IN addition to giving information on our own educational resources and facilities currently available to local schools, the NIE column invites articles from budding journalists venturing into print. This week's report on a school trip to Spain -- including a visit to a gruesome torture museum -- comes from two Year 10 students from Alder Grange High School, Rawtenstall.

By KAYLEIGH MILLS and RICHARD CUNLIFFE

WAS this what we had really made the journey for? Not just the long coach trip, enlivened by the excitement of the Euro-tunnel; not even the the breathtaking mountains, glorious beaches; the sun, sightseeing and shopping, but the chance to try out our language skills on a real Spanish waiter.

We had travelled around 100 kilometres to place our order for breakfast, and marvelled when it arrived on the table in front of us.

Every year, our school, Alder Grange High School in Rossendale organises a visit for pupils to experience the Spanish language and culture at first hand and this year's destination was the quaint little north coast town of Santillana, complete with cobbled streets lined with traditional shops, selling perfect present material such as hand made jewellery.

With only four days to cram in as much culture as possible, we headed for the pool -- a big mistake! Although the air temperature was around 30C, the water was icy, but certainly gave us an appetite for the excellent food provided on the chalet campsite.

It's amazing how much we managed to pack into the short visit, including a cable car journey to the peak of a mountain to walk and picnic before being whisked back down to the secluded beach where we tried to avoid the huge waves (which some of us didn't manage to do).

Yes we did indulge in some sun, sea and shopping, but we also visited prehistoric caves at Puente Viesgo and were truly amazed by the superb paintings of bison and other animals made by unknown artists so very long ago.

A more gruesome visit was that to a museum of torture which included displays of dreadful instruments and vivid descriptions of how they were used. Many of us felt sick and one girl even fainted!

The great holiday was rounded off by the final night disco, after which we were tired out and ready to return home, but really glad that we had been given the chance to sample Spain for ourselves.