Arnold School

The trip of a lifetime!

Australia 2009 has definitely been a trip of a lifetime for the girls and the staff. Reading the comments from the girls has brought back many memories, and made me realise how much the girls and staff gain from sports trips. For me this has been the best trip I have ever been on at Arnold School, and the main reason for this was the girls. They were the best group of young people I have ever travelled with. They were kind, considerate and great company - I still cannot beleive that I never had to raise my voice once.

My highlights second time round were still the Penguin Parade at Philip Island and driving into Sydney over the Harbour Bridge and seeing the Opera House. Other highlights have been the girls getting on the stage and dancing the "Makalaha" in Fiji, singing round the piano on the last night, the exciting match against Central HC and of course the birthday I shared with Imogen in Raffles Hotel, Singapore. A great time was had by all, and I am pleased that the girls made it such a great trip for all the staff.

Thanks to Miss D for having the drive and determination to make it happen, and for organising it so calmly and efficiently. Also to John Taylor and all the parents who worked so hard on the different fundraising committees. I can assure you all that it was definitely worthwhile.

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Monday 24/08/2009

Best Moments from the Tour

Emma Mould
“When Keleigh fell in the pool in Fiji. I have enjoyed my massage in Fiji and facial. I have enjoyed shopping and spending all my money in Sydney on Ugg boots and clothes.”

Katie Goodacre
“My funniest moment was when Nicola fell into the sea at Singapore and everyone was looking and laughing.my best moment was when i saw the opera house and the sunny weather in Fiji.”

Aimy Barrow
“The funniest moment was in Singapore when Nicola was walking round Sentosa Island with a massive rip in her shorts  also touring Sydney and seeing all the famous buildings, and the sun in fiji when it finally came out.”

Nicola Taylor
“Meeting new people when we were hosted out and when Keleigh fell in the pool in Fiji. Also I loved our second proper day in Fiji, visiting the school and going in the pool and stuff.”

Faye Shearer
“Absolutely amazing! The best holiday I’ve ever been on. I will remember it forever especially with the thousands of photos I’ve taken! My favourite parts were standing in front of the Sydney Opera House and sunbathing and snorkelling in Fiji, it felt so surreal!”

Amy Berry
“My favourite part of the trip was staying with the hosts in Melbourne, it was fantastic and they were really welcoming! Also, I loved snorkelling in Fiji and collecting lots of shells with Faye!!!”

Immy
“Great trip! My highlight was definitely the Luge ride on Sentosa island. Travelling down a huge hill on a sort of go-kart and ending up at the bottom on the beach was fantastic. However on the way back up on the cable-car I lost my camera case which fell into the forest below! Also mine and Miss Raby’s birthday at Raffles is something I will never forget”

Chloe
“My favourite experience whilst on tour has to be when we went up the Sydney Tower for a meal. It was fantastic to get dressed up in our new clothes that we had bought that day, and see all of Sydney, whilst rotating and eating gorgeous food.”

Amy Bradley
“I have enjoyed every second of the tour but my favourite day was the trip to the Olympic park. I loved the ANZ stadium and was excited to see the changing rooms, especially David Beckham’s changing area!”

Claire Nelder
“My most memorable part of the tour was when we went to Darling Harbour for our evening meal. The food was gorgeous and I really enjoyed people watching especially with all the lights shining!”

Lara Cherry
“I have enjoyed every bit of the tour but I have to say my favourite part was visiting the Fijian school. They made us feel so welcome with their gifts and songs. I just think the whole trip has been a brilliant experience.”

Helen Craig
“This trip has been amazing and I feel so lucky to have been able to be a part of it. One of my favourite bits was visiting Fiji as everyone was so welcoming and friendly. Overall this trip has really been the trip of a lifetime and I’m so glad that i had the opportunity to do all the many amazing things we have done.”

Meg Kearney
“My favourite memory from the tour has to be our whole leisure day at Mango Bay resort. Even though the rain at the start of the day promised no sun, we played beach volleyball, tug of war, egg throwing and the best was sliding across the wet grass to score a run in baseball! “

Catriona Waktare
“My favourite part of the trip so far has been billeting in Melbourne, we watched a scary film, and HSM 3, we had a friendly host who showed us the best places to shop in Australia- our favourite being Supré- the British equivalent being Primark and H&M combined. I also loved snorkelling in Fiji and playing beach volleyball on the sand.”

Jess Lee
“My favourite part of the trip so far is Fiji and being given the chance to experience a completely different culture. We have visited the local school, played matches against their hockey team and have also had leisure days at the resort where we were able to snorkel, kayak and play volleyball. Another thing that I have enjoyed on this trip is getting to know some of the younger girls.”

Camilla Dunlop
“I have many memories from this trip for example afternoon tea at Raffles and shopping in Sydney. However, the one thing I really enjoyed was watching the traditional dancers and singers from the local village in Fiji. They were amazing and so loud! The dances were really good but for people sat on the front row (like me) very scary as the men every now and again jumped out at us and made us scream. After that they all came into the audience and got us up and danced with us. We sort of did the conga, it was really funny. When the show was over a DJ came so we all danced and sang - which was really good fun and cheered me up loads since I hadn’t been feeling well. It was a great night, one I will always remember!”

Ceri Armit
“I have lots of amazing memories from the trip, as we have had lots of experiences. When we arrived in Singapore on our first day, we were all really tired but that evening before Raffles we went on a trishaw ride around some of the streets. The drivers were very entertaining, racing each other down the middle of the road and beeping their horns. People on the streets stopped to watch us and even when it started raining we were all still laughing. In Fiji we went to a local school where everyone was so friendly and happy. It was strange seeing how different their lives were to ours, but great to see how happy we made them by being there with them. The whole school came out to support us playing netball. One evening in the resort in Fiji some local dancers and singers came to perform. A few of the girls in the group were from the school and were happy to see us. One of the dances was by the young men of the group and they used spears and axes. Sat on the front row we were terrified, when they jumped and shouted at us. It showed to us how good they were. After that dance the performers dragged us off the floor and made us dance around the room with them, we ended up doing the conga. It was a great night and showed us what the people were like in Fiji.”

POM
“The trip thus far has been absolutely unbelievable and, although it is difficult to pick one moment from this tour, I would have to choose the very first day in Fiji as my most enjoyable. Having woken up on Friday morning, it was incredible to feel heat, having been rather cold the previous two weeks. Waking up to see the resort, I found that it was even more impressive in the daylight, having only seen it in the darkness. Before departing to the local school, I thoroughly enjoyed sitting on the beach in which time I thoroughly hoped to gain a tan.
Arriving at the local school was a unique experience with nobody walking past without saying hello. Before we met our hosts, we were taken to the chapel where we watched the closing acts of the South Korean Festival which was interesting, in spite of the music making me wince!!! We met the Fijian school children and started our visit by playing netball versus the Fijians – we played on a rugged pitch and admired our hosts’ determination as they played in socks without flinching. It was a truly heartening experience, even if we did lose quite badly.
We left the school in awe of the pupils’ constant happy moods and smiling faces. At the resort we settled down for a relaxing afternoon, which was incredibly refreshing, in particular spending 2 hours in a kayak.”

CHARLOTTE GREENWOOD
“So far the trip has been amazing, I have enjoyed every minute of it. The best part was my birthday, the weather was really nice and I got a bit of a tan. When I woke up I opened all my birthday cards from family and friends that I brought with me. During the day I did lots of activities, I went kayaking, snorkelling and played beach and pool volleyball, which were all very fun. My friends and I went in the pool, and Aimy taught me how to dive, which I am still trying to get right. I then went and got ready for the evening and during my meal I had received a phone call, which I was shocked about because I didn’t know who would want to ring me on the hotel phone, but it was my dad wishing me a happy birthday, which made my day. When I had finished my meal the lights went off and they brought out a gigantic cake. When the cake was finished, we headed off to the disco and played some party games which ended an memorable day.”

