So Auckland has been on the outskirts of a tropical cyclone. This is so typical and highlights the week that Z will be away on his school camp. It always rains cats & dogs when he goes to a camp. However in the hills around Rotorua he’s more likely to be comfortable than he was for that week on Motutapu (an island in the Hauraki Gulf). The one night he’s scheduled to be out in a tent is forecast to be okay, but I sent him away with a decent sleeping bag.

TUI RIDGE PARK Tui Ridge Park is located on Oturoa Road, 17 kilometres north of Rotorua. It is set in a 170 hectares of bush and native forest on the Mamaku Plateau. The school sends 12 Year 8 classes to this camp (six classes at a time).

Accommodation Accommodation is in separate dormitory buildings for boys and girls. The dormitories have bunk beds, are carpeted and have heat pumps. Mattresses are supplied, students need to bring their own pillow and sleeping bags. There are shower and toilet facilities with each dormitory. Heat pumps on a school camp?

Food Tui Ridge camp is a fully catered camp. The food is mostly vegetarian, tasty and plentiful. A typical lunch would be pizza, salad and potato wedges. A typical dinner would be nachos or macaroni cheese and dessert. This is going to punish Z – he HATES cheese with a passion. I did write that down on the notes tho. I guess he can pick it off or eat a lot of fruit.

Programme The programme taken by trained instructors is designed to enhance the skills learnt and practised in Year 7. Activities include high ropes, abseiling, rock climbing, mountain biking, orienteering and archery. There is also a fitness trail and confidence course on site.

But here comes the real reflection.

Plus Column: I don’t have to think about who is on dishes (it’s you all week, B). I don’t have to wake him up for four mornings. My washing load will half, until Friday anyways. I gain back at least thirty minutes tonight, as there is no late swim lesson (they’ve just cancelled all the lessons today – so I gained 2 hours. Early dinner + bed is now planned!). The fights will be few & far between (Z & M have been at each other for weeks now).

Minus column. I don’t have the morning cuddles. I don’t have the evening cuddles. There are no impassioned book discussions. There will be noise from B about the dishes (altho he won’t consider cooking for one little moment). The house won’t be vacuumed except by me (Z loves that chore). There will be a gap for five days that I can’t fill.