I tell you, when I was a teenager I went camping in someone's garden with Girl guides or a field, holidays were in a caravan in Cornwall or North Devon and I didn't fly until I was 18 and yet both my girls will travel away with the school this year. In fact as I type this Beccy is in Pattaya in Thailand enjoying the beach after spending the last 9 days in Bangkok on a school exchange program! The photo is one of Beccy and her friend Anna waiting for the coach to Heathrow at the beginning of their trip! Its a far cry for the School French trip to Rennes from my schooldays!! She has had: an elephant ride, a a fish foot massage(sounded gross but am assured it was amazing!), a Thai Massage, shopping shopping and more shopping in the night markets, a tuk tuk ride, had a full head of hair extensions put in and her nails done with crystal insets and today been to a "Lady -boy" Beauty contest!!!!!!!!! She has dealt with being ill and nosebleeds and homesickness and to the greater extent taken it all in her stride! The students have learnt Thai dance and put on a show for the school in Bangkok- thats 4000 students- all girls! They dressed in traditional Thai costume and walked to The Great temple in heat and humidity and she didn't whine once!!!!
Beccy has admitted she feels she has really grown up and while she will always be our baby, this has been a great opportunity for her and I hope gives her a real taste for travel!
Grace is off to France for the last week of school- not nearly as far as they are only going to Normandy but still I shall really miss her as I have done Beccy. No doubt the texts will tell me she is having a great time and hardly missing us!
Eli, you will be pleased to know, has NOT been travelling overseas but he has had his 1st Pony ride which he loved and showed no fear- even when wobbling precariously to one side whilst waving rather enthusiastically at Nanny and Pumpa!!! The highlight for him however was getting to help "groom" a pony- I use the term loosely as I am not sure how much contact the brush had with the pony but Eli thought he was the business so thats the main thing!
No doubt in a few years Eli will be off on some wild adventure but for now I remain happy in the knowledge that the furthest adventure he wants is at the Miniature Pony Centre!
