Enhancement Trip to France (Cemetery hopping!)

Notre Dame Sixth Form College English Department Battlefield Poetry tour.

Dear W,

Hi ya! Am gonna write bout our trip yeah. Erm before that, just wanna let you know that Julz wasnt able to come wiv us coz her great granny was admitted again in the hospital. (Aww. That’s the sad part). Julz and her mum went back home eventho she already paid full fo our trip. She then gave her place to Kevin coz the teachers said they dont do refund. Few days later when Kevin was giving his passport, they then said to him that he must pay coz they send the refund to Julz. So Kevin paid. Poor Kevin. lol. Anyway…

Day 1: Travel (5th July 06)
I only got 3 en half hours of sleep the night before we go. I slept at 1:30am and then woke up at 5am coz we had to be in college before 6:30am. Joyz picked me up at 6am and then off we go. When we arrived in college, the coach was there and all students were already inside. But we’re not late… just on time! lol.

We then travel from Leeds to Dover. We’ve been in the coach for like 8hrs! It was so tiring! We had a stop over tho to go to the toilet, eat, or wutever.

Cross-Channel ferry from Dover.

Arrived in Calais France and travelled to hotel. Checked in to hotel in Lille France and then had our evening meal. Supposed to be, we (me Gail and Joyz) shud stay in the same room but unfortunately there were no more keys fo by 3’s. So I shared room with Mai (new mate from Vietnam). Gail and Joyz shared room. And Kevin’s room mate is Nick (new friend from Taiwan).

After the meal, took a rest for a minute and then went to town centre to wander around. It was a bit scary coz loads of people were there dat day coz France was playing against Portugal. So yeah people around were screaming and ol that. Most French people cant speak nor understand English. Urggh it was hard to communicate with them! lol.

We got back late to the hotel so yeah i dint have much time to hang around in Joyz & Gail’s room.

Day 2: Ypres Salient (6th July 06)
Took a shower, then went to the dining room fo breakfast. We were late that day. He2. Anyway, the cemetery hopping started. lol. On the way we were given a poetry book and read poems. Sounds boring innit? lol. Well, if you’re into literature and history then you’ll enjoy it. It’s still good tho coz we’ve learn so much about the war and stuff. Although I dint listen most of the time. he2

That day, we visited:
Hooge Crater Cemetery & High-ground orientation (1914)
Langemark German Cemetery (1914)
Yorkshire Trench (1915)
Essex Farm Dug-outs & Cemetery (1915-1917)
Hill 60 and mining warfare (1917)
Ypres Reservoir or Aeroplane Cemetery
Tyne Cot Cemetery (1917)
Passchendaele Museum

After that, we had our free time to look around, go shopping, and wutsoever you wanna do. We then went shopping Belgian chox, took photos, walked and walked and walked. lol.

Our last post was at the Menin Gate and then returned back to hotel.

Day 3: The Somme (7th July 06)
Cemetery hopping again.

Went to:
Serre Road War Cemeteries & Redan Ridge
Newfoundland Park Preserved Battlefield
Thiepval Memorial to the Missing
Blighty Valley
Ovillers & Mash Valley
Dartmoor War Cemetery
Mansel Copse & Noel Hodgson’s Grave

Had a free time to shop in Arras. Went back to the hotel.

Day 4: Return
Got up early coz we had to depart hotel at half past 8.

Cemetery hopping AGAIN. Been to:
Arras & Sassoon
Isaac Rosenberg’s Grave
Vimy Ridge Canadian National Memorial Park

Depart from Artois region at 11am
Cross-channel ferry from Calais
Got back home at half past 8pm. It was a loooong journey! 

Tito Levi picked us up but Joyz has been fetched by Uncle Neil. Anyway, we (Kevin and I) ate dinner in Gonzales’ residence. LOL. Thanks for the dinner tita Catz and tito Levz! he2.

We watched football and Germany won! LOL.

*** 
Overall, it was erm… a bit fun. LOL. For me it was really tiring tho we dint do much work. I mean, I get tired when nothing much to do than doing something like any activities or summat. To sum it all up, we just sat in the coach for hours, stood up, walked around, took photos, listened to the tour guide, chat wiv friends, ate and slept. LOL.

Altho it wasnt that fun. I felt sad & lonely when I was home. Nyahaha! I miss em all. The trip, the cemeteries, the trenches, the craters, the coach, the foods (eventho it wasnt that nice. lol), the hotel, our room, Joyz & Gail’s room, the telly in our room (altho i cnt understand coz it’s French), the teachers, students, Stan the man (our coach driver), Miss Alison (the tour guide), the wandering round the town centre when shops were closed, the French people who were “friendly” (as wut Kevin wud say. lol), and most especially my mates: 
the F2 and drink buddies, Kevin and Nick (nyahaha!),
the kikays and sunshines, Gail and Joyz, and
my vietnamese room mate Mai Hung (mai hung mai hung mai hung. lol)

Miz ya guys!