My trip to Space Camp at Kennedy Space Center, Florida by Robert

I was very lucky to win a competition which meant I went to Space Camp at Camp KSC in Florida for a week! I absolutely loved it. Here are my highlights for each day.

Day 1: Micro Gravity Wall
The wall looked like a normal ladder, but once I had climbed to the top a staff member did some weird thing involving weights and I ended up being able to float up and down the ladder. It was an amazing experience.


[caption id="attachment_471" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The micro-gravity wall[/caption]




Day 2: Space Shuttle Atlantis at Kennedy Space Center
We learnt lots about, and then saw the actual Atlantis Space Shuttle. It was huge! After that we went on a ride that simulated the launch of the spacecraft, which was so much fun. We also heard a speech from legendary astronaut Tom Jones who has been in space four times. There were loads of things we learnt about such as meteorites, planets and astronauts. It was a great day, despite it being burning hot outside.   



 

[caption id="attachment_467" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Me next to the Atlantis Shuttle[/caption]

Day 3: The Mission
We were all given roles to play such as Commander, Pilot or a person from Mission Control. The non-moving simulator was incredibly big because it had several rooms. The simulation provided us with the feeling of a successful mission to launch a rocket into space. We were all given things to say and buttons to press. My character didn't have many lines or things to do but I still really enjoyed it anyway.



[caption id="attachment_470" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The multi axis trainer, which spins around[/caption]

Day 4: The Multi Axis Trainer
The Multi Axis Trainer or as the kids like to call it "the spinny ball of death" is a large simulator that can hold two people. It spins you in all directions, and you feel like you are inside a rocket when it spins out of control. The simulator was amazing and was by far my favourite part of camp, even though I did get a bit dizzy.

Day 5: The Trajectory Chair
The trajectory chair has two connected seats that spin around. Me and my partner had to throw and catch as many balls and frisbees as we could. It was extremely difficult because when I threw a ball to my partner he would have already moved on, and the ball would fall into an empty space. It was much harder than it looked and it was super fun.

 

[caption id="attachment_468" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Me at my graduation from Space Camp 2014![/caption]

I learnt loads at my week at camp. Here are my top three facts.

1.  Once an astronaut was eating m&ms. He ate something that he thought was a brown m&m but in fact it was something else. Now NASA never sends brown m&ms into space any more.

2. The amazing Space Shuttle Atlantis launches as a rocket and lands as an aeroplane.

3. When one of the first people ever was going into space there was a lot of delays. After an hour of problems the astronaut inside the rocket needed a wee but NASA said he would have to hold it in. Another hour went by and still the rocket had not launched. Now the astronaut  was desperate for a wee and asked "why can't I go to the toilet?" NASA said "because we would have to start up the engine all over again, that would waste fuel." Another hour of delays passed and the astronaut questioned "can I do a wee in my suit?" NASA replied "no, your suit has lots of wires in it, you would get electrocuted." At the end of another 60 minutes NASA turned off the power and let him pee in his suit but because he was in launch position lying down the yellow liquid spread over his suit and he went and came down from space covered in wee.

I loved Space Camp - it really was the trip of a lifetime.

Read about my dad's day trip to Kennedy Space Center and what he would recommend you should do if you visit.

Burghley House, by Robert

My family and I went to Lord Burghley's house in Stamford in Lincolnshire. It was built by William Cecil (Lord Burghley) who was one of the most important advisors to Queen Elizabeth I in the 16^th century. It is absolutely huge, with lots of grounds. It really looks impressive from the outside, and as I found out, it is impressive inside too!

We followed the Beastly Boring Burghley tour which showed us all around the house. All the children were also given a special book at the end, which was full of interesting information, and it was led by a guide in Elizabethan costume (I think she got very hot!)

Our guide, in the kitchen

We found out about all the earls who lived at house, the furniture and the paintings, although we started in the kitchen, which had turtle skulls hanging on the walls (the turtles were made into soup) and a giant spit next to the fireplace. Young boys used to have to turn this round and round for hours (getting burnt in the process). There were also lots of jelly moulds which people used to eat for dessert – they often had rotten teeth, so these were easy to eat. I don't think they would have improved their teeth though.

The steps with the potty in

There were so many bedrooms and drawing rooms including lots of rooms called George, the blue silk drawing room, the green and black bedroom and lots more. One was supposed to have had Elizabeth 1 sleeping there, while another was slept in by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. She was so small, they had to lower the bed for her to get into (you used to get into bed by climbing up steps). We saw a set of steps and if you lifted the lid, it had a little potty inside.

I found all the bells in the hall interesting as there were so many connecting up all the rooms in the house so that servants could be called. There was also a billiard room which is still used today to play snooker.

I loved the chapel. It had so many decorations, and even the ceiling was beautiful. My favourite rooms were the heaven room and the hell staircase. The walls and ceiling in each room were painted with gods for the heaven room, including Neptune and Saturn, and for the hell staircase the walls were painted with pictures of wars and death. It was very dramatic.

Over all I would say the tour was not boring but it was also not very beastly. I thought it would be horrible and disgusting but it was actually quite nice to listen to – I think more gore would have been better!

Jess next to one of the sculptures in the gardens

At Lord Burghley's house there are also some fantastic gardens, called the Gardens Of Surprise. The gardens are full of fountains, mazes and sculptures and I got soaking wet running in and out of the water.

I especially liked Poseidon's Grotto and the maze, and I got to the middle even though mum and dad didn't. I really enjoyed walking around the gardens after the tour, even though I was dripping with water.

The beautiful house of Lord Burghley is a great, fun and interesting day out for all ages. I really liked it.

 

The Beastly Boring Burghley Tour is on every day over the summer at 10am. It costs £35 for a family (up to three children and two adults) but then you get admission to the House and Gardens for the whole day so you can go back inside after the tour if you want to.

 

More by me:

 

Dr Johnson's House

5 tips for visiting Legoland

    

Burghley House, by Robert

My family and I went to Lord Burghley's house in Stamford in Lincolnshire. It was built by William Cecil (Lord Burghley) who was one of the most important advisors to Queen Elizabeth I in the 16^th century. It is absolutely huge, with lots of grounds. It really looks impressive from the outside, and as I found out, it is impressive inside too!

We followed the Beastly Boring Burghley tour which showed us all around the house. All the children were also given a special book at the end, which was full of interesting information, and it was led by a guide in Elizabethan costume (I think she got very hot!)

Our guide, in the kitchen

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