9th September 2008
Dear Parents
5th Year Trip to Greece, 21st-26th October 2008
I am pleased to be able to provide you with more details concerning the 5 th Year Greek
Trip this October. The following pages contain, amongst other things, a detailed itinerary,
notes concerning passports, medical cover and insurance, and a suggested clothing list. I
shall be writing again in a couple of weeks’ time to provide reminders for passports, pocket
money and EHIC medical cards, and also to provide you with medical and consent forms
which I shall be asking you to complete and return to me towards the end of September.
Our travel agent has requested that I pass on details of any special dietary requirements
and medical details to them by Monday 22nd September. Please could you let me know,
either by letter or email, of any information concerning your child which is relevant to either
of these categories on or before Friday 19th September.
If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact me directly at school.
My e-mail address is Kristian.Waite@caterhamschool.co.uk.
Yours sincerely
Mr K. Waite
Head of Classics
GENERAL HOLIDAY INFORMATION
5th YEAR GREEK TRIP, OCTOBER 2008
Departure times
Departure from Caterham School 0300 Tuesday 21st October
Depart from Gatwick Airport 0620
Arrive at Athens Airport 1150
Return times
Departure from Athens Airport 2245 Sunday 26th October
Arrive Gatwick South 1435
Return to Caterham School c.1600
Departure day – Sunday 22nd October
Departure will be from Caterham School at 3.00 a.m. on Tuesday 21st October: my
apologies for this very early departure time, but our check-in time is specified as being
three hours before the departure time of the aircraft. Please could you ensure that your
child arrives at school by 2.45 a.m., dressed in home clothes.
Accommodation
We shall be staying at the Hotel Minoa in Tolon, a town in the Peloponnese two hours’
drive south from Athens (see map). Accommodation is provided in twin bedrooms.
Pocket money
We recommend that your child bring a maximum of £50 in euros, to cover the cost of any
purchases such as souvenirs, extra drinks, ice cream, etc. made during the course of the
holiday, and also £10 sterling to cover any purchases made at Gatwick Airport, including
breakfast on the morning of Tuesday 21st October. Please could your child let me have no
later than Friday 26th September a named envelope with his/ her euros (if you are unable
to obtain these, please enclose the relevant amount in sterling and we can change this at
the airport). In the resort a “bank” will be operated by Party Leaders, which means that
your child’s money can normally be left in the hotel in a safety deposit.
Passports, medical cover and insurance
Please could you check that your child has a current UK passport which will be valid until
at least the end of April 2009. I shall be requiring all passports by Friday 26th September.
All members of the school party are covered by a fully comprehensive travel insurance
policy provided by our travel agent, STS School Travel Service. Details of this policy can
be downloaded from their website: www.ststravel.co.uk.
The E111 EU medical attention form has now been replaced by the European Health
Insurance Card (EHIC). An application form for this can be obtained from the Post Office
or by downloading the form from the following link, under the Health Advice for Travellers
section: www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/fs/en. Once completed, the form needs to
be taken to the Post Office for approval. The EHIC card entitles the holder to emergency
medical attention if required and is strongly recommended as an extra precaution. I would
like to collect all EHICs by Friday 26th September.
Please could you let me know via email (Kristian.Waite@caterhamschool.co.uk)
whether your child has any special dietary requirements, such as vegetarian, or medical
conditions which I should be aware of, since our travel agent requires this information by
Monday 22nd September.
I shall be sending out a general medical and consent form in connection with the holiday in
a couple of weeks’ time.
Staffing
The staff present on the trip will be Mr Waite and Miss Dawrant.
Valuables and money care
Mobile phones, expensive cameras, i-pods and other valuables are taken at your child’s
own risk. We recommend that such items should be kept to an absolute minimum.
Jewellery
For health and safety reasons, jewellery such as rings, necklaces and earrings are not
permitted.
Contact numbers
In case of emergencies, a mobile number will be provided before the holiday. We shall be
arriving at the resort at approximately 4 p.m. on Tuesday 21st October. Pupils who do not
bring a mobile phone can make a phone call home on the school mobile during Tuesday
afternoon, and are free to use the phone to call home at any time.
Clothing list
A separate sheet is enclosed with a list of recommended clothing and accessories.
Special requirements
May I remind you that your child needs to bring a high factor sun cream and after sun
lotion. We are expecting average temperatures in the mid 70s Fahrenheit and
temperatures of 90ºF are not unknown in Greece in October.
