Taking a modern record of 25 to Bath, with a car, minibus leaving from Loughborough and Barry, Cat and Andy making there own way there. Just after 10 Scogui arrived at the school in Alexander Park which would be our home for the weekend. With the increased size of SSAGO, and the indoor venue there were nearly 200 at the rally (compared with 90 the previous autumn) a record for a couple of years.
With a campsite in a lowered courtyard, sleeping in a geography class room and the barn dance in the sports hall it was rather surreal with the headmaster always expected.
The evening was spent around the campfire, with a box of nice beer to keep me company. After a few hours tiredness got to me, so I disappeared off to bed, in the classroom to find most people had already gone to bed.
Saturday morning was spent walking into Bath, and completing a picture hunt. I am not sure what the Japanese tourists thought about students performing the dead bugs dance outside a tea shop. Once Bath had been explored when returned to the Scout hut which would be the base for lunch before heading out on the pub crawl.
The pub crawl was a strange affair with blokes in kilts, random de-tours, both the England Rugby and Football teams and very expensive drinks. After a couple of hours we all tried to get home on the buses, which is easier said than done. As my bladder was straining I passed on the last pub, which had a large Polar Bear on the roof!!
The evening was spent in the sports hall with Grand Union performing for a change, instead of the usual rannygazoo. Scogui went as the 101 dalmations, as it was a Disney themed rally and WON!!! The rest of the evening was spent around the campfire, and eating the breakfast (doh!!).
On Sunday we returned to silly games around the school campus, with activities on the sports pitches and the sports hall including a giant 12ft ball (the point of which escpaes me 2.5 years on). After completing the games, the closing ceremony occurred with the presentation of the newly found rally mascot Hesley Wood (briefly including me hat), Sarah singing to get little Scogui back and evertyone promising to reconvene at Brum in four months time.
PS. The journey home for those on the minibus was an experience, with Lee being sick, both headlights failing, being stuck on the wrong carriage way of the M5 and taking twice as long as usual.
Written by Martin Whelan
