Day 2 -Dover Castle and Swim #1

Paul 

Avocado

Today at breakfast I ate toasted bread with Nutella spread. Following that, we went to see Dover Castle and the secret tunnels used during World War II. The tunnels I feel were the highlight of today, since the war events covered a lot of information that I had previously not known. The spiral staircases in the castle made you exhausted after climbing them. The view from the top was breathtaking. It's fascinating to find that these castles were built in the 13th century and have survived for such a long time. We went swimming in the harbor after the castle. The water wasn't as cold as I expected, and as a result we finished surprisingly fast. I hope we don't get a lot of rain over the next few days.

Noah 

Dover Castle Adventure and Swimming Practice

Today, we ate breakfast and I ate hashbrowns, bacon, and cereal. After we ate breakfast, we went to the castle in Dover. I was thinking about what wars I shouldn't be talking about, like the Revolutionary War, WWII, and the Argentina-British war, because I didn't want to offend the British people. We took a van to the castle and the van is fun to ride in. We got into the Dover castle tunnels that were built during WWII. We saw how the German army tried to capture French and British territory. After we got out of the tunnels, I bought WWII planes playing cards and military dog tags. We went to the castle's tower. The view is so cool because I can see the town of Dover. We got back to the hotel and we put on our speedo suits to test the water. I thought we were going to swim the English Channel, but we were just testing the water. The water is so cold, like Alcatraz, and I swam harder. I was so cold when we finished swimming. I was still feeling jet-lagged and I was trying not to go to sleep, but I was too tired to stay awake at dinner. Tomorrow, we're going to the docks to see our relay boats. I hope I can see you when we're trying to swim the Channel.

Betzi

Stones

The British seagulls were at it since 2am this morning with their yodeling, broken-wind-instrument voices, making sleep even more difficult to conjure than it was already with jet lag alone. I Am Very Sorry Lauren And Diana For Waking You Up. This morning, we all walked out onto the beaches, which are almost entirely composed of calico-colored stones and pebbles. Unlike at La Jolla Cove, these shores meet the water with a sharp ledge, immediately dropping you into the numbing Channel. I found a starfish(?) fossil. Turns out there are dark bunkers underneath Dover Castle, though drastically less sketchy than the ones we saw in Russia. The Dover bunkers have now been remodeled to include projectors, which cast images and videos of Allied troops onto their stone walls. When we first entered one of the areas, the black cavity of the bunker seemed endless and empty; but then, something illuminated on a screen far back down the passage, and then one closer, and then closer- I get that it was supposed to be dramatic, but honestly, the first thing I thought of was that this would make a great Scream Zone attraction. John met up with us today, and he, Lisa, and Mike got into the water with us in the late afternoon. Lisa is amazingly tolerant.

Cheryl

We went in and survived!

 We went out and swam for about 30 minutes!! Holy Mother of Buddha it is cold and windy and choppy and we drank half the channel. Currently, half the team is constipated while the other half has raging diarrhea, could be the food, could be the company, could be the stress, could be the storm rapidly approaching…take your pick! Although I find our sense of humor quite unique on the other side of the pond, I must admit we have raised the level of shenanigans. We have spoken with Chloe in the sauna after she completed her nine mile swim, she was eating brownies and fish and chips to get her energy back up. Dan swam as well while we were swimming. John has joined us and the exuberance was demonstrated by Arch Academy rushing his taxi and grabbing his belongings and bringing them up to his room. He quickly changed into his speedo and we were all off. Our feet were the most noticeable pain as there were burning and stinging throughout the swim. We have now recovered and are looking forward to trivia night with the Australian team. Shout out to Cooper, Karma, and especially Buckeye. Yip yip!!!!!

