It's the October half-term break, and that means it's time for Lagganlia

In America, parents have the option of packing their offspring away for entire summers to a camp somewhere in the backwoods of the Appalachian mountains.

And there, as we all know, the ghost of a mad serial killer lurks just beyond the campsite. In Edinburgh, we settle for a single week in October, and as far as I am aware, phantom ghouls can't take the weather in Kingussie, so the kids are alright. In any case, I bet our home-grown horrors would have to complete a ten-page safety assessment for the local authority, which just ruins the moment.

Lagganlia is a rite of passage for Edinburgh schoolkids. It's a week in the wild outdoors for kids who usually consider the Botantics deeply rural.

Before any expedition, the supplies must be gathered. Just ask Scott of the Antarctic. I can't help but feel he wouldn't have come to such a sticky end if his mum had been given the correct list of things to buy. Provisions must be sourced, and remember, these things will be on public display. This immediately rules out the blue fleece jammies with Shaun the Sheep on them. Hat and gloves must be acquired to replace the hat with the cute ear things I bought for him last year. Cute will not cut it in Lagganlia boys dormitory. We have socks, but we can't take them because they've got Spiderman on them. He's so, like, last year.

And then underpants. Certainly not the ones with Dennis the Menace on the waistband, or indeed the pairs that have started to separate on all the seams. Fresh pants must be purchased. And soap and a soap dish. Oh, and toothpaste. And a torch. And a lifejacket, emergency flares, a team of huskies, a diary and beef jerky for a month. Oh no, hang on, that's Scott's.

The boys turned up for the bus with backpacks and new pants. The girls - this is P7, remember - turned up with pink wheelie suitcases, smart carry-on hand luggage and a separate bag for the shampoo, conditioner, gel and hair straighteners. The boys were ready to yomp the Falkands. The girls looked ready for first class on Virgin Atlantic.

A word of thanks to the outdoor instructors at Lagganlia. By the time the boy returned he'd abseiled, kayaked, hiked, eaten everything on his plate, and apparently had at least two showers. After just one week, he was more confident and outgoing, which I suppose it the point of this outward bound stuff. Did wonders for Scott of the Antarctic.

However. I couldn't help but notice that my young leader of men returned with three pristine, untouched pairs of pants still in the packet.