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Camp Reports
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This section is for reports from people who went to NICES.
Pippa
I was lucky enough to attend the Nederweerts International Camp for European Scouts (NICES 2006 for short)
which ran between the 22nd July and the 5th August 2006. We travelled there by train, taking Eurostar
through the tunnel and after numerous changes we arrived at the campsite at about 6.30pm. After pitching
camp and discovering the shops were now shut, our first meal in the Netherlands came from a Pizza place
in the village. On the Sunday was the opening ceremony and we all walked to the town hall in very hot
conditions. All the groups gave a short introduction in front of their flags and in ours we had to say
what we hoped to gain from being at NICES – what we came up with was a book full of addresses, a camera
full of pictures and a nice tan. Then we walked back to the campsite and raised the flags along the side
of the entrance road. The afternoon’s heat caused a massive water fight outside the shower block.
The whole of the week was incredibly hot (we were told this was a heat wave and not usual Dutch weather),
and temperatures soared to almost 40 degrees. Each day we got to chose what activities we wanted to do and
in the first week I participated in rafting, craft workshop, survival challenge course, pottery and a
visit to Eijnderhoof Dutch museum. The rafting was good as it was a chance to cool off and some of the
local scouts tried to teach me some Dutch, including ‘I’m OK’, shaving and goat, which we later used with
the animals at the Eijnderhoof museum. We made an autograph book in the craft workshop and a pot at pottery.
My favourite activity of the week was the survival challenge track which involved low and mid-ropes all done
without a harness! The last activity on the course was a 15m high zip wire which we were given a harness and
helmet for. By Tuesday we had also discovered the award winning ice cream parlour in Nederweert which had
loads of delicious sorbets.
In the evenings we had a Dutch night with traditional games, karaoke, Mr and Miss NICES elections and an
international BBQ and group photograph at the end of the week. After planned activities there was music
every night in the party tent till midnight where us English seemed to always lead the dancing.
For the middle weekend we went to Brussels and spent the night in a hotel. We even got a free upgrade to a
posher one nearer the city centre due to one of our group being in a wheelchair at this point. In the
afternoon we visited the cathedral, went shopping and had a meal out at an Italian/Dutch restaurant. On the
Sunday we went on a sightseeing bus, more shopping and visited a chocolate museum. A group of us even found
an organic restaurant with loads of Vegan options for lunch. Back at the camp that evening 2 of us went with
one of our leaders and one of the Scottish leaders to ‘experience the Nederweerts nightlife’. We had a great
evening at an Irish themed pub in the village.
During the second week I completed a 50km cycle tour, visited a Dutch windmill, played farmer golf and went
to a water park. The cycle tour was interesting as two of us turned up expecting a large group and a guide –
what we got was a piece of paper with some instructions. It started off really nice with canals, woods,
country roads and lots of different animals (including goats, sheep, donkeys, deer and wallabies). But it
wasn’t really a surprise that we got lost and we were very happy when we saw the campsite in the distance.
The visit to the windmill was informative and got quite scary when some of the cogs started falling apart.
Farmer golf was great – it involves hitting a mini football around a field with a clog on the end of the
stick. The best activity of the week was the water park which had slides, wave machine, bubble pools and a
set of rapids from which I still have bruises a week later.
In the evenings we had karaoke and live music again as well as a British led campfire and Mr and Miss
Dumbass elections which was won by Jenny! At the campfire we learnt lots of international song to bring
home with us. On the last Friday we had a closing ceremony where we all lowered our flags in turn and then
we returned to the party tent to do swops.
On the Saturday we dismantled camp and set off home on the train, with lots of tears when we all had to say
goodbye at Waterloo. I had a fantastic time at NICES and we definitely accomplished our aims of a full
address book, lots of pictures and a nice tan.
Emily
Saturday - We arrived at the campsite on Saturday 23rd July at 7.00 pm local time to discover that all the
shops were shut. After pitching the 4 tents we took bikes into the town to the local Italian restaurant and
all ate pizza. Once we got back to the campsite we showed the other countries what the "brits" dancing as
like and we all got stuck in to dancing to grease lightning.
