W O R L D  C H A L L E N G E
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In the summer, eighteen  students from Years 11 and 12 spent a month in  India on the most ambitious World Challenge expedition undertaken by the School

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On arrival in Delhi, everyone was introduced to different dangers on the road, which included cattle and the local rickshaw drivers. At the hotel we quickly learned to haggle, after the initial quote was three times over budget. To make the first night not too much of a culture shock, the team ate at Pizza Hut; it was a lot cheaper than the Croydon branch!
 
A major aim of trip was for the students to organise their budget and itinerary to improve their self-reliance. The students duly organised transportation to Manali, which  took over  a day on trains and jeeps and buses. Nothing is straightforward when travelling in India, and we had to overcome monsoon weather and punctures. Everyone maintained high spirits, however,   except Mr Hutchinson. Alex Di Mascio became our chief haggler in hotels and managed to arrange a night’s accommodation for less than a £1 per person.

After spending a few days acclimatizing, we started the two-week trek. The team now consisted of four porters, four horsemen, a guide,  thirty-two horses and ourselves. The first day presented us with a difficult ascent.  A couple of days into the trek, several team members were suffering from Delhi Belly and the effects of altitude.  However, all the team was determined to carry on,  but with a few more toilet breaks than usual.

Key roles were forming within the group. James Dunn was always there to lend a hand on river crossings. Ben Edwards was looking out for everyone’s welfare at the back, and Camilla Russell was setting the pace. Joe Teng was the head cook and was never out of the porters’ tent. Most importantly, everyone was working well within the team, and new friendships were being formed. As the trek drew to a close, the challengers were slimmer and morale was high.

The project was based in a primary school on the outskirts of Jaipur. We used money raised to paint educational murals, with Michaela Morrison’s butterfly being particularly impressive. Desks and benches were made by the less artistic members of the group. A highlight was playing games such as British Bulldog with the children. A football game against the local Round Table was arranged. We had taken old football kits to donate to local schools and played in the old Crispin colours.  Susie Beere scored the winning goal, and no one could remember when a team wearing a Crispin kit had last won a game. There was some time for  rest and relaxation, the highlight being a visit to the Taj Mahal.

All the students had the experience of a lifetime, made new friends, overcame all the problems they encountered and learned to appreciate what they had.  N. P. Rocca