Selection Week

So on the Sunday afternoon of the 9th of September the mammoth journey from Yarm to Coll began (However it seems not as mammoth as half the people on my selection course). Trains to Edinburgh and Glasgow then a delightful 4 hour coach ride to arrive in Oban early evening.

Somehow it wasn't raining and after dumping my bag in the youth hostel I set out for food and to find any other hopeful project trustees. After asking someone whether they were off to spent a week a Coll and getting a very peculiar look I didn't dare ask anyone else. After filling in a few various forms for the week and a deep conversation with a slightly drunk Scottish bloke at the hostel, to the dorm it was. Finally met a Project trust hopeful on the way up (Sam from the south) and doubled the chance that we'd actually wake up in time for the ferry ( 6 bloody 30!!!). We no doubt woke up the 3 chaps in the bottom bunks when getting organised but the ferry port was calling.

The week was amazingly good fun as well as being jam packed full of important stuff including;

• Descriptions of all projects
• Teaching a 10min lesson
• 10min talk on an aspect of Coll
• Digging lazy beds with a lot of singing
• Writing an essay on a current news topic
• Being interviewed by staff
• Talking to staff about the various projects
• Learning a lot about fundraising 
• Climbing to the Highest point of Coll
• Discussing possible scenarios while abroad
• Making a final choice
• Suiting up for a last night Ceilidh and dancing your heart out (luckily there's no pictures of this).

A seriously windy day at the highest point of Coll. Apparently
sliding through the gap under the rock helps you get pregnant.
(I didn't take the risk)

Ben Hogh (the highest point)

Whilst on selection you also stay at a host's family's house with another person from selection. Max (from Stoke on trrrent) and I stayed with Angus (and Fiona) however Fiona was having a ladies week back on the mainland so unfortunately didn't make an appearance  Listening to Angus' tales at the end of the day while he had a whisky and many ciagrettes was an experience I'll never forget. He also made some pretty epic meals and was a great host.

On one night he also drove us down to the newly built community centre for a bit of an astronomy evening with a blow up observatory thing. After getting into the front 'seat' of his very old Vauxall Corsa and starting to buckle my seatbelt he duly stopped me saying 'you won't be needing that round here lad' - another unforgettable moment - along with his rally driving.

The week whizzed by and I was soon making my final choices of where I wanted to go (if they deem suitable - Botswana/Guyana/SouthAfrica) and saying my goodbye's. Another coach ride ahead......What a week.