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This cache is placed on the edge of a short footpath that skirts the River Waveney and the Staithe Mill stream at Bungay. During wet weather it can be muddy and slippery under foot and so I wouldn't recommend this for wheel-chair users.
This is my third Bungay cache (at the time of writing) and has been placed in an area that holds so many happy memories for me and many other lads that grew up on 'The Falcon Meadow' in the 1960's. The river and surrounding meadows was our playground. If we weren't swiming in it we were fishing for pike, perch and roach from its banks, or we were on it in row boats, canoes and the occasional inflated inner tube! We played with carefree abandon and got up to all the tricks boys tend to do, especially when led by an older brother!
The building across the dyke is the 1st Bungay Sea Scout's boat-house, where we learnt river craft and camping skills. Every summer we held the Annual Sea Scout Regatta on the Falcon Meadow where we competed in swimming and canoing competitons, whilst on the banks there were numerous stalls where you could 'Bowl For A Pig' or try your luck at winning a bottle of 'hootch on the bottle stall.
Whilst setting this cache up, I was thrilled to see that two of my fellow scouts from all those years ago, are now Scout leaders themselves, and imparting their knowledge and skills onto today's Bungay's youngsters.
When thinking back to those heady days, I am reminded of a piece of nostalgic prose that has circulated the internet of late. I think it should be read ' tonque in cheek' but none the less it highlights how attitudes have changed. If I knew who wrote it then I would credit it to them, but unfortunately I don't and so I offer it to you as written by 'Anon'. It goes like this:
If you were born in the 40's, 50's or 60's then 'Congratulations'.
You survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they carried us.
They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a tin, and didn't get tested for diabetes.
Then after that trauma, our baby cots were covered with bright coloured lead-based paints.
We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking.
As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags.
Riding in the back of a van - loose - was always exciting and great fun.
We drank water from the garden hose or tap and NOT from a bottle.
We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle or can and NO ONE actually died from this.
We ate cakes, white bread and real butter and drank cordial with sugar in it, but we weren't overweight because......
WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!!
We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on.
No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O.K.
We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned how to solve the problem .
We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, No video games at all, No 99 channels, No Pay TV, No cable, No DVD movies or surround sound..
It's crazy! We even had No mobile phones, No text messaging, No personal computers, No Internet or Internet chat rooms..........
WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!
We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents.
We played with worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.
Made up games with sticks and tennis balls and although we were told it would happen, we didn't poke out anyone's eye.
We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just yelled for them!
Local teams had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!!
The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!
This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever!
The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.
We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all!
And YOU are one of them!
CONGRATULATIONS!
And special Congratulations to Dawn&Dave for their F.T.F!
Additional Hints
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