with waterpolo, a very intense game with only 3 points between the teams! In the pool they also competed in a backflip and diving competition, with strong competitors in each section! In creative, they enjoyed making prints out of styrofoam. Another daring group of campers faced the afternoon rain to go kayaking, with not one, not two but all campers and tutors falling into the water from their kayaks! They were welcomed back to camp with paninis for dinner in order to refuel before our highlight of the day…. Trash fashion show!

The evening hit off with inspirational fashion quotes from our one and only Hope! The camp then scavenged for the best materials in the pile to show the world that almost anything can be fashionable. The campers rose to the occasion and created stunning outfits to walk the catwalk. Our judges had some very tough decisions to make and didn’t hold back on telling everyone how the truly felt about each individual outfit modelled! The evening ended by watching The Smurfs followed of course by hot chocolate!

Thursday 3rd August

When Nigella Lawson was once asked for her perfect breakfast recipe to warm up for a game of dodgeball, she reportedly said it would be baked beans, boiled eggs and lightly toasted bread. Well, well, well…it would appear our resident chefs are big fans of the great woman, because that is exactly what we had. And by Jove did that put us in the spirits for what was one of the greatest of all time (or GOAT as our campers would say) dodgeball sessions. It was the dodgeball equivalent of Andy Murray vs Thanasi Kokkinakis in the Australian Open 3^rdround earlier this year. There was dodging, ducking, dipping, diving, and even dodging. The campers, as they always do, rose to a commanding lead. Tutors dropping like flies. Young stars such as Lucas, Amaris and Ernest leading the charge in a ruthless display. But up stepped tutor Matt, like Gerard Butler in 300, single handedly fuelling a resistance as his colleagues fell beside him. Alas, after 15 minutes of balletic dodgeball, the campers conquered. One more day, once more chance for the tutors to finally get a dodgeball victory after 4 long weeks struggle. We’ll revisit this one in the morning.

For creative this morning the campers devised, designed, and created bespoke picture frames that wouldn’t be out of place in Musee d’Orsay. On the week of Yorkshire day, what better to do for our adventurers than scale some of yokrshire’s finest quarries. The reward, a view from the top where you could see the whole rhubarb triangle in actions! Sport this morning took swimming to a new dimension. There were synchronised dance routines. No leg races. Whirlpools. More cannonballs than Damien Rice!

Lunchtime dawned upon us quicker than you can say chipotele mayonnaise! Chicken goujons, Moroccan couscous, sweet chilli and more greens than Plymouth Argyle.

Replenished and ready to go, the afternoon brought even more excitement. Once again our adventurers went climbing to look at the rhubarb. What do you get when you cross SiiyaKolisi with Breanna Stewart? You get our afternoon’s sport activity! Tag rugby and basketball, bringing out every motor skill. And creative, heck – what didn’t they create? Masks, dance routines, karaoke performances and theme night props. Majestic stuff.

Aaaaaaaah! I scream. You scream. We all scream for ice cream! That’s right, after a humble pasta bake for dinner we were treated to a glorious desert of orange and strawberry ice loolies. And they were, to quote Gary Barlow, absolutely fantastic.

All aboard the bus to carnival. Take all the classic toys and games, and scale them by 10! Gigantic Jenga. Humongous dominoes. Extraordinary human hungry hippos. An inflatable vertigo running competition the likes of which we’ve never seen before. Top that off with a side of the signature L&E candy floss and you have a tremendous finish to a tremendous day.

There’s one day left of our camp adventure this year, and there is a bittersweet determination to finish together with the best day yet tomorrow. However, as Thursdays go this was as good as it gets.

Friday 4th August

The last day. The Finale.

The day kick started with a crowd pleaser breakfast of pancakes, what a great start to what will be the best day of the week!

We all wolfed down our breakfast as quickly as we could; all of us just can’t wait for the grand finale of Dodgeball!

Once again both campers and tutors put in their all in an attempt to annihilate the opposing team. In our very last game of our flagship game of Campers vs Tutors of 2023, once again our campers reigned supreme. Spirits ablaze, our tutors have put up an amazing fight, having caught the camper’s ball multiple times and bringing multiple players back in the game. The atmosphere was absolutely electric, and everyone very much enjoyed this very final game of Ultimate Dodgeball.

After an extended game of dodgeball, our creative stars went on to design the most engaging comic strips, showing off both their flair for drawing the most animated characters and their aptitude for humour.

Our adventurers meanwhile went on to produce the most gourmet bread and chocolate bananas and then went on to enjoy their fruits of their labour.

Our athletes meanwhile went through bowling and batting exercise which culminated into an exciting game of diagonal cricket, what fun!

After being refuelled by a scrumptious lunch of classic fish and chips, some of our campers transformed into army generals as they strategised and battled in a game of capture the flag. Others spent their afternoon gearing up for their evening performance in our very last Oscar’s, or partook in a game of indoor hockey.

Patriotism was in the air as our campers then went on to take part in the L&E Olympics, consisting of games of table football, indoor football, basketball and a dizzy relay! Thailand was triumphant at last, much to the delight of our very own Cam.

