Training Camp Belgium
A new venture for Southern Aurora and Legion Star, a weeklong training camp, based in Zele in Belgium, a real journey into the unknown!

Observations from a wheelchair

Day1 Sunday 25th May

When you are travelling in a Double Decker coach by ferry into Europe, the first thing you want is good weather. As luck would have it, the weather forecast for today was strong winds, and torrential rain, so bad that they were putting out a weather warning! Having listened to the wind and the rain howling and pouring during the night it was comforting to wake to a calm and bright morning! A good omen and as it turned out a sign of things to come.

Unusually for an Aurora trip, everyone was collected on time, and we arrived at the ferry port early, and once aboard the rush for the food hall was on, only to find the all-day breakfast stopped at 11 and we had missed it! I’m not sure why they have a menu as what was on it was off and what they had cooked wasn’t! Never the less, having somehow acquired an extra sausage to the regulation two, a decent meal was had, and it was on the chocolate factory!

It was about now that you realised the weather forecast was completely wrong! While Josh purchased his chocolate boobs, I sat in brilliant sunshine eating ice cream and started work on my dodgy tan! We had met up with the truck who had arrive here before us, and once everyone had done their shopping we set of for Zele.

We arrived in Zele, (home of the ice-cold beer), pretty much bang on schedule. It was the first time we heard Darren say “I know the way from here” and once Dirk had rescued us from the one-way street, Darren had taken us down the wrong way; we arrived at the Sports hall. Having been here last year for the tattoo, it felt like home from home, and everyone was soon putting their beds out in their favourite spot!

Now the thing I have learnt over the years is be on your guard most when everything is going well! We had arrived on time, in great weather; the truck had met us in the right place, and everyone was happy, time for the evening meal. It was at this point that rumour came to me that there was no kitchen! 

They say that a good leader surrounds himself with good people and it’s at times like this that it shows, due to a miss understanding there was no kitchen! But without any fuss within half an hour, equipment had been acquired, a kitchen improvised in the back bar, the barbecue was alight, and dinner was cooking. A feature of this week would turnout to be the professional and calming way the kitchen team led by Tarn and Kev went about their work, every meal was served on time, and delicious!

As the first day drew to a close, I was left to ponder, it had been a good day, but what would the week hold, till now the longest trip we had done was 4 days. We were going into unknown territory, could we all live together for a week, would tiredness and patience levels be a factor, and ultimately would the trip be a success or a failure? Only time would tell! Go to Day 2

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