Shashi
“This Hockey tour is most certainly an experience of a lifetime! We all went on a trishaw in Singapore and it was amazing venturing through the busy roads. One of my most memorable moments was going to the land of Neighbours that is Ramsay St and meeting my childhood crush Stingray, this even reduced me to tears. From a very young age I’ve always wanted to visit the Sydney Opera House, and to look at it next to the Harbour Bridge in Sydney by night was absolutely breathtaking. Fiji is somewhere I never thought I’d ever visit, however from the moment we landed, I loved it straight away! Mango Bay Resort is wonderful and we’ve had the most lovely welcomes ever, it’s known that Fijians are the nicest people in the world and this is definitely true. The constellations you can see in the night sky are extraordinary and I’ve never seen stars quite like it. It’s been an eye opener to experience so many different cultures and I will take away everything I have learnt from this tour.”

Annie
“Without a doubt my favourite moment of the tour was seeing the penguins at Phillip Island in Melbourne. It was incredible how close we got to them when we were on the walkway. So many other moments fill my mind when I try to think about my favourite moment of the tour. The tour was made even better (if that’s even possible) because of all the funny and enjoyable moments we have shared together. Such as in Fiji when we joined in with some local dancers in a conga around the restaurant.”

Fiona.
“Favourite moment, Mango Bay Resort Fiji – sat in the hammocks on the beach front late at night in shorts with Camilla singing along to the music and chatting and looking at the stars, where we both leant the wrong way at the wrong time and fell out of the hammock face flat into the sand.”

Sarah Broadhurst
“When we stayed in Singapore there was a tropical storm. Fiona, Camilla and I were very scared by the thunder and lightning, so Camilla decided to take our minds off it by singing & dancing to “Raindrops on Roses”. This cheered us up and was very funny!
I also loved sitting on the hammocks in Fiji and relaxing by watching all the stars! Another time on this trip that I have loved was when we went to the school to play games with the local girls. They were all so friendly and I will never forget them! They were so grateful for our gifts and they made us all lovely flower necklaces!”

By Sophie Cartmell 
“My favourite memory would have to be today 19th of July. It may have been raining and very dull but I still made the most of the resort as it was our last free day. The day started with a few group activities - ball rolling , tug of war and then egg throwing . I was with Charlotte G and eventually after a few rounds the egg smashed in me and my hoodie. After this i had a gorgeous toasted sandwich and iced chocolate. I then made my way to my booked massage in which she released an apparent knot in my back and braided my hair. Since it was my last chance to snorkel I swam out with my waterproof camera to take some last minute pictures of the colourful fish. Finally to finish off a very wet but exciting day I went out on a horse ride with Helen C which fogged up my glasses. I’m sure I’ll sleep like a rock tonight.”

Rachel Fackey,
“During the tour I have experienced many different memories including having an egg smashed on my head on a beautiful tropical beach in Fiji, watching penguins scurry onto the beach in the night and being welcomed into Fiji with a choir of singing girls, but my highlight of the tour is playing the high standard of hockey and experiencing the different cultures of each place we visited.”

Rachael Riley’s favourite memory:
“This hockey tour has been fun and exciting in many ways. People have fallen into water (Nikki and Keleigh). I have loved every minute of it and have especially loved the shopping in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra. Fiji has been great and although the weather has not been amazing we have all made the most of the beautiful island. White water rafting was especially good and although scary at times it was a fantastic experience. I have learnt some Fijian words and songs which our Fijian instructor taught us. All in all I have had an amazing time and I will look forward to the next time I visit Fiji and Australia.”

Keleigh
“This truly has been a trip of a lifetime. My favourite memory was our second night in Fiji when some people came down from the village and performed for us. Also visiting one of the schools and getting to know some of the pupils. The tri shaw ride in Singapore was a lot of fun and we all had a great laugh.”

GEORGINA
“Favourite moments: I have so many amazing moments that I couldn’t list them all, however here are some; Being the first to fall in going down the rapids at white water rafting, The Sydney Tower revolving restaurant, especially being able to see the city by day and night which was incredible, the exiting match against Central hockey club in Canberra despite losing 4-2, due to the team playing our best match of the tour and being able to play against such friendly and welcoming girls. Finally all the shopping and sightseeing in Sydney.”

Charlotte Box
“Overall I have enjoyed the whole trip, but my highlights have been, the trishaw ride in Singapore, we had a funny driver and he blasted out music for the whole journey! I have also enjoyed the shopping in Sydney, where I managed to spend all my money on the first day! But my favourite thing has been the white water rafting in Fiji, the scenery was amazing, and it was hilarious when Mrs. D fell in! But it really was a once in a life time opportunity. I have enjoyed everything so much, I don’t want to go home.”

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Monday 24/08/2009

Georgina, Amy, Chloe and Imogen Speeches.

Farewell song for Mrs Ingham.

Suddenly I See! (KT Tunstall) Mrs Ingham's goodbye lyrics

Her face is a map of the world, is a map of the world
You can see she's a beautiful girl, she's a beautiful girl.
And everything around her is a silver pool of light,
The students who surround her feel the benefit of it,
She makes you smile, she holds you captivated in her hand.

Suddenly I see,
This is what I wanna be,
Suddenly I see,
Why the hell she means so much to me
Suddenly I see,
This is what I wanna be,
Suddenly I see,
Why the hell she means so much to me

She's given us the time of our lives, yeh the time of our lives
She's brightened up the whole of our school, yeh the whole of our school.
She's fills up every corner like she's born in black and white.
She makes us feel warmer when the netball standards poor,
She makes us laugh, and likes to see us winning in a match

Suddenly I see,
This is what I wanna be,
Suddenly I see,
Why the hell she means so much to me
Suddenly I see,
This is what I wanna be,
Suddenly I see,
Why the hell she means so much to me

And she's kinder than most,
And she's looking at me.
I can see her face looking from beneath those sunglasses
Oh she makes us feel like we could be towers,
A big, strong tower,

She's got the power to teach,
The power to shop,
The power to be, yeh yeh

The power to teach,
The power to shop,
The power to be, yeh yeh

Suddenly I see,
This is what I wanna be,
Suddenly I see,
Why the hell she means so much to me
Suddenly I see,
This is what I wanna be,
Suddenly I see,
Why the hell she means so much to me

Sophie's Early Birthday!

Final night on tour.

A night of mixed emotions!

On the short drive from Sea World, we witnessed some of the 36 miles of beaches that make up the Gold Coast, before arriving at our hotel, right in the middle of Surfers Paradise. What a location for the shoppers amongst us! I have never seen girls check in and get out of a hotel to hit the shops so fast!

At 8.30pm. we all met at Basking Robbins to celebrate Sophie’s birthday a day early. A spectacular ice cream Birthday cake had been organised, complete with candles and sparklers.

A happy troupe of girls made their way back to the hotel for the end of tour briefing, where the main item on the agenda was to say goodbye to Mrs Ingham. Miss De spoke about the tour - especially what good company the girls had been. It was then over to me to begin what was to be a very emotional farewell to Mrs Ingham – my good friend and colleague for the last 27 years. Georgina, Chloe, Amy and Imogen thanked the staff and then added their goodbyes to a tearful Mrs Ingham. The final tribute came in the form of the beautiful KT Tunstall song “Suddenly I see what she means to me”. Faye Shearer sang lyrics she had adapted herself along with Emily Pomeroy, and Jessica Lee accompanied her on the piano. All the girls joined in the chorus, and the new lyrics definitely summed up what Mrs Ingham means to all of us. Mrs Ingham thanked the girls and spoke to them about the importance of friendship.

