Glockenspieling: Grade 3 Field Trip

A few weeks ago Stinkerbell packed her bags and set off on a 3 day/2 night adventure with her 3rd grade class, just like MadHatter did last year. She had been hearing about the trip for almost a year and was super excited that it was finally upon her. She packed her bags all by herself (class rule because if they don't know what is in there, they won't know what should be repacked and brought home). Very carefully she went down the checklist until she was sure she had it all.

Bright and early and she was ready to go.

Once I dropped her at school I would be at the mercy of the chaperones for information on what and how they were doing. The kids were not allowed contact with us (for good reason) and the teachers would be busy making sure that 40 eight-year-olds didn't get lost or injured so time would be limited. Add to that the restrictions on photos of children here in Germany (no faces) and we would only be getting sporadic glimpses of them from behind for the next 3 days. But it was enough to show that they were having a blast from the very start...The only small hiccup we had was when they took Stinkerbell to see the doctor. In 9 years, no child has ever had to go but if it would have been anyone, it would be Stinkerbell. She had gotten bit by something (more than one something actually) and they thought it might have been a tick because of the round rash and the pus. Better safe than sorry they said (and I agree) but when they called to tell me of the visit, I told them that I could have saved them a lot of worries because Stinkerbell reacts horribly to bites (all bites). All in all a small inconvenience and Stinkerbell loved the one on one time with her teacher.

Once they got back and the teachers had the time to upload all of the pictures (including their smiling faces) we finally got a better glimpse at the trip. And by then I had heard so many stories that I didn't really need the photos as I feel like Stinkerbell had painted a pretty good picture for me already. But here they all are (finally)...Benediktbeuern in all its glory...

Having just arrived and ready to have a snack before their hike.

Playing the giant musical instruments in the woods.

Mud, mud and more mud.

After the mud, many of them took off their shirts and let them dry.

Mushrooms (all poinsonous) and a slug they found on their first day of Adventure.

Dinner is served.

They had to make their own beds with help only from their roommates. A difficult chore on a bunk bed and because they had to put the duvet inside a sheet!

Still a sense of humor. At the doctors office she wanted to know who was small enough to sit in this...

After a good nights sleep, they had breakfast (that bandage might be overkill) and set off for their day.

They saw cows...

They kiked...

They build shelters...

Played volleyball...

and had lunch al fresco.

And that was the last we heard of them until the next day when they hit the climbing course. They hit a bit of a snafu here as they were supposed to take the cable car up but there were only chairlifts. The chaperones were not comfortable letting the kids ride up by themselves without supervision so hiking up it was...all 2 miles of it, straight up the mountain. They were exhausted when they got up but so happy to do the ropes course...