 Diana

WOW

I woke up at two this morning and could not go back to sleep. I went to breakfast which is really good. Then we went to the Dover Castle which was fun. The driver was funny and liked us. The castle was really fun and there were a lot of weapons, which was fun to see Zach run and get on every one. When we went back to the hotel we got ready and swam which was interesting. I think it was not as bad as I thought it was going to be. It was cold but the problem was that it was choppy. It was very tiring and I still was not able to get sleep. We went to dinner which was good. I had veggie spring rolls, pasta, and toffee pudding with cream. I still am tired and hope that I am able to get sleep.

Zach

Day 2

 Today was a very active day. I got very little sleep from yesterday and in the morning I still prepared for the day. In the morning, I found that Dover had a good variety of American food. Following this, I am also going to say that Dover has really good and fresh cream and milk. Yum. After breakfast, we were all scheduled to go the Dover castle and War Time Tunnels. We first went to the War Time Tunnels, which is a WWII small underground base which was used for mission “Dynamo”. This was very interesting and fun. Also during the time we were touring the WWII section, my Russian blood kicked in and every big cannon I found made me feel very excited. We then travelled to the Dover Castle which this amazing. The main tour site that we toured was the Great Tower. Everyone managed to stay together except that I got lost and took many wrong turns and nearly killed myself on the stairs. After all the touring we sat around for a while to find our selves swimming for the first time in forever in the Dover waters. It was very cold probably same as the cove except that my feet felt like they were on fire when I was in the water. After swimming, we had dinner which I managed to remember Cheryl’s dinner order but not mine, strange I think but overall today was good and can't wait for tomorrow.

CJ

Day 2

The day began with the promise of waffles and tea, when barely any existed. Afterward we took a tour to Dover Castle. The castle was originally built during the 1100s, but during WWII, the tunnels were dug for war operations and command. The tour showed us the formation and success of Operation Dynamo, a mission to evacuate British and Allied troops from the German advance in France. The tunnel was also used for defense of the English Channel as Dover became the new front line. After the tour we had a little free time where Zach almost gambled away the key to his room in a game of speed. Afterward, we trained in the Dover Harbor, which is strikingly similar to Alcatraz. The water was cold and choppy; and we all got a taste of the salty Dover water. Did I mention John and Lisa swam with us? Now we have all eaten dinner and I want to go to bed. So I will. Peace out.

Maddy

The Goblet of Fire

The night before, Faith and Kaylee didn't sleep much. Somehow I was able to get some sleep. However, this morning and ALL day I couldn't keep my eyes open. Every moment I could, I would take a nap. Cheryl, Kaylee, and I went into the town center and explored the multiple convenience stores. We bought some soap, exchanged money, then went back to the hotel and took a long nap. As we awoke, we set off onto a new adventure of swimming in the harbor. Before we swam, a taxi rolled up in front of the hotel and there sat a man, hair white as snow, smile as bright as the sun. It was John Allcock. We stormed the cab and took his luggage, happy to see him. The super pebbly shore cute my toe nail in half and now it's bleeding. We swam for maybe half an hour. It was freezing. It was like Catalina and Alcatraz had a baby. It was also like when Harry Potter had to swim in the water for the Tri Wizard Tournament. We avoided sirens, scary sea creatures, and used our wands to fend off evil entities. I need to add that Cheryl did amazing. It was beyond colder than the cove and she made it without reaching hypothermia. You are amazing Cheryl!!! Love you mum! Love you Donna! PS When I got out of the water, I put on my dog suit and my polar bear paws. There was a wedding and the bride came up to me asking for a picture with me. Dover is a fan...

Lauren

Into Davy Jones' Locker

My day started as I arose at 2:56 am. As I opened my eyes, I saw a figure standing in the corner eating pretzels. Then, I heard a cackle. I was startled until I realized the figure eating pretzels was Betzi being awkward and the loud cackle was Diana laughing at something funny that Betzi said. Anyways, after my hearty breakfast at 8:15 am, we went off to tour the Dover Castle. It had a majestic view and I felt like I was at Hogwarts: School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As we walked around the premises, we toured the underground tunnels where the soldiers in World War II had their discussions and made their plans. After getting back around 12:45 in the afternoon, I took a nap and then for ready to swim in the icy water for the first time in Dover. As I was getting in, I got the chills and believe me when I say it was ball-to-the-walls freezing. Even though we were only out for 30 minutes, I think I could have done an hour. (Thank God) The 57 degree water was murky and green. Getting in, I realized this was real and we were now entering DAVY JONES' LOCKER.  However, we made it out alive. I miss everyone back home and love you all!