We ended with an exchange of gifts. The staff bought the girls a turtle necklace from Fiji which symbolises good luck in life, whilst each group of girls bought their member of staff an assortment of lovely gifts. Whilst out shopping Mrs Malin almost spoilt her group’s plans, when she admired one of her supposedly surprise presents so much, that she wanted to go and buy one for herself. Thankfully the girls put her off the scent, and the spotted cushion will be useful on the flight home. Most of the girls went off to bed, but the discovery of a piano after 3 weeks without one proved too much for our musicians. Jessica, Faye, Shashi, Ceri, Sarah, Fiona, Annie and Amy showed off their many musical talents, and for the first time ever on tour, we had a good sing song around the piano. We enjoyed it so much that it was even suggested we have a musical hockey evening.

Finally we made it to bed where thankfully we can have a lie in, before we start our journey back to the UK at 11am.

Gold Coast - Sea World

A day at Sea World – the photos say it all!

Tonight our last night on tour - we will have a farewell get together – and I know the girls have something very special planned for Mrs Ingham on her last of very many tours with Arnold.

Posted by: Miss G Raby

Brisbane - Lone Pine Park Koala Sanctuary and match.

Meeting at school at 8.20am. meant it was a very early start for everyone - especially if your host had early morning music practice.
We left the school at 9am. and headed for the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, which only homes native Australian species, and has just been named the 5th best zoo in the world. Here we cuddled koalas, stroked kangaroos and saw lots more Australian wildlife. Thinking I would have a break from the girls, I headed for the sheepdog demonstration, and was surprised to meet Rachel, Lara and Charlotte at the shearing shed.

We then left for our fixture against All Hallows School at the Brisbaine Hockey centre. The A team drew 1-1 with a penalty corner goal from Georgina Read and the B team lost 2-0. After refreshments, the staff were quite envious as the girls left with their host families and promises of barbecues and roast dinners.

Fiji to Brisbane

After saying goodbye to our friends from the resort especially Orry and Bill, we called at the local school to give a donation that the girls had collected together. The Headteacher was overwhelmed by our kindness and said the money would help the children from the very poor families. We then left a wet and windy Fiji for our 2 hour journey to the airport. There was a slight panic when the coach broke down, but somehow our driver and a number of locals who stopped to help, managed to get it going again, and we arrived at the airport on time.
The 4 hour flight to Brisbaine went quickly, and after fun at customs because of the shells we should not have brought back from the Fijian beaches, we eventually got to All Hallows Girls Convent School, and met our host families for the next 2 nights. We were all amazed by the school uniforms – knee length skirts, blazers and matching shoes. (Dream on Mrs Nicholls). Once again the host families were very welcoming.

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Sunday 19/07/2009

Pupil blog from Claire, Rachel, Lara and Charlotte

White Water Rafting – Monday 20th July.

Girls Blog by Claire Nelder (Abraham’s Raft) Chloe, Amie, Harley, Chubb, Claire & Mags.
An early morning start, a journey on a rough track, a walk through the jungle and we were there – the white water rapids. After being kitted out with life jackets and helmets we headed for the start of the course. Moses the chief guide gave a safety talk, we met Abraham the guide on our raft and then we were off. After marvelling briefly at the magnificent scenery we entered the rapids. Guided by Abraham we stayed in our raft through the first set of rapids but still got soaked. Unfortunately this luck seemed too good to last and as we passed through the next very rocky rapids we had our first spill or should we say spills. First to go was Chubb, and then Harley, as she attempted to save Chubb. Meanwhile distracted by all the action, Aimie despite Chloe’s attempt to warn her, failed to notice a large rock on her left and fell backwards onto the rock (Ouch!!) Mrs Ingham stayed in as the three fallers bobbed down the rapids and were pulled to safety. Aimie panicked slightly. We stayed in after this and the only other frightening moment was when our intrepid leader, Miss De went overboard. The next 26k were unforgettable – the magnificent gorges and waterfalls. We had never seen scenery like this and it was definitely one of my highlights of the trip. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the rafting and I am sure that this experience is one that none of us will ever forget.

Girls Blog by Charlotte, Lara, Rachel, (Toby’s Raft) & Miss De.
Today was the day we had all been waiting for – white water rafting in the rainforests of Fiji. We were all excited but also nervous, as we were unsure what lay ahead. We started on some fast rapids but soon got the hang of it, leaning in different directions with every twist and turn. After lunch the rapids became steeper, lunging us from side to side every second, but with food in our bodies we were ready for some tough paddling (Well some of us were!) Miss De was heard to shout “Paddle Charlotte”. On the calmer stretches, pushing people in and blaming other people (Miss De) was also good fun. Even though the water was cold and muddy it did not matter as the landscape was so beautiful. As we hit the strongest rapids we found it more difficult to stay in the raft and it was only going to be a matter of time before someone fell out. Unfortunately for Miss De, she was the one to go,not hearing the instruction to lean in on a huge drop, she fell out and worried us all as she went under the water. Luckily she re-surfaced shortly after taking in some muddy water and returned safely to our raft. Soon after this we had a free massage, walking on a narrow ledge under the 50m waterfall. Luckily we made it to the other end with the help of our guides. Overall, it was an amazing experience, even though Toby scared us with tales of spiders, wild cows, horses and even the villagers. I know that all of us would love to do again.
By Charlotte, Lara and Rachel.

White Water Rafting

Just a quick note to let you know that everyone is back safe and sound from the white water rafting. All involved had a fantastic time - the scenery was magnificent a few falls in the water - the most spectacular was Miss D, lots of swimming and many great memories.

Happy Birthday for yesterday from Chubb to her mum - she has been unable to contact you Anne because of the poor reception - I am sure Chubb and the rest of the girls will be in touch when we arrive in Brisbane tomorrow.

Matches v Fiji Secondary Schools

Both teams played two games each against teams made up from six schools in the capital city at the National Rugby stadium, and it was quite an experience playing hockey while the Fijian rugby players sang their warm up songs.

It was not easy, playing in the afternoon heat of Fiji, but thankfully we had rain showers that cooled us down. The A team won their first game quite easily by 4 goals to 0. The first goal was a trademark reverse stick sweep from Georgina Read, after 10 minutes. There were a lot of other chances, with the Fijian keeper making some excellent saves. The next goal in the second half, came from an og. after a goalmouth scramble. Charlotte Greenwood got Arnold’s third, sweeping the ball in from the left post from a short corner strike. The final goal came from Harley Greene, after a good run and pass from Rachel Fackey in midfield.

The B team had to cope with early pressure at the start of their game but some good work from captain Amy Berry, soon began to win the midfield battle for Arnold. Charlotte Box started to make some good “banana runs” on the right, despite getting battered by the sometimes dangerous tackles from the opposition. The Fijian side relied very much on big hits, but brave interceptions in defence from Sarah Broadhurst and Fiona Stapleton kept the opposition at bay, whilst Jessica Lee and Catriona Waktare tackled well in midfield. Arnold’s best attacks came in the second half, with Imogen Davies switching play well, and Nicola Taylor and Emma Mould having good runs on goal. The Fijian side had a late goal disallowed and the game ended 0-0.

Charlotte Greenwood gave the A team the lead in their second game, after a good run from Harley Greene and a well placed pass from Rachel Fackey. Once again good play in front of goal put the Fijian keeper under pressure, with shots from Rachel Fackey, Charlotte Greenwood and Georgina Read all being saved. A fine jab tackle from Faye Shearer gained possession for Arnold, and a series of quick passes led to a well placed goal from Georgina Read. The Fijians scored at the end of the half to make the half time score 2-1. The second half was played at a much slower pace, much to the frustration of coach Miss De, who seemed to have forgotten how hot it was. A further goal from Georgina Read and one more for the opposition, meant the game ended 3-2 in Arnold’s favour. Catriona Waktare, Keleigh Spector and Helen Craig all made their debut for the A team in this game, and coped well with the faster pace.

