Twitter Takeover!

The Twitter Takeover has begun! Earlier this week, Charlie, Tom and I were given permission to take over our units Twitter page, this called for a celebratory tweet!

Please follow our unit Twitter account @LincsScoutWSJ15 and follow the High Flyers on our journey to Japan!
Thank you!

Training Camp #3

Once again, last weekend, The High Flyers came together as a unit. It was a very exciting reunion as we hadn't see each other for two months. On our arrival we were given ten UK contingent badges to sell as well as one for our uniforms, a tube of smarties and a coloured post-it note. We were given instructions to eat the smarties but save the tube. After everyone had arrived, the secret about the post-it notes came out. Kev got bored signing everyone in and decided to mess us around. After a few jokes, the suspense was broken when the unit were finally told which patrols we were in. I am in the Red Devils with Maddie (the patrol leader) and Henry (The assistant patrol leader). Our adult leader is Steven. Patrol time came next which included a very violent game of Irish snap!The next morning our patrol were in charge of breakfast resulting in 5am lay in. On the menu that morning was salty fish soup, bacon and eggs and then a traditional Japanese salad. Breakfast was early in the morning because in Japan, some mornings we have to be on coaches by 6 and there is a possibility that the coach park may be more than half an hour away from our camp. By nine, we had played 3 different activities: rugby, water balloon fights and a morning workout. All of the activities were led by members of IST. They were really fun! A sex education talk followed as well as first aid and running activities for other patrols that were previously planned. 

Lunch time came along and everyone enjoyed it. After lunch we had a presentation from two guys who attended the last WSJ in Sweden. They told us everything we needed to know and also gave us a little question and answer session. After we had free time so we hung about, enjoying each others company playing hockey, cricket and generally having a great time. 

It was then time for the quiz. We set up the local community centre, right next to the campsite and then split up into groups. My team and I were called the 5 Guides and it. This was because, Maisie, Catherine, Ellie, Gemma and Alice were all Guides and I was the only Scout. After a great time, our team came joint fourth. We enjoyed the experience and were all shocked when the results of the Great Balloon Release were announced. Catherine's balloon traveled the furthest therefore earning her £50 off her total. An early night was calling after the early start however one more thing had to be done. Recently the year 11's in the unit.  had just finished all their exams so decided to burn all their revision. A campfire and lots of cake was set up and was the ending to another great day. 

The next morning, I had a lovely lay in as breakfast wasn't until 9. After packing my stuff, I walked into the hut and saw some of my fellow friends challenging each other with an obstacle course made from string, hung around the room. Eventually it turned into a blindfold challenge!!
After a full English breakfast, there were two activities set: challenges with a visitor from the RAF and a look in our version of Japan in a box. This is a box that every unit in the UK will receive with many items relating to Japan. Scotland, the leader of the Tokyo part of our journey, led this activity, telling us why it was in the box and he also showed us his skills: making an origami peace crane!

We had another sweet lunch, a lot like the one we had on our first weekend. Our camp ended with cleaning and packing away as well as a last group discussion. During this we were set a few challenges. The first is to swap our one red paperclip. The second was to fill our empty smarties tubes with money and at each camp we have to bring how much we have made.

Finally goodbyes had to be made. Once again I had a great camp and can't wait to see everyone again!

If you would like to buy one of the UK contingent badges, please don't hesitate to contact me: kyrabal99@gmail.com
If you are enjoying my blog, please checkout these three blogs, they are written by three other members of our unit: The High Flyers.

Catherine's Blog!
Maisie's Blog!
Selina's Blog!

A big thank you....

I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who reads this blog, it means a lot to me. In was astonished when I looked at the statistics the other night and saw that my blog has been viewed in countries like Germany, Canada, Mexico and even Thailand!  I think it is a huge honour. If there are any participants reading this who are also going to take part in this once in a lifetime opportunity please contact me by email ( kyrabal99@gmail.com ) so I can get to know you and we can talk about news from our units and maybe even organizing a way to meet each other in person at the jamboree next year?? Once again thank you for reading and I hope you follow my journey to the jamboree. Kyra x

400 days to go....