The day wrapped up nicely with the L&E Oscars, where the best of the best were awarded for their efforts in adventure, sport and creative activities, and for their positivity, kindness and sense of humour. Of course, our rising stars and star camper of the week was revealed in this very last L&E Oscars of 2023. Many of our campers have prepared the most exciting performances for this most formal event of the week, ranging from stand up comedy, to dances and piano and singing showcases. The event then descended into a full on disco, featuring classics such as the Macarena and the limbo, and not to forget various bops from various all time favourite pop stars, from Taylor Swift and Katy Perry to ABBA and Adele.

Under the shroud of music, our campers brought their sleepy heads to bed, ready to bid farewell to the delights of camp until next year!

World Camp UK Week 1

What a lovely first evening…it’s going to be a great week!

Monday, 10th July

The day of all days.

We started our first morning bright and early, with the ultimate breakfast of eggs and muffins, yum yum.
This geared us up ready for our very first, annual DODGEBALL TOURNAMENT.
The groups were great showing some amazing moves; dodging at every angles, catching and eliminating everyone around.
the staff are in need of an improvement session. But we will come back stronger than ever. Watch this space.
We then started our morning activities which consisted of ace den building, some of most unbelievable dens we’ve seen! They had many luxurious extras like hot tubs, rock pets and beautiful gardens.
In sport we defiantly put the ultimate in ultimate frisbee, throwing far and wide. The non bib team beating the others by 5 goals to 1.
In creative we put our moulding skills into test, creating pots, themed with faces on them. They turned out amazing and are drying, ready for plants, jewellery, or anything you like!
After this fun-filled morning we were treated to the ultimate curry for our lunch, cooked by Nobby the extraordinaire, we enjoyed this; replenished our energy ready for the afternoons events.
After getting our bellies filled some of us headed off for our first English class! We made posters all about ourselves, our countries, our favourite foods and our flags. The rain stopped us playing inside but we still did animal games to introduce ourselves, saying our name, our favourite animal and passing it along to the next person.
Our sport consisted of two huge games of bench ball, there was some serious competitiveness between the campers and the tutors.
The adventure was some serious boat building! We had to build a floatation device that survived the stormiest seas, which were tried and testing in the camp bucket. Every ship bar one survived our test, we were pleased to announce.
For dinner we enjoyed scrumptious sausage rolls, potatoes and extras!
This was needed for the money night Ice-breaker games! The chubby bunny contest was particularly tense; coming to the fine lines which left one champion with 14 marshmallows! We also did our very popular trash bag fashion show, where we saw outfits better than Gucci has ever headlined.
Of course we ended with the egg drop, a tense completion which saw many of our eggs scrambled….
Tonight we head to sleep happy with hot chocolate, ready for the next day ahead.

Tuesday 11th July

Our morning feast of grilled sausage and tomato awoke our campers appetites and minds to the excitement that awaited them on the dodgeball court.

With sprinting, dipping, and snipes galore, morning dodgeball was another sight to behold. Whether it be a campers vs students match or the classic 1 v 1, no mercy was granted. As usual, our star-stopping campers won against the staff, and did so with smiles on their faces.

The choice of a lifetime awaited the children as they picked between their sport, adventure and creative activity, each as tempting as the last.

First on the agenda was extreme deep pool scuba-diving with the legendary Scuba Steve!! Strapped with an oxygen tank on their back and enthusiasm in their heart, our campers explored the tiled depths of Aysgarth’s waters. A first time for many, it really was an experience for them all to remember.

Our English-learners took their time in recollecting their scuba experience in English. They also began planning the recipes of their favorite food for an exciting L&E bake-off held by the children themselves. Fun and linguistic talent met in the L&E English classroom and history made as usual.

British-history was made in the morning session of cricket, with wickets flying. Led by a cricket connoisseur himself, the kids really learned the true essence of the game. Ashes fever gripped the camp and really was a magnificent set of moments for all. With a specific game of Bazz-Ball and rounders on the side.

Simultaneously, loom jewelry was in the crafting and friendship brackets in the making. Many of the children also painted jewelry boxes to hold their new-found treasures. Colour Schemes were popping!!

Lunch in their bellies, the children headed back out for their second round of fun. Our budding athletes found themselves on the football pitch, scoring goals with every step they took. It was their ‘one love’ as Bob Marley would tell us.

Famous painting recreation was happening in our art studio, with mini Picasso’s showcasing their skill. A plethora of art pieces were on show, ‘The Scream’, Pop Art, and Hokusai on offer. Some may argue that our kids adaptations were more impressive; Mike Wazowski found himself in a Banksy work!!

Wilderness instinct was awoken in our campfire starting adventure, as the kids lined the fire with rocks and kindling ready for their marshmallows arrival later that night.

Speaking of the campfire, it was unforgettable as the legend tells. With our new tutors serenading us with their no1 talents, the fire side became a safe space for new friendship to blossom and music to be shared. The children were encouraged to share their respective cultural national anthems and they adored group bonding in their own home values. We roasted marshmallows as the sun set and the night came to a close with a hot chocolate and a chat.

