Introduction

My name is Rebecca, I am now on my 4th school trip with Explore. It all started 6 years ago when my husband and I took a trip to Borneo, all the way through I was thinking that it would make a good school trip. On our return we called Explore and we haven't looked back.

We have travelled to Borneo, China and Namibia so far. I take my husband on these trips, he does most of the liaison with Explore and as a team we arrange the entire school end of things. School are happy with this arrangement, he's been CRB checked and the girls and parents accept him fully. It makes the organisation easier that we do it together, though it has become a large part of our married life over the last 5 years!!

This year I'm running a 3 week trip to Thailand. I'm taking 3 members of staff; and 14 girls from years 11-13. So we have 14 children and 5 adults, a high ratio by any standard but school and I like it this way for trips of this nature. It bumps up the cost but school and staff chip in to help.

Explore asked if I'd write "BLOG" type diary for the trip, to see if it would be any use as a testimonial / report of the before during and after of a trip of this type.

I should have started this at the beginning, back in August, when we returned from the school trip to Namibia, and started planning Thailand. There are so many bits we've done since then. Getting permission from the Head and Governors, trying to prove that we weren't going to lose the girls in the jungle. The first promo letter, then providing itineraries and further information to those who expressed an interest, nervously counting replies and deposits to see if we'd have enough to make the trip viable, and then going through the names of those who signed up, getting the booking details and deposit off to Explore. Then you get to sit back and relax a bit.

Then getting the rest of the money in, never on time of course, and asking school to write a check for over £25,000! Getting parental consents and checking passport details.
Then to start planning the finer details. The parents information evening, which we do in May, is always a big fear. Making sure that you know the itinerary inside out and remembering to pass on all the advice you can about what to take. I'm always worried that they'll ask something I can't answer, but it always goes well and we have a lot of help from Explore.

So we (sorry Pete) has started a blog with 2 weeks to go until the trip.

Please feel free to comment or post as required.