Leigh in Azerbaijan

The M2 students went on a trip to Gobustan in the last week of school.  The reasons for going are to see some petroglyphs (this is just one of many) (check out Flickr)

some graffiti engraved by a Roman soldier (Azerbaijan was the outer reaches of the Roman Empire) and the mud volcanoes.  The mud volcanoes quietly burp cold mud and methane.  Over the generations they have thrown up thousands of tons of mud but each opening is from a few cms to a metre wide. The larger openings are atop 2 or 3 metre mounds. One story is that many years ago the mud volcano did explode killing a shepherd.

Self-restraint is not a strong trait of 13/14y.o. boys as two of them decided to jump into a mud volcano with one of the school’s GPS hand-held devices. They were up to their shoulders in mud, the GPS was lost but thankfully, they were able to get out.  Needless to say the staff were beside themselves with disbelief, frustration and anger.  The boys apparently had no sense of how dangerous their action was, and probably figured that if they were suspended their school year would simply end earlier.  On returning to school the boys and girls went in separate buses with those in question down to their jocks.  It remains to be seen what action will be taken.

In addition two girls lost another GPS but wouldn’t own up to it.  It seems like the whole year will bear the cost.