Here’s to another great day under the Bedale sun!!

Wednesday 12th July

Merry Wednesday everybody! There’s no such thing as a hump day here at L&E, and with the camp ablaze with excitement after last night’s campfire delights, we arose with a spring in our step to tackle the day ahead. The Webster’s dictionary defines pancakes as ‘a flat cake made of thin batter and cooked (as on a griddle) on both sides’ – but we’d describe it as the breakfast of champions, and a camp full of champions is exactly what we are. Invigorated by the energy of Nobby’s finest flat cakes, we floated onwards to dodgeball.

If tickets were available to watch the campers vs tutors dodgeball displays so far this week, they would sell out even quicker than Taylor Swift’s era tour tickets (which came out this week). Unfortunately, today was not the same. The kids may have had pancakes for breakfast but judging by their incredible dodgeball performance, they must have been full of beans!The tutors have decided to remove Kenny as their dodgeball leader, with Sam Allardyce on the next train to Aysgrath to turn the ship around.

The selection of activities this morning is best described as a smorgasbord of sheer delight. Our English class of superstars solved riddles in the great outdoors, and played a bafta award worthy board game. For the first time this week, a lucky collection of campers went on an expedition to the Yorkshire (home of the rhubarb triangle) waterways. Canoeing the name. Fun the game. For those feeling sporty, a touch of tag rugby was on the menu. And last, but most certainly not the least, is our creative class. Think Krakatoa. Think Vesuvius. Think Eyjafjallajökull Then Take everything you have ever known about volcanoes, scrunch it up and chuck it in the bin. Because what our creative students created this morning arguably eclipsed all volcanoes before. Papier Mache, sculptures around bottles of a popular carbonated soft drink, with a popular mint dropped in, formed an explosion to end all explosions.

We had chicken burgers for lunch, yet that was not the most important aspect of the hour. We had TWO birthdays to celebrate, for Annelicia and Rose. Lionel Richie was playing, happy birthday was sung and chocolate cake was devoured. It was a privilege for us all to play a part in making sure the two campers had a wonderful day.

In 1998 Gina Gee came 2^nd for the United Kingdom in Eurovision. Her song featured the lyric “Just a little bit more” – and we took that exact approach to our adventure activities today! Canoe, round two, electric boogaloo. We also constructed some bracelets and jewellery in creative, and had a whale of a time playing water polo in the pool on sport.

Post dinner, lasagne Bolognese in case you were wondering, we sauntered down to the theatre for a bit of a chillax and a Disney classic. Big Hero 6  for our big bunch of hero’s, before hot chocolate and bed.

What a day. What a week. What a summer. We go again tomorrow.

Thursday 13th July

The day started with our morning fill of beans and French toast, giving much energy to our campers for the day ahead.

With our spectacular sports hall back in action, our campers wasted no time and immediately got stuck in our traditional morning game of dodgeball. Our tutors fought valiantly in the battle for victory in the most prestigious game here at L&E, but our campers were of course triumphant at last.

Our budding adventurers set off early for a morning of climbing. Courageous climbers they were, as they conquered the boulder wall in front of them in their stride.

Our imaginative artists meanwhile designed printing blocks and produced colourful prints which could give Picasso a run for his money. From Deadpool to Batman, all their artwork was lifelike and impressive.

Our aspiring linguists embarked on a quest to become Britain’s next top baker, as they followed detailed instructions from our judges to bake the most delectable cheesecakes and muffins.

Our well-loved water polo session also made a comeback, with our talented campers competing with each other for the honour of becoming the best athlete on the water.

The camp then got treated to a mouth-watering lunch of grilled chicken and cous cous. Good reviews all around and bellies filled, our campers headed to their afternoon activities.

Our athletes partook in a game of jailbreak in tennis, and ended the session in a riveting game of football.

Meanwhile our artists created the most realistic masks for our biggest event of the week – Disney theme night!

After dinner we immediately got knee deep in one of L&E’s most beloved evening activities, theme night! Tonight’s theme was Disney, with our tutors starting off with a rap battle. Our campers then continued on to playing a series of mini games, from a basketball battle with Troy and a treasure hunt, to picking out mozzarella balls from Ratatouille’s pasta and archery with Merida and Robin Hood, our campers really enjoyed their night in the world of fantasy.

With a terrific performance of Let it Go from our tutors, the Disney theme night drew to a close. Under the spell of hot chocolate, our sleeping beauties headed towards Wonderland; getting recharged and ready for another fun-packed day of adventure.

Friday 14th July

It was a cloudy day as we woke up to our final day with Nobby as our wonderful chef of the week. A nutritious breakfast of toast and eggs fuelled a competitive game of dodgeball. Once again, the campers reigned supreme, not without a spirited fight back from the tutors.

