Now that registration is open for our 19th International Tour (to England) next August, I find myself reflecting on some of the most incredible memories we have had on tours over the past two decades. Here’s a random selection to share:

  1. tourArriving in Doolin, Ireland, about 18 years ago, we were told a beach near the town has some of the best sunsets in Ireland. With minutes to go, we all set out running across the fields towards the cliffs. Over stiles and under branches we ran, as the sky darkened. All the campers were laughing, helping each other, caught up in the craziness of the moment. We burst across a meadow, clambered down a coastal path, and emerged onto a beach as the sky split with colours that took our breath away.
  2. Standing atop a castle tower on the Isle of Mull, we saw something tremble in the sea below us. Gasping, we gathered round, calling to one another, pointing as the waters split with silver and a pod of dolphins arced above the waves.
  3. A couple years ago, we took a group to see a stunning production of Medea at the National Theatre in London. When we emerged from the auditorium, everyone was buzzing with excitement at the incredible work we had just seen. Years ago, as a teacher in England, I had always taken my students onto the terrace to discuss the plays, so we all piled out onto a balcony overlooking the Thames, and had the most fantastic discussion about theatre, acting and creativity. The excitement was palpable and we lost sense of the time until a security guard poked his head through the glass doors to say they had almost finished locking up the building, and they hadn’t thought to check the balcony!
  4. img_1681We always go walking on our tours, to try to show campers fantastic places off the beaten path. One such walk a couple years ago took us up through fields filled with cows, moorland slopes shivering with purple heather, and past the ruins of a castle in shadow. That evening, sitting cross legged in the dorm room and sharing memories of the day, I was astounded by how new the experience had been for everyone. Many of our campers had never seen cows up close before. Never seen moorland scenery. Never experienced the evocative ruins of a castle. Never walked in countryside for an afternoon. Sometimes the most significant experiences we can give our youth are the simplest ones.
  5. I will never forget a packed lunch we ate on the slopes above Tintagel Castle, years ago. The cliffs were so high that seagulls wheeled beneath us. As the sun beat down, we lay in a circle and shared memories of great books we had read. Then, we headed down to Merlin’s Cave and ran through the waves. Every tour has moments like this – of magic, freedom, illumination.
  6. Our greatest memories on tour are often to do with the places we stay. English youth hostels are spectacular buildings, always safe and often designed with educational groups in mind. Some are purpose built, but others are heritage buildings. We’ve stayed in a Scottish croft. An old stone cottage with its original gas imgp0445lighting. Castles. Stately homes. Even the home of a Prime Minister. And as we make meals, take arts workshops or rehearse together, incredible friendships are formed.
  7. On tour, we try to see things the average tourist will miss. One year, in Oxfordshire, I read about a Neolithic chamber tomb. When I asked our bus driver to take us, he said, “what do you want to go there for?” I insisted. He parked the bus, and we walked a mile together along a darkening pathway through overgrown yews. Excited chatter gave way to an awed silence as the path opened up to the strange and mysterious monument we had come to see. The atmosphere was palpable. It was like walking back in time – for a moment, feeling part of a world utterly unlike our own. At the end of the tour, campers listed this as a memory they would never forget.

We have lofty goals for all our tours. To introduce young people to culture, literature, history, folklore. To safely encourage independence through meals our campers make from themselves and experiences they share. To foster a love of travel and a fascination with the world beyond our borders. And perhaps most of all, to create memories so packed with surprise, delight and joy that young people will carry the experience with them for the rest of their lives.

Our 2017 International Tour is Now Open and Registrations are being taken! For an information pack, go to: https://www.centauriartscamp.com/summer-camps/international-tours/

Julie
Centauri Arts Camp
centauriartscamp.com