Welcome home ... and keeping the dream alive!

Help us to keep alive and share in the memories and unforgettable experiences of  the expeditioners' special time in Africa! 

We hope you have enjoyed reading our updates. Don't forget to share your son's or daughter's photos, experiences, anecdotes, personal stories and experiences with us (via the blog, Facebook, with Fee, or directly into the Outposts' office).

Photo Competition: We run a competition each year for the best photos from our expeditions with a prize being awarded to the winners. Why not enter your best photos by sending them in to us? Winners will be chosen and announced in September. Good luck everyone!

Here's last year's winning South Africa photo:

Good Morning ... and welcome home to all our 'adventurers' who are now on the coach and heading for Bridgwater.

Estimated coach drop-off times:

• 10.30 Robert Blake School
• 10.45 Chilton Trinity School

Arrangements for arrival time in Bridgwater on Thursday 11th July

Michael Kingscote and Fee Bellamy will be heading for Heathrow tomorrow evening (Wed 10th) so that they can meet the group as they land on the morning of Thursday 11th July. Delays can and do happen so please check this blog after 0800 that morning for estimated timings for arrival in Bridgwater.

If you can’t get to the internet at that time you can call Fee on her mobile.

Zulu Battlefields of Isandlwana & Rorke's Drift and the Fugitive's Trail

The group our now deep in the Zulu Battlefields learning all about Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift.

The 'Sphynx' of Isandlwana

The tours will bring history to life, as viewing the Isandlwana battlefield from a high vantage point, the group will hear the story of how the central column of the British Invasion Force under the ultimate command of Lt. General Lord Chelmsford was virtually wiped out by King Cetshwayo’s Zulu army. Lts. Melvill and Coghill died in their attempt to save the Queen’s colour as they fled the Fugitive's Trail towards the Buffalo River.

Later that same day 4,500 Zulus attacked a re-supply depot at Rorke’s Drift, held by a handful of British soldiers, many of whom were sick or wounded. The expeditioners will hear the story of how all 11 Victoria Crosses were won in an incredible battle against all the odds where the Zulus were repulsed.

 Lt Chard VC, the Royal Engineer officer at Rorke's Drift is buried at Hatch Beauchamp, 3 miles from Taunton.

The actual Queen's colour was later recovered from the Buffalo River and is now on display in Brecon, Wales.

Previous expeditioners have described the storytelling as: "making history come alive, it was almost like being there"."I had no knowledge of this story, the Zulus or the history, this is awesome".

Memorial at Rorke's Drift

Rorke's Drift

 The expeditioners will probably be very tired tonight and in need of a good night's sleep. They will spend their last night in Africa at Elandsheim - a Lutheran Mission (see photos below).

Expeditioners' accommodation for Battlefields Phase at Elandsheim a Lutheran Mission

Accommodation lodges at Elandsheim with campfire/Boma area in background

Tomorrow they head back to Johannesburg for their flight home. It is has been a whirlwind and there will be many tales to tell of their special time in South Africa!

Elephant, Giraffe, Rhino and Zebra ... among some of the animals sighted this morning ...

Matt and Devin report (briefly) to Fee Bellamy about a very exciting morning: 

Game Walks and Drives today.  So far Elephant, Giraffe, Rhino, Wildebeest, Kudu, Warthog and Zebra have been sighted!

Yesterday was a lovely day down by the river.  Moments for reflection and time to themselves.

Giraffe spotted on game walks and drive 

Elephant sighted on game walks and drive

A beautiful day in Africa ... songs around the campfire last night, morale high and some more messages ...

Expedition leader Matt finally has ‘comms’ and contacted Michael Kingscote this morning:

morning here at iThala. Group is very happy. iThala is beautiful and the campsite is awesome. All the team sat around the camp fire last night, singing songs with the guitar. Lovely evening!

A beautiful morning in our iThala campsite

Here are some more messages from expeditioners following their community project phase of the expedition, prior to arriving at iThala … 

Shannon says: “We have spent the last 3 days playing and talking to the most wonderful children ever. I have shed a few tears seeing how they live and how grateful they are for what they have. This experience is amazing. It has changed my life forever. So happy I am here. I have got lots of photos to show everyone. Love from Shannon xxx”

Olivia says: “So far Africa has been an amazing experience. Everyone here is extremely knowledgable, friendly and welcoming making it seem like a big family. We have already experienced so much, painting the school, meeting the African children, archery , abseiling , hiking, and dissecting a buck and cooking it. I have made many friends including ‘Boston’ the center’s adopted crane. We are all having a fantastic time and are really excited for the wild game reserve. Can’t wait to tell you all about it. Olivia.”

Jake says: “Hello parents and people who care. We had an amazing day playing with the Zulu kids in the village we went to. A massive group of us played football with them. They played like professionals, but I can now say I have represented my country in football. Brillant!!! Jake x”

We say “Hamba kahle” to the Drakensbergs and “Sawubona” to iThala for camping, walking trails & game drive

Everyone has now arrived at Ithala Game Reserve in the rugged, mountainous thornveld of northern KwaZulu-Natal for the next exciting phase of their expedition.

iThala Reserve & Ngotshe Mountains viewed from Ntshondwe Lodge

A fully tented and equipped camp has been set-up at the iThala campsite (see campsite photos below) for the expeditioners and tonight, after supper, there will be fireside chat about conservation in Africa under the starry night sky whilst listening to the sounds of Africa all around - magical!

Spectacular iThala Game Reserve setting with ancient rock formations 

A bit about iThala: This is a most remarkable game reserve in a spectacular, panoramic setting. It has a  huge array of habitats offering good opportunities for game viewing. The reserve tumbles from the heights of the Ngotshe Mountains a thousand meters down into a deep valley, carved over the eons by the Phongolo River revealing some of the world's oldest rock formations dating back 3,000 million years.

iThala has been occupied by man for thousands of years and there are many sites littered with stone age spear and axe heads dating back some 20,000 years. Ancient events took place here under the rule of King Shaka and other Zulu kings as well as mining for gold in the early 20th Century. 

Campsite in iThala where expeditioners' tents &  camp will be set-up 

Campsite in iThala 

Campsite in iThala 

River viewed from iThala campsite

Abseiling 'awesome', Anatomy 'interesting' and messages from expeditioners ... no two days the same in Africa!

Michael Kingscote reports following contact with expedition leader Matt: 

Anatomy dissection went really well. Jules, being a biology teacher, explained all the organs to the expeditioners and added value to the whole session. The expeditioners then ate the animal in a ‘Potjiekos’ (pronounced poiky). Some expeditioners were a little squeamish!

The abseiling was really exciting and went well. We are heading off this afternoon for iThala and the next phase of our expedition. 

Kim says: "Hi everyone, really enjoying it so far. Abseiling was awesome. Everything has been absolutely epic so far! Love and miss you lots. Kim

Michael O says: "I am having a great time on the trip and I think everyone else is as well. South Africa is not what I expected. The people are great and the country is not as dangerous as I was expecting. The food is better here as well. Tomorrow (Saturday) we are going to iThala game reserve. I am really having fun and I will return with many great memories. Michael" 

Polly says: "Hey everyone. Really enjoying every single bit so far. The school now looks amazing. The kids were so happy and so was the teacher. Missing you all loads. Love from Polly".

Goodbye Entabeni ... 

Approaching Entabeni Camp with the Drakensbergs & Giant's Castle in the distance