It was an enticing smorgasbord of morning activities to choose from. Campfire cooking involved making delicious choco-bananas and damper bread. Some skills were on show for indoor hockey and basketball, appropriate for the impending rain. Some more baked goods were made in English, learning the ingredients and instructions for cheesecake and cupcakes. Lastly, our musically instincts were put to the test with Just Dance and karaoke.

 Nobby delighted us for lunch with an all-time British favourite in fish and chips. Seconds were definitely had! This was followed by a surprise announcement for an afternoon of team sports. 

Competing for camp sporting glory were Brazil, Mexico, Thailand and Antarctica. After archery and a swim relay, Thailand came out as front runners. Meanwhile, some nail-biting games were being played out in the table football and bench-ball arenas. Thailand’s lead was narrowing. Final rounds of football, basketball and a team flag judging contest lead to a three-way tie between Thailand, Brazil and Mexico. Tie-breaking rules came into play, leading to the declaration of the champion as…..BRAZIL!!!

After free/swim time, paninis and ice cream were served followed by a standing ovation to Nobby and Michael for feeding us tasty meals all week.

Then the anticipation grew. The famed L&E Oscars Night, where legends become immortal. Black tie attire was a recommended optional, before being ushered into the theatre of dreams. There were loud cheers and applause for all nominees and award winners as well as brave performers. To cap off the night, a disco for the ages, with classics, bangers and possibly a dance floor injury or two. Get well soon Paul.

There was a lot of excitement at bedtime, partly post-Oscars buzz, partly for the day-trip tomorrow. See you soon, York.

Our End of Week Montage!

Saturday 15th July

Sunday 16th July

Who’s ready for Summer 2023!?

June/July Newsletter

We hope this newsletter finds you in high spirits and full of anticipation because it’s that time of the year again! We’re thrilled to announce the upcoming Learn & Experience Summer is set to kick off on June 25th, 2023. Get ready for an unforgettable summer filled with adventure, growth, and lifelong memories!

Here’s a sneak peek of what’s in store:

Cultural Diversity:

We have participants from different backgrounds of the UK and all around the world. Connect with local children as well as gain a profound understanding of the world’s diversity.

Travel Skills:

Our Teen Travel trips prepare and inspire young people for any travelling they do in the future. It’s a chance for them to step out into the world and learn life changing and practical skills with the freedom of feeling safe with our experienced guides.

Outdoor Adventure:

If you’re an adrenaline junkie or simply love the great outdoors, our adventure activities are tailor-made for you. Embark on thrilling scuba dives, conquer challenging climbs, paddle through picturesque rivers, and build lasting friendships with fellow adventurers from around the world.

Creative Arts:

Unleash your creativity and express yourself through our captivating Creative activities. From photography and filmmaking to painting and sculpting, we provide a nurturing environment for you to explore your artistic passions and discover new talents.

Sports:

Campers of all abilities will be encouraged to get their sporting shoes on, bring their enthusiasm and get active. There are plenty of ways for the children to get their sporting kicks. It’s exhausting just listing our sports but we offer; football, hockey, lacrosse, archery, athletics, basketball, tennis, golf, badminton, skate boarding, table tennis, handball, water polo, swimming and much more.

Personal Development:

Our programs empower young individuals like you to become inspiring leaders of tomorrow. Develop essential personal and social skills, collaborate on exciting projects, and take part in workshops led by experienced mentors.

English Language Immersion:

Our programs offer an unparalleled opportunity to practise and improve your English Language while immersing yourself in the vibrant culture and traditions of the country.

These are just a few highlights from our range of programs. Whether you’re passionate about sports, adventure, travel, or something entirely unique, we have a program that will fuel your curiosity and ignite your passion.

We’re excited to welcome participants from across the globe to beautiful UK, where you’ll be surrounded by stunning landscapes, welcoming communities, and experienced staff who are dedicated to providing an exceptional experience for each and every participant.

You’re coming?

For those of you already booked please find information to help you prepare:

World Camp UK 2023 Handbook

Teen Travel UK 2023 Handbook

Not booked yet?

If you haven’t already booked we still have some places available this summer. To secure your spot in our Summer Programs, make sure to register online as soon as possible. Spaces are limited, and we wouldn’t want you to miss out on this amazing opportunity!

As always, the health, safety, and well-being of our participants remain our utmost priority. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to our friendly team at hello@learnandexperience.com We’re here to assist you in any way we can.

Let’s make this summer an extraordinary one!

We can’t wait to welcome you to Learn & Experience this summer!

Warmest regards,

Sam and The L&E Team

Empowering Adventures: How an L&E World Camp Can Change Your Children’s Life

Summer camps offer incredible opportunities for children to grow, learn, and create lifelong memories. Learn & Experience (L&E) is renowned for providing exceptional summer camp experiences in the United Kingdom that go beyond the ordinary. With a focus on personal development, cultural immersion, and adventure, L&E World Camp can profoundly transform your child’s life. In this article, we explore the remarkable ways in which an L&E World Camp can positively impact your children, shaping their character, broadening their horizons, and fostering a lifelong love for exploration and discovery.

