tarn. Seeing such a large body of crystal-clear water was beautiful, to say the least. It was also freezing. But that didn’t stop us from taking a quick dip. Back at the lodge, while there was plenty of laughter and joy from students and teachers alike, the last night had arrived, and with it a slight sadness. On our final morning, we woke to the sight of a river of clouds below us engulfing the valley. We had a quick breakfast, with some taking time lapses of the moving clouds. Soon we were packing out and cleaning up. The stay finished with a MANifesto award ceremony, acknowledging the characters of the trip, including the brave, the kind and the funny. From just three days, some key takeaways were the teamwork and spirited comradery that developed. Boys who didn’t know each other prior to the trip became friends on the walk to the lodge or perhaps over a game of chess. Our teachers reminded us that regardless of our results in the internal, it was our work ethic that would carry us to success. With the 2021 academic year starting to take off, this trip was surely a catalyst for another successful year for us all.
be the mainstays of our night. A memory for the boys was teacher Kirsty Howatson defeating us, one after another, in Connect Four. Dawn broke early to reveal Mount Rolleston in all its glory amid a stunning alpine sunrise. Being surrounded by mountains is a feeling that is beyond description. The day of the internal had finally arrived. The boys formed small groups and set out to collect data using their quadrats. The data aimed to determine how an environmental factor affected the distribution of different plant species in the habitat – called zonation. We could easily observe different species dominating in
different zones of the area, as the terrain changed from boggy mud to sheer rock. After a busy lunch break, with students frantically discussing their ideas, it was time for the boys to switch to exam mode and apply their learning in their reports. It was a bit like school – only this time, outside the window was a giant mountain. Three hours later, the internal was done and the nerves calmed. A group of students, along with teachers, decided to reward themselves with a trip to Bill’s Basin, complete with an alpine
Christ’s College Canterbury
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