“Everything we did there was all new to me. However I enjoyed putting up the tent the most. I thought it was very useful for me to know and very fun too!”

Sophie

“I learned a lot from this short trip: some living skills, like starting fire, setting up a tent. But the most valuable thing for me is that I got a chance to communicate with new friends from different countries, which made me view China in other perspectives. It also inspired me and benefits my research.”

Haifeng

“I learnt to manage camping events, lighting up a fire with the flint (took me a hundred attempts though), cooking and setting up tents.”

Heet Shah

Syatirah shared with us how to make cheese-filled flatbreads and a whole range of other new campfire foods : these deep-fried fluffy things were a thing of breakfast beauty!

Every participant on the camp had to select and prepare the firewood and other materials needed for keeping warm – or trying to!

“I learnt to ignite fire from cotton and a special tool (fire steels), build a bird box and observe how a tree grows (signs of spring), also putting up tents. An unforgettable experience was to learn to initiate chat with others and improve my social skills.”

Yun

“This was my first time camping; I did not sleep and just sat around the fire the whole night. I learnt how to set up a fire, how to use a saw and a hammer, how to cook in the woods... These are important survival skills that I could not have learnt in daily life.”

Eva

“I learned how to play the game "Mafia". If I have a second chance to come camping, I will bring more clothes and socks for sure!”

Philomena

“When I recall what happened, I can't help but burst into laughter. That's really funny, to fall into water! (while playing Capture the Flag at night) But I'm grateful for you giving me dry and clean clothes.”

Hai Feng

One volunteer task we did was to check these 7 Trees for signs of flowering and bud-opening: signs of Spring that we are recording for the Track a Tree Citizen Science Programme.

“I learnt a lot from the camping, but I was most impressed by making a bird box. It was an unforgettable experience.”

Jenny

“I slept for 2 hours, it was too cold for me to sleep, but it was fun so it doesn't bother me too much.” Yun

“2-3hrs, but including the time I woke up by coldness (at least 10 times)” Philomena

“I slept for 2-3 hours only :( “ Sophie

“4-5 hours” Heet “about 4 hours” – Haifeng

“I guess I could only sleep for 3 hours “ Jenny

“I did not sleep” Eva

How long did you sleep?