1. Personal Growth and Confidence Building: L&E World Camps are designed to empower children and foster their personal growth. Through a carefully curated range of activities, campers are encouraged to step outside their comfort zones and challenge themselves. Whether it’s conquering a rock-climbing wall, participating in a theater production, or developing leadership skills through team-building exercises, L&E World Camps provide a supportive environment that nurtures self-confidence, resilience, and a can-do attitude. These newfound skills and belief in their abilities extend far beyond the camp, positively influencing various aspects of their lives.
2. Cultural Immersion and Global Perspective: A key aspect of L&E World Camps is their emphasis on cultural immersion and fostering a global perspective. Campers have the opportunity to interact with peers from different countries, participate in cultural activities, and gain insights into diverse traditions and customs.
3. Outdoor Adventures and Nature Appreciation: The United Kingdom is renowned for its stunning natural landscapes, and L&E World Camps take full advantage of these breathtaking settings. Campers engage in thrilling outdoor adventures, such as hiking, kayaking, and exploring national parks, which not only promote physical fitness but also foster a deep appreciation for nature. Through hands-on experiences, environmental education, and sustainability initiatives, L&E World Camps instil a sense of responsibility and environmental consciousness in children, inspiring them to become stewards of the natural world.
4. Lifelong Friendships and Social Skills: L&E World Camps create a vibrant and inclusive community where lasting friendships are formed. Campers from diverse backgrounds come together, united by a shared sense of adventure and curiosity. Participating in collaborative activities, teamwork challenges, and cultural exchanges, children develop strong bonds, learn effective communication skills, and embrace the values of respect and cooperation. These enduring friendships and social skills acquired at camp become a valuable support system and contribute to their social development throughout their lives.
5. Self-Discovery and Life Skills: L&E World Camps provide a unique opportunity for children to explore their interests, discover new passions, and uncover hidden talents. With a wide range of activities, including sports, arts, outdoor pursuits, and creative workshops, campers have the freedom to explore and develop skills in areas they are genuinely passionate about. This self-discovery process helps children build self-awareness, boosts their self-esteem, and lays the foundation for a lifelong love for learning and personal growth.

Conclusion

L&E World Camps offers an extraordinary journey of self-discovery, personal growth, and unforgettable memories for your children. With a perfect blend of adventure, cultural immersion, and character-building activities, L&E camps create a transformative environment that equips children with essential life skills, broadens their perspectives, and ignites their curiosity for the world around them. Give your child the gift of an L&E summer camp experience in the UK and watch them thrive.

How do I know if my teenager is ready for Teen Travel?

13 to 17 and everything in-between!

L&E Teen Travel is for 13 to 17 year olds.  However, we all know that there are many different types of 13 to 17 year olds!  This is a trip that we think every teen should experience and we want to make sure they are equipped with all the skills they need to set off on their own (not completely on their own!).  If your child has previously attended camps then this is a good start.  They have spent time away from you being independent and making their own decisions.  As they get older, teenagers will naturally want more independence.  This is a great first step to travelling without their parents but in the care of experts.  Let’s be honest, no one knows your child better than you… but if you need advice or want to talk to one of our experts then you can schedule a call with one of our experts.

Speaking the language

The common language that will be spoken is English so will your teenager be able to communicate effectively in the group?  We try to limit each nationality to ensure we are all speaking English.  Therefore your child may not be with someone who speaks their mother tongue (if not English!).  If your teenager is looking to improve their spoken English then we can think of no better immersive experience!  

What type of skills will they need?

Teen Travel is about learning new things such as budget management and how to organise an itinerary.  Each member will bring their own individual skills that will help the group.  One of the most important things the teens will have to figure out early on in the trip is what they each bring to the table.  Is there an A+ maths student in the group – they can take the lead with the expenses, does someone enjoy writing – they can assist others in writing the daily blog.  No matter what skills each teenager has, they will all have to work together as a group.  Each person’s skillset to make sure they get the most out of the trip.  

What happens if my teen gets upset or homesick?

This trip could potentially be the most exciting and challenging thing your teen has ever done.  Our Travel Mentors are fully aware of this.  They will be monitoring each child throughout the trip to ensure they are happy and getting the most out of the trip.  If any teen is upset for whatever reason the Travel Mentors are there to listen and to help them.  We can safely say that 9 times out of 10 it is simply tiredness that makes someone upset.  This is easily fixed by a good nights sleep or an additional rest day.  The Travel Mentors will manage the itinerary.  If it looks like the teens are travelling too often (changing locations every day) then they will step in before anything is planned and offer some sound advice.  

Want to know more?

We can offer advice to you and your teen.  So please get in touch with us if you have any questions about Teen Travel.  You can schedule a call with one of our experts who can talk you through the trip or email teentravel@learnandexperience.com with any questions you may have.

Teen Travel really is an adventure of a lifetime – take the first step, get in touch!  

