Bush "Skool" 2008

It was an informative weekend over at the AUTC hut at Waitaks as the ‘eager’
students (all 17 of us) of bush skool piled over there to learn in two days the
necessary skills of bushcraft, tramping and orienteering.
For those less fortunate and were not able to make it to this mini course run by
the AUTC – we had a good time learning basic yet vital skills of being in the
bush like first aid outdoors and what food to bring, how to set up tents and
how to set up shelters,  how to use portable cookers, gear list – the
essentials and how to pack your pack efficiently, what to wear and what to
avoid like the plague, how to read weather reports and what to expect from New
Zealand’s indecisive weather, how to use a compass and a map and what to do to
“un-lose” yourself in the bush, how to carefully cross a river and use the
smallest person to actually block the impact of the water as well as steer your
way through (it’s not my fault I’m small!!), how to light fires and how to make
wax bombs to attract attention or even for plain entertainment (DISCLAIMER:
Please do not attempt this at home children), an overall trip leader  skills
overview, and last but not least; learning the equally if not more so,
important skill of how to maintain your balance when climbing phonebooks as a
pair and still manage to touch the ground (We maxed out on phonebooks – 15
phonebooks with two pairs as the reigning champions).
It cannot be disputed that the knowledge gained was of the utmost significance
to prepare oneself for anything and everything that can and will happen when
one enters the Great Outdoors and we give many a big thanks to the organizers –
accolades to Rion Gulley for organizing the whole venture and remembering
everyone’s names, to Kylie Brewer for successfully handling the food and being
the most level-headed person around, to Craig Smith for taking up the role of
the pyrotechnician and also allowing (questionable) people to re-affirm their
long-lost friendship with fire, to Charis Wong for being the bubbly, kind,
ever-ready-to-help person she is, Brad (Pitt) for the toilets and the
shelter-building training and to all back-stage people there are that we were
not aware of. In all seriousness, thanks for the tips and for taking care of
us. Also, a great big thanks to the drivers who got us there safely in the
first place. The weather was just as ‘obliging’ and rained for the most part,
but it’s all about the experience and it made the AUTC hut even more cosy and
the walk back, less cosy.
I believe everyone present learnt valuable lessons that we would benefit from
relating to planning and executing our trips and it was definitely a time to
get to know more members of the tramping club. I mean, what better than to lie
in a sleeping bag and talk about beta carotene, ‘carbs’, deep and profound
proverbs, and to tell stories about witches and ocelots after a day of training
then to wake up and have breakfast in bed. That is what AUTC stands for – fun,
friendships and tramping (and fire).
The next time bush skool rolls around, be sure not to miss it, it sharpens up
skills, it is a good reminder of proper conduct in the bush and it’s good fun.

By Marie