Are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin
This rally was my 1st and defiantly not last sago Rally (also mine), Let’s see a few words to sum up the camp ummmmm here’s the report because a few words aren’t good enough.
For me the rally started a few weeks ago when we decided that rocky horror was our theme for the barn dance and subsequently ended up with my legs getting partially waxed the Tuesday before camp, but we shall get to that later on. (Having not seen rocky horror show, I happily agreed to it, finding out later how little people actually wore! No wonder the blokes were so keen on it, or did they just want to cross dress?)
Friday night
Arrived at the beam engine (I arrived at the other side of the car park, all alone! With piles of stuff) on time and had a bit of a wait while everyone arrived, but once we were all assembled we piled all the kit (except Andy’s Hike Boots) into the van on top of what looked like a model building site in the back of the van. Every one in the bus: exits here here and here in the event of a crash assume this position, that’s all I can remember from the journey as I caught up on sum sleep. (I talked allllll the way there to Ashleigh about nothing in particular) When we arrived at the site and we signed in and started pitching our tents rather randomly in the field. I was then introduced to a very good looking pink elephant who was later sum how entrusted to me (big mistake). (I will add here that Paul’s rather nice bunny rabbit teddy was abandoned and neglected whilst paul looked after then lost the elephant, poor bunny spent the entire weekend in my tent.) Well the bar was open so we started drinking in the hut while everyone else arrived, (with dodgy soup and cold hot dogs up for grabs camp was well into the swing of things) once everyone had signed in it was time to move to the campfire, which was nearly producing heat. Well scogui been scogui we took control of the proceedings around the fire and started singing and continued singing for most of the night apart from breaks to meet and greet people from other groups, (this was bitterly complained about by the Warwick mini bus drivers on the way back from pub crawl) time for bed and I took the elephant with me, who was to know that she wouldn’t be seen till Sunday afternoon. (Ashleigh and I retired to bed somewhat earlier, but the coldness prohibited our sleep)
Saturday
Woke up rather cold due to the fact my sleeping bags zip broke, so what do you do when your cold in the morning? Put on shorts and a kilt. (My sleeping bag was not broke but I was still freezing, my reaction was to wear as many clothes as possible) Once breky was eaten (somewhat disappointing as we only got half a slice of eggy bread and the beans had run out) it was time for a huge wide game unlike anything that I have ever played before just by the scale of it, for the game you had collect items from people hiding in the wood then make a device to propel an egg as far as possible, well my team decided it would be best to just use items found around site i.e. three very long drain pipes hanging from a tree, unfortunately the egg broke in the middle of the pipe and the yoke dribbled out of the end, so surprisingly we didn’t win that game, I think the team who turned one person into a large bird was the best although they didn’t fly very well.(after I found, lost and found my team again we made a plane that looked very pretty but didn’t fly too well.) After lunch, it was time for the activities which for me, meant pub crawl, so time to go back to my tent and put on the shirt and tie along with Taz, Ed, Tom and James, we’re not alcoholics but we do go to meetings. Well it was a very fast pub crawl you only had time to get a drink before it was the five min warning that we would be moving to the next pub so that’s why I was on the doubles with mixer, I think it was a great pub crawl although Taz did win Horis when really the hippo should have been mine to go with the other two that I got. (I enjoyed the general warmth of the pub-crawl, and although my bag gained a few glasses it did mean James carried it for me) Well with the pub crawl over it was time to get back to the site. Well with dinner (very bad dinner which brought back horrible memories of school dinners, arghhhhh) over and done with it was time to get ready for the barn dance why oh why rocky horror. Well with a corset, wig and fishnets you can’t get anymore better looking can you. (I also had a corset and fishnets, but avoided the wig) With the barn dance in full swing it was time for the costume judging well scogui didn’t manage to win the group award but all hope wasn’t lost we did have a winner in the individual competion namely ME. The barn dance then continued with lots of dancing which was great fun especially when you are quite drunk well I had to be to wear what I did. (The barn dance was slightly dangerous, and as Ashleigh experienced dancing with edd was risking death) See the pictures if you don’t believe me. Well once again it was time to go to the campfire, there wasn’t much signing mainly due to the fact everyone was either to drunk or too tired. (Thankfully I rounded up two extra people for our tent to increase the warmth, which worked but not until morning)
Sunday
Woke up to the shout you have 5 minuets to get your breakfast so ran for it, although I actually got my breakfast an hour later. (I avoided breakfast and stayed in bed, as I was warm) The morning was full of silly games including England vs. Wales on radio, which was just silly. Well I did my best to do the silliest things in my team including untying a hanging doughnut with my teeth then eating the string and the doughnut at the same time, also the spider web which was broken so as the last person having a go my gap had disappeared which meant I had to do a half pike summersault through a tiny hole damn did that hurt. Well with other silly games involving rugby with balloons and picking up cardboard with your teeth from off the ground, all the games were not only silly but good fun but I didn’t know that the best way to win was to bribe officials what can I say I don’t cheat unlike some people. (I was generally horrified by the fact that cheating was encouraged, and the unfairness of the fact when we did cheat we got disqualified!) For lunch it was the gadaffy plate challenge set for us by Manchester, The scogui team mike on the beans with a cocktail stick challenge, Simon on the marshmallow challenge, jen smarties with chopsticks oh and also some drunk with a hangover eating cream crackers and getting very badly beaten. Well we lost the challenge and it was all due to the idiot with the cream crackers. Well with that over and done with it was time for the closing ceremony which means that Freda needed to be back in the care of James only problem she had been stolen from the inside of my tent after asking every one on camp where she was she was found kidnapped in the back off someone’s car and not a minuet too soon as I would have had to do a forfeit. Well the closing ceremony came thanks went to everyone who had had a part in making the camp the success that it was, I must say that ssago are a bit strange with all of there little customs and awards that’s why I think I fit in perfectly. Well with all that over and down with it was time for the goodbyes and the hugs and we were on our way, unlucky Taz having to leave your car down there. (Bless) Well camp finally finished in EHB later on with a couple of drinks before I started writing this, if you have got to the end of this then well done because its taken me three attempts.
The last thing I want to say about the camp is I can’t wait for the next. (Me neither!)
Written by Paul Thompson (comments by Seb)
