Camp Kaitawa

By Kate Tillard

Finally Camp Kaitawa was here. I was so excited but it was pouring down with rain. We all said good bye to our friends and family then we got into the cars and headed off. Pouring rain, climbing Ngamoko, muddy caving, waterfalls and cookout. Lots of fun and laughs, but tired now.

MondayOn Monday we got to Camp Kaitawa safely. It was pouring down with rain and the cars were caked in mud. I think all the kids wanted to do was have dinner and go to bed but no, we had to go for a walk around camp. We went on the loop walk and to the power station and up the pipe line. When we got back to camp we were all drenched from the rain. We all got changed and headed to the dinning room for dinner and dessert. Then doc came talk to us about Kaitawa.

Tuesday When Tuesday came I was roaring to go but we had to be very quiet because some people were still asleep. Then the teacher came into say we could all get ready. Everybody got dressed and headed to the dining room for breakfast. After we had the delicious breakfast we brought our day packs into the dinning room and got our lunches for the day. Then the teachers had a talk . The walk we have just waiting for us. One thing that I was thinking is how hard is this going to be? Then we got into cars and headed off to start the walk. When we got to the Rata Tree we had morning tea. The Rata tree was very interesting, like it is 800 to 1000 years old. Then we had lunch near the top. I fell over but when we started going down I knew we were close to camp. We got some free time and after that we had dinner which was deviled sausages. Then we had dessert, shower and bed. I was so grateful that it was bedtime.

WednesdayOn Wednesday we went for a walk to Michael Noonan's grave and a mans grave and a 9 month old baby . We had morning tea there. It looked like there was a lake there but is just the rain that had been before us. When we got back to the cars we all had lunch. After lunch we got ready for caving. We had to wear our rain coats because the caves were wet inside. I got very muddy because I fell over on my butt! After the caving we all got a lollipop in the car. When we got to camp we got changed and had free time. Then it was dinner time. For dinner we had hamburgers and the thing that was sad was we didn’t have dessert. Then we got into our groups for the talent show. Then we went to bed. I ready enjoyed the day we all had.

ThursdayHere is another day of Camp Kaitawa. On Thursday we all walked to lake Waikareiti. When we there we had morning tea. There was a little hut there, some people got to sit in the hut but I didn’t because it was full. Then we started to walk back. Then we got back. We sat on a wooden cart and had lunch. After lunch we went and had a look at some waterfalls then we went on the loop walk. The loop walk was only 30 minutes long. It was good because it wasn’t uphill because I was getting a bit tired of walk. After the loop walk we got into cars and went back to camp. We got free time and if we wanted to we could do the confidence course. I did it and I had a lot of fun. We got a free time because my Dad and other adults were getting everything ready for our cookout. We our knew our groups for the cookout before we came to camp because we all had to bring something to put in with the food that we were given. We took out food down to the camp fires then we got started cooking our dinner. Things that we got given were mince, cheese, carrot, nacho chips and onion. We put everything in and waited till it was cooked. then we ate it. Oh my God it was so, so NICE. After dinner we went back and had dessert. Then we that the talent show, then the quiz, then bed.

FridayOn Friday we had breakfast. After breakfast we all packed our bags. After we packed all our gear we put it outside to get put in the trailer. All of us kids went down to the courts while the adults were cleaning and putting our bags in the trailer. When it was all packed away we came back up. Then we had a lot of photos taken and the teachers had a talk to us about camp and then we just go into cars and headed off on our way home. We stopped at Wairoa for lunch. We had chips on a bun then we just kept on going. When we got to Tutira store we got an ice block. We kept on going till we got back to school. We got the trailer unpacked, then we went home.

I really enjoyed Camp Kaitawa. I had so much fun. The best thing we did was the caving. I know I will go there another time. We had so many laughs, fun and joy and we couldn’t have done this with out the teachers and adults. Thank you!