Although there is central air conditioning in the hotel, I know from previous experience that
there are mosquitoes in the resort after sunset. Consequently, the following anti-mosquito
products are strongly recommended: a plug-in mosquito killer for the evening, “Mosiguard”
anti-mosquito spray and anti anti-mosquito cream. All of these can be obtained from Boots
or similar good chemists.
Good conduct
I would like to make it very clear that, as part of the booking conditions with our travel
agent, the purchase or consumption of alcoholic drinks by any child under 18 is forbidden.
All pupils are expected to act in a responsible fashion during the tour and not behave in a
way likely to cause damage to property or commit an offence to other people.
If you have any further questions, please contact me by email. My school email address is
Kristian.Waite@caterhamschool.co.uk
PROVISIONAL EXCURSION ARRANGEMENTS
5th YEAR GREEK TRIP, OCTOBER 2008
Tuesday 21th October
0300 Depart from Caterham School via minibus
0620 Depart from Gatwick Airport
1150 Arrive at Athens Airport and transfer to Tolon
1600 Arrive in Tolon
1900 Evening Meal
Wednesday 22nd October
0800 Breakfast
0900 Excursion to the Byzantine city of Mystra. – “One of the most exciting sites
that the Peloponnese can offer” – Rough Guide to Greece. Once a thriving
Byzantine city, Mystra boasts a fortress, palaces, a monastery & church ruins
1500 Return to Tolon and leisure time
1900 Evening Meal
Thursday 23rd October
0700 Breakfast
0800 Excursion to Athens, including the Acropolis, National Museum and the
Plaka – Athens’ famous nineteenth century shopping area
1700 Depart Athens; evening activity – bowling (to be confirmed)
2100 Evening meal
Friday 24th October
0800 Breakfast
0830 Visit the Tomb of Agamemnon and Ancient Citadel of Mycenae with its Royal
Tombs and Lion’s Gate
1200 Visit to Epidavros, home to the Sanctuary of Hercules and one of the best
preserved ancient theatres in the world
1900 Evening Meal
Saturday 25th October
0800 Breakfast
1100 We will have a barbeque lunch at a nearby island reached by boat
1800 Early evening meal
1900 Evening excursion to the nearby town of Nafplion. This was capital of Greece
from 1829-1834 and is overshadowed by the imposing fortress of Palamidi
with its nine hundred steps and imposing view of the town and harbour
2200 Return to Tolon
Sunday 26th October
0800 Breakfast
0830 Visit to Argos (the oldest continuously inhabited town in Greece), market,
acropolis and ancient theatre
1400 Return to Tolon and final packing
1700 Departure from Tolon
1945 Check in at Athens Airport
2245 Departure from Athens Airport
Monday 27th October
0025 Arrive at Gatwick North Terminal
0145 Return to Caterham School via minibus
Packed lunches will be provided for excursions where appropriate.
Note that excursions may be liable to change due to unforeseen circumstances.
RECOMMENDED CLOTHING AND ACCESSORY LIST
5th YEAR GREEK TRIP, OCTOBER 2008
Enough T-shirts/ shirts for six days’ wear plus extra if required for swimming should
the sun be too strong
Beach shorts
Lightweight shirts and trousers/ dresses
Jeans for the evening (these are not recommended for day excursions as it is likely
to be too warm)
Trainers or casual footwear
Flip-flops, sandals or similar
Two towels
Swimwear
Socks
Underwear
Light sweatshirts and jumpers for the evening
High factor suncream
Sun hat or cap
After sun lotion
Anti-mosquito repellents (see main letter)
General toiletries
Hayfever medicines/ asthma inhalers where appropriate
Camera*
Gameboy*/ walkman*/ ipod* / mobile phone**
(* optional items and taken at the owner’s own risk)
(** taken at the owner’s own risk)
Please ensure that your child has only one item of main luggage and one item of
hand luggage. See below for current regulations concerning hand luggage.
CURRENT HAND LUGGAGE REGULATIONS
5th YEAR GREEK TRIP, OCTOBER 2008
Please be aware of the current air travel regulations, which state that each passenger is
permitted:
one standard piece of hand baggage to maximum dimensions of 55 x 40 x 20cm
Checked-in hold baggage should weigh no more than 20kg. Note that a fee per kilo for
excess weight will be charged at the airport prior to departure.
Liquids in hand baggage are subject to the following government-imposed restrictions:
The liquid is in a container with a maximum volume of 100ml
All liquid containers meeting the maximum volume of 100ml can be fitted
comfortably into a transparent, re-sealable 1 litre plastic bag, measuring 20cm x
20cm.
The plastic bag should be presented separately at security
Passengers will be required to dispose of liquids which do not meet the above
requirements at the airport security station.