We allocated various jobs and set about finding out the answers; monthly progress meetings were arranged

he list was endless. We allocated various jobs and set about finding out the answers; monthly progress meetings were arranged. The departure date was fixed for 4 August, an ideal time to travel because of school holidays and our diaries. The final job that needed doing was for the trip to be advertised and participants sought. The final number came down to seven, three girls and four boys. They had to plan a route that would take them over 50 kilometres in a three day period. This is the part of expedition planning that the participants hate. Experienced planners could do this job in three or four hours we had to arrange four meetings each lasting three and a half hours and they still only just got it done. At last we were set and 5.00am on Tuesday 4 August arrived. We met at the youth centre in Chelmsford, checked that everybody had passports, E111's (health forms for the European Community) and luggage and set off for Ramsgate. The journey was about 600 miles, south east across France,