The 6:30 wake up may have seemed a bit excessive to the boys bound for Alton towers on Sunday 19th September, but ultimately it was so the boys could get the maximum possible time to spend at the park. Of course, this didn’t prevent the token grumbling about the time but it did have the benefit of giving the boys time for a quick breakfast before a 7am departure from the school via coach. Some of the boys were bleary eyed, and took the opportunity to get in a few extra hours sleep on the journey, but the general mood was one of excitement and anticipation.
The boys arrived at Alton Towers just after 10am, meeting with the contingent from the girls school, most of whom were kind enough to wait for the boys to arrive, having reached the theme park earlier. Then (in opposition to my previous experiences there) the group had a quick turnover at the ticket booth before gaining entrance to the park. Once in, the group dissipated quickly into lots of smaller groups, as naturally people had different idea about what rides they wanted to go on. The general consensus seems to be that the boys got on most of the rides they particularly wanted to go on (another blessing of getting into the park early), and had a very enjoyable day out. This was due in no small part to the luck they had with the weather: when in the morning it started raining it looked bad for the trip, but upon arrival the rain was replaced by glorious sunshine, which continued for most of the time they spent there.
Unfortunately, the day had to come to an end eventually. The group left Alton Towers at 4pm, so as to arrive back at school at 7pm, having had a full and busy day. Generally the atmosphere seemed significantly calmer than earlier, as most of the boys were tired from the combination of walking, excitement, and that early awakening. The trip was undoubtedly successful, and one that the boys will look back on fondly.
Adam, School House