Nostalgia’s Kicking In: 17 Memories Of A Primary School Tour

It was one of the biggest days of the year in primary school. No, it wasn't moving chairs or "We're watching a video today" day, it was the SCHOOL-TOUR.

Once a year, come late May/early June, hundreds of thousands of kids across the country piled onto buses and took a trip to a nearby farm/zoo/cultural spot/museum/castle/park.

Here are the best of the best memories...

1. The Places

Each year of primary school had a designated place. You knew where you were going years in advance. Pet farm in first class, activity centre in fourth class, historical castle in fifth class. There was never any confusion. God forbid they'd swap them around.

2. Your Bus Partner

Choosing your bus partner was a traumatic ordeal in itself. Weeks were spent wheeling and dealing with classmates, promising some you'd sit beside them, begging with others to be your partner.

3. Waking Up

Parents' alarms were set for the crack of dawn. We'd already be awake though. The night before is like trying to get to sleep knowing Santa is coming.

4. The Smell Of Suncream

Your parent/guardian would have lathered the back of your neck in suncream just like the note home from the primary school would have instructed.

The smell of this as it was lathered on in the morning... 

5. The Waves Goodbye

A big group of parents at the school gates waving the busloads goodbye. You wouldn't be waving because you'd already be munching into your packed lunch. Which leads us to...

6. An Unreal Packed Lunch

Your school tour packed lunch was so much better than any other day's packed lunch. The legendary mammies would add in an extra few treats, guaranteed to keep you hyper until at least 8:30 in the evening. Two packets of Taytos for the day, anyone? 

Yum. 

7. Sometimes You Could Wear Your Own Clothes

For school uniform-wearing kids, this was a day's event in itself. The excitement was unbearable.

8. Songs On The Bus

Charlie had a pigeon, a pigeon, a pigeon, Chaaaarrlie had a pigeon, a pigeon had he...

He flew it by day and he flew it by night and when he come home he covered in-CHAAARRRLIE HAD A PIGEON, A PIGEON...

9. Head Count

Teachers desperately tapping your head all day muttering words under their breath.

10. Pocket Money

The rules were you could bring a fiver pocket money, max. There was always one kid whose mum gave them a twenty euro. You'd be so envious.

Wow. We were rich. 

11. Bringing Back Change

You'd try and bring back change even if it was just a few pence, so you could show your mother and father that you were financially responsible.

12. Presents

You would also bring back presents for everyone in the family. You were gone for a whole nine hours, you were so much more knowledgeable about the world when you returned. God only knows how we managed to get presents for everyone from one measly fiver.

13. Countdown To Summer

School after the school tour was just a countdown to summer really.

Counting down the days... 

14. The Weather

It was always sunny. Or was it? That's probably just nostalgia talking now...

15. The Obligatory Vomiting Person

There was always one child who vomited their whole way home on the bus. We all remember who that kid always was.

16. A Bus Shift

Those of the Her.ie gang who went to a mixed primary school remember there always being a quick shift on the bus on the way home. Those of us who went to an all-girls primary school remember talking about quick shifts on the way home.

17. The Homecoming

The bus was always invariably three hours late, it would turn into the school carpark to parents half asleep in cars waiting for you.