06 08 07

Today is our last day at 'the office'. John Magrath greeted us at the Maintenance compound with a box of Harrogate Toffee each - He's a Yorkshire Man! First job was to have a brew and then do a Water Run around the site. I want a Golf Buggy for Christmas!! The little buggy have been hired to help get people and kit around the site and we used one to tow a small trailer around to the various activity sites off loading bottled water. Back to our compound via a check that the transport team had enough water in their boiler - and we had to make sure it was hot enough to make tea - we had lunch early as we were to go and start dropping flagpoles as soon as the afternoon participants were on the water. Unfortunately everything ground to a halt. I Scout had been knocked unconscious at the rafting area and was taken to the Dam Wall where he was met by a first aid crew; who called for an Ambulance; who called for a Helicopter Evacuation. This meant we had to keep all the kits well away and off the water whist the helicopter spectacularly landed on the dam wall. The good news is that there was no major problem and the Scout and his leaders were actually discharged from hospital later and made it back to the Splash! site to be able to join the afternoon coaches back to site. After the drama we started to drop some of the flag and banner poles but too soon 4:30 was upon us and we returned to the compound to have a team photo and get a certificate of thanks from the Splash! team.

05 08 07

Today was a quiet day 'work' hover it was very very hot. So we set off around the Splash! site delivering bottles off water - freshly produced from the treatment works and bottling plant at the bottom of the dam wall!!. Anglian Water the site owners have been very good in supplying pallet loads of bottled water and on had been left on a large trailer near the entrance. Unfortunately as the area is still open to the Public, it being a Sunday and it being hot the place was packed! and they were thirsty. Our pallet load of water was being depleted. So we were given the envious task of getting the trailer in the shade and guarding it with our lives - which Shaun and I did with inimitable skill by rearranging the bottles and falling asleep for 1.5 hours on top of them :) Golly gosh it's 4:30 pm and home time, another stressful day at the office.

04 08 07

Today was my day off! woo hoo. Had a nise leisurely breakfast with Haydn Worral, then we walked down to the main plaza area in the centre of the camp to wait for Ellesmere District to arrive. As we were early wealled in at the Dutch Food House for a coffee. Many of the countries here have set up Scout Food Houses. These are to show off foods and drinks from theiw own areas Each has their own tent or marquee and dresses it up in their own style. It's a bit like the xmas markets in Manchester but on a grander scale.
Our guys finally arrived just before 11am and we took them to the day visitor section first. And let the Cubs run wild in here first. This was a part I didn't know existed until today. A corall of tent had taster events running of thing on the main site.
Just before 1pm we set off down to the main arena to watch a show which was a combination of the opening and sunrise ceremonies condenced down. Had a chat with phil here. Next we all took the long route back to the site so that they could all get to appreciate the size of the jamboree.
Is it me... or is it cubs... Or is it cub leaders??!! How many times we had to stop and count people then stop and put sunscreen on then stop and get water arrgg.. Only to be asked why was it taking so long to get to the badge shop... double arrgg!
Eventually we got there. Horray
By now it was around 4pm so I left the District to wand around the Plaza area and headed off down to 'Aquaville' and 'Terraville' these we two huge areas set aside for participants to try a skill, craft or tradition from virtually evey county at the Jamboree. I had to find one of the Manchester IST who I had promised I would vist. By the time I got there - its a long walk - they had just finished, but he showed me round the 'Scottish' area he was working at. They were getting the Scouts to make little stuffed Nessie's and Holding a Burns Night Supper every 2.5 hours complete with Haggis, Tatties&Neaps and Irn-Bru!
Walked back to my tent did some sock washing, had a shower went for tea, had a beer, a long hot day but it was good to see Phillip here along with the rest of Ellesmere District.

03 08 07

Today I got to Splash on time. Hooray the buses actually worked AND they got all the participants there on time as well.
We also had our first 'dirty job' today - cleaning out calcification blockages in the U-bends of the Urinals -nice - especially when you have to do it with a tent peg, modified bog brush, disinfectant and warm water. With this job done we retired to a well earned brew and lunch. The rest of the after noon was quiet for us so we took advantage of it and drank more brews and enjoyed the views of the lake in the glorious sunshine.
This evening was Andy Reed and Heather Baker's birthdays both from the West Manchester IST contingent. So we had a bit of party in the bar area. This was the first time we had all met up together in one place since arriving at the Jamboree way back on the 21st. I was good to get together and chat about what was going on, who was where, and how we are going to get home next Thursday. 7 pints later erm was I supposed to do something tomorrow? I know its a day off so a lie-in is in order. zzzzzz

Thanks for all the comments!

