Grade 6 - Trip to Babanango
On a crisp, cold Monday morning our energetic group of Grade 6s, and staff, hopped onto the Maharaj bus to begin their five-day Babanango adventure.
There was much excitement and loads of chatter as we journeyed through Ladysmith, Dundee and Nqutu to reach our first historical stop, in the heart of Zululand, Nyoni Heights. We then went on to Isandlwana and Rorke’s drift and learnt about all of the battles and significant happenings that make up an incredible part of our South African history. We were incredibly fortunate to have Mr Russell Trott on board. His knowledge and expertise was invaluable, and the children thoroughly enjoyed listening to his stories and learning about the history of South Africa.
After an interesting day of learning, and much singing and revelry, we finally arrived at the Babanango Outdoor Education Centre. The children settled into the beautiful tented camp quickly and kicked off their experience with a delicious meal.
Mr Trott’s voice became the standard wake-up call each morning as the children gathered around the fire circle to prepare themselves for their polar bear challenge. The Grade 6 group completed three challenges whilst on camp. Three mornings of polar bear, where they swam across a freezing pool, a 100 burpee challenge and a 6km run. These activities certainly built some character and, in true Clifton style, it was lovely to witness each child doing their very best and persevering through each one. It was also remarkable to witness how the boys and girls encouraged one another and helped their peers accomplish each task.
After a warm shower and some hot chocolate, the boys and girls were briefed on the day’s activities. Chatter echoed the enthusiasm of the 46 Clifton Grade 6s.
Following a hearty-cooked breakfast each morning, the children enjoyed a fun-filled and busy programme of physical and mental team challenges, orienteering and informative talks and quizzes in the beautiful Babanango Valley.
The next few days saw the boys and girls partaking in a variety of engaging learning activities. Special highlights were the informative talks the children received on the life and times of King Shaka and his brother Dingane. South Africans are blessed with an incredibly rich and diverse cultural heritage and the gruesome history of the Zululand area, marred by betrayal and beheadings, had the children captivated. Eco-trail walks, raft building, potjie competitions, guided star gazing, scavenger hunts, team challenges, time to swim, play in the mud and slide down rapids were some of the other activities that our boys and girls engaged in.
The chilly evenings were usually spent around the fire, laughing and sharing stories from the day, and after a three-course (Yes, three-course!) meal each night we rolled into the evening activity before ‘bums in bed’ and lights out. These evening activities included a night walk, Stalk the Lantern, and a truly hilarious camp concert.
It was an incredibly enriching and memorable experience for all involved, including the teachers, and we returned to school with many happy memories of our time away together. We are thrilled to report we received many compliments on what a fabulous bunch of children the Clifton Grade 6s are; we couldn’t agree more. Thank you to the parents for making this very worthwhile trip possible.