The second B team game was very even with both teams making chances but not scoring. Katie Goodacre worked well in defence and Rachel Riley looked strong in the middle. Annie Gillis linking well with Sophie Carmell, made some good runs on the right, and two of her passes almost led to goals. Emma Mould always looked dangerous on the break, and Arnold’s best chances came when she linked well with Shashi Tadi late in the game.

At the end of the game the two teams exchanged gifts. We gave out T Shirts, pens and mini hockey stick key rings, and Miss De was given a beautifully carved wooden turtle dish. The opposition chose Aimy Barrow and Charlotte Greenwood as the A team players of the match, and Emma Mould and Sarah Broadhurst were the B team players of the match.

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Friday 17/07/2009

Egg throwing competition.

Pupil blog from Harley and Chubb

After a four hour journey we were welcomed into sunny Fiji with shell necklaces and huge smiles. “But girls, there’s good news and there’s bad news. Good news is the resort is gorgeous, however the bad news is it’s a two hour coach journey!” Nevertheless we smiled and got on with it and felt fully recharged after our pit stop at McDonalds. As the two hours passed it grew darker and we grew more tired, but the trek never seemed to end. An extra two hours along the line we eventually made it to the ‘Mango Bay Beach Resort’, rumbling down the rickety lane in the pitch black, with no lights to guide us. Again there were greetings of “Bula” from the very happy Fijian people. We were shown to our rooms... or should we say safari tents! The idea of food slightly picked up our moods and our traditional welcome by our holiday rep Ori definitely did. We were ushered into a tent, where we had to remove our shoes and sit cross legged, facing the town chief and his spokesman. Miss Raby, not surprisingly, appointed herself as the tribe chief and Mrs Ingham as her spokes person. After the mixing ceremony, we were offered the tribal drink of Cava that was to go “straight down the hatch. The drink proved to be a bit “iffy”... it was murky stony water and gave nobody the “tingle” as promised! Our first night under the stars , ended with us watching the film ‘What happens in Vegas’ amongst the other guests... or should we say couples as we later noticed!!

The next morning we were greeted by sunshine cracking trees, sandy beaches, clear blue waters... paradise compared to Blackpool! After breakfast us sun worshipers christened our spot on the beach where we hoped we were settling all day...it was a mere few hours. At 11am we piled onto a mini bus and drove to Vision College, where yet again on arrival we were fantastically welcomed by a Korean cultural performance in their chapel. Soon after we made our way down to their netball courts, in which weeds were growing up through the uneven potholed gravel. Mrs Malin very sensibly advised ‘Girls it’s not about winning today, it’s a fun game, just don’t break your ankle!!’ Getting into position we looked down to see that the opposition were playing either in bare feet or just socks. Despite the lack of footwear, the whistle blew and within 10 minutes we were clearly getting nailed! However we responded well and put up a good fight. Just before we left, they preformed a traditional welcoming ceremony with singing and dancing, and we were presented with handmade garlands and a table of brilliant food that had been made by the villagers. We returned to the beach were the sun worshipers revisited their positions, and the more adventurous hired out snorkels and canoes to explore the beautiful Fijian waters. The evening was spent with platefuls of pasta, and envious eyes watching the ‘fruity cocktails’ emerging from the bar. Never the less we spent the evening raving the night away in the resorts club. We returned to our tents shattered from our amazing first day.

The next day we were up early for breakfast and had left the resort by 9am. Once again we found ourselves on the rickety lanes for another 2 hour journey, but we were all looking forward to the fantastic experience of Fijian hockey. Our luck furthered when we were told we had managed to get pitch time at the islands National Hockey Centre. Taking full advantage of this, the A team continued their winning streak winning their first match on Fijian soils 4-1. The B team followed with a 0-0 draw leading us up to a long awaited lunch time. With no time to spare, the A team were soon back on for their second match of the day, again successfully winning 3-2, with the B team again drawing 0-0.

After arriving late back to the resort we showered and sat down to a homemade curry, enjoyed by all. The night was only young and we were treated to a Fijian jungle party, resulting in conga lines and dancing on tables. As always, the hard core ones stayed up dancing and mingling with the other guests; some of whom were truly into the Fijian spirits with grass skirts and coconuts! Returning back to our tents hot and sweaty, reminiscing on our awesome second day, we were looking forward to the sunshine tomorrow... MAYBE NOT!!! We woke up feeling like we were in the Australian rainforest, something along the lines of ‘I’m a celebrity get me out of here’. Torrential rain with grey skies overhead, the mood in tent number 9 automatically dropped as we put on our waterproof tracksuit and woolly cardigans, for the first time in a week. Our snorkelling day on the boat was ruined, as was our final sunbathing opportunity, but it didn’t faze us Blackpool girls with some in the freezing pool and others enticed in the feisty card game ‘Spoons’. The club reps changed the plans last minute to fun activities such as; tug of war, egg throwing, water polo and football baseball - so all was not lost. Some of the girls are even having massages and facials. Its lunch time now and we are looking forward to the day of white water rafting tomorrow. This will be a great way to finish our stay here in tropical Fiji.

Chin up girls, it might brighten up!!

By Harley and Chubb

Charlotte's Birthday

Today is Charlotte Greenwood’s 15th birthday and we celebrated with a cake presented in Fijian style with guitar music, singing and dancing, followed by a disco!!

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Friday 17/07/2009

Friday 17th July
After a welcome lie in until 9am. we all awoke to what can only be described as paradise. Beautiful sandy beaches , a turquoise sea and the sounds of birds in the coconut trees. We met for a buffet breakfast, and then hit the beach, the swimming pool and did some serious sun bathing.
At 11am we went to visit the local High School. It was very small (only 150 boys & girls) and had very simple facilities. We were absolutely overwhelmed by the welcome they gave us. We were presented with flowered garlands and the school sang a welcome song in our honour. After meeting the students, we then played a very informal netball game against them. The Fijian girls were especially excited as although the boys had played rugby against touring teams, it was the first time they had played sport against a touring side. After the game there were speeches of welcome and more singing. Miss De, Georgina, Chloe, Amy and Imogen all thanked our hosts and told them a little about our school and the tour. Our hosts were very keen to hear us sing, and so rather than us all crucifying the school hymn, we decided it would be better to choose girls who could sing. Faye, Fiona, Imogen and Sarah all did us proud with a song called “ “which is about love and friendship.
We returned to the resort at 2pm. and it was back to the beach, where we all had great fun swimming, snorkelling, Kayaking and playing beach volleyball. Our activity host Orry (who is proving a great hit with the girls and the staff, especially Mrs Malin, then kept the girls entertained with various activities in the pool, which seemed to involve lots of splashing and pushing each other in.

Fiji

Thursday 16th July
After a 4 hour flight arrived Nadi airport, Fiji at 3pm (Fiji time). The journey to the Mango Bay report took nearly 3 hours, including a stop at McDonalds. The roads speed limit was 40mph due to the roads being narrow and windy. We only passed through one town, and the villages were very simple, with cows tethered on the roadsides, and pigs and hens running free. What we all noticed was how happy everybody was, as they waved to our coach as it passed by.
Unfortunately we arrived at the resort after dark (the sun goes down at 6pm) which meant first impressions were not good. It was very dark and there seemed to be frogs everywhere. After a meal and a wonderful welcome ceremony where Miss Raby was appointed “Chief Wise woman” and Mrs Ingham her spokeswoman, we all drank “Cava”(a muddy concoction – not champagne as Mrs Ingham first thought) Some of us watched a film before retiring to our safari tent accommodation. There were a couple of bed time issues. Chubb, Harley, Amy & Chloe had a frog in their bathroom and Nicola cut her gum eating Blackpool rock (which is meant to be for our host schools)

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Thursday 16/07/2009

Blue Mountains

Posted by: Miss G Raby

Blue Mountains

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Wednesday 15/07/2009

Matches v Liverpool Moorebank

A Team v Liverpool, Moorbank, Sydney.

