GUIDERS!!! Who's going to Butlins next weekend then?

[MaureenMLove]

Hands up! Don't panic, I'm not about to arrange a meet, just interested to know, how many of us are going to be there!

Me and Kbear, will both be there!

Oh drat, wish I'd seen this sooner. I think I said a while ago that we hadn't got places, but we got in at the last minute when all those people who were adamant that they needed every place that they'd booked later started to cancel !

Good time? I'm bleedin' knackered!

I've lost my voice from having to shout loud enough to be heard, sore hip from sitting on a coach for far too long, because of accidents on the way and the way back and bags the size of suitcases under my eyes!

Enjoyed myself though and our girls were brilliant.

If you went to the Bognor one, what did you think of the whole thing then?

I'm beyond knackered. I've got my Brownie tiredness badge (advanced).

On the whole, I thought it was great - especially as I didn't have to plan and organise it. There are a few minor points which I shall make on the feedback form, but it's the most elaborate pack holiday we've ever had (or are likely to have).

What did you think?

Well, they mucked up our rooms, which resulted in me and Kbear having to sleep on the floor, on sofa cushions!!

When we went to see the organisers, they basically told us we had to go and see someone from Butlins to get it sorted. Wasn't particularly happy about that, since it was 11pm before we got into our apartments! Thankfully Kbear and I are young enough (no, really, we are!) to sleep on the floor, but there were plenty of Guiders there that wouldn't have been able to! The extra bedding arrived at 12.15am!

I do think they rather under estimated how many Brownies where going to see the Reds show on Saturday night, as we queued for over an hour!

On the whole though, I was very impressed. I suppose you can't organise something on this scale, without a few un-expected problems. Could have done with a bed though. I felt that was a basic mistake!!

You have my sympathies! I would not have fared very well on the floor (although perhaps it would have been good for my back)!

My fellow leader remarked to me that everything that was organised by Girlguiding UK was done better than the things organised by Butlins and I think that's pretty much true. When I get my feedback form I'll have plenty to say about that Reds show!

PS How many shows were there in all? We went to the game show in Reds and two in Centre Stage - the history pageant and Hannah Montana. After Hannah Montana we had some dancing with the redcoats and then they chucked us out far earlier than the programme specified, leaving us with an hour to fill (which we spent queueing in the sweet shop!) Now I wonder whether we were supposed to go back again for another show.

My feet and brain still ache!

Me too! I start work very early, so was in at 7am yesterday morning, but I felt like was hovering above everyone yesterday, just trying to take it all in!

We did the Reds, Hannah Montana and History bit. I don't think there was another show after that. There wasn't time for anything else, anyway. By the time we'd dumped stuff at the apartments and had lunch, we had our swimming slot. We didn't make the disco on Friday night, because we were so long getting there. There were two accidents on the motorway, so we didn't arrive until 9'ish.

I agree, Guiding was better than Butlins. The Butlins restaurant staff were rubbish!

We missed the disco too, much to my disappointment.

We had no problems with the Butlins restaurant staff - they were great with the Brownies - but I did think that if Guiding people had (say) been in charge of getting the girls into Reds, it would have been done more quickly and more smoothly.