Inside view on OPC

Interview with Joseph Calkin about the senior OPC

What did you hear/think about OPC before going?
My Sister and my Mother have been before. They told me it was great and it would be a challenge, a physical challenge.

Did you take a home luxury? If yes, what?
Most of my gear was better than everyone else’s so that was a luxury- good over trousers and stuff. There wasn’t much room in your packs because; basically you have to carry it everywhere so you take the bare minimum. I guess Tim-tams were a luxury (It was sugar)

What type of activities did you do? Did anything scare you?
The trust exercises! Everyone put themselves into their ‘Stretch Zones’ almost everyday.
I’ll give you a basic rundown of what we did

Day 1. ‘Bush-bashing’
Flying fox
High ropes course
Day 2. High ropes-including the ‘big swing’ and rock climbing
Caving (Multiple people got stuck in some of the tight cracks, especially Pooh Bears crack which was a tight squeeze. There were weta's and glow worms)
Day 3. We split into groups to do snowboarding and skiing. I went skiing and learnt how to do the ‘hockey stop,’ then I sprayed everyone with the snow from it. On the second to last run Joyce hurt her tailbone. (Editors note: Ouch!)
Day 4. We went on our overnighter. We had to navigate our way through tall toi-toi and we all got cut from it. We slept on a pile of heather , even Joyce did it. (Editors note: That’s determination Joyce! You deserve a chocolate fish!)
Day 5. When we got back to OPC we had a swamp challenge. We would have all made it except Cameron pulled the log out from under Braedon. Then we came home.

Was the food good?
Yes! The food was great.
(Editors note: I am not listing the food he described to me because I’d just eaten and it made me feel hungry all over again, and I just ate dinner and am too full too think of food again! But let me just say; I don’t get fed that well at home!) Pancakes for breakfast, chocolate dessert………………….

Would you rather be cold, wet or hungry? Were you any of these things on OPC?
Wet- if you are wet but not cold or hungry then you’re fine. We were well-fed, warm (Most of the time) but we were wet a lot!

Did you have early starts and late finishes?
My watch accidentally went off at 3 on the first morning! It woke Braedon who started clapping and woke everyone else up. We had to clap and wake everyone else up if we heard the alarm, but my watch went off too early! We had to get up at 5:30am and lights out was 10:30pm- but that didn’t stop some people from talking

What was your favourite activity?
Skiing, I learnt how to do the ‘hockey stop’ and then I went and sprayed everyone! (The hockey stop is when you are coming down the slope and brake by turning to the side. It throws up a lot of snow and sprays everyone around you.)

Would you recommend OPC to others?
Yes.

Would you go again if you had the chance?
Yes, in a couple of months....

Were you told any stories there that you would like to repeat to us?
Sasquatch and the hoofman……….. (More to come on this story)