We left on Friday , late as usual , ready for a weekend of great paddling and lots of drinking. (At least one aim was fulfilled!) Got stuck in traffic , but managed to amuse the other people in cars with our childish cuddly toy antics.

Arrived at the pub by 9.30pm (apparently for the first time ever) closely followed by the second bus an hour later. Everyone managed to get plenty of drinks in though , as we didn’t get chucked out until after 12.00. ( Nice one !)

The rest of the night was pretty uneventful , but cold , and everyone woke up “raring to go” , or should that be “ tired and slightly hung over.” When we got to the river it was full of water ( stupidest statement of the century ) and the rapids were non existent.

We passed the time at Big Nob Island , where Gary swam with a little help from Fraser. Thom and Katie tried to get us to play games and attack people , but no one co-operated. However , Ruth and I did deafen all of Wales ( or were we in England then ???) with our rendition of the Tigger song! There were swims for lots of freshers - what do you expect , we’re only beginners ! Some went for a second run , while Jesus lead the rest of us to the top of Symonds Yat Rock to preach a sermon

Saturday night. Nothing unusual. Everyone got drunk.
Thom was forgotten for the second time that day , after ordering food. ( They put a ‘T’ in the corner of the ticket Thom !) Mike tried to have a kung-fu fight with the barman. ( I know I got some good photos of him and Katie dancing - if only my camera had worked!!!) Ruth squirted people ( namely Beth) with ketchup - probably trying to get her own back for us celebrating her birthday a month in advance !

The best entertainment of the evening was back at the campsite. A fantastic game of ‘spin the paddle’ was played , with Sarah ‘ I’m not a pisshead’ Barrett doing remarkably well , despite the twenty odd units of alcohol she’d had to drink - but she wasn’t drunk! Then the news circulated that Simon had fallen asleep on the toilet !!! ( Ask Toooony for the full story - very amusing !!!) I’m assured he still had his pants on , but you know how people spread rumours in this club !!!

Despite the hangovers and embarrassing recollections of the previous night , the decision was made to paddle the Usk on Sunday - a new river for everyone. Feedback suggests it was good , but I was too busy filming the worst video ever , to paddle it for myself. Mark got to see a dead sheep. However this was probably a nicer sight than his own bottom , which the rest of us were subjected to. And while we’re talking about the bum thing , Matt did a superb mooney at the other bus out of the window on the motorway. We were just upset that no one took it upon themselves to reply to it!

Thankyou to Lee ( who drove very well despite having Katie stuck to his face - Sorry Kates , they made me put it in !!!) and Gary and Mark for driving the buses ( even if Lee and Gary did break our one!) And thankyou to Jenny for organising everything and waking us up in time for breakfast.

Thankyou to everyone else for a great weekend and for giving me something to write about. Notice how I tactfully didn’t say anything about Thom and Emma.....................................................OOPS!!!