The opposition had much of the first ten minutes of the game, with Arnold giving away early possession and Amy Bradley being forced to make two very good saves. Under pressure, there was good defensive play especially from Emily Pomeroy on the left. Arnold had a couple of breaks, but went behind mid way through the half, to a well worked goal. Five minutes later, some great leg work from Georgina Read saw her win the ball before slipping it to Charlotte Greenwood, who coolly slipped it past the keeper to equalise for Arnold. The rest of the half was end to end, with a superb run from the half way line from on song Harley Greene forcing the keeper to make a diving save. Soon after this, a shot from Georgina Read was deflected by the keeper, for Charlottes Greenwood to give Arnold a 2-1 half time lead.
Arnold stepped up a gear in the second half and Harley’s pace was a constant threat. After 40 minutes Harley scored a third goal for Arnold after a superb through ball from Faye Shearer. The opposition also had their chances, but were frustrated by some excellent defending from sweeper Chloe Stafford and some unbelievable saves from Amy Bradley who was proving invincible in goal. A reverse stick sweep from Georgina Read was deflected into the net by the opposition, to give Arnold a comfortable 4-1 lead with 8 minutes to go. Just before the final whistle Rachel Fackey scored, after a well worked one/two move with Lara Cherry (almost the replica of the goal they got in the last game). The 5-1 score line does not reflect how tough the game was. The main difference between the two teams was the fine goalkeeping of Amy Bradley, and our sharpness in front of goal. It was no surprise that the opposition made Harley Greene player of the match and gave Amy Bradley the award for effort.
G.Raby

B Team v Liverpool, Moorbank, Sydney.

The girls approached their fourth game of the tour determined to get a result. After a slow start, they conceded a short corner, and 8 minutes into the match found themselves 1 – 0 down. It was the wake- up call they needed and the girls began to play some strong attacking hockey. Emma Mould made several runs down the left wing and twice came close, hitting the side board and a good save from the goalkeeper. Helen Craig switching from defence to attack, picked up a perfectly timed pass from Catriona Waktare, only to be denied a goal by a good save from the goalkeeper. In the final 20 minutes Arnold’s hard work paid off, when a fine pass to the right from Katie Goodacre, saw Charlotte Box take the ball round several players before slipping it to Imogen Davies who scored her second goal of the tour. In an almost identical move 5 minutes later, Ceri Armit put Arnold ahead when Catriona Waktare sent another pass to Charlotte, who created the second goal with a perfectly timed ball for Ceri Armit who also got her second goal of the tour. Arnold B looked on course for their first win of the tour, but with 2 minutes left the opposition equalised to make the final score 2-2.
By Mrs Malin

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Tuesday 14/07/2009

Matches v Liverpool Moorbank Hockey Club

Both matches were played at 6pm side by side. Despite conceding a goal after 8 minutes, the B team played their best hockey so far with goals from Ceri Armit and Imogen Davies giving the team a 2-1 lead until the last minute, when the opposition equalised. The player of the match was Emma Mould and Katie Goodacre was given the award for best effort.

The A team also went behind early in their game, but Charlotte Greenwood equalised and then scored again to give her team a 2-1 lead at half time. Arnold particualrly Harley Greene were on fire in the second half. Further goals from Harley (2) and Rachel Fackey gave Arnold a 5-1 win. The match was much closer than the scoreline suggests. Player of the match was Harley Greene and Amy Bradley was given the award for best effort.

On Wednesday we went to the Blue Mountains and in the evening had a meal in the Sydney tour - spectacular views.

It is now 4.30am on Thursday morning and I write this as I wait for the girls to arrive for our 5am departure to the airport for our 8am flight to Fiji.

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Thursday 16/07/2009

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Monday 13/07/2009

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Monday 13/07/2009

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Monday 13/07/2009

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Monday 13/07/2009

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Monday 13/07/2009

Sydney Olympic Park - Monday 13th. July.

Breakfast at 7.45am and then left for the Sydney Olympic Park.

On the tour of the Telstra Stadium which was built for the Sydney 2000 Olympic games, we watched a video of how the stadium was build, watched some of the Olympic highlights and learnt how Cathy Freeman became the first aboriginal athlete to win an Olympic Gold for Australia. The girls enjoyed posing for photos on the original Olympic podium, as well as sitting in the same changing cubicle as Johnny Wilkinson did before he won the Rugby World Cup for England with his extra time drop goal. We then experienced the atmosphere of walking down the athletes tunnel, thanks to some very clever sound effects.

On the tour of the aquatic centre, we watched a water polo game and then had the opportunity to swim in the Olympic Pool, as well as experience the water slides and the jacuzzi.

The afternoon was spent shopping and then it was back to Darling Harbour for our evening meal.

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Monday 13/07/2009

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Sunday 12/07/2009

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Sunday 12/07/2009

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Sunday 12/07/2009

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Sunday 12/07/2009

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Sunday 12/07/2009

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Sunday 12/07/2009

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Sunday 12/07/2009

Fiona's 16th Birthday

We celebrated Fiona Stapleton's 16th birthday in a cafe at the Rocks with one of the best chocolate cakes ever. After some more shopping (mainly Ugg boots) we then walked to the Opera House to experience the sights of Sydney at night. We returned to the hotel at 8.15pm. where most of the girls chose to have room service. It had been a very full day but probably one of the best so far. All agreed that the sights of Sydney are magical by day and by night.

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Sunday 12/07/2009

Sightseeing Tour of Sydney

After the game, the group returned to the hotel to get changed and then went on a 3 hour sightseeing trip of the city - stopping off at Bondei Beacha, North Head, Mc.Quarry Point, The Rocks, The Botanic Gardens and the Opera House. The view of the city from Mc.Quarry's Point was definitely the best of the trip.

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Sunday 12/07/2009

Sydney - Sunday 12th July

Old Arnoldian Richard Taylor was on our flight, when we flew from the UK. He immediately recognised the school crest on the kit and Miss Raby. (They both lived in Pilling) Richard left school in 1992, and was head boy at the school in the same year as Rachel Marshall was head girl. His brother Graham was head boy a couple of years later.

He has lived in Sydney for the last 5 years, works in finance, and is married with 2 children. Richard came to watch the girls play in Sydney and will hopefully join us for a meal at the Sydney Tower on Wednesday evening. He has very fond memories of his time at Arnold, especially his lower school chemistry lessons with Mr. Woodruff.

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Sunday 12/07/2009

Matches v Sydney Uni Hockey Club - Sunday 12th July

Match Report v Sydney Uni Hockey Club.

The games were against junior teams attached to Sydney University, and were played very early in the morning as it was the only university pitch time available at the week-end.
Unfortunately the club could only get 18 players and so the opposition’s better players played twice, which meant it became a bit of a miss match for both teams. Arnold’s B team played first which on hindsight was the wrong way round – it would have been better for the B team to play second when the opposition’s best players were tired.

The B team struggled to get a look in in the first half, as the game was dominated by 4 or 5 very strong opposition players. Only excellent goalkeeping from Amy Bradley and good defending from Meg Kearney and Keleigh Spector kept the half time score at 4-0. The second half was much better once the opposition had been persuaded to rotate their better players, and although we never looked like winning, we did have shots on goal and the opposition only scored once more to make the final score 5-0.

The A team game was end to end at the beginning. A sneaky goal from Georgina Read caught the opposition defence standing still, and Amy Bradley was forced to make a fantastic save from a penalty corner. A lifted shot from Harley Greene gave Arnold the lead, and then some superb passing between Faye Shearer and Rachel Fackey led to another Harley goal. The end of the first half was all Arnold and the boy in goals was constantly under pressure. Just before half time a shot from Georgina Read was swept into the net by Lara Cherry. Harley completed her hatrick with the goal of the game - another superb sweep into the roof of the net.