Today the countdown begins of 400 days until the opening ceremony of the World Scout Jamboree. Today is also special because there are only 4 days until our next training camp. Since the last camp, we all kept in touch by a group chat on social media. Topics often discussed were fundraising ideas and events as well as swaps. However the chat wasn't just about scouting, exams were also discussed as well as proms and our daily lives. I feel this has brought us closer as a unit. If I ever have a bad day and feel down I can always count on these people to be there for me and cheer me up again. For that I just want to say thank you to all of them and I look forward to sharing friendships and memories that will last forever.

My collection of swapping items has began! It is the season of the football world cup as well as many England flags and souvenirs. So far I have 7 English flag blow up hand things. Also I am taking handmade bracelets to swap as they are small and easy to pack as well as showing thought and commitment and time. An image will be displayed below of the kind of bracelets I am making.

The Great Balloon Release

There was a short delay about when the balloons were released however the balloons set sale from an iconic Lincolnshire venue, Burghley house on the 4th May. Here is a picture of all of the balloons. Good luck to everyone who bought one and thank you for your help, my friends and I really appreciate it and can't wait to share our experiences during our journey to Japan.
My blog will be updated shortly, with another report of Training Camp #2!

Training Camp #2

The second training camp took place in the middle of nowhere, on a hill on a gloomy weekend. However it didn't put us all off as we braved the rain and reunited as a full unit once again. After the set up of camp, wide games on a hill became very interesting and maybe a little violent. Who knew disqualification came in handy with wide games? The green team battled the red team, Ali and Kev's patrol against Steve and George's.
By the end of the evening bruises had been acquired and so had the severe case of the yawns. Our beds were calling so we were sent to bed and the camp was quiet by 11 .

The next morning, everyone emerged ready for breakfast, kindly cooked by Steven's patrol before settling down for the days activities, designing a gate, designing the units merchandise and talking about ourselves.

Whilst cooking mystery dinners in our patrols we were informed of a rainstorm hitting the area in 10 minutes. Rush hour hit the campsite as everyone worked together to bring all the equipment used for making our lunch into the sheltered area so it wouldn't get washed away. However little did we know that this flash flood would mess up all of our tent arrangements....

After we had all eaten very unusual and interesting dishes, Steven announced that some tents had been flooded by the rain and therefore couldn't be slept in or any of the kit inside the tent used. We all nervously ran out to find 5 tents had been flooded and we proceeded to try and make new sleeping arrangements for the night. 

Tea brought another dose of Steve's special seasoning sprinkled over the meat which was the cooked on the BBQ with meat toucher and bucket boy on hand to help. Earlier in the day, the four patrols were told to produce a song/sketch to perform in front of the Beaver Scouts and Brownies, who were are neighbours on the campsite for the weekend. After tea we met round the campfire for an evening packed full of laughter, loud voices and the gentle crackle of the camp fire. Our host for the evening, Charlie started off the campfire with a sketch called 'Little Red Guiding Hood'. After that songs like Princess Pat and Charlie had a pigeon were sang including the penguin song where the Brownies outshone us to our glory! Once again after a busy day the yawns we passed throughout camp like a contagious bout of the flu. 

Sunday morning came too quickly as breakfast was made, camp was packed up and goodbyes were said once again.  Another camp was over and our experience of a life time is getting closer and closer.... 

BALLOONS!!!

Time has flown by and in two weeks I will be taking part in the 2nd training camp on my journey to Japan. Since February, we have been given another fundraising task:

Every member's persuasion skills were put to the test when we were told we had to sell as many balloons as possible. On St George's Day the unit will be releasing balloons, the owner of the balloon that travels the furthest will win £50 in high street vouchers and the member of the unit that sold that balloon will also receive £50 off their jamboree total. 

Today I sold my 105th balloon and am still selling! My original target was about 50 balloons however I took it every where I went and that target was easily smashed. Teachers, neighbours, friends and many other people from my local rowing and rugby clubs contributed. 

If you would like to buy a balloon, please contact me, thank you. 

