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Senior News Archive - 2008
The trip began at the early time of 6am at Heathrow Terminal Five where the group of 55 pupils and 7 staff made the most of the technology available to check in just ahead of the arrival of the LIV trip to France. Having browsed around the expensive restaurants and boutiques of Terminal Five, we then boarded our British Airways flight to Munich. After a light breakfast on board we were struck by the heat that greeted us upon our arrival in Bavaria. Thankfully our transfer coach was dutifully waiting outside the terminal building, and we were able to make a prompt start to our journey into Austria. After a brief stop for lunch at a motorway services, we arrived at the summer toboggan run just outside our ultimate destination, St Gilgen, to temperatures of nearly 35 degrees. All pupils and several staff braved the toboggan run, and after a tentative first decline, all showed more expertise and abandon second time round and many raced down the track at high speed and with the occasional shriek of excitement.
Having boarded the coach again we soon arrived at our hotel, the Hotel Kendler, in the heart of the picturesque village of St Gilgen with the Wolfgangsee lake and mountains in the immediate vicinity. Rooms were allocated in the ‘Gästehaus’ and all were grateful for the time to freshen up, unpack and relax a little before dinner. We were again supplied with our own private dining room on the first floor of the main building of the hotel. A delicious meal of soup, vegetable lasagne and salad, followed by home-made apricot cake, served by two helpful waitresses, was enjoyed by all. Our plan was then to enjoy a gentle evening stroll into the village to sample the local ice cream, but these intentions were soon scuppered by the onset of a huge thunderstorm with swirling winds, and our rooms became the ultimate refuge for the night, all very reminiscent of the ‘Favourite Things’ scene from ‘The Sound Of Music’ which was of course filmed to the backdrop of these same lakes and mountains.
Our Thursday morning began in leisurely fashion with a plentiful breakfast buffet in the hotel. A swift inspection of the rooms was then followed by a gentle walk down to the Wolfgangsee where we caught our boat for a trip around the lake. A soothing and pretty journey ended in the first instance at St Wolfgang where pupils had their first real opportunity to put their German to good use in the purchase of food, drink, postcards and souvenirs. We then returned to our boat for the return trip to St Gilgen with many pupils enhancing their spoken skills still further by befriending a couple of local young men who were probably relieved to see us disembark after about half an hour! The afternoon was spent on the local ‘Zwölferhorn’ mountain. The mountain looms ominously over the village, and a few pupils seemed daunted at the prospect of ascending in a four-person cable car to a summit which cannot even be seen from ground level. The spectacular views down onto the lake and the village were enjoyed as we climbed higher up the mountain until, that is, all visibility disappeared as we entered the low-lying clouds. Needless to say, this had quite an eerie effect on some members of the group, and the shrieks of excitement and trepidation could be heard for some distance around. Once all had arrived at the mountain’s summit, a gentle walk around the mountain’s paths was undertaken, although the fantastic views normally so evident from the peak were simply lost in the mist and fog around us. This was a shame, of course, but also quite an exciting experience to have our heads literally in the clouds! Dinner was again no less impressive than the previous evening, and our menu of vegetable soup, schnitzel and chips, followed by cream strudel left us all full of the culinary specialities of the region. Sadly our plans to see St Gilgen by night were again thwarted by the arrival of a further storm, and many found the option of watching the semi-final matches of the Euro 2008 football championships in their rooms a more enticing proposition.
After a similarly hearty breakfast, Friday began with an hour’s coach journey into Germany to visit the salt mine of Berchtesgaden. The salt produced here, along with that of several other local mines, continues to be a vital industry for the area, and is even highlighted in the mention of ‘Salz’ (the German word for salt) in the name of Salzburg itself. We duly donned the customary protective outfits before gathering to have a group photo taken on the small train which drives its passengers into the heart of the mine. Sadly this was to prove a dramatic moment for Alex Hudson who managed to injure her foot severely while trying to climb on board. Thankfully the mine’s medical team was close at hand, and with ice immediately applied to the bruised foot, she was then transported off to the local hospital with Frau Colclough, Katie Gould and Bella Tommey for company so that doctors could assess the full extent of the damage. The remainder of the group continued with the tour of the mine, enjoying the two slides which whisk visitors further into the heart of the exhibits. Many delighted, too, in the gentle boat trip across a salt lake which included a fantastic light and laser show. We left the mine as we had entered with the shrieks and screams of a high-speed train journey, but also with our understanding of mining techniques and the importance of the industry to the region significantly deepened.
Lunch was taken at the usually beautiful Königsee lake, but we were beginning to fear that our luck with the weather had been jinxed as no sooner did we sit down to take in the scenery than the heavens opened again for another thunderous downpour! While our clothes may have been dampened our spirits were not, and it seemed almost natural to try and escape the rain with an afternoon spent swimming at the local thermal baths, the dual highlights of which seemed to be the newly installed lighting inside one of the tubes and the opportunity to sharpen those speaking skills again by befriending another couple of (lucky!) young lads who had no doubt hoped for a quiet afternoon swim until we arrived! Our final dinner of the stay was another culinary triumph, with potato soup, turkey escalope with rice and salad, followed by fruit and yogurt, enjoyed by all. The conclusion of dinner also saw the traditional awarding of prizes for best dining table of the night and best-kept rooms for our stay, both were categories with many possible winners. Thankfully the weather had taken a turn for the better, and we were at last able to enjoy St Gilgen by night once all prizes had been awarded. There were many others with the same idea, and drinks and ice creams were accompanied by the procession of a traditional brass group marching through the village who then set up stall for a concert to the appreciation of all who stopped to listen. With an early start the next day and our thoughts turning towards packing we then retired at the close of the evening sunshine once again to the ‘Gästehaus’ for a final night’s rest, our thoughts also with Alex who had remained in hospital overnight under doctor’s instructions and with Frau Colclough who was there, too, to provide Alex with company, comfort and support.
Our final day of the trip began again with another filling breakfast. We then vacated our rooms, and said a sad farewell to the Hotel Kendler whose staff had taken care of us with all their usual dedication. Our destination was Salzburg itself where we were able to enjoy the sunny cafés, the excellent shops and the beautiful architecture, all imbued with a distinctively Mozart quality. Several also saw the huge screen in the city’s main square all ready for the screening of the next day’s Euro 2008 final from Vienna. It was with a real sense of sadness and of incomprehension that our time was up that we then boarded the coach for the airport where we were reunited with Alex, her recently acquired crutches and Frau Colclough. We rushed through check-in and straight onto our plane, touching down in Gatwick ahead of a schedule. After a brief coach ride back to school later, it was time to say goodbye to one another, realising just how lucky we had been to gain such an invaluable insight into the culture and lifestyle of those who call Austria home, as well as having used our German possibly for the first time in a truly authentic context.
Huge thanks must go to the pupils whose energy and good humour were such an important feature of the trip, as well as to the accompanying teachers (Frau Johnson, Mr Tompsett, Frau Colclough, Mrs Munday, Miss Pla-Miro, Miss Self and Miss Whitehouse) without whose tireless dedication the trip would not have been such a success.
Mr Tompsett
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