Sunday morning papers and a roast dinner to look forward to?
[caption id="attachment_2563" align="aligncenter" width="225"]I would be lying if I said that I hadn't started day 2 at Shooka Boot Camp with pain in almost every muscle in my body. I would also be lying if I said that I was pleased to start the day with hill sprints in the semi darkness as a punishment for someone leaving mugs out last night. The day could only improve, and it did, with with a fast and furious boxing workout; something I had never tried before. Needing incentive to punch harder I pictured the film crew behind the targets I was hitting; my left hand punching the cameraman, and the right, the videographer. I never feel too photogenic at 7.30am, before my first cup of coffee.
[caption id="attachment_2562" align="aligncenter" width="300"]Breakfast was porridge with pomegranate and pomegranate molasses - highly recommended - with unlimited coffee - which I seriously considered pouring into my hot water bottle to keep warm for later. A quick walk took us to the neighbouring Activity Centre, a Mecca for anyone who enjoys being outdoors; high ropes, zip wires, quad bikes, mountain bikes, assault course, driving range, and our morning's activity; clay pigeon shooting. Most of us hadn't shot before and really enjoyed the new experience. Â We quickly established that wielding a gun up is easier when you haven't just thrashed your arms in a boxing class, that vegetarians can't shoot straight and that men get very very competitive when it comes to guns.
[caption id="attachment_2564" align="aligncenter" width="300"]A quick walk back for lunch of fish chowder and then off to the beach in nearby Dawlish. The locals seemed surprisingly unperturbed by the presence of 20 people on the beach in Shooka hoodies doing press-ups, sit ups, crocodile walks, seal walks, monkey walks - indeed anything Will could think of that would get us covered in wet sand. Only Delphine remained clean and dry, was it her French upbringing or Cosmo magazine's standards of appearance that led her two double the intensity of the workout just to keep her clothes clean?
[caption id="attachment_2565" align="aligncenter" width="300"]A quick game of bucket ball followed - it is surprising how hard you work out while playing sport on the beach - then back for yet more hill sprints.
With arms and legs now barely functioning we headed to the gym for a punishing Abs session. No chance of being able to sneeze, cough or even laugh for the foreseeable future. Krav Maga self defence followed; any class with a warning of "try this at home and you will end up in jail" is worth a go. Just time before dinner for a half hearted ice plunge - on my own and only in waist deep tonight, with everyone else sticking to the more sensible option of a jacuzzi.
Steak for supper, a pleasant surprise for all, but still no sign of sticky toffee pudding. Will rounded the evening off with a great talk on looking after personal safety drawing on years of army training. Wondering if the people of Dawlish will be more inclined to react tomorrow if they see us taping each others hands together and locking each other in car boots?