Day trip to Cologne

We are currently on our way back to the youth hostel for dinner after another fantastic day with a delightful group of girls. We left the youth hostel shortly before 9 to head to the chocolate museum in Cologne. Not perhaps the best activity in the 26C degree heat but this did not not deter the girls from stocking up on a variety of chocolate! We were able to sample some freshly made chocolate and could watch the production line in the factory. It was quite fascinating to see how it went from cocoa bean to wrapped chocolates. Afterwards we went to the city centre and explored the beautiful cathedral. The girls then had some free time to hit the shops, which they managed very successfully! Finally we went to the Eiscafe and indulged in a range of spectacular looking ice creams. Tonight traditional Bratwurst awaits us upon our return to the hostel. Mrs Lister

A wonderful day in Cochem

Well what a scorcher it has been today! We have certainly been blessed with the weather and it is forecasted to reach 26C tomorrow. First thing this morning, after another hearty breakfast, we walked up the steep hill to the Reichsburg Castle where we were given a tour. The students got to see some secret panels and learnt about the legends attached to the castle. We were shown a fascinating lock on a door that was designed for the men and women who might have enjoyed a little bit too much of the wine. The key was always guaranteed to fit in the lock through a sliding mechanism! We were taken out onto a very Romeo and Juliet style balcony, where we got stunning views of the River Moselle. After our tour we walked into Cochem town centre where the girls had some free time to explore. We then had a lovely relaxing trip on the Moselle for an hour and then rounded off the day with an incredible slice of cake and a drink! The chocolate cake certainly proved popular as the girls polished off every last piece! We then walked back to the youth hostel and had a lovely dinner of chicken, dauphinoise potatoes and beans, followed by rice pudding. After completing their diaries and a quiz the girls are now getting themselves ready for bed as tomorrow we shall be heading to Cologne. Mrs Lister

Fantastisches Phantasialand

Good evening! What another fabulous day. The weather has been glorious and we have been very well looked after in the youth hostel. An excellent breakfast with batter for the girls to make themselves waffles for breakfast along with a great selection of cereals, jams and typical German meats and cheeses. All girls are making a real effort with the food and eagerly tucked into the goulash and potatoes we had tonight. Phantasialand was certainly enjoyed by all with many on the thrill seekers rides including the staff. My nerves have just about recovered! Several braved the water rides with several coming back soaked but smiling. All had a fantastic time! This evening we wandered from the youth hostel into the centre of Cochem to do a town trail. For some this was very successful but for those with an 'interesting' sense of direction it proved rather challenging! We are now back at the hostel and all girls are heading off to bed ready for their full day out in Cochem. Bis morgen!

Wir sind hier in Deutschland

I am sure you will all be pleased to hear that we have safely arrived in Germany. We have had a very smooth journey and arrived at the youth hostel spot on time. The girls are now all nicely settled in and unpacked. They have had time to explore the grounds a bit and have all been impressed with the beautiful town of Cochem, with its castle standing high up on the hill. We will be visiting this on Monday. They have also experienced their first German meal- schnitzel with pasta and vegetables. All girls made a real effort to eat the food and I have been impressed with their efforts so far, especially one group of girls who were eager to try out the selection of german fruit teas. After dinner we settled down to write our first diary entry and again the girls determination to write in German was commendable, especially those who do not even study the language. We are now all heading off to bed as we are quite tired from the long journey and need to be wide awake tomorrow for a fantastic day out at Phantasialand. Mrs Lister

It's the final countdown!

The last few hours before departure are finally upon us. Having checked the most recent forecast it seems to be warming up in Germany. They are predicting a temperature of 31 by Wednesday! Therefore please make sure you pack those sun hats, sunglasses and cream as well as a variety of layers as other days look a bit more unsettled. Finally have you got your towel? Adaptor plugs? Euros? We are all really looking forward to it and shall see you later at midnight!! Mrs Lister

channel tunnel update

 Hi all
I'm sure you will have all seen the news tonight about the channel tunnel situation. If not the current situation stands that the euro tunnel is now open but eurostar remains closed. This is due to ferry workers going on strike and immigrants taking advantage of lorries stacking up and they have been breaking into them to try and get to England and some have managed to get into the tunnel. I'm posting this to keep you updated and to hopefully reassure you that by Friday I am confident this situation will be resolved. We are using the euro tunnel so the fact that this is already open seems hopeful! We may however be subjected to stringent security checks! Mrs Lister

Less than a week to go!

Well the countdown is on! With less than a week to go now it's time to start getting yourself organised and to start thinking about packing. Have you got your Euros yet? Adaptor plugs? and that all important pillow for travelling? At the moment the weather is looking warm (24/25C) but a bit unsettled with some rain and possible thunder so make sure you come prepared for everything! Mrs Lister

Well I have just had a look at the weather currently in Cologne and it is 24C with a mixture of sunshine, clouds and some possible thunder storms! Hopefully by the time we are ready to depart the thunder will have disappeared and just left us with the nice warm temperatures and the sunny weather! The most accurate weather tends to come from the BBC www.bbc.co.uk/weather, Cologne- if you want to keep an eye on it over the next couple of weeks. Mrs Lister

Not long to go now!

Well we have entered the month of June so not long to go now! Hope you are all getting excited and looking forward to our travels to Germany. I shall be updating this blog daily so you can find out what we have been doing each day. Looking forward to seeing you all on the 27th June. Mrs Lister