Faith

It's Not So Warm

This is our second day in England, and last night...I did not sleep. Kaylee and I woke up at 12:00 am and could not fall asleep since. After breakfast, most of us went to the Dover Castle, while some stayed back. I learned a lot, and I was glad I didn't stay back, we all had a lot of fun. After having lunch delivered to us, we came back to the hotel. Then, we got ready to go swimming, and this is where my title comes into play. Once we arrived at the harbor we stuck our feet in...and should I say...it was VERY cold!!! Probably about 57 degrees. The swim was a little different, but nothing any of us couldn't do. So, during dinner, Cheryl discovered a branch in her chicken. I love you mom and dad, and thanks for all of your support!!! :)

Wesley

Fun

Today I woke and had breakfast, which is one of my favorite parts of global trips. After breakfast we went and saw Dover Castle and the tunnels the soldiers would use. They had a commander talking over a speaker. I imagined I was in the military. Then we went and saw the Castle of Dover. Zach and I got inside the fireplace. We got to go on the roof of the castle and it was scary being that high up. Then we went swimming, the water was icy cold. After that I warmed up, and then played go fish with Noah and watched tennis. When I watched tennis being played on the grass court I though of you Dad because you watch it, and I am in the country where grass courts are. I've always wondered where the grass courts are. For dinner tonight I had chicken liver, pasta, and cake. It's very cold in Dover. I still have more fun to come. See you guys when I get back.

Kaylee

Tired as Frick!!

After a rough on hour of sleep (still adjusting to the time difference), we woke up and ate some breakfast. As usual, I stuffed my face with cereal, fruit, and potatoes. As everyone went to the Harry Potter looking castle, Cheryl, Maddy , and I walked around the town. This consisted of convenience/grocery stores, fast food every now and then, and banks. That's really about it. After attempting to sleep for an hour (and failing) we decided to jump in the water. It was cold but I'd say our training really is paying off because we were able to swim for awhile without feeling too hellish. Jumping made me feel a little more confident as well. What didn't make me feel good was when the President of the Channel Swimming Association said, and I quote, "if you guys think you don't get seasick, think again. You all are going to be puking!" That was super assuring...not. Anyways, hopefully I will be able to get some sleep tonight so I can feel better. missing everyone back home! Especially my kitty (:

Matt

Life is Great

Why am I saying life is great? I will tell you why. I am hanging out with my best friends and I was shown the beauty of Dover and now I am "Doverwhelmed" with beauty. All the students are learning that Lisa is a robot alien who came to Earth to show us all up. She has been such an amazing chaperone and teacher, she helped us so much with our blogs and even accompanied us to the Dover Castle, which was really educational and fun. We brought Arch to the castle with our amazing shenanigans. We broke as many rules and signs as we could. When I went int he water today I was like "we can totally swim the crap out of that channel, which by the way looks beautiful." The swimming was really fun and it made me really confident. Thank you everyone who sent us here, especially my parents, the donors, and staff.

Parth

Dover the Hill to the Castle

Breakfast was good, and from there, we moved to the castle.  The castle was by far the best part of my day, and I had extreme enjoyment walking around Dover castle, and learning about the history of the area.  We went through a tour of the secret tunnels under Dover castle.  I learned that Dover was the battle front for English troops.  This interesting fact was one of many learned during the tour.  After touring the castle and tunnels, we went to the harbor to go swim.  This interesting experience, the first of many, was refreshing.  The cold water refreshed me.  Lastly, dinner was a delicious meal, which sadly had to end.  I am sad that this incredible day had to end, but now I have to go to bed.  Have a nice day.