The Map That Sent Everyone in Circles
Senior 2 · Term 2 · Tourism, Maps and Giving Directions
The Map That Sent Everyone in Circles
Team Blue Bird has followed a confident shortcut to a locked gate. The official route, the clock and the safety rules now demand a decision.
One Code Word, One Deadline
At 9:45 a.m., four Senior Two learners stood outside the Visitor Centre at Katojo Hills Nature Centre. Team Blue Bird—Tendo, Asha, Kato and Nambi—had to reach Mirror Falls, collect a code word from the ranger and return to the school bus by 11:30.
The team had a sketch map, an official route card and an emergency whistle. Teachers were stationed at checkpoints, and every learner had been told to remain on marked public trails.
Official route card
Visitor Centre to Mirror Falls
Distance: 1.2 kilometres each way
Walking time: about 35 minutes each way
Trail marker: blue bird symbol
- Leave the Visitor Centre through the east gate.
- Walk straight for 300 metres to the giant fig tree.
- Turn left at the tree and continue towards the wooden bridge.
- Cross the bridge and immediately take the path on your right.
- Walk uphill past the rock shelter marked with a blue bird.
- Mirror Falls is beyond the shelter and below the viewing platform.
Warning: The path beside the herb garden leads to the service gate. It does not join the waterfall trail.
Forwarded message from Tendo’s cousin
The “Easy Route”
Leave through any gate and turn right at the big tree. Do not cross the bridge. Follow the herb-garden path until you see a rock. The falls are behind it. It is only about 600 metres, so nobody needs water.
The Locked Gate
Nambi asked for two minutes to study the official information. Tendo argued that the competition was about speed. When another team moved ahead, Team Blue Bird followed him through the south gate.
Three minutes later, the path curved past the herb garden and ended at a locked metal gate marked SERVICE ENTRANCE.
Asha pointed to the warning on the route card. “It told us exactly where this path goes.”
The team had already lost seven minutes. Kato blamed Tendo. Tendo blamed the locked gate. Another team passed behind them on the marked trail.
Nambi checked her watch: 10:07 a.m. Reaching the falls by the official route would take about 35 minutes, and returning would take another 35. The bus deadline was 11:30.
At that moment, two visitors approached. They had also seen the faded herb-garden sign and asked Team Blue Bird for directions to Mirror Falls.
The team now had to recover from its own mistake without passing unreliable information to someone else.
Nambi: “We can keep arguing about who caused this—or decide what the evidence tells us to do next.”
Think it through
What should Team Blue Bird do next, what directions should it give the visitors, and how can the team use the available evidence and remaining time to make a safe decision rather than another confident guess?
Compare the official route with the forwarded message. Explain the route clearly, account for the deadline and show how the team should handle its disagreement.
Your response
Recommend the safest workable decision and justify it with route evidence.
Feedback on your response
Member discussion