PGL in Costa Brava Spain

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modernista
Posts: 302
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2010 12:03 pm

PGL in Costa Brava Spain

Post by modernista »

Hi Everyone,
Just wondering if anyones DCs have been to PGL Costa Brava. It is a mediterranean watersports trip in La Fosca near Barcelona. This will be the first overseas trip for DD and in fact the first PGL one would like to hear personal experiences, good or bad to help us make up our mind. Will trawl through other posts on PGL but if anyone has has specific experience of the venue, we would be grateful of your opinion.
Mindset
Posts: 96
Joined: Sat Apr 28, 2012 9:40 am

Re: PGL in Costa Brava Spain

Post by Mindset »

How old is your daughter? Will she be travelling alone/ with friends/ with school?

I accompanied a school journey to a PGL water sports holiday in Vias, South of France and it was the most amazing week. Action packed, well planned, good food, comfortable tents, good coaches.

I don't know this specific venue, but the trip I took was with 47 teenagers was superb.

M
modernista
Posts: 302
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2010 12:03 pm

Re: PGL in Costa Brava Spain

Post by modernista »

Mindset, my daughter is 12 and will be travelling with the school. She is a competent swimmer but I am a paranoid parent. She is a sensible kid but becomes silly and excitable under peer pressure in groups. Did you have a water sports based programme? I am not too worried about accommodation apart from safety aspects as I think if she is tired and hungry, she will eat anything and sleep well anywhere
Okanagan
Posts: 1706
Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2011 9:20 pm
Location: Warwickshire

Re: PGL in Costa Brava Spain

Post by Okanagan »

dh did some work for PGL some years back (winter sports, not water based ones though). They were quite thorough about all instructors they employed being suitably qualified, and also ran their residential own training for the instructors, which is more than can be some organisations who take on temporary instructing staff to cover busier periods.
Mindset
Posts: 96
Joined: Sat Apr 28, 2012 9:40 am

Re: PGL in Costa Brava Spain

Post by Mindset »

Yes, it was a water sports trip. The safety was very thorough, and the children were well briefed and well looked after. Ours were older (14-16). Our school staff were very well briefed by the PGL team- all instructions came from them as we may have given confusing mixed messages that may have been unsafe.

I have an 11 year old, I'd have no problem with him going on a safety level (and he can be quite silly!) but I'd be worried about the length of the foreign trip from home as he isn't used to it.

Are friends going? Staff you know? M
KB
Posts: 3030
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 3:28 pm

Re: PGL in Costa Brava Spain

Post by KB »

A friend's daughter has been doing PGL for years and no bad experiences.
DC did PGL watersports in France with school a few years ago and had a brilliant time.
Assuming DD has been away from home before and knows some of the others on the trip I would think she will have a ball!
modernista
Posts: 302
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2010 12:03 pm

Re: PGL in Costa Brava Spain

Post by modernista »

Thanks everyone for your feedback, this has put my mind to rest to a certain extent. I think DD will be happy in any situation, its just me fretting. She has been away on school trips before, a three day and a five day one (both in the UK) and although she was glad to be back, she enjoyed the trips. But that is the point anyways isn't it, to be out of your comfort zone a little bit. I am a little concerned about a 17 hour coach journey from Calais (they call it overnight but no one sleeps for 17 hours on a bus) and she was a little carsick till very recently but I think she is old enough to manage some medication. Her friends are going but as of now they are only 6 month friendships and I dont know the staff that are going yet.
Mindset and Okanagan, it very helpful and reassuring knowing the staff/ insider perspective. It is a long trip, almost 10 days but I think some of that is taken up by travelling which can be enjoyable if you are not throwing up! KB, thanks for the personal review!
secondtime
Posts: 138
Joined: Sat Apr 17, 2010 3:53 pm

Re: PGL in Costa Brava Spain

Post by secondtime »

I have always found the school so much more paranoid (justifiably) about safety that I never really worry. They are so restricted compared to when I 'let them loose'.
Both boys went canoeing down the Ardeche with PGL last Summer. They went with Scouts and Scout leader commented how safety aware all the PGL staff were. The boys moaned that they had to wear safety helmets all the time/prove they had drunk copious amounts of water! So go for it!

I am however slightly anxious about my DS's trip to Tanzania with school in Summer hols. 4 weeks and the list of innoculations seems endless!
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