Training camp #1

Training Camp #1

On the wet Friday evening I arrived at the campsite in Lincoln for the first of the  training camps. On arrival, everyone collected their Neckers and a complementary spork from the last world Jamboree. After pitching tents in the dark with the wind whistling around us it was time for some team building activities as well as a practice involving us and our kit rushing through the fire door as quick as we could pretending it was the bullet train! We were also split into our patrols for the weekend with a patrol leader and patrol seconder (assistant patrol leader to the Scouts!) in each.

Bed time was around 11ish and slowly but surely everyone was tucked up in their sleeping bags trying to sleep. The campsite isn't sheltered very well so the wind rushed through the campsite knocking many tents and even collapsing one.

In the morning tents were repaired and re pegged, then breakfast needed to be cooked in a cooking tent. Unfortunately it was too windy to use an event shelter so a mess tent was pitched. An hour later breakfast was plated up and eaten, then the mornings activities could begin. First we were congratulated on making it on to the unit, second given a presentation on the outline of our three week trip to Japan. We would spend 2 full days at Tokyo followed by 12 days at the world scout jamboree ending with 3 days in with a Japanese family. An inspirational talk then followed from Robin Wright who is the county commissioner for Lincolnshire.

There were four main activities that day, each taking place with the leaders. Kev had us considering the the layout of the campsite and what to pack in the one metre cubed crate we can use to transport kit for the Jamboree itself, Ali led a session on personal hygiene as well as food hygiene , George did emblem and name designing and Steven discussed what the units code of conduct should be like and what should be included. For lunch, each patrol was  given ingredients for a basic Japanese noodle recipe and expected to cook for them and their assigned leader.

After an action packed morning, creativity was the theme of the afternoon with a bin bag fashion show with four rounds: beachwear, winter wear, casual wear and special occasion wear. The best part about the whole thing was that Ali, George, Kev and Steven were the models! First up beach wear, mankinis and bikinis becoming the hot topic, pun intended! Winter wear and casual wear soon followed with some very daring outfits claiming to be a part of the Disney princess range. Special occasion wear brought smart suits and a very pretty Cinderella dress to the catwalk.

The evening bought meat touchers and bucket boys to shame as we all enjoyed a barbecue with sides and condiments as well as heated battles of speed, a card game. A campfire followed with many sketches, songs and of course, smores. A quiet night gave everyone some well needed sleep and a fresh start to the morning. Eggy bread and alphabet spaghetti set everyone up for the walk to a day of fundraising, bag packing in Morrisons.

In Japan, the meals will all be tailored to our needs in a hot country so the leaders decided we needed a preview of the type of lunches we would be having: cake, fruit and more cake. After a long hard morning of bag packing everyone enjoyed a lunch before working the last few hours to raise all the money we could. The grand total of the bag pack was £1421.10.

After walking back to camp and cleaning and taking down the tents the goodbyes came. We were all sad to go but very excited for the next training camp in April as well as the next few fundraising days and camps. Overall the camp was great and everyone loved it!

Brainstorming ideas for fundraising

One important element in the time before the trip is to get us to value the experience by helping to fund raise most of the costs ourselves, the target is the £2770 charge for each of us to raise.

Ever since I got my letter I have been wondering about what my main fundraising idea will be. A great idea that my dad came up with was a bake sale at the local rugby club. Every Sunday the boys train and most weekends there is a match. Also a few times a year huge gymnastics competitions are held in the indoor hall. Hopefully I will receive permission to hold a bake sale here on a weekend when there is a few matches plus a gymnastics competition.

On Friday I am going to meet the rest of my unit and everyone who's going in our first camp. I am very excited to see Melissa and everyone I met last time 

Receiving the news

I know it seems an age since I wrote about the selection camp but it took so long to just sink in I just didn't do any updates! I will now start to blog thick and fast.

The Friday following the selection camp, I came in from school to find a letter on the doorstep addressed to me. I studied the outside closely before turning it over and slowly breaking away the seal. I pulled out the paper enclosed. Quickly reading through the first page, I found the words I had been waiting for: "Congratulations, you have been selected to go to Japan!"
I read that over three times and it still hadn't sunk in. The rest of the night I was sat thinking and wondering how I had been chosen and whether I was dreaming or not. It sank in the next day when I started squealing and jumping repeatedly in a circle. 

The countdown had started!