Off To Scout Camp.

Romas and I managed to leave on time this morning. Off we went at 5.00 driving into the sunrise on reasonably empty roads. After a couple of hours we had left the Devon hills and climbed up to Salisbury Plain. The underlying rock is chalk and the landscape is totally different to the deep hills of Devon.
Not only is the topography different but so are the roadside plants and the crops in the field (mainly wheat I think) and even the houses in the few villages I went past.

Driving up onto the Salisbury Plain there are some amazing panoramic views over the countryside but not many lay-bys with good views. The journey up took 4hrs 15mins because even though we drive that road every year Romas and I still managed to go down the wrong road a few times and have to retrace our way. I did that on the way back, it was quite annoying because there are these wonderful roads you can zoom along at 70 mph but they have no signs telling you which road you are on and the roundabouts are not very well sign posted. If you go wrong and head off down the wrong road it might be 5 miles until you can turn around. The journey home took 5hrs 45mins mainly because for about 20 miles the A303 was crawling. Literally stop and start. At least I was able to stop when we were going past Stonehenge and take some pictures. Nowadays it is all fenced off and costs a fortune to go and see. I remember the days when a drive down to Cornwall included stopping at Stonehenge to clamber all over the stones. It's amazing to think that these stones have been here for 4000 years and that the site was used for 1000 years before that.

We passed through some heavy showers on our way up to Sodyba. One of the good things about the site is the sandy soil which drains quickly. I remember many years when hot weather was broken by sudden thunderstorms but generally all activities take place out of doors.

Camp does not start till tomorrow , Romas is part of the group who come down early to tidy the site and start setting up the 4 camps (boys, girls, family & seniors). There will be lots of chainsawing of trees and not a hint of health and safety. Even with a camp full of teenage boys attempting to be macho with machetes and assorted knives building all sorts of high structures nobody ever gets injured.

Romas is waiting in the 'kitchen' for the rain to stop. I spent several years helping in the kitchens cooking on giant gas burners in very basic conditions when Romas was old enough to join in with the camp activities but not old enough to stay in the boys camp. I think Romas was about 3 when I first started taking them all to camp and now he and Vytas help run the camp each year despite the fact that I have failed in my duties to teach them Lithuanian. (Peter speaks it but I only understand basic 'household' language.)

This is the communal dinning table which will be decorated with natural objects, probably by the girls. Romas' tent sits on its own in the boys camp which will eventually have fence, gate and flagpole built from tree trunks and string.

Across the road is the house, Headly Park, which is run as a country club. I have many memories of staying there over the years for cultural (drinking) weekends. In the house are 2 bars, Lithuanians don't do anything without drinking, not even going to church. Yes, the Lithuanian church where we were married has a bar !
The back of the house sits right on the road with the scout camp across the road. I stayed and helped Romas get his tent up before the rain arrived and then set off, in the pouring rain for the long journey back. Luckily I was driving Peter's car which has all mod cons. We passed the journey time by listening to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. It is very easy listening and each cd of 6 runs for 4 hours. It was that or Aristotle or Homer which I didn't think would be so entertaining. When I finally got home after 10 hrs of driving I managed to do some gardening. After getting up at 4.00 I think I need an early night , at least Peter will be doing the driving up to Bristol and then Tewksbury tomorrow. I don't know how my eyes will feel or if I can get onto my blog tomorrow so I'm signing out till Sunday. See you then with my new eyes, hopefully.