Thank you

Dear parents and students
I felt that I wanted to write one final post now we have returned. Firstly I hope your daughters are recovering slowly from the long journey back last night. I have been like a zombie all day but am immensely thankful that we made it back ok in light of the Calais crisis. I also wanted to say thank you. Thank you for taking the opportunity to send your daughters on this trip to a wonderful country with wonderful people and let them discover some real German culture beyond the usual associated stereotypical images. Thank you too though for entrusting them to us. They have been a credit to the school and have been a pleasure to share this experience with. I hope they have returned with many happy memories to share. I know I certainly have Mrs Lister

Time to come home

We left cochem on another beautiful morning at 9am to make our way down to Calais. As you should all now be aware through the power of the contact chain there have been some issues on the euro tunnel again caused by French ferry workers going on strike. As of yesterday there were 2.5 hour delays. I have just however received a message from a friend who works in a Bristol school and her party of school children have got through from England to France on time. Therefore we remain optimistic that we will be fine. Should the situation change I will of course keep you updated. Mrs lister

Day trip to Cologne

We are currently on our way back to the youth hostel for dinner after another fantastic day with a delightful group of girls. We left the youth hostel shortly before 9 to head to the chocolate museum in Cologne. Not perhaps the best activity in the 26C degree heat but this did not not deter the girls from stocking up on a variety of chocolate! We were able to sample some freshly made chocolate and could watch the production line in the factory. It was quite fascinating to see how it went from cocoa bean to wrapped chocolates. Afterwards we went to the city centre and explored the beautiful cathedral. The girls then had some free time to hit the shops, which they managed very successfully! Finally we went to the Eiscafe and indulged in a range of spectacular looking ice creams. Tonight traditional Bratwurst awaits us upon our return to the hostel. Mrs Lister

A wonderful day in Cochem

Well what a scorcher it has been today! We have certainly been blessed with the weather and it is forecasted to reach 26C tomorrow. First thing this morning, after another hearty breakfast, we walked up the steep hill to the Reichsburg Castle where we were given a tour. The students got to see some secret panels and learnt about the legends attached to the castle. We were shown a fascinating lock on a door that was designed for the men and women who might have enjoyed a little bit too much of the wine. The key was always guaranteed to fit in the lock through a sliding mechanism! We were taken out onto a very Romeo and Juliet style balcony, where we got stunning views of the River Moselle. After our tour we walked into Cochem town centre where the girls had some free time to explore. We then had a lovely relaxing trip on the Moselle for an hour and then rounded off the day with an incredible slice of cake and a drink! The chocolate cake certainly proved popular as the girls polished off every last piece! We then walked back to the youth hostel and had a lovely dinner of chicken, dauphinoise potatoes and beans, followed by rice pudding. After completing their diaries and a quiz the girls are now getting themselves ready for bed as tomorrow we shall be heading to Cologne. Mrs Lister

Fantastisches Phantasialand

Good evening! What another fabulous day. The weather has been glorious and we have been very well looked after in the youth hostel. An excellent breakfast with batter for the girls to make themselves waffles for breakfast along with a great selection of cereals, jams and typical German meats and cheeses. All girls are making a real effort with the food and eagerly tucked into the goulash and potatoes we had tonight. Phantasialand was certainly enjoyed by all with many on the thrill seekers rides including the staff. My nerves have just about recovered! Several braved the water rides with several coming back soaked but smiling. All had a fantastic time! This evening we wandered from the youth hostel into the centre of Cochem to do a town trail. For some this was very successful but for those with an 'interesting' sense of direction it proved rather challenging! We are now back at the hostel and all girls are heading off to bed ready for their full day out in Cochem. Bis morgen!

Wir sind hier in Deutschland

I am sure you will all be pleased to hear that we have safely arrived in Germany. We have had a very smooth journey and arrived at the youth hostel spot on time. The girls are now all nicely settled in and unpacked. They have had time to explore the grounds a bit and have all been impressed with the beautiful town of Cochem, with its castle standing high up on the hill. We will be visiting this on Monday. They have also experienced their first German meal- schnitzel with pasta and vegetables. All girls made a real effort to eat the food and I have been impressed with their efforts so far, especially one group of girls who were eager to try out the selection of german fruit teas. After dinner we settled down to write our first diary entry and again the girls determination to write in German was commendable, especially those who do not even study the language. We are now all heading off to bed as we are quite tired from the long journey and need to be wide awake tomorrow for a fantastic day out at Phantasialand. Mrs Lister

It's the final countdown!

The last few hours before departure are finally upon us. Having checked the most recent forecast it seems to be warming up in Germany. They are predicting a temperature of 31 by Wednesday! Therefore please make sure you pack those sun hats, sunglasses and cream as well as a variety of layers as other days look a bit more unsettled. Finally have you got your towel? Adaptor plugs? Euros? We are all really looking forward to it and shall see you later at midnight!! Mrs Lister