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Mike

Jamboree Tales & Ales

I'm planning to go to the Greyhound for beers and a chat possibly even some food on Saturday 11th around 7ish onwards
All are welcome.

02 08 08

Back to 'work' today. Met up at the Main Bus terminal at 8:30am as previously arranged only to find that the plans had changed yet again! We were not now required as coach guides and should have gone to the other bus stop at 7:30am eek! No problem they said to the 28 of us that did not see the small notice that had gone up at 9pm the night before. Good News - We could get on the participants busses. Bad news only 20 of the 40 required turned up - big error, unfortunately half the morning participants were told the weren't going to go to Splash! After waiting for 2hr at the bus stands. Scouts and Leaders were not happy. One good thing that came out of the wait was that I found some Guides from Pune, India and I exchanged contact details with them. **Hint to 'real work' - now I definitely need to go back to Pune, I have a campfire to run!!**
Eventually got to Splash! At around 12:30pm with the afternoon participants Shifted a trailer, fixed a loo & weighed up a fencing job then it was time to come home.
Major issue tonight - The Real Ale bar ran dry, They are shifting 20 barrels a night and the new batch had not settled. The situation should be normal for tomorrow - phew!

31 07 07

As usual the day starts early ... Too early for me but there you go. Note to friends at work: I am NOT getting used to this so don't expect any miracles on my return ;-) Down at the 'Roundabout Bus Stop I have to check all the IST getting on the busses for wrist bands. The reason for the wristbands is lots of people are getting the bus to Splash! 'cos they think it's a free day out - it's not, and we only have just enough seats for the 150 IST staff. Not good when 200 extra people turn up for a jolly. So having got the right staff on the right bus at 7.30am I walk the 15 mins across site to the Main Bus Stop. This is where 99% of arrivals and departures are done. It is essentially a long straight drive-way into the parkland along which about 20 coaches at a time can stop to load. Here we have literally 1000's of Scouts all going off to up to 3 different locations. This is where people have to to become carefully hearded 'sheep'. I say this with no offence meant - sorting 2000+ departures to Splash/Gillwell on a strip of grass barely 20yds wide is erm... Interesting. Once we eventually got to site there were not many jobs on, apart from put up 6 flag poles for the offsite teams sunrise ceremony.

01 08 07 - Sunrise Day

Today is Sunrise day and belive me we were up in time to see it. Up at 5am!! We had to meet at the stage on the Adult Arena at 6am then walk down to the Main arena for 8am - this took about 1.5 hours to do. The sunrise ceremony was very well done. (apart from the Chief Scout apearing to forget the Scout Promise - apprently he was doing the 'World Promise' not the UK one and it confused the heck out of everyone at Hylands) The rest of the ceremony involed music and dance interspersed with prayers and readings from all the major faiths. I wouldn't say i'm over religious but it was very moving and way better than the opening ceremony. The night before we were given a pcked breakfast to eat before the ceremony . A cup of coffee would have been good though! Along with the breakfast we were given a pen and a yellow kneckerchief. At the end of the ceremony we were all told to go amongst everyone and collect 100 signatures from other participants. I strted to work towards the stage and exchanged signatures from Scouts from places as wide apart as France, Nepal, USA, Brazil, Austraila and many, many more (see pic). Later on (it was now gone 11am) I wandered around the site untill 2pm when we had a world food fair. All the different countries were encouraged to offer samples of traditional foods. I tried a Chillian type of doughnut bread with a goats cheese and fried locust's from Mexico! - they were actually very nice - a sort of rich meaty taste with a hint of chile.
In the evening some of us met up and went back to watch the Concert at the main arena. The line-up included 'Kylie', My Winehouse, 'Robbie Williams', 'Coolplay' & the 'Commitments'. Yes I have spelt them right - they were all cover acts, but vey good ones. In fact I was down the stage earlier when they arrived to do a sound check. I think they were all slightly gob-smacked when they walked out on stage for the first time. I'm sure 'Robbie' mouthed 'F#@% me!'. According to one of the stage crew I was chatting to most of then have only played clubs and bars... Its not often they get the chance to play to a 30,000+ croud. As it was, by the time 'Robbie' came on the place was really buzzing. The show ender around 10:45 with a big firework display done to the Jambo Song.

What a fantastic, but long day. Back to 'work' tomorrow.