2nd Alouette Pathfinders, Adventures In Europe
Most recently we took an independent trip to London (Pax Lodge) and to Switzerland (Our Chalet). What an amazing experience for us leaders and girls alike. We travelled first to London where we did a lot of touristy things. We visited Buckingham Palace, rode the London Eye, experienced Harry Potter, Madame Tussauds, Big Ben, Piccadilly Circus and Westminster Abbey. We also got to experience a British pub, the over-ground and underground rail systems and of course we had to do lots of shopping! We saw other Girl Guide and Scout groups at Pax lodge and met some staff from different countries. We then travelled to Switzerland where we again met more Canadian groups from other provinces as well as an independent group from Ireland.
The staff here were from different countries as well. In Switzerland, we got to hike the Swiss Alps (2300m). Who knew the air was so thin or that we had so many leg muscles! We experienced zip trekking, rock climbing and learned to belay. For those who were brave they got to abseil off a 30m high bridge. We visited a castle, chocolate factory, fabulous waterfalls,cute towns, a wood carvers hut and a magic tree. The road to everything went up in Switzerland and just when you thought it would go down it went up again! We had a fabulous time and experienced new cultures, made new friends, hiked during the day and night. The girls also took part in some workshops through WAGGGS. It was a great opportunity for them to experience Guiding on a larger world scale and to understand the impact that Guiding can have on girls and others around them. From our grand tour of Buckingham palace to our daily upward climb to Our Chalet we will carry these memories with us for a lifetime!