This 5-0 lead at half time gave Miss De the chance to rest players. It also gave others the opportunity to shine. Aimey Barrow and Faye Shearer both passed well in midfield, whilst Charlotte Greenwood is growing in confidence with every game. Annie Gillis, Camilla Dunlop and Clare Nelder defended well; and Chloe Stafford and Emily Pomeroy continue to be faultless in defence.

A fine one/two move between Rachel Fackey and Lara Cherry resulted in a second half goal for Rachel Fackey, before Georgina Read returned to the pitch to make it 7-0 with an unstoppable penalty corner strike. The opposition grabbed a goal back at the end of the game to make the final score 7-1 to Arnold. Our first win of the tour! Well done girls!

By Miss Raby (Girls too busy shopping to write a report)

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Sunday 12/07/2009

Sydney

Four hour coach journey from Canberra to Sydney. Entered Sydney over the harbour bridge with the Opera House on the right. The views were fantastic - so fantastic that we persuaded the coach driver to take us around and over the bridge twice.

Arrived at the hotel and then went to the market at the Rocks. Evening meal at Darling Harbour.

The girls are loving Sydney - and for me it is just as impressive second time round.

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Saturday 11/07/2009

Pupil Blog from Faye, Catriona and Meg

After a rushed arrival, we checked in last minute at Melbourne airport. There was no time for duty free shopping much to the disgust of Mrs Ingham and the girls.

During the forty minute flight we were entertained by the amusing air crew and then went by coach to the Australian Institute of Sport. As soon as we arrived it was straight to a healthy lunch where it was lovely to find vegetables, salads and fruit again. We then trekked to our accommodation blocks and were shown to our rooms. Faye and Fiona were most disgruntled when they realised they had been shown to the wrong room and had to lug their heavy suitcases down the stairs again. We then went on a tour of the complex, and were most impressed by the huge metalwork statues of athletes that Miss De told us were from the Olympic Stadium. We also saw the gymnasiums, swimming pool and training gyms - but it was the male volleyball players at practice that caught our eye. One guy was 7ft. 2ins. tall and they certainly played a much higher standard than the boys in Yr 11 P.E.
Next was the interactive self training session – which was the best bit of the tour. We were all amazed at the skill of Mrs Malin when she beat Harley on the ski machine. Other stations included rowing, cycling, basketball, climbing, reaction timings and a football penalty shoot-out, which Amy and Annie could not get enough of.
Then it was on to the dining room for a superb tea and then back to our rooms for an early night. Most of us had single rooms that Miss Raby said resembled “Prisoner Cell Block H” but a few lucky girls and Mrs Ingham and Mrs Malin had “Penthouse Suites”. This variation in accommodation led to Miss De’s famous and possibly envious speech “I have a bed, Mrs Ingham has a balcony, I have a bed Mrs Ingham has a TV, I have a bed Mrs Ingham has a kitchen etc. etc.
The next morning we trained at the hockey centre for two hours with Australian coach Luke Austin. We started with a game of tag which really warmed or should I say waked us up, and then we did lots of great work on footwork and marking, including jabbing (which Helen Craig with her fencing skills was an expert at) Back for lunch and then a lecture on sports nutrition. Unfortunately even though the lecture was very interesting, most of us struggled to keep our eyes open - the worst offender being Miss Raby.
We then headed back to the hockey centre to play our matches. Unfortunately, both teams lost, but we soon cheered up when we saw the afternoon tea the hockey club had laid on. Homemade cakes, pies, biscuits and sandwiches. It soon became obvious all of us had forgotten the earlier nutrition lecture.
Finally our long and hectic day ended with a recovery session - which included a stretching session in the swimming pool before the real fun began. Apparently recovery in Australia means alternating between a beautifully heated spa pool and a freezing ice bath. We all screamed loudly but the worst bit was possibly the very fashionable swimming caps we had to wear. Most of us felt recovered except for Immy and Sarah who complained of severe leg muscle injury. We could not have survived without Mrs Malin. She stood on the side warm and dry, encouraging us by telling us that surely it was not as bad as it looked.
Back to our rooms for 10pm curfew, where we switched our heaters to high, and all slept very well.

By Faye Shearer, Catriona Waktare and Meg Kearney.

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Saturday 11/07/2009

Matches v Central Hockey Club, Canberra

A Team v Central Hockey Club, Canberra.

Our second game against Central Hockey Club U17 team started well with an early break from Harley Greene putting the opposition under pressure. Unfortunately Central HC opened the scoring soon after wards, and immediately began to pile on the pressure. Arnold responded with a fine pass from Faye Shearer, which opened up a gap for Harley Greene, who drove forward before passing the ball to Charlotte Greenwood to score the equaliser with a well placed shot. An end to end first half saw some excellent tackles from Camilla Dunlop and Emily Pomeroy in defence, whilst Clare Nelder prevented the opposition from scoring when she cleared the ball off the goal line. Central went ahead with a well struck penalty corner, and Arnold were disappointed when Georgina Read’s goal from a penalty corner was controversially disallowed. Almost immediately Central scored another goal to make the half time score 3-1.

The team started the second half determined to make up for the disallowed goal. Arnold had most of the play but were thwarted by some excellent saves from the opposition keeper. Lara Cherry came close, Georgina Read’s shot forced a fine diving save from the keeper and Harley Greene’s lifted shot was saved by the keeper’s hand. Central HC broke to make the score 4-1 which was very frustrating after all our pressure on goal, but Arnold’s efforts were rewarded two minutes from time when Harley Greene put the ball in the net after a set piece penalty corner with Georgina Read. The final score was 4-2 and the undecided opposition chose three girls as players of the match: - Rachel Fackey, Harley Greene and Georgina Read.
By Lara Cherry and Rachel Fackey.

B Team Match v Central Hockey Club, Canberra.

The game started with a formal walk on and more photos from Miss De. Good midfield play from Katie Goodacre and Catriona Waktare led to good early pressure from Arnold. Keleigh Spector passed a good ball to Charlotte Box who made a bold run down the right before slipping the ball to Imogen Davies to score the opening goal from the left. The move was described by Miss Raby as a “dream goal” Unfortunately this goal lifted the opposition who came back strongly to score twice before the half time break.

The second half started with a buzz as Fiona Stapleton cleared an opposition shot at goal off the back line, and then Emma Mould almost scored at the other end after a good move on the left. Ten minutes into the half the opposition scored another goal and spirits dipped slightly. The opposition were very strong in the middle, but our forwards especially Charlotte Box managed to break through on the right. Another goal just before the whistle meant the game ended 4-1 and Ceri Armit who had worked tirelessly in midfield throughout the game was voted player of the match by the opposition.
By Sophie Cartmell

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Saturday 11/07/2009

Matches v Central Hockey Club, Canberra.

Arnold B lost 4-1- goalscorer Imogen Davies.
Arnold A lost 2-4 - goalscorers:- Charlotte Greenwood, Harley Greene.

Once again, the girls played well, with the B team taking an early lead, before conceding two goals in each half to lose 4-1. In a close end to end A team game, a controversial disallowed goal for Arnold when they were 2-1 down changed the game. Arnold eventually lost the game 4-2. The players player of the match chosen by the opposition was Ceri Armit for the B team and the A team title was eventually shared between Rachel Fackey, Harley Greene and Georgina Read, who all impressed. Down but not out, Miss De Miranda is delighted with how well both teams have played considering that we are a school side competing against club teams.

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Friday 10/07/2009

Canberra - Friday 10th July

Breakfast at 7.30am was followed by a 2 hour training session at the National Hockey Stadium, which was led by Luke Austin an elite Australian player. After lunch the girls went to a nutrition lecture before returning to the National Stadium for the fixture against

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Friday 10/07/2009

Hockey Training at National Stadium.

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Friday 10/07/2009

Healthy Eating.

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Friday 10/07/2009

Nutrition Lecture.

