Norfolk Trip: Day Two

After pulling into Camp Pendleton we unloaded the bus and took our things into the barracks.

Lorrie and I had our own separate rooms (my room below).

The cadets shared a large room.

We all used the same bathroom. There were three toilet stalls, three urinals (I'm pretty sure none of the girls used them), four sinks and this shower below.

Later, when the time came, the girls would shower first, then Lorrie and finally myself.

(At first we had issues with the girls and their modesty. They wanted to shower separately, not three at a time, thus pushing my shower time later than I wished (lights out was at 10 p.m.). The Chief stopped that right away. He reminded the girls that they all had the same plumbing and to get over it and start showering three at a time ASAP. I was told the male cadets had no modesty issues but were warned by other cadets that they would get punched if they were caught looking at anyone else while in the shower.)

After unpacking our gear, making up our cots and the cadets changing into uniform, we got on the bus again and headed to lunch at a Navy mess hall. The food was decent.

After lunch it was back to the barracks for the cadets to change out of uniform and into civvies, then back on the bus for our trip to Busch Gardens, Old Country at Williamsburg. We arrived at 4:30 p.m. and stayed until the park closed at 10 p.m.

Busch Gardens was set up into separate countries. There were Italy, Ireland and Germany to mention a few. The Park was decorated for Howl-O-Scream. There were all kinds of scary decorations throughout the park and there was plenty of fog and eerie lighting when it turned dark. Walking around the park at night you had to be weary of things jumping out and scaring you.

Two cadets and I rode (despite my better judgement) the roller coaster named Apollo's Chariot. We sat in the front seats. During the whole ride all I was thinking was, why did I say I would do this and I can't wait until this is over. The cadets thought I was cool for riding the roller coaster with them...I'm glad I went out on a positive note because I don't believe I will ever ride another roller coaster again...I'm getting too old for that kind of thing!

We all had a good time at Busch Gardens and were tired when we got back on the bus that night to head back to the barracks. Morning would come real soon as reveille was at 5 a.m. each morning.

End of day two.