The Year 10 Outdoor Education Trip: Reviewed

A Firsthand Glimpse into the Best Trip of the Year, or not?

By: Martha, Year 10

Staff involved in the year 10 outdoor Ed trip

Outdoor Education is a time for all students to test their physical capabilities, bond with their peers, gain critical experiences, and make memories. This year, my Year 10 classmates and I journeyed about six hours to Sam Roi Yot, south of Hua Hin and located on the coast of the province of Prachuap Khiri Khan. We stayed in the Green Beach Resort for four nights—a clean, comfortable, and optimal place for students, with excellent staff and accommodations. Ms. Iena Dua led this trip, with the help of our form tutors and additional support staff: Mr. Sheffield, Ms. Bordoni, Mr. Delaney, Ms. Johnson, Mr. Cox, Mr. Harrison, Mr. Rodriguez, and Ms. Lau. Now, as any unbiased reporter would do, I am going to meticulously examine the pros and cons of the trip from my perspective to conclude whether it can be considered the best trip of the year (so far) or not.

In the first few days of the trip, we were thrown into our array of activities. We were awoken at 6 o’clock on the dot to begin our day. The tumultuous team-building exercises, the enriching experience of learning to cultivate Thai cuisines coupled with the thrill of competing for the judges' vote, beach cleaning and games, and the Laem Sala Hike—the trail multiple Thai kings embarked on in the past. The general consensus is that it is not so loved due to its arduous nature, but with its rich history and picturesque scenery, it is truly an unforgettable place (and well worth the blood, sweat, and tears to see).

The penultimate day was my personal favourite. My form group and I were able to experience the literal and metaphorical ups and downs of wakeboarding. The wonderful owner of the place was patient and understanding of our struggles, and eventually most of us (excluding myself unfortunately) were able to get the hang of it. And, if the wakeboards were occupied, you could voyage through the freezing, algae-infested waters using a paddle board; this was genuinely not as bad as it sounds. Following that, we went to an offsite art gallery, where we painted tote bags and got as creative as possible: palm trees, bows, and little red monsters were some things I could recall being painted by those around me. Then, we had the infamous Disco Night. Music, laughter, and love filled the room—screams were heard, dance moves were seen, and confessions were made. The songs played ranged from ‘FE!N’ by Travis Scott to ‘California Gurls’ by Katy Perry, and all of us in Year 10 owe huge thanks to Dayoon (10.3) for taking the time to compile the playlist for the enchanting evening. Overall, it was an immensely enjoyable event, as student Jasmin (10.1) stated, “That night was amazing, yeah.”

However, the trip wasn’t exactly a joyride. The rules and restrictions were exhausting to keep up with. No intermingling with the opposite gender without the barrier of a porch rail, no going into the pool without supervision, and no being in each other’s rooms after lights out. But the most gut-wrenching one was that our beloved mobile phones were taken off us to only be used a mere fifteen minutes per day. In those fifteen minutes, my class descended into madness; everyone scrambling to contact their parents, maintain their all-important social media streaks, and squeeze in a quick TikTok or two. Was this infantilising or character building? Did the digital devices break cleanse our chaotic minds or turn us into grumps and phone-yearning maniacs the whole time?

Ultimately, I’d rate the Year 10 Outdoor Education of 2024 a four out of five stars. The illustrious spectrum of activities, cultures and history truly made the trip. On top of that, the bonding that occurred is immeasurably crucial to the blending in our classrooms for the remainder of the academic year and far beyond that, regardless of the strict codes we had to abide by. The bar is undoubtedly set high, but it’s not impossible to cross—keep that in mind, teachers and fellow students!