Isle of Wight 2025

The Magical Mystery Tour to UKSA – A Tale of Three Car Parks, One Ferry, and Many Ice Creams

This morning, everything started with surprising efficiency. We met up, the whole gang present and correct, and boarded the minibuses with the kind of speed and organisation that would put the Royal Marines to shame. Spirits were high, the weather was kind, and the traffic was on its best behaviour – all signs pointed to a smooth journey.

And then… Southampton happened.

Our first choice of car park turned out to be a “Private and Important” space that apparently draws the line at humble minibuses. No problem – on to car park number two! Unfortunately, this one had a height barrier that took one look at our roof and said, “Absolutely not.”

But fear not! Car park number three came with a parking attendant who, bless him, genuinely wanted to help. He phoned his boss, who phoned their boss – somewhere between the fourth ring and an existential crisis – and eventually, permission was granted. We could stay. We cheered. He probably had a sit down.

Just when we thought we were back on track, plot twist! The ferry we had actually booked had mysteriously vanished due to “maintenance.” (We’re assuming a spanner was involved.) Luckily, the kind folks at the ferry terminal took one look at our optimistic faces and waved us aboard the next available crossing.

Once on the ferry, the students moved with purpose and unity… directly towards the shop. Sweets and ice creams were purchased with the sort of enthusiasm not seen since Black Friday. By the end of the crossing, we were 87% sugar and 13% sea breeze.

Arriving at East Cowes, we may have mildly surprised the UKSA staff who were expecting us at 1pm, not before lunch. But like every other bump in the road, this too smoothed out – and they welcomed us warmly (if a little confused).

The afternoon activities more than made up for any earlier hiccups. Raft building was epic, pontoon jumping was heroic, and the sliding was pure joy. We’ve had laughter, sunshine, unexpected plot twists, and a LOT of wet clothes.

All in all: a truly adventurous start to what promises to be a fantastic trip!