‘Exuberant’
‘Joyful’
‘Disbelief’
Would be words which could, perhaps, fractionally describe the overflow of feelings as students poured in the gates. After ten days of the adventure of a lifetime, Rod from Higher Ground briefed the students at the gate. In his unique, charismatic style, his speech to students was to “express yourself in any way possible as this is the last time you will go through the Kenilworth Gates, the next time you will be going home.” The students did just that as they skipped, hollered, yelled, sang, and danced with no inhibition – pure freedom and relief etched into these fantastic young people.
Music blasted through the speaker around the grounds as students hugged, shared stories, and laughed; with the rhythm of the tunes, you could feel the heartbeat of emotion. The stories continued to be shared throughout the afternoon and late into the night. The students are excited to share these incredible stories with you in a few days! However, here are a few snippets of what they experienced:
“My highlight of the Expedition was the friendships we made along the way. Can you believe we climbed a mountain at 5 am but woke up at 4 am? It was Mt Coorora, 493m, and we caught the sunrise. It was a majestic orange and a fitting way to end our Expedition.”
“The hardest part of the Expedition was the 27km hike, right after the 21km hike. We had efficient leaders who wouldn’t give us breaks! My legs and calves were destroyed. In the end, we were high on sugar, so sleep did not come to us quickly.”
“On average, we had two showers. We were unlucky because it was on the first and last day. However, it was interesting to shower in a brown river, just like apple juice!”
“I actually gained muscle and got stronger.” *students were showing off their biceps.*
“A colossal war started splashing in the Canoes. Not everyone got wet, but some of us got soaked! Can you believe I paddled with a stick?”
“SOLO was fun because a dog kept coming to me, and I had a beautiful view. We had a tarp and ropes to create our own shelter. I experimented with my tarp and building things to make my unique place.”
“I disliked SOLO because it was so boring, and I couldn’t see anyone. I did do some good reflections, though.”
“We saw interesting things: Bush Turkeys, Kangaroos, Possums, and a Dog (who stole an apple).”
“Honestly, we would do this all again.”
A visible peace descended Kenilworth as the sun, spectacular as always, faded behind the hills, and darkness engulfed the campus.
As our time also comes to a close, here are the final thoughts from the staff Limitless Team ~
Many years from now, when joints creak, and muscles ache, individuals will find that without warning, some chance sight or sound will catapult them back to a world filled with the faces of long-sundered friends who, in the full vigor of life briefly shared with them hours of endless toil, shining moon, and swirling mist. And with quiet satisfaction, they will say to themselves, ‘We did that.’
An ending, but perhaps a new beginning… And with that, we are all eagerly looking forward to seeing you in a few days.
The 2024 team.