Michaelis tours NKZN

THE GRADE 5 to 7 learners always look forward to the tour at the beginning of the second term. This year the tour took place from April 14 to 17 and the beautiful Babanango Valley was to be the final destination. The first stop along the way was at Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift. As in the past, Thulani welcomed us with his fascinating and enthusiastic presentation of the battlefields. At Rorke’s Drift the learners even participated in a re-enactment of the battle. Every child left the battle fields with insight and a positive outlook on the importance of the battles which took place right on our doorstep. The learners were exploding with excitement when we reached Babanango Valley. The whole camp site had been revamped since we last visited, and in no time the children had settled into their tents. The well-structured activities gave every child the opportunity to expand the boundaries of their abilities, within a supportive and encouraging group. The activities which dealt with the appreciation of our natural environment were excellent. So much so, that several of our learners even left Babanango having lost their fear of spiders! Of the more than 2500 South African spiders, only six are venomous. All the learners returned more knowledgeable, able to function better in a group, well-nourished and having enjoyed being out in our wonderful natural environment. Thank you to Babanango Valley for this wonderful opportunity and to Pioneer High School for helping us with the transport.