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Memories of Paris

Lewis Redfern recalls his experience of a school trip to Paris

Group PhotoI went on the French trip to Paris with Mosslands School. We had to be at school on Sunday 11th July at midnight to leave for the trip. We started to head off to Paris at quarter past 12 at night. We travelled to Birmingham then we changed drivers, while we were changing drivers we went into the service station for 45 minutes.  I was glad to go there because I was starving. That’s when people got food and drink for the journey. So then we headed off to Dover to catch the boat to Calais. At around 3.30 in the morning people started to fall asleep. I was very tired and I felt like getting asleep but I couldn’t. We finally got to Dover at 7am.

After we had parked the coach on the ferry, we got off and went upstairs to find seats. We all found seats and then we got separated into to groups.  I was in Mrs Roberts’s group - we had the best group. As the boat started we saw the white cliffs of Dover We were allowed to walk around the boat but in groups of two or more people.  We could walk around the boat for 40 minutes and everyone was excited to look, especially me. Some people got some breakfast. After 40 minutes we had to come back and get our names ticked off. Then we could walk around for another 30 minutes. When we got to Calais everyone was happy. We all got back on the coach and drove off the boat and on to land.  We then set off for the PGL centre.  We were travelling for over 3 hours and that’s when I fell asleep. Then we stopped off at the memorial (Vimy Ridge) for 1 hour and a half.

ArcheryThen we went to the PGL centre. We eventually got there. I was surprised when I saw that the instructors were English as I thought they would have been French. We got our suitcases and our bags and the PGL man (Joey) took us to our rooms. We got given 2 key cards for each room. We had 30 minutes to unpack. Then we had to go to a different man (Alex) and we had a tour around the whole centre. After the tour we had our dinner and everyone was starving. Then it was our evening activity, which was a movie called click because everyone was tired. At about 10.30 we went to bed.

ClimbingThe next day Breakfast was at 8.00 so we had to get up at 7.00. Everyone was up and awake at 7.00 so some people played football and others talked. Before breakfast we got back into groups and counted how many people were ready for breakfast. We all went to breakfast. Before we had breakfast we had to make our lunches. For breakfast there was bowls of cereal. After lunch, we got ready to go to the Stade de France and we left on the coach.  It was about an hour to get there. We got there early so we went into the shop and museum. Then the lady came and gave us a tour and we headed up to the top of the stadium.  Everyone was excited to go up. We got to the top and the lady was giving us information. Then we tested the echo. After that we headed down to the changing rooms and on the way we saw the President’s elevator.  Plus we went to the mini hospital. We got to the players’ changing room. There were shirts with loads of famous football players and rugby players. Everyone took pictures of them. Then we went into a room which was empty and we played a little game of football. Then we went to the VIP seats and the echo there was very loud. After that, we went into the president’s stand where he goes when there’s a big game. He has bullet proof windows. After that we went back to the PGL centre and had lunch then we had free time. Then after that we had dinner. For dinner we had pork and mash with yogurts if you wanted them. We had swimming after that for half an hour. Then we had our evening activity which involved getting wet and damp. After that we went to bed.

 Eiffel TowerOn Wednesday we had breakfast then went to the Eiffel tower. Most people went up to the top of the Eiffel tower. I felt dizzy but it was an amazing view. After the Eiffel tower we headed for the coach but it was thundering and lightning. So we ran to the bus shelter. And we stood there for half an hour. Then the coach suddenly turned up and we ran into the coach and had lunch. Then at the PGL centre it was sunny and we had free time, then swimming. After that, we had dinner. We went to our evening activity which was a number of games.  We played a chasing game, capture the flag, and mini rounders.  In mini rounders we had to run around bases and then slide on a surface which had water and soap on. Then we went to bed. On Thursday all schools were out on trips somewhere and we had the place to ourselves.  We did activities all day in separate groups.  We did archery , orienteering and zip wire in the morning then we did all together abseiling and climbing. As we did abseiling and climbing quickly we went swimming for a hour and a half. After that, we went to dinner and I had snails! They tasted like garlic. After that, we had our evening activity and we had choices this time: disco, karaoke, or football. I went to the disco and it was funny. After that, we got to stay up to 11.00pm because it was the last day. Then everyone went to bed. The next morning we packed and went to breakfast and we made our lunch. We got on the coach and headed for Calais to get the boat back to Dover. We got to the boat but before that we had to show our passports. We headed back to Mosslands School and we stopped at 2 service stations on the way back.  We got back just after midnight. We got our passports given back to us.

What I enjoyed the most on the trip was the Eiffel tower because it was an amazing view.

Good points: archery was good because we got to shoot at targets and have a match against each other, zip wire was scary but I thought it was good.

The food was okay but there weren’t any frog legs. Plus it was good in some other points like snails and roast dinner.

I would like to go again but it would be better if there was a more comfortable coach because the seats weren’t soft. Plus more time in the swimming pool would be good.
Overall the trip was good and I would definitely go again.

-By Lewis Redfern 7R1   

 

Other Student comments:

"It was a fantastic trip, it truly was. The food was lovely, the activities were good and the staff were a good laugh.  We all had a beautiful time in our room 219 !! If I could go on it again I would…"

- Jack Mountford 10F2

"Very good trip. Good Journey."
- Tom Jones 10F3
 
"Good trip even though it rained when we were in Paris it was a fantastic country. I will go again if it is offered."

- Ryan Henson 10G1