Our Journey to London

We met on Sunday, 4th October in front of our school. We were all very excited about our going to London. The journey by bus was uncomplicated but very long. We arrived in our hostel in the early afternoon and were a bit surprised about our rooms but we knew we wouldn’t spend very much time there so we didn’t mind. After refreshing ourselves we went to Leadenhall Market, which was lovely to look at but a bit expensive for our low budgets. After that, part of our group visited the London Dungeon. They were thrilled by the experience and said it was awesome. Meanwhile, the other group strolled around the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey. This group had good fun too. At 8pm we all met at the London Eye again. As it was just getting dark, we had an amazing view of brightly illuminated London at night. We all slept very well that night after such a busy day.
On our second day we visited the Tower of London – a wonderful journey back into English history. After so much culture we had to eat something and - surprise, surprise – we chose Fish’n Chips, a most delicious traditional British dish. After our meal we wanted to go shopping at last, so we went to Oxford Street, where we spent quite a lot of time. In the evening we met again at Picadilly Circus and went to China Town for dinner. This meal was a bit of a disaster and we were disappointed both by the food as well as the service. Still, for some of us the evening ended cheerfully at Ripley’s, believe it or not, while the others had a quiet evening at the hostel.
Wednesday was the best day for me, because we went to see Westminster Abbey. We were overwhelmed by its beauty and historical relevance. Afterwards our group split up again and some of us went to the British Museum while the others chose to see the Natural History Museum. The “Natural” people were luckier with their decision as it turned out afterwards. Still, after this heavy cultural diet we went shopping and dining and enjoyed the rest of our last full day in London.
On Thursday, a bright sunny morning, we took a walk through Hyde Park to Buckingham Palace to watch the Changing of the Guards at noon. There was a huge crowd and we couldn’t all see what was going on. Afterwards we had time for our last strolls through London before we left at 4pm to return home.
The return journey became a bit of a disaster, as the bus broke down and we had to return by train via Paris and Mannheim. Still we were blessed and returned safely home after more than 30 sleepless hours.
We had a wonderful time together in one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen. Thanks to all those who helped to make this a great and unforgettable experience!
Marlene Bucholdt, 10th form