Sierra’s L&E Journey

“I quickly realised how inclusive the camp was”

Over the past 10 years we have had hundreds of children come to spend their summers with us and with each child comes a story, this is Sierra’s story.  Sierra is from Kentucky in the USA and first came to L&E at the age of 14 in 2014.  Her grandmother Denise made the trip up north to drop Sierra off at camp as she lives in London and Sierra spends her summers there.  After being bullied and picked on at school Denise wanted her granddaughter to grow up knowing that she didn’t need to “conform” and feel the need to try and “fit in”.  Sierra describes how nervous she was about coming to camp as she thought she would be an outsider being the only American.  She very quickly realised how inclusive the camp was and how her nationality or background didn’t matter.  Sierra later described the best part of L&E was the way in which she was able to interact with everyone regardless of age, gender or background.

“learn the art of travel in a safe and supportive environment”

The following year, as well as coming back to camp for 2 weeks Sierra, along with 5 other teenagers from across Europe booked onto the Teen Travel UK trip.  Teen Travel is a unique programme for 15 & 16 year olds which allows teenagers to learn the art of travel in a safe and supportive environment.  Sierra describes Teen Travel as “helping her with real life problems” and although she learns a lot from her parents about how to budget and organise transportation it isn’t the same as “experiencing it for yourself”.  Living and travelling with others is all about compromise and Sierra found this to be a big part of the trip.  Knowing that what one person wanted wasn’t the only thing that mattered and it was the whole group that needed to agree – “teamwork makes the dreamwork!”  Furthermore, being accountable and learning valuable practical skills translated into Sierra having the ability to navigate the international journey to camp each year.

“the L&E experience has been a game changer for Sierra”

Speaking about the overall effects L&E had on Sierra, she expressed that the experiences she gained from the multiple programmes she attended prepared her for college largely due to being exposed to people from different cultural and religious backgrounds.  Without these experiences she felt that her transition to college would have been “difficult”.

We asked Denise to try and sum up how she felt L&E had effected her granddaughter…“the L&E experience has been a game changer for Sierra.  She owns and rocks her self-confidence with ease and grace.  That confidence is no longer predicated on the “if they like me”; it is now firmly rooted in the “I will be fine if they don’t”.  Her view of the world and its infinite possibility is tremendously expansive.  She clearly understands that living life is about the journey, as the destination is just a marker at a point in time and ever changing.”

“an absolute pleasure playing a part in Sierra’s journey”

Sierra is currently undertaking an undergraduate course at the University of Kentucky in Animal Science and Technology and her goal is to become a veterinarian, and if you ask her grandmother she will describe this as her “destiny”.

It has been an absolute pleasure playing a part in Sierra’s journey and we wish her all the very best for the future and hope to see her back at L&E one day…perhaps wearing an orange polo shirt!

Full Testimonial from Sierra’s Grandmother

Sierra’s summer experiences with L&E made a tremendous impact on her self-esteem and sense of being.  Meeting, mixing, and bonding with young people from all over the world helped her to establish a real sense of belonging and an understanding of the privilege and responsibility that comes with being a citizen of the world.

L&E creates a microcosm that consistently exemplifies what real community is.  In this space, the young people are able flourish without judgement or ridicule or constraining social norms.  Kind consideration for one another is the underlying vibe or mantra.

With this as a foundation for her summer experiences, Sierra has been able to fully explore what being the best version of self looks like, feels like, and sounds like.  Her experiences with the extra activity (horse riding) helped her “find” her true passion.  The encouragement from the instructors and the opportunities she had to bond with the horses simply sealed her destiny.  Sierra will work with animals – full stop.

Before going to L&E she was being bullied and picked on at school.  The decision to send her to L&E was purely predicated on the fact that we did not want her to grow up feeling like she needed to conform or “be like” just so she could “fit it”.

When we arrived day-1 of her first year; I was helping her unpack and group of girls popped around the corner asking her name and where she was from.  Sierra froze and said nothing, so I did all the introductions.  I remember thinking “come on Sie get out there” and then I just left the room.  Within 5 minutes, she and the entire group came bouncing down the stairs and she was on her way.

As it turns out, her experiences with L&E have been gateway experiences.  Every summer when she returned from camp, she was more confident and secure and capable with a very grounded sense ofwho she is and what she wants from life.

As a part of teem travel, her self-awareness expanded even more.  Teen travel is a truly unique experience because it deems them fully accountable for what happens next.  It becomes a good experience only if they work to make if a good experience – as a team they plan, organise, budget, etc.  The fact that they are responsible for every single aspect of the allows them to make very adult decisions being fully accountable for the outcome.  The practical skills learned as a part of Teen Travel meant that we were more confident in her ability to navigate the international journey to camp every year.

The L&E experience has been a game changer for Sierra.  She owns and rocks her self-confidence with ease and grace.  That confidence is no longer predicated on the “if they like me”; it is now firmly rooted in the “I will be fine if they don’t”.  Her view of the world and its infinite possibility is tremendously expansive.  She clearly understands that living life is about the journey, as the destination is just a marker at a point in time and ever changing.

I can never in 1,000 years thank the L&E team enough.

Denise BB, October 2018

Full Interview with Sierra

1: How did you feel about coming to camp before you arrived?