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Friday 10/07/2009

Canberra - Thursday 9th July

Left hosts and headed for airport for the 9.45am flight to Canberra. After a 1 hour fight and a 10 minute transfer, we arrived at the impressive Australian Institute for sport. Lunch in the athletes restaurant was followed by a guided tour of the institute. Later on that afternoon the girls enjoyed testing their sporting skills in self run test unit. After the evening meal, the girls had a relaxing evening socialising in their rooms.

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Thursday 09/07/2009

Australian Institute for Sport.

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Thursday 09/07/2009

Pupil Blog from Camilla, Sarah and Fiona.

After a good sleep and a hearty breakfast, we managed to pack and leave the Ibis Hotel by 9am for what we knew was going to be a very full day. On meeting our two guides our first stop was the Neighbours set and Ramsey Street. The Neighbours set was FAB – but much smaller and simpler than we thought it would be. We then drove to Ramsey Street, which was an actual street where people lived. Apparently the Ramsey Street sign goes up for filming and the people get paid for the use of their street, gardens and drives. The residents all seemed quite at home with us visiting their street and one resident’s dog even performed for the cameras by going round in circles chasing his tail. This little Jack Russell dog was not the best bit though – suddenly from down the street came cast member Stingray (Ben Nicholls). We were all very impressed, but not as much as Shashi and Annie our most devoted Neighbours fans. Shashi almost swooned and definitely cried when she got a kiss from Stingray.
Next was shopping for two hours - Mrs Ingham was left behind at the first shoe shop, and the rest of us stocked up with Abercrombie clothes. Then it was back on the transport and off to Philip Island to see the penguins. We watched the fairy penguins come out of the sea and parade along the shore, but the best bit was walking on the boardwalk next to them as they returned to their burrows. We were within touching distance of some, but did’nt touch as they have sharp teeth. They were so cute and we LOVED IT – even though it was a bit chilly. Sarah got a brilliant photo of a penguin on her little camera. Miss De was quite jealous of this photo, as it was much better than any she had taken on her new camera with the big lens. (Sarah’s photo not Miss De’s is the one on the blog). At the end we had to wait 20 minutes for the teachers who could not tear themselves away from the penguins. It does seem funny how it always matters to Miss Raby when we are late back from shopping, but not when she is late from watching the penguins. Thank goodness Mrs Ingham does not have double standards – she is just late all the time!
We eventually got to the hockey Club at 9pm. and met our host families for the next two nights. They all seemed very nice and made our day by promising us a lie in the next morning. We all left happy – unfortunately the teachers went to a dodgy motel and had to escape!
by Camilla Dunlop, Sarah Broadhurst and Fiona Stapleton.

Arnold v Southern United Hockey Club

Arnold B v Southern United U15 XI.

This was our first match of the tour, and although still suffering from jet lag we forget our exhaustion once we got on the pitch. Captain, Amy Berry encouraged and advised the team from the start while goalkeeper Amy Bradley managed some impressive saves early on and throughout the game. The opposition put us under a lot of pressure in the first half, but our sweeper Helen Craig and defenders Sarah Broadhurst and Meg Kearney stuck to the task and cleared the ball well. Catriona Waktare and Keleigh Spector displayed brilliant stick work skills to help Arnold get more possession in the middle. All was going well until Southern United scored their first goal after 20 minutes, and then a second 4 minutes later.

Unfortunately we went 3-0 down just after half time and despite our best efforts conceded two more goals. Despite the scoreline, Arnold had their chances and the game ended on a high when Ceri Armit dodged around the goalkeeper, after a brilliant pass from vice captain Imogen Davies to score the first goal of the tour, and make the final score 5-1.
It was a great game against very good opposition with all the girls playing at least 30 minutes in the first game of the tour. It was a game that kept defenders and goalkeepers busy, with Helen Craig playing magnificently as sweeper, but it was very fitting that goalkeeper Amy Bradley was chosen by the opposition, as the player of the match.

by Jess Lee and Shashi Tadi.

Arnold A v Southern United U17XI.

Arnold started the game strongly, with Harley Greene and Georgina Read combining well in attack, and a good run from Rachel Fackey forced an early penalty corner. Soon after, Lara Cherry hit the post with a deflection from a Georgina Read shot. After ten minutes, the opposition got into the game and only superb goalkeeping from Amy Bradley kept the score at 0-0. The opposition defenders caused problems by coming through and it was only a matter of time before we conceded two goals, one from open play and the other from an unstoppable penalty corner strike. Harley Greene and Lara Cherry both worked well in attack and twice almost got goals back on the break. In an exciting last ten minutes of the half, our defence survived a barrage of penalty corners, and only two superb saves from the opposition keeper, prevented Harley Greene and Rachel Fackey from scoring.
Arnold started well in the second half with Chloe Stafford playing higher as sweeper and providing some good balls for the attackers. The opposition always looked fast and dangerous in attack, and Arnold conceded a penalty which was converted, mid way through the half. Even though we were 3-0 down, the team continued to play well and were rewarded with a superb goal five minutes from time. Rachel Fackey passed the ball to Harley Greene, whose shot at goal was saved, but it came back to Rachel who swept the ball in from the left. Soon afterwards, another break from Harley led to a Charlotte Greenwood shot at goal which was saved. Unfortunately the opposition caught us on the break to make the final score 4-1. Despite the result all the team played well against some very formidable opposition, and it was no surprise to anybody, when Rachel Fackey was named as player of the match by the opposition.

by Georgina Read and Chloe Stafford.

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Thursday 09/07/2009

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Thursday 09/07/2009

Presentations

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Wednesday 08/07/2009

Matches v Southern United Hockey Club

Results.

Arnold A team lost 4 - 1 Goalscorer, Rachel Fackey.
Arnold B team lost 5 - 1 Goalscorer, Ceri Armit.
Tough matches at the start of the tour v Southern United Hockey Club, but both teams played some good hockey against one of the top club sides in the state of Victoria. Playing the new FIHA rules for the first time against sides that have been playing them since February put us at a slight disadvantage, but hopefully we will be experts at the start of our new season. The opposition voted for the players of the matches -goalkeeper Amy Bradley was the B team player of the match and Rachel Fackey the A team player of the match. After the match we all enjoyed a splendid barbecue. The girls were all given club water bottles and the two player of the match a club sweatshirt.. It was obvious the girls had made a good impression with their host families and that they were having a great time - many of them were getting together in the evening to go and watch the film "Bruno".

Full match report from the girls to follow.

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Wednesday 08/07/2009

Melbourne

After 2 hours of shopping in centre of Melbourne, we left for our 2 hour journey to Philip Island at 2pm. On crossing the causeway to the island, we had great fun spotting the red necked wallabies and then it was on to see the penguins.

There was definitely someting magical about sitting on the beach and eating fish and chips, while we watched the sun set and waited for the fairy peguins to arrive. It was certainly very different to Blackpool - even the fish and chips tasted better! As the full moon rose, the penguins emerged from the sea to congregate on the beach, before the parade began. None of us could believe how close we were to the penguins as they waddled by in perfect formation, to the safety of their burrows. It was certainly an experience none of us will ever forget.

Two hours later we arrived at Southern Hockey Club, to be met by our very hospitable hosts. After a brief meeting the girls all left happily in groups of 2,3 and 4. The staff - well thats another story - much better than any of our South Africa hosting stories Mrs Nicholls!

Penguin photograph provided by Sarah Broadhurst. (Best wildlife photograher of the tour so far.)

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Monday 06/07/2009

Melbourne

After a good nights sleep and a huge buffet breakfast at the city centre Ibis Hotel, we left for our mini bus tour of Ramsey Street (Neighbours).

We drove past Erinsborough HS, Lassiters Hotel & Carpenters Garage, before visiting the set and arriving at Ramsey Street. As we walked along the street there were shreiks of delight especially from devoted Neighbours fans - Annie Gillis and Shashi Tadi, when Ben Nicholls alias Stingray an actor in Neighbours appeared on the street. Out came the cameras - the girls all got autographs, posed for individual photos with him and a shy peck on the cheek from one of her favourite characters, even reduced Shashi to tears.

