Having taken the plane home, I didn't get to join in on the 16-hour drive back to Sevenoaks, but if it was any reflection on the rest of the tour I definitely missed out! The trip started with our very early departure from Solefields car park on Saturday 15th of October. After a long but enjoyable bus ride, the tour really kicked off when, on arriving in Ibbenbüren, we all got paired up with German students from the school. They welcomed us warmly into their homes for the first four days of the week, and we all came away exclaiming over German hospitality and generosity, but also their strange eating habits. On Sunday, after a short rehearsal and quick walk around the town centre, we were invited to a concert in which several of our new German friends were performing. It was, overall, a great first day.