Sleepover at the National Space Centre

Well, I'm back and very tired but it was an experience! There were 100 Brownies and Guides along with plenty of Young Leaders and Guiders. This is what I slept under last night along with 24 Brownies from a Pack who I had never met and to be honest, there's a few I would prefer not to meet again!
I managed to arrive about 10 minutes before the stated arrival time for all the leaders - despite our city centre being closed off because of some protests that were happening and having to do a 10 mile detour - to find that because some of the girls were arriving by coach with their leaders then they were already there!! Therefore I was quickly introduced to the brownies and then left with then all while their Brown Owl went off for the leader talk - would have been good to have gone I think?
The National Space Centre had everything well planned out and thumbs up to them for a great time. Unfortunately it would have been better without the non-behaving brownies!
We had quizzes and word searches to do on arrival while we waited for the last of the Brownies and Guides to arrive. Then we had a quick welcome from the organiser, a safety talk from the Space Centre Staff, and then we were split up into 4 groups to go and visit all of the galleries. Two areas were out of bounds for the visit and I believe that they are always out of bounds - not sure why?
Spent about 60 minutes doing the galleries and then we went into the theatre dome for the first of two shows. Very informative but because it was a 180 degrees show, very queasy!
Then we went for our packed suppers, then spent just over an hour doing some craft, split into two groups and one did hand puppets, astronauts, Hubble telescopes and satellites while the others made rockets and then took them outside to fire them up the walkway by the front door. Then swapped over and did the other crafts. Went back in for the sky at night show - I declined to go in which was just as well because we were waiting for one set of parents to pick up a child who wanted to go home and another one wanted to speak to mum and dad as she was homesick - good for her though as she decided to stay after that phone call.
After that it was 10.30pm - time for bed!
Lights went out around 11 pm and they all finally fell asleep around 2 am :(
Woken up at 7 am, time to pack, clean teeth, have breakfast and visit the shop if you were a guide - it had been decided that the brownies would not be allowed din the shop much to their disgust!
Home time 9 am - I got home just before 10 am
The National Space Centre is not as good as Conkers for visiting - I wouldn't go back time and time again which I have with Conkers, but as a sleepover destination, it is very good. The staff from the Centre sleep on site as well, so only do aim do a few each year - they have done 3 this year, mine will be the first next year.
The children were on the go from the minute they arrived and everything was well organised from both the Centre's point of view and the Brownie organiser.
My only gripe is about the behaviour by the girls who were given a very unique opportunity to sleep somewhere extremely special :)
The Division they are from is a privileged area, and so usually money is not an obstacle for them - although there will always be an exception to the rule. However, the behaviour demonstrated by these children, leaves me in absolute disgust at both the parents and the school about how they discipline their children and teach them manners.
While I can accept that there will always be problem children, the number who appear to be in this Division is unbelievable especially as this is a small Division because of its locality in a very rural setting!
Maybe, our village is very fortunate to have a school which ensures that manners and politeness will always be a high priority and that we have very good Brownies?
Anyway, this sleepover has given me a good idea on what to expect and I now have a lot of work to do between now and February - the first of which is to chase the other District Brownie Units to see if they want to come as no-one has replied to an email about coming along - can't be bothered? Probably not!!