The second half of the quiz passed much as the first - me attempting to take photos due to a subconscious urge to record the proceedings, listening to the questions and thinking, 'They won't know the answer to that!' But they did and the points mounted up. Suddenly the questions ended and the markers were checking their maths. Charlie Higson was talking, then Wayne told everyone again about the amazing prize awaiting the winners and the two Mums with me were telling each other that actually, we might have won. Or nearly. I didn't want to know about what might happen, I needed definites.
Eventually the waiting was over. The screen showed the results and... we were joint first with Bristol Grammar School! We had to undergo the torture of a best-out-of-three sudden death play-off!! More tension I have not experienced for many years.
If you have good eyesight you can just see the school names -
we're 5th down just after Bristol Grammar, with exactly the same number of points
Wayne asked the first of three questions, which our team answered correctly. The second question was answered by Bristol Grammar. My hands were clammy and shaking as I tried to focus my camera on the team's faces, just in case they won. I wanted to record that moment! The third question came and our team answered again - correctly. We'd won: we were the UK Champions by half a point!
I wanted to shout and clap but instead I took photos. 'Where are these momentous pictures?' I hear you ask. They were rubbish. My hands were shaking so much that everything is blurred. See:
Imogen's face expresses what we all felt (sorry, Immy!)
We received our prizes from Charlie Higson and had photos taken, after which I expect Bristol Grammar, as England champions, received theirs - but I have no memory of it at all.
Next thing I knew the team were having photos taken with Wayne and Charlie Higson, and I was on the phone to our Educational Visits Co-Ordinator at school who'd phoned to see how we'd got on. I probably nearly deafened him when I told him we'd won; I know I lost a favourite earring at this point.
Official photo of our team with Wayne and Charlie Higson - and our mascot (in the cup)
Photo courtesy of K T Bruce
Speaking with Wayne a little later I knew I should try to absorb everything he was telling me about what would happen next: emails from New Zealand, fund raising for our flights, visits to wondrous places when we arrived there, accommodation in a boarding school. What I remember best was that we should not forget our swimming costumes for a visit to Rotorua's geysers and hot springs.
I think it was at this point that the reality of our win began to pierce the ecstatic bubble I was in. Fund raising! All that money to find from somewhere to get us to the World Final in July, only 7 months hence! I had no idea how much a ticket to New Zealand cost but I was pretty sure it wouldn't be covered by a cake sale at school.
So began the next phase of our next adventure: raising the cost of five flights to New Zealand.
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