Sunday - In the morning there wasn’t any activities so we all had a lie in. During the afternoon we all put
on our best uniforms and headed down to the town square or the opening ceremony. Fortunately the weather was
warm and dry this was lucky because the opening ceremony took place out side. The ceremony consisted of our
countries flags flying from a cherry picker and then two people from the groups gave a talk on why we were
as NICES.
Monday - We set off from the campsite at 9.30 and headed down a track this took longer than expected with
the weather being so hot, to get to our first activity, farmer golf. This activity consisted of you having a
broom handle with a clog attached to the end, there were then 10 fields with buckets in and you had to hit a
football into the holes and record how many hits you had. The group with the least hits scored were the
winners.
Tuesday - Activities didn’t start until midday for some of us so we took out bikes and headed down town to
the ice cream factory, home made ice cream yummy. Actively for the afternoon was creative art. We were give
a folder of different sizes of paper and made a note book for NICES where we can the put photos in.
Wednesday - With the weather still being extremely hot we all booked to go outdoor swimming for the day. We
got on the coach at 9.15 am and headed into Weert to an open air-lake this was a lovely treat to be able to
cool down and get to know the Scottish girls who joined us. Once we had all finished swimming we sat in the
shade on the beach and enjoyed an ice cream. Sadly when showering after the activity I fell over and tore
ligaments in my left knee. This meant a visit to the camp hospital!
Thursday - With all the outdoor activities taken already I decided to go to pottery. This was great fun,
especially watching everyone around you in the same redicament trying to make something that represented
a pot or bowl.
Friday - Following my accident on Wednesday and my knee still being in great pain I decided to take the day
off and instead go shopping with one of the other girls. We had a great time, unfortunately when I reported
to the doctor on arrival back to camp he still wasn’t happy with my knee and sent me of to the hospital for
a check. Luckily they gave me the all clear. When I got back the campsite had organised an international BBQ
evening which was great with a band to finish off the evening.
Weekend - We arrived at Weerts trains station and caught an early train to Brussels where we were spending
the weekend. When we arrived in Brussels in the afternoon (after 3 trains) we first of all went to find our
hotel, after we had climbed many backstreets we found it only to be told it wasn’t wheelchair friendly so
the owner got onto his phone and booked us in to an upgraded hotel round the corner which was great. Once
we had dumped our bags off and had a look round each others room we headed of into the grand-place Grote
market to have a quite look round the shops and find something to eat. The leaders found a nice restaurant
in a side street alley which we ate in. We didn’t have to be at breakfast till 10 so we all enjoyed a well
earned lay in. after breakfast we headed down to the bus stop were we got on an open top tour bus, we saw
the palace, little Europe the manneken piss, old England and a lot of other things. Once the tour had
finished we had a look round a chocolate factory were we got lots of free tasters, then we had just another
time to do a bit more shopping before getting the train back to camp.
Monday - As we didn’t get back from the weekend in Brussels very early, when we arrived at the ticket desk
most activities had already gone. I did pottery again, his was still great fun. Because I was the only
English girl in the group I got to know the Dutch and Belgium scouts a bit better.
Tuesday - Claire and I went into Weert and explored the town, of course when it rained we had to take
shelter in the ice cream factory and have a giant milk shake each!
Wednesday - Jenny and I got booked in to glass engraving this was great fun Jenny managed to break the pen
luckily the man in charge was able to fix it. I made a miffy mirror and glass and jenny did elephants.
Thursday - Claire, Pippa, Sue and I went of site and did a bit more sight seeing this was good fun, getting
to know every one a bit more. In the evening we had a British camp fire and a couple of Dutch scouts came
along this lead to us by the end of the night knowing head shoulders knees and toes, in English, Welsh and
Dutch.
Friday - Pippa, Abi, Helena, and I went to Center Parcs were we had an amazing time in the swimming complex.
I have returned from NICES with many new friends and feel I have a better understanding of International
Souting and Guiding. Thank you to everyone who made the trip possible.
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