Sunday 7 October 2012

Storytelling Sunday

My son has just got back from a week-long school trip to the Isle of Wight. He returned home full of tales of the adventures he's had and it got me thinking about the trips I went on as a child.

In what would now be Year 6, the same age R is now, we went to a youth hostel in Llandrindod Wells in North Wales. I remember little about the activities, although I'm fairly sure it rained a lot, but I do clearly remember the disco on the last night.
On the coach that afternoon, as pre-teens will, Derek Chandler's best friend asked my bestie if I would dance a slow dance with Derek. She convinced me that it was a wind-up so I said yes. I was mortified when I realised Derek (the class geek) was serious.
I was all dressed up in my sparkly ra-ra skirt (this was 1980) but I spent most of the night in hiding. Eventually Derek and I were pushed together and I endured the whole of 'Tru' by Spandau Ballet in his arms. I still can't hear that song without shuddering!

We also went to the Isle of Wight while I was at Primary School, though just for the day I think, and I remember being insanely jealous of Queen Victoria's children who had a whole Swiss Cottage to play in at Osbourne House!

 
When I started learning French in Year 8 we spent a day in Cherbourg in France, and all I recall of that was buying long strips of boiled sweets in various fruit flavours to take home.

My family couldn't afford the annual ski trip so, other than that French day trip, the first time I went abroad with schoolmates was in the 6th Form, when we visited Woking's twin town, Amstelveen in The Netherlands. It was a deeply boring town; the highlights of the trip were visits to the town hall and a brewery. Unfortunately, my exchange partner, Cristina and I did not have much in common but she tried to entertain me with cycle rides and smoked fish and . I have never enjoyed cycling and I hated the fish, but I did discover something hugely cool and new - chips with mayonnaise!

I must have photos of Amstelveen , and probably the sparkly disco skirt too, but I can't lay my hands on them, so for today my words must speak louder than pictures. Head over to Sian at High in the Sky for some more Sunday Storytelling.

 
 

16 comments:

Missus Wookie said...

Awww another post mentioning how songs can take you back - although not so happily for you. Funny how certain things stay in your mind and the rest is a blur or blank isn't it?

Unknown said...

Yes that song doesn't give me any memories apart from torturous ones :D

Maria Ontiveros said...

What a great story. Someday I should blog about my school trips; I've scrapped them but left out some of the more incriminating episodes.
Rinda

Sian said...

Kirsty, this really resonated with me and I'm laughing at the thought of it! When we were in First Form we went on the ferry for a day trip to the Isle of Man and there was a disco. That's all I'm saying..I didn't have a sparkly rar-ra skirt, though, more's the pity..

Irene said...

Childhood memories are wonderful and it is amazing the things we remember. I wonder what Derek's memory would be? He probably loved your ra-ra skirt!
How lovely that you son now has his own Isle of Wight memories.

humel said...

Lovely post, Kirsty :) You've got me remembering my own school trip experiences now, thank you! x

humel said...

PS Glad he had a good time and is excited to tell you all about it :)

Julia Dunnit said...

Ah yes..the ra ra skirt and the strange trips...., fretost Kirsty...no photos needed, for sure...

Miriam said...

More memories of 'the school trips' here Kirsty. How lovely that your son has a school trip tale to tell you. I'm sure my son used to tell me 'nothing' when I asked "what did you do?"

Ruth said...

Oh, my, the horrors of the last dance at the school disco!

Alison said...

I'm so glad I missed 'ra-ra' skirts..I was much too old (in my 20s!!)by then!
Alison xx

Melissa said...

Oh my, what a great rash of memories!

Jennifer Grace said...

Love your memories of the disco! I'm sure many of us have similar memories. I remember a trip to Belgium when everyone teased me for fancying a boy who didn't like me ( I was about 13). And we all got hyper on some extremely sugary sweets and the teachers could not get us to shut up all night long!

Lisa-Jane said...

Oh you have brought back memories! We went to a day trip to Cherbourg too and bought the same strips of sweets! I did a French exchange too and we didn't get on either!

Jo said...

Great memories there, thanks for sharing x

furrypig said...

my DD is off on a French exchange next week. Your story did remind me of so many things from my youth, not least of all dancing to Spandau Ballet! sadly my day off is different to yours Kirsty but we may be able to meet up sometime as we are very close to each other in Surrey!