When I first found out I was going to L&E I was excited because I knew it was going to be a great experience but when I arrived there I became very nervous and overwhelmed by the amount of people that were there. Since I was from America and many of the people there were from Europe, I thought that I would be an outcast.

2: How did you feel after camp was finished?

After my 2 weeks of being at camp was over I was very sad. I had so much fun meeting people, participating in activities and games and going horseback riding. When my time at camp was over that’s when I realized how close I had become with the campers and tutors, it felt like I was leaving my second family. 

3: What’s the best thing about camp?

The best part of L&E would have to be how involved the camp is. Most camps I have been to, you would find a small group of people you connected with and stay with them the entire time. With this camp all the activities and games were made to have everyone involved. Here I was able to interact with all people of different age groups and ethnicities and still have fun.

4: What did you learn on Teen Travel?

Teen Travel taught me how to live with others and how to compromise. I’m used to living with family members but had never stayed with people I had just met. I noticed how many times everyone had disagreements over what we wanted to do and what we felt we should spend our money on. Being in these situations made me realize that what I wanted wasn’t the only thing that mattered and that it is important to learn how to work well with others. Teamwork makes the dream work.

5: What would you say to someone who was thinking about doing TT but was undecided?

I would tell them that they should give it a try because it will help them with real life problems. Where I’m from my school never taught me how to budget and find my own transportation and accommodations. The little bit that I did know about these things came from what my parents told me but it’s not the same as experiencing it for yourself. Along with learning all these things you also get the chance to adventure out, meet new people, travel to new places and have fun while doing it. 

6: Any other thoughts about L&E?

I believe L&E is a great place for everyone. I was a very introverted person and L&E helped me step out of my comfort zone and get used to meeting and being around a lot of different people. 

7: What effect did L&E have on you?

In my opinion I believe that L&E has prepared me for college. If it wasn’t for the camp and teen travel I would not have been exposed to being around and living with multiple people from different cultural backgrounds and religions. Without L&E I feel like my transition into college would have been very difficult.

Teen Travel: UK Tour (26/06-9/07)

Our first trip of the summer has begun and we have a wonderful group. 10 teens from 7 different countries met in London and have started their journey around the UK.

This is an authentic travel experience…the teens are in control of nearly every element of their trip. They will learn to budget, communicate, delegate, compromise and much more.

The teens will take it turns to document their trip. As you can manage this is full immersive experience so their priority isn’t to be writing blogs but they will endeavour to update us every 2-3 days…

Day 1 – 3: London to Cardiff to Glasgow

Berkeley, USA…

The Castle and the Cooking

“On our first morning in Cardiff, we explored the city, visiting important sites like Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Castle, and Bute Park. When we got back, we made homeade garlic bread, and spaghetti with a vegetarian sauce.

The next day, having mostly recovered from jet lag, I was chosen to be in charge of serving dinner. I elected to serve a Welsh classic, leek and potato soup, and rarebit. Ironically, in the land of leeks, we found every ingredient except for the leeks. This sent us on a wild goose chase through Cardiff, where we met Tom Jones, and ended our pursuit at the Cardiff Market.

Preparing the soup was a different beast. After a long time chopping leeks, potatoes, and onions, my crew and I set to work washing our mess and stirring the vegetables in butter. We followed the recipe perfectly, until we found out our blender was broken. Nevertheless, with a masher and some determination, we managed to create a wonderful, Welsh dining experience.“

Julia F, USA…

“While in Wales, we decided to make cookies. Though our airbnb did not have any of the necessary tools to make cookies (ex. bowls, whisks, spatulas, mixers, vanilla, etc.). I learned to problem solve, which ended up being me using a pot as a bowl and slowly stirring my concoction with a table spoon.

After booking our “pods” in scotland, we discovered they did not have any bedding. Although some of us might have gotten lost in a build a bear, others in the group were determined that we have comfortable sleeping accommodations. They went hunting from camping store to camping store and scored us all our necessary sleeping bags and pillows. They haggled for 15% off, and we scored some sleeping bags and comfy pillows (even though ava lost her sleeping bag like 4 times).”

Charlotte, France…

“Our train to Glasgow was cancelled so we decided to sit down and kill some time at a lounge in the train station by playing card games.
We all learned some new card games by watching and listening eachother.
We finally got two trains, one from Liverpool to Wigan and the other one from Wigan to Glasgow, both of them where pretty full but we managed to all finally have a seat.”

Day 4 – 6: Glasgow to Edinburgh

Charlotte, France…

“After a chill morning, we went to Go Ape in Aberfoyle. We started with the explanations and safety instructions. To start we did a first long zip line to join the different courses. we did 6 different courses including a long zip line 426 meters long and 45 meters high to finish. We were all separated into several groups of three. The different courses had lots of different activities as tarzan jump, small zip lines or crossing on wooden logs. It was great fun ! After this, we went to a pub. Most of us tried Irn-Bru for the first time a very sweet scottish drink. We all took different food as pizza, scampi… During lunch we made some plans for the night and secured our accommodation in Edinburgh.”

