At six o’clock in the morning a group of 59 bleary-eyed students and 7 equally sleepy staff assembled in the cold and rain to await a coach to take them on the first leg of their trip to Rome and The Bay of Naples. Our coach arrived half an hour late as the driver had been unable to get round a corner on the way to the school. This did not seem the most auspicious of starts, but very little else was to go wrong.
 We arrived in Italy on Saturday in glorious sunshine, and this weather continued for the whole week. Sweaters and coats remained firmly in suitcases. If only the girls had known, it would have been far less of a struggle to keep within the luggage weight allowance! After we checked into our accommodation in Rome, a grand and spacious convent, we set off for a first taste of Italy at the very oddly named Devil Planet, followed by the one and only early night of the trip.
 Our first full day in Rome began with a visit to the Colosseum, where the girls wandered around the various levels trying to imagine the horrors that sent an estimated three-quarters of a million people to their deaths. From here we only had to cross the roads to be in the Roman Forum. With so many other tourists present it was easy to imagine the noise and bustle in ancient times. After a guided tour by Mr. Bunce and several group counts we headed off for somewhere to find lunch, only to be bombarded by sellers wherever we stopped. The girls soon got into the spirit of haggling and left loaded with “designer” sunglasses and bracelets. After lunch we strolled round Rome, taking in the Circus Maximus, Fora, and many other sights as well as the odd ice-cream parlour.
 The following morning a bus ride was taken to the Vatican and St. Peter’s where we encountered the first of several queues during the day. Most of these were due to large numbers of pilgrims in Rome for the anniversary of Pope John Paul’s death. After witnessing the grandeur of the Sistine Chapel, we headed off for a look at some of the squares and fountains of Rome, as well as sampling yet again some of the best ice-creams you could imagine. By now Louise Monk and Becky Cleary were well into double figures in the ice-cream stakes. We finished off by taking a metro back to our hotel where Kingsley set an unofficial world record for the number of people fitted into a carriage, as the girls were dragged in and squashed like sardines. After dinner, a walk was taken to the Piazza Republica, where those who were missing their usual diet found McDonald’s more to their liking.
 On our next day we transferred to Sorrento, stopping off at the ancient port of Ostia, and with a meal taken at Cassino where the girls had the opportunity to view the museum of the battle. After a frantic check-in in a cramped reception and a meal in our hotel, the girls were taken out for a stroll in Sorrento. Eyes lit up when bargain-laden shops were spotted and all manner of purchases were made.
 Early next morning we headed off to Pompeii where the girls were free to wander around the site in groups. The amphitheatre, temples, the forum, baths, theatres, houses, and much more were viewed as the girls soaked up the atmosphere and the sunshine. The four hours there seemed to fly by and still there was not time to see everything, such was the scale of the site. We then headed off for a brief stop at the Villa Oplontis, the home of the emperor Nero’s wife, Poppaea.
 Our next day did not get off to the best of starts. With the weather overcast, we headed off to the site of Herculaneum, only to find the site closed until the afternoon for a political rally. We hastily headed off to Mt. Vesuvius where we had to climb the final half mile – not to the summit, but to the coach park - the vehicle could not get any further as the road was so crammed with coaches. Most of the girls climbed to the top of the mountain, but only the first to arrive could see anything before the mists rolled down. We then finally moved on to Herculaneum where the wait was well worthwhile as the girls witnessed a superbly well preserved and compact site.
 After almost a week of culture, it was time on our final day to relax and shop as we took a boat to Capri. After spectacular views of the island on our way up the funicular railway, the girls were free to explore the island. Surprisingly they chose not to embark on the 5 mile round trip to Tiberius’ villa, preferring instead the delights of Dolce and Gabbana, Armani, and all sorts of designer outlets. Some even decided to abandon the delicious hotel made salami and cheese sandwiches for pizza and pasta at restaurants. The only shop the girls seemed able to afford was Benetton and as a result bumper profits are expected there this year thanks to Kingsley. The staff meanwhile had the very onerous burden of sitting in a café in the main square sipping drinks in the sunshine.
 And so we said our farewells a week after we set off after sampling the culture and delights of Italy. The trip was a huge success with many girls asking about the next trip. Along with the rest of the staff I was hugely impressed with the behaviour of the girls. They responded superbly to our requests and were a credit to the school wherever they went. They managed to keep together well on the streets of Rome, and avoided losing anything or having anything stolen, when all the other school groups we encountered had suffered such problems. There was a real camaraderie about the group with everyone willing to help each other out and only the occasional falling out. Girls from different years got on really well together and were very tolerant about sharing rooms. Special mention must go to the L6 and the U5 who never abused the extra freedom they were given, but every girl contributed something to the atmosphere. Finally I would like to put on record my appreciation to the staff who worked tirelessly over the week to make it the success it was.

DC Menashe

In the Roman Forum x	Having a 'light' lunch in Rome	Relaxing at Pompeii x
Yet another group count x	All set for our ascent of Vesuvius	Even the staff were able to relax!
	At the Vatican