Bush and beach

Otaki Gorge

We went on an outdoor survival course on Sunday.  It was run by the local home educators group and it was WONDERFUL!!!!  The location, the people, the weather .....  what more can I say it was awesome.

It was intended for 5-10 year olds but families, of course, were welcome.  Cassia became an honorary 5 year old for the day and did a great job of keeping up with the older children.

Otaki Gorge

The day's activities included finding shelter (whilst being a wolf!  Yes they really did go around on all fours with the guy taking the day!!), hide and seek, bush trails, drinking water from the river (as the aforementioned wolves!), drinking water from the river in bamboo cups which the children had finished off, lunch, hunting for hazelnuts and cracking them open on rocks taken from the rover earlier, making a fire and lighting it and then baking damper bread on sticks over the fire.  Sound tiring?  It was, but so great.  The children revelled in the freedom and responsibility they were given and did a lot of things for the first time (me too actually - first time I've drank roof water and first time I've baked and eaten damper bread.  We also were able to go inside the yurt that the people have just installed and are living in.  What a wonderful space it was.)  If you had asked me whether a 3 year old could make and light a fire I would have answered no.  BUT given the right circumstances they can - and the look on her face was wondrous!  

I took lots of photos but because there were lots of children around I didn't like to use them on this blog.

The Monday morning was spent lazily getting up and heading down the beach.  The surf was great, the sun was shining and there was no-one else on the beach - life doesn't get any better!

A rather large post sticking in the dunes that Cassia thought she could knock down

A little smiley crab face!

This is the first time that I've found one intact and I just love them!