Ronny, Italy…

On June 30th we were in Trassachs Holiday Park staying in pods. In the evening there was the brilliant idea of ​​having a bbq. We had a lot of fun that evening…we laughed and sang! In short we had a lot of fun then we made a fire where we also cooked marshmallows.

Jessica, Thailand & Marta, Spain…

We woke up around 8-10am and started to pack up and get ready for the day. After we had breakfast, we broke up into groups of three and started planning how to get to Edinburgh.

We ended up with having to get a taxi from the pods to a small town called Aberfoyle, and then a bus from Aberfoyle to Sterling. Then, we had to walk to the train station to catch the train to Edinburgh.

When we got to Edinburgh, we walked around 15 minutes to get some lunch at Nandos. We all had delicious meals and spent some time talking and laughing. Luckily, our accommodation was around 5 minutes away from Nandos, so we quickly walked to it and just spent some time chilling out in the apartments.

To end the day, we all went to an arcade, which was also just around 5 minutes away form the apartments. We had lots of fun playing games, and spent some time bowling in groups. Marta and Charlotte were the bowling winners!

After some fun in the arcade, we all went to the nearest supermarket to get some breakfast for the next morning.

Day 7 – 10: Edinburgh to Hogwarts to Brighton

Julia M, USA…

On the third of July we traveled an hour by train to see the castle that Harry Potter was filmed at for someone in the groups golden ticket. The castle was beautiful and there was so much to see. Some of us even dressed up in medieval outfits and wandered the grounds. While part of the group explored the “Hogwarts” halls others found fluffy hills to roll down again and again. We all joined together again to roll down a hill as a nice bonding activity. Later that day we found a cute pizza restaurant and enjoyed a delicious dinner. That night we walked through the streets of Scotland following a ghost tour and even got access into the underground streets where many years ago families had lived during very hard times.

Derek, Canada…

We left the accommodation at 12:00 and directly went to Arthur’s seat to roll down it. After a lot of walking and waiting we finally got up to the top which is when we realized we couldn’t roll down Arthur’s seat and went back down by walking.
After that we went back to town and visited camera obscura which was lots of fun even though it made us a bit dizzy.

Charlotte, France…

After a really chill morning, we took the bus for Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh. We walked to the top of it, it was really windy up there ! We took lots of pictures, the view was so worth it !! Down the hill we had ice cream, then headed to a chinese restaurant where we had lunch, it was really great.
After, we went to Victoria street, Jessica’s golden ticket ! Some of us went to a Harry Potter shop and others just admired this beautiful street. We explored a bit the rest of the city but everything was getting closed. However, we found Camera Obscura an illusion museum , where 21st Century tech meets classic illusions and historic science. It was great fun. When we left to get the bus we came across a man and his owl, Hazel the owl. Julia and Berkley took it on their hand for a few minutes.
We finally took the bus to go back to our accomodation. Arrived there some of us stayed to chill at the accomodation and the others went to the cinema to watch the new minion movie.

Jessica, Thailand…

We all decided to go to Alnwick castle, Ronny’s golden ticket. We travelled from Edinburgh to Alnmouth on the train, and took a taxi from the train station to the castle.

When we got to the castle, we all split up and had a wonder around. We learned about how the castle came to be, and who used to live in it. Did you know that some scenes in Harry Potter was filmed there? It was really cool to see where Harry and his friends learned how to fly their broomsticks.

When we finished visiting Alnwick castle, we headed back to Edinburgh and had dinner at a pizza restaurant. After dinner, we went on a ghost tour around Edinburgh, and a few of us got jump scared 👻. It was a fantastic way to learn about some of Edinburgh’s history.

At the end of the day, we were all really tired so we headed back to our accommodation and went straight to bed.

Marta, Spain…

We woke up early to catch the train. We traveled from Edinburgh to Brighton by train, making a stop in London.

When we arrived to Brighton, we had to find the accommodation were we would stay for two nights. When we were there we chose rooms.

We were starving so we went to eat fish and chips for dinner. We found a restaurant that was number one on TripAdvisor. Then we went to the beach and we went back to the accommodation.

Day 11 – 14: Brighton – London

Berkeley, USA…

On Wednesday, we were moving fairly slowly. We had things to take care of by the end of the day, but we started our day with small groups of teens going for walks in Brighton. We were situated by the beach, so it was a nice area to walk around. After an unstructured start to our day, we went to a taperia for lunch.

Following a nice lunch, we went to the North Lanes in Brighton. It was an area full of shops, mainly clothing stores. However, you could also find the occasional café, record shop, or haberdashery.

After shopping, we convened to find a place to stay. It was our last day in the AirBnB, so we needed a new place to stay. We tried AirBnBs, hostels, and even looked at hotels, but we didn’t find a good option. The best option we found was to book another AirBnB in Brighton, which was a successful venture.

Having found an accommodation for the rest of our stay, we went back to the AirBnB, where a meal of rice and vegetables was made.

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