April 2013 - The Boys' Brigade

2nd Cambusnethan
Spanish Villa Holiday 2012
2nd Cambusnethan Company
celebrated its 60th
Anniversary in Session 2011
/ 2012 and without a doubt
one of the highlights had to be the
Summer Holiday in July 2012,
when the Company flew to Malaga
from Edinburgh to spend two weeks
in a private ten bedroom villa in the
Spanish Costa Del Sol resort
of Benalmadena.
Once the initial idea was accepted to
go to a villa, it was amazing how quickly
things were organised. As none of the
staff had organised a foreign holiday
except for personal family holidays, it
opened up a completely new challenge.
The Villa owner was thrilled that a Boys’
Brigade Company was using his villa.
The fl ights were booked with Jet 2 who
made it very easy to book a group
with low deposits and fi nal passenger
details not being required to nearer the
departure time.
The holiday began as soon as we
stepped on the bus at Cambusnethan to
travel to Edinburgh Airport. In true 2nd
Cambusnethan style the banter didn’t
stop until we all returned home safely
two weeks later.
Every day was different apart from it
was always a scorcher, which was very
far from the situation in the UK! The sun
brought fun, laughter and memories,
which will be remembered for many
years to come. The programme was
very laid back, starting with continental
buffet style breakfast, which allowed a
56 The Boys’ Brigade Gazette Apr 2013
lie in if boys and staff wanted it. Each
day, time was set aside for a time of
worship in the basement lounge area,
led by the Company Captain and gave
everyone a rest from the blazing sun
and a time to refl ect.
Days were spent lazing around the
pool, various games involving footballs,
infl atable rings, airbeds and upturned
sun loungers. Day trips to the local
beaches, water park and surrounding
resorts of Fuengirola and Torremolinos
using the very effi cient and cheap
rail service proved popular. However,
the hike to the railway station in
Benalmadena proved a bit of a challenge
and was likened to an expedition, given
the steep uphill route. The Olympics
proved a hit on the four large fl at screen
TVs situated throughout the villa and
wifi made it easier to communicate with
family back home.
Without a doubt the highlight of the
holiday was a trip to Gibraltar, spending
time in the town shopping for tax free
gifts to take back home. After lunch we
all embarked upon a trip up the rock to
meet, as one of the boys put it, “the wee
mad apes”! Our tour guide in our own
private minibus entertained us with funny
stories and quick-witted comments. We
came face to face with Gibraltar’s most
famous residents, the Barbary Apes,
the only wild primates in all Europe. 2nd
Cambusnethan wasted no time in getting
to know the apes and quickly had them
eating out of their hands. After a visit
through the caves and some photo
opportunities, we boarded our bus back
to Benalmadena.
It was a different holiday and probably
one that will not be repeated, but will
remain a special memory of our 60th
Anniversary Year. With strict budgeting
and high level negotiation with local
restaurateurs on evenings we opted
to eat out, we managed to return £100
to everyone who attended the holiday,
which made the total cost per person for
two weeks £675.00.
Any Company who would like details of
the villa we visited should contact the
Company Captain William Rundell at
wrrundell@rohss.co.uk