This year's Physoc Holiday was to Marseille in the South of France to visit the site of ITER - the international project to design and build an experimental fusion reactor based on a 'tokamak' concept.
On Saturday evening 45 of us boarded the coach for the long journey to Marseille, and after several stops and broken hours of sleep at 4:35am we crossed the channel from Folkestone by Eurotunnel. We then traveled from Calais to Marseille, which was a long and warm journey with some unexpected detour due to low bridges stopping us from getting straight into Marseille. Eventually 2 and a half hours later than expected, one bridge we definitely shouldn't have gone over and a very tight driveway into the hostel we turned up all in one piece and all very ready to stretch our legs and head to the beach for sunset.
On Saturday evening 45 of us boarded the coach for the long journey to Marseille, and after several stops and broken hours of sleep at 4:35am we crossed the channel from Folkestone by Eurotunnel. We then traveled from Calais to Marseille, which was a long and warm journey with some unexpected detour due to low bridges stopping us from getting straight into Marseille. Eventually 2 and a half hours later than expected, one bridge we definitely shouldn't have gone over and a very tight driveway into the hostel we turned up all in one piece and all very ready to stretch our legs and head to the beach for sunset.
On Monday in typical British student fashion, most of us headed to the nearest Lidl for food before a picnic on the beach. There we attempted volleyball/ball games in the sea, attempted being the main word there. With the weather bright and sunny all day there were a few slightly more pink faces over dinner in the evening than the night before, and overall Monday was a much needed rest day on the beach after finishing exams and before our tour around the ITER facility on Tuesday. The evening saw a few of us up in the ''terrifying'' ferris wheel at sunset and most of the group eating on the beach front at an Italian restaurant. |
At this point, we'd had sun, sand so on Tuesday we all boarded the coach again for our tour around the ITER facility and presentation on the sustainable energy project. Once we arrived we received a presentation from Dr Axel Winter. Axel is working on the plasma control system as part of the Department for Fusion Science and Technology and he explained the ITER project and some of the timelines and plans for the future. After a quick photo overlooking the site we were given a tour of the site from our coach. Unfortunately due to the weather and expected thunderstorm we couldn't get off the coach to look around but as a lot of ITER is still a construction site and will be for the next few years we could see everything from the comfort of the coach. Everyone seemed to really enjoy the tour and Axel was a very engaging speaker and keen to help us understand more about the project and even it's cost in comparison to other global projects and sporting events. Then it was back on the road again, back to the hostel for a final night of games and farewell drinks in the hostel.
The weather still wasn't good enough to return to the beach for the final evening, so we instead gathered in the hostel for final night drinks and a few games. It proved to be a much later night than expected for a few meaning the 10am checkout the next day was a struggle. But everyone made it and then spent the rest of the day around Marseille, catching some final rays on the beach and getting in a large lunch before the 20 hour coach ride home. Mostly the coach ride was uneventful and involved many hours sleeping and groggily making toilet stops along the way. We were on course to arrive early home and we almost made it all the way back to Sheffield with the group all in one piece and then at the final services the headcount failed us and we left Dave in Newport Pagnell. After several phone calls, a taxi arriving and leaving without Dave, and a Facebook plea to 'fund the Physoc Troops' Dave decided to get a train home and eventually got into Sheffield only an hour after the predicted arrival time Thursday mid-afternoon. Sorry Dave! |
So a largely successful trip, a lovely few days on the beach, and a very informative tour of the ITER, same time next year guys?
As always Physoc Love xox
As always Physoc Love xox