The rest of the morning was really spent getting to know the area, acclimatising, shopping for provisions and generally relaxing. Several boys used the time doing some revision whilst Harry ‘the rookie’ Wren had a ‘one on one’ Btec catch up session with Mr Castle…..Mr Dawson will be so proud!
With the temperature rising we packed drink bottles and sun
lotion and went for our first training session. The short 10 minute walk to the
field gave some indication of the heat and humidity we will need to play in
tomorrow (definitely a toss to win and insert our hosts!). Nevertheless the boys worked hard as they
were put through their paces by Messer’s Castle and Rowe on a variety of
fielding drills across what can only be described as a ploughed farmers field
with a bit of grass on. It didn’t take
long for a crowd to appear and watch ‘the mad white English guys playing in the
heat’. Proceedings were briefly interrupted by a herd of wandering goats, which
immediately prompted Ronan to run off in search of his camera shouting ‘Sir,
can I have a selfie with a goat?’. …surely a statement that would have
raised more than a few eyebrows years previously.
During the training session we started our ‘apartment’
challenges. Each apartment of 4 boys will be doing a series of challenges and
tests throughout the tour with the overall team winning a prize (and of course
substantial bragging rights!). Topically named our four teams are Axon’s
Cutthroats, Marsh’s Marauders, Woodies Warriors and Jesses Giants. Today’s
competitions were all fielding based with Dan Marsh winning the power hitting contest,
Ronan the ball throwing, and Ben Norris and Willem Bygrave sharing the spoils
with the high catching contest. An
eagerly contested cricket ball relay race around a football pitch saw Woodies
Warriers take first place with some excellent running to avoid goats, small
children and a cricket roller.
The afternoon finished with a traditional kwik cricket
match, with full international rules of tip and run and one bounce one handed
catching. Turn and Burn Tomlinson proved to be the pick of the bowlers whilst
Josh Woodward hit a huge six into a local fruit sellers stand. Once again we
lost Ronan fleetingly from his fielding requirements – this time chasing a
couple of monkeys in search of the elusive animal selfie!
From training we took a short walk to Folkestone Beach for a
late afternoon cool down and a barbecue to watch the sun set. With barbecues
brought all the way from England, some of Barbados’s greatest sausages and
burgers and a marvellous setting -what could possibly go wrong! With the boys
playing in the sea, Messer’s Castle and Rowe set about the cooking in true
‘Bear Grylls fashion’. The small print failed to tell us the fact the barbecues
would fail to light and when ignited produce so little heat that the food would
actually cook quicker from the overhead sunlight! Surely such bushtucker tribulations
wouldn’t stand in the way of an Australian and a beachside barbecue. It was at
this point that Mr Rowe reminded us that his roots were in fact English convicts
and not some outback wizard Aborigines. I’m sure that fact will come back to
haunt him at some point!!
With no option but to feed the troops bread rolls, crisps, apples and bananas we
settled down and enjoyed the sunset in a wonderful setting (albeit a little
peckish!!).
A gentle stroll back along the beach and an evening chatting by the pool ended a very warm but entertaining day.
WALLY OF THE DAY:
Ronan Taggart for nearly leaving his passport on the plane, his weird fascination
for animal selfies and his pink sweat bands and head band (worn with pride)!!