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Monday 06/07/2009

Pupil blog from Emily, Ceri and Keleigh

We woke up on Saturday for our long awaited hockey trip. At school we bid our parents goodbye (in some cases an emotional goodbye) and boarded the coach ready to go on our epic tour of Australia and Fiji. Although there had been some reluctance to leave, the mood changed to one of excitement on reaching Manchester airport. At the airport we checked in our luggage and while most of us had endured the heartbreak of leaving some of our favourite clothes behind to keep within the 20kg luggage limit, our captain Chubb, always ready to lead by example, had a suitcase weighing 27kg. All dressed the same at the airport; we were mistaken once for an Australian cricket team and then a rugby team. Getting on the flight we saw some worried faces from our fellow passengers, at the thought of sharing their journey with thirty excited girls.

After 13 long, long hours sitting on a plane, we landed in Singapore and crawled through immigration, temperature checks and customs. The airport was very impressive with waterfall water features cascading down the walls. As soon as we stepped outside the heat and the humidity hit us, and driving to the hotel we realised how different their world was to ours.

After checking in at the hotel, our first destination was Sentosa Island, which we ultimately reached by cable car. We separated into groups for our chillaxed afternoon, but somehow lunch at Subway brought us back together. Then it was off to the Luge – racing down a steep track on our sledge carts, taking tight corners and cutting people off who were going too slowly. Then on to the beach for a paddle, where Nikki Taylor managed to fall in, rip her shorts and got soaked.

Back at the hotel, we made ourselves presentable, in our much talked about dresses, for high tea at the world renowned Raffles Hotel. Before tea, we were treated to a trishaw tour of part of the city. Nobody was able to keep a straight face as we raced round the streets in little carriages attached to bikes, with many of the drivers dancing whilst they pedalled to music playing from their bikes. Even though the heavens opened and the hoods on our carriages had to be closed, our spirits were not dampened.

High tea at Raffles was the highlight of the day. Even after hearing so much about it we were still amazed by the grandeur of the place. The white walls, the silver service, the cakes, the waiters and even the toilets - it was all very grand – like going back in time - a whole different class. Celebrating Miss Raby’s 26th (so she says) and Imogen's 16th birthday made the event all the more special. Needless to say, the Raffles birthday cake was delicious, the white coated waiters very attentive, and we have it on good authority that the birthday Singapore Sling was also very nice.

So, on our first couple of days we felt many emotions. Sadness when leaving our parents, tiredness due to jet lag, frustration from the humidity; but these were all brushed aside by the excitement of what we were doing. If the last two days are anything to go by, this promises to be an absolute unbelievable experience.

We returned to the hotel at 6.30pm and were asleep by 7pm; let’s hope that the teachers don’t get too excited at the prospect of us going to bed this early every night.

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Monday 06/07/2009

Birthday girls at Raffles

Imogen and Miss Raby celebrate their birthday at Raffles. Combined age of ?????

Spirits still high at the end of Day 2, but exhaustion is definitely setting in after a gruelling 31 hours on the go! The only complaints we got when we suggested lights out at 8pm. was that it was not early enough. Long may this last!

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Sunday 05/07/2009

Dressed to impress at Raffles

Year 10 and 11 very much at home in the Raffles environment, and a little disappointed that tour funds would not run to an overnight stay.

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Sunday 05/07/2009

Raffles Hotel, Singapore

Afternoon tea at Raffles - the girls were as impressive as their surroundings.

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Sunday 05/07/2009

Tri-shaw tour of Singapore

Two hour break at hotel to catch up on sleep and dress to impress at Raffles, followed by a thrilling hour long tour of Singapore in a tri-shaw.

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Sunday 05/07/2009

Singapore/Sentosa Island

Arrived Singapore at 6am, slightly jaded but still excited after a thirteen hour flight. A relaxing morning on Sentosa Island until the girls discovered the Luge. Not sure we have any future Olympic Champions in this sport!

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Sunday 05/07/2009

Arnold School to Singapore

Left Arnold (almost on time) at 5.40am. Thirty very excited girls and four apprehensive staff said goodbye to the parents, including John Taylor the chairperson of the fundraising committe and Robbie Jones the Director of P.E. who had also come along to wish the girls well.

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Saturday 04/07/2009

Message from Mr John Taylor
Chairman of the Australia and Fiji fundraising committee

It was in early January of 2008 when a delegation of teachers cornered me in school and suggested/insisted - call it what you like - that I would be the ideal choice to take up the position of Chairman of this Committee. After a short deliberation, and fear of being held hostage, I duly accepted.

When my daughter Nicola asked if she could go on the tour my wife and I agreed immediately, as we thought what a fantastic opportunity this was for all the girls to experience different cultures. I then explained to Nicola in tedious detail, as far as she was concerned, that I only got as far as sunny Bridlington with the first XV at Arnold. How things have changed!

If a tour of this magnitude was to be a success, then large sums of money had to be raised to enable the girls to do all those things identified by the teachers as essential for a trip of this nature, bearing in mind their inside information from the 2005 tour. It is fair to say that the fundraising has been a complete success. The main fundraisers have been:

1. Sports Luncheon
2. Fashion Show
3. Brochure advertising
4. 100 club
5. Pupils fundraising
6. Mums fundraising at various sporting events
7. Tour Brochure

The sports luncheon was a phenomenal success bearing in mind it took place during the “credit crunch”. As a fundraising event, it set a record which will go down in the annals of Arnold School, when in one afternoon we raised over £16,000. I would like to thank all the table hosts, everyone who donated an auction prize and those guests who bid prodigious amounts to secure one of the many superb prizes. Thanks go to the table hosts for keeping their guests suitably refreshed. My own personal thanks go to the staff and Suzanne Fackey and Jennifer Barrow who worked tirelessly to make the function a success. Tony Jo, our comedian and auctioneer was a star; I doubt if he has ever worked so hard - thank you Tony. I am reliably informed that David Barrow and I had an amusing conversation later that night in The Taps about whether or not we were in a suitable state to stay out any longer. We weren’t and we went home - what a great day!

I would like to thank everyone who served on one of the many fundraising committees. A lot of hard work has gone into the various events and activities, and our girls owe a huge debt of gratitude to those who have given up their own time to make this tour a success. It would also be remiss of me if I did not recognise the substantial contribution made by the “mums” who, over a period of 18 months, have served drinks, the mandatory bacon balm bake and sweets at various hockey, football and athletics matches. Thanks also to Trish Craig, Gill Raby and Michelle Blackwell (RNS Publications) for compiling and producing the fabulous tour brochure. We are all most grateful for their efforts.

I wish Miss DeMiranda, Miss Raby, Mrs Ingham and Mrs Malin well, as they supervise 30 teenage girls on their travels to the other side of the world. It is quite a task and I know that all the parents are grateful for their efforts.

As the 4th July rapidly approaches I hope all the girls have an enjoyable and memorable tour, and the holiday of a lifetime. They are representing Arnold School, and I know that they will do so with pride, and in a manner which upholds the standards and reputation of our great school.

John Taylor – April 2009

Australia Hockey Tour 2009

 

Well, after months and months of fund raising, training, kit buying, ticket checking....... the list is endless, but with all the help of parents and colleagues we are finally almost there, with just a few days to go before we depart.

While we are away, I hope to be able to keep you up to date with the progress of the tour, on what we hope will be a trip of a lifetime for the girls. I am told that if the Australia link is not showing on the front page of the web site, just refresh your page until it appears. I hope that makes sense!

Hopefully we should be able to post a new blog quite often, so make sure you check.

So, maybe next time I blog, it will be ‘g'day, mate!'

 

Posted by: Miss G Raby
